Week 9 Whiparound: Top Performances, Best Games and Fun Stuff

Week 9 of the New Mexico High School football season is complete. Here are some of the best performances, best games, fascinating numbers and other fun stuff from the ninth weekend of the 2021 season. Two weekends remain in the regular season: Team of the Week: Centennial. Best comeback of the season? Yes. Centennial trailed Las Cruces, 41-14, with just under 8 minutes left in the third quarter Thursday night at the Field of Dreams. At that point, the chances of a running clock were probably greater than a Centennial win. But the Hawks overcame the odds, pulling off a trick play in the closing seconds to pull out the victory, making them the Kings of Las Cruces for the 2021 season. The turning point for Centennial was a sensational 50-yard TD catch by WR Bryson Medeiros in the corner of the end zone that cut the deficit to 41-21. The Hawks’ defense helped out by finally getting some stops. QB Ian Lopez Ian Lopez QB Centennial | 2022 State NM then threw a TD pass to Isaiah Abeyta Isaiah Abeyta 5'10" | 155 lbs | WR Centennial | 2023 State NM and ran for a 1-yd TD to make it 41-35. When Centennial intercepted a Bulldawgs pass and took over with 4:53 left, they began the eventual game-winning drive. Because Centennial is playing only nine regular season games (former district rival Gadsden is playing as an independent in 2021), the Hawks’ regular season ends next week against Hobbs. A victory in that game secures a top four seed and a first-round bye for Centennial. Honorable Mention: Cleveland (huge rally to beat Volcano Vista); Bloomfield (last second win over rival); Roswell (1-point win over Artesia); St. Michael’s (key win over WLV).

Player of the Week: Dominic Esparza Dominic Esparza 5'10" | 170 lbs | DB St. Pius X | 2022 State NM , St. Pius X. Esparza scored 5 touchdowns, four receiving and one on an electrifying punt return, to propel St. Pius X (6-2, 2-0) to a key 39-6 District 4A-5 victory over Valencia Thur. night at Milne Stadium. Esparza got things started with a 53-yard TD reception from QB Alejandro Sapien Alejandro Sapien 5'11" | 155 lbs | QB St. Pius X | 2023 State NM on the fourth snap of the game. In the second quarter, Esparza raced through the Valencia coverage for a 61-yard punt return TD to give St. Pius X an insurmountable 19-0 lead. If St. Pius X beats Grants in Week 10, the Sartans would square off with Albuquerque Academy (8-1, 3-0) on Thur. Oct. 28 in a winner-take-all game for the district title. Honorable Mention: , Cibola (2 TD catches + 2 INT ); , Rio Rancho (147 yards, 4 rushing TD vs. Atrisco Heritage); , Centennial (accounted for 5 TD); Elliott Paskett-Bell (440 passing yards); , Piedra Vista (6 TD vs. Los Alamos). Best Team Offensive Performance: Rio Rancho. The Rams scored every time they had the ball in a 50-0 rout of Atrisco Heritage Friday night. Rio Rancho improved to 6-0 overall, 2-0 in District 6A-1 and continued their relentless march toward the Oct. 29 showdown vs. city rival Cleveland. Of course, they’ll first need to get past Volcano Vista in Week 10. Rio Rancho has won four of their six games by the mercy rule. Best Team Defensive Performance: West Las Vegas. Even though the Dons lost to St. Michael’s 13-12, the WLV defense isn’t to blame. They held the potentially explosive St. Michael’s offense to 135 total yards and just one offensive TD. The Horsemen didn’t score in the second half, punting four times, getting intercepted twice and being stopped on downs in their final seven meaningful possessions. WLV, one of the youngest teams in the state, is still in the thick of the Class 3A playoff picture and could meet St. Michael’s again in November. Best Game/Best Finish: Roswell 30, Artesia 29. In a penalty-filled game (at least from Artesia’s perspective), Roswell pulled off the comeback win, culminating a long fourth quarter drive by scoring on a 20-yard TD pass from Rich Arreola to WR Josh Estrada with about 40 seconds remaining and then converting the 2-point conversion on a QB keeper by Arreola. Artesia took the ensuing kickoff and quickly drove into field goal range but fumbled. Roswell recovered to secure the wild victory. It only whets the appetite for the upcoming District 5A-4 battles. Best Rivalry Win: Bloomfield 20, Aztec 17. Punctuating a rivalry dating back over 60 years, Bobcats QB Ryan Sharpe Ryan Sharpe QB Bloomfield | 2023 State NM , who has battled through injuries the past several weeks, scored the decisive TD on a QB keeper with 36 seconds remaining to lift Bloomfield to an emotional District 4A-1 road victory over Aztec. Making the story even more dramatic? Sharpe left the game in the first quarter after it appeared he reinjured his knee. But Sharpe returned to action and scored a pair of TDs in the second half. Aztec’s kickoff return for a TD after Sharpe’s game-winner was negated by a holding penalty. The win allowed Bloomfield to keep pace with Kirtland Central atop the District 4A-1 standings. The Bobcats face winless Gallup in Week 10 before Bloomfield and Kirtland Central square off for the district title on Oct. 29. Comeback Kids: Centennial wasn’t the only school to author a comeback from a 3+ TD deficit in Week 9. Cleveland trailed Volcano Vista, 27-7, early in the second quarter before rallying for a 44-33 win at Community Stadium that kept its dreams of an unbeaten season and the No. 1 seed for the Class 6A playoffs alive. The Storm, which trailed for the first time all season, scored 30 consecutive points to take a 37-27 lead in the second half. After allowing big plays early, including a 62-yard TD pass from QB to WR on the game’s first play, the Cleveland defense settled down and forced seven turnovers, five on interceptions. Hawks backup QB Elliott Paskett-Bell threw for 440 yards along with the 5 interceptions after taking over for Gerardo, who was injured on the first play of the game when he was hammered by a pair of Cleveland defenders a fraction of a second after unleashing the TD pass to Valdez. Cleveland faces West Mesa in Week 10 and then the much-anticipated season-ending road battle at Rio Rancho with the District 6A-1 title on the line. Things You Need To Know: Albuquerque Academy scored touchdowns four different ways in their 48-0 victory over Grants in a rare Friday afternoon battle. The Chargers scored on two TD passes by QB A.J. Rivera A.J. Rivera 6'2" | 195 lbs | QB Albuquerque Academy | 2023 State NM , two rushing TDs by Cole Conway Cole Conway 6'3" | 230 lbs | RB Albuquerque Academy | 2023 State NM , a Pick-6 by Dalton Lee and a scoop and score fumble recovery by Michael Hulett. Next game for Academy? Oct. 28 vs. St. Pius X with the District 4A-5 title on the line. . .Cibola snapped a 3-game losing streak with a 48-7 victory over West Mesa Friday night, keeping the Cougars on track for a mid-level seed in the Class 6A playoffs. QB Aden Chavez Aden Chavez 6'5" | 210 lbs | QB Cibola | 2023 State NM was 15-24 passing for 230 Yards and 3 TD with zero INT. Nathan Lopez Nathan Lopez 5'5" | 135 lbs | WR Cibola | 2022 State NM had 7 receptions for 167 yards, while Anthony Garcia rushed for 159 yards and 2 TD on 23 carries. Cibola faces Atrisco Heritage Thur. night before clashing with Volcano Vista Oct. 29 in a key battle for playoff seeding. . .Don’t look now but Clovis has won three games in a row after starting the season 0-4. The latest win was a 28-0 whitewashing of Manzano Friday night. The Wildcats are 3-4 overall, 3-1 district with two games remaining: Oct. 22 vs. Sandia and Oct. 28 at Eldorado. The latter game will likely determine second place in District 6A-2 with the winner earning a higher seed in the playoffs. . .Darkhorse in Class 4A? Don’t overlook Moriarty. The Pintos trounced Pojoaque Valley, 53-6, in its District 4A-2 opener. Moriarty should handle Espanola Valley in Week 10 before a potential district championship game against Taos in Week 11. The Pintos feature one of the most balanced rushing attacks in the entire state. . .La Cueva (7-1, 4-0) can clinch the District 6A-2 title, and a top 4 seed for the playoffs, by beating Manzano Friday night as a result of an impressive 48-7 victory over Santa Fe Saturday at Wilson Stadium. Junior QB Aidan Armenta Aidan Armenta 6'3" | 190 lbs | QB La Cueva | 2023 State NM threw three TD passes and RB Brandon Cabaniss ran for two TD to boost the Bears. La Cueva led, 35-0, midway through the second quarter before inserting second teamers into the game. . .St. Michael’s managed to slip past West Las Vegas, 13-12, in Santa Fe Saturday afternoon in a key District 3A-2 battle even though the Horsemen were outgained in total yardage, 252-135, and scored just one offensive TD. Workhorse WLV RB Damian Gallegos rushed for 100 yards on 32 carries. The Horsemen face another tough district test in Week 10 when they travel to Robertson. . .Lovington earns the Longest Trip Award this week by traveling 700+ miles round-trip to Silver and knocking off the Fighting Colts, 48-16. Wildcats QB Ashton Aranda completed 19-of-31 passes for 262 yards and 4 TD. Lovington’s final two games are against Ruidoso and Portales and both should be 48-minute battles. Week 10 Lookahead (Oct. 21-23): Rio Rancho at Volcano Vista Santa Teresa at Mayfield (Thur.) Tohatchi at Navajo Prep (Thur.) Cibola at Atrisco Heritage (Thur.) Silver at Portales Alamogordo at Roswell Hope Christian at NMMI St. Michael’s at Robertson Sandia at Clovis Texico at Santa Rosa West Mesa at Cleveland Organ Mountain at Carlsbad La Cueva at Manzano Highland at Belen Goddard at Artesia Ruidoso at Lovington Taos at Pojoaque Valley Capital at Farmington Miyamura at Los Alamos Hobbs at Centennial Valencia at Bernalillo Aztec at Kirtland Central St. Pius X at Grants

Week 9 Thurs. Night Scoreboard:

Cleveland 44, Volcano Vista 33
St. Pius X 39, Valencia 6
Centennial 42, Las Cruces 41
Goddard 49, Alamogordo 0 pic.x.com/ZVBSsrWnbY
— Prep Redzone New Mexico (@PrepRedzoneNM) October 15, 2021

Our complete Week 9 Friday Night Scoreboardhttps://t.co/oJe2M8hAAP pic.x.com/y61r3jGCoI
— Prep Redzone New Mexico (@PrepRedzoneNM) October 16, 2021

Week 9 Sat. Football Scores

La Cueva 48, Santa Fe 7
Hobbs 56, Organ Mtn. 28
Eldorado 29, Albuquerque 15
Highland 51, Del Norte 6
St. Michael's 13, West Las Vegas 12 pic.x.com/AoV3bKIOkM
— Prep Redzone New Mexico (@PrepRedzoneNM) October 16, 2021