2022 Team Preview: La Cueva Bears
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La Cueva 2022 Preview Head Coach: Brandon Back Mascot: Bears Twitter: @LaCuevaFootball; @AidanArmenta; @GabrielBuie07; @ExodusAyers_ Colors: Navy Blue, Silver & White 2021 Record: 10-2 (Class 6A Semifinals) Overview: La Cueva coach Brandon Back has so many offensive weapons at his…
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Continue ReadingLa Cueva 2022 Preview
Head Coach: Brandon Back
Mascot: Bears
Twitter: @LaCuevaFootball; @AidanArmenta; @GabrielBuie07; @ExodusAyers_
Colors: Navy Blue, Silver & White
2021 Record: 10-2 (Class 6A Semifinals)
Overview: La Cueva coach Brandon Back has so many offensive weapons at his disposal he must feel like he’s working at the Pentagon. The Bears have arguably the top offensive trio in the state (Cleveland might argue otherwise) with quarterback Aidan Armenta Aidan Armenta 6'3" | 190 lbs | QB La Cueva | 2023 State NM , running back Gabriel Buie Gabriel Buie 5'10" | 185 lbs | RB La Cueva | 2023 State NM and wide receiver Exodus Ayers Exodus Ayers 6'2" | 175 lbs | ATH Proctor Academy | 2024 State New E . All three will likely play college football at the Div. I level. Both Armenta and Ayers have been offered by New Mexico. Overall, La Cueva returns 10 of the 11 offensive starters from last season. Armenta threw for 2,696 yards and 28 TD with just 6 interceptions in 2021. What is La Cueva looking for from our top 2023 prospect? Primarily, leadership and making the players around him better. Armenta’s accuracy on deep throws is unmatched in New Mexico, and a major reason Division 1 schools have expressed interest.
Buie is a physical and fast (4.53 in 40 at ENMU camp) back who quietly enjoyed a fantastic 2021 season with 988 rushing yards and 13 TD. If he stays healthy, Buie will probably reach 1,000 yards this coming season. College coaches like what they see as Buie has been offered by FCS Valparaiso, Eastern New Mexico and New Mexico Highlands. Speedy senior Miyuh Robertson (member of La Cueva’s 4×100 relay team) will be the No. 2 RB and should get a fair amount of carries as well. In fact, Back is hoping Buie and Robertson develop into a formidable 1-2 punch at running back.
Ayers is also an elite basketball player. Last season we got just a flash of his immense abilities as he missed four games with an injury. Yet he still finished with 41 receptions for 901 yards and 15 TD. If he stays healthy, Ayers could exceed 60 catches this season. He’s spent considerable time this spring and summer on the 7×7 and camp circuits perfecting his craft. Back describes Ayers the best: “He has uncommon skills.” His incredible leaping ability and change of directions kills are two key traits separating Ayers from other receivers. Ayers will likely have to deal with double coverage from opponents all season long. That means other receivers such as promising junior Jackson Hix Jackson Hix 6'0" | 175 lbs | WR La Cueva | 2024 State NM (27 receptions, 4 TD in 2021) and senior slot Ian Sanchez Ian Sanchez 5'10" | 160 lbs | WR La Cueva | 2023 State NM (29 receptions, 4 TD) will need to step up and make plays at key moments. Mason Crowell Mason Crowell 5'11" | 175 lbs | WR La Cueva | 2023 State NM and junior TE Cruz Markham Cruz Markham 6'3" | 200 lbs | TE La Cueva | 2024 State NM will figure into the passing attack as well. Junior TE Jacob Marion is an up-and-comer. The Bears’ offensive line returns solid blockers Tino Reyes and Isaac Molina Isaac Molina 6'1" | 230 lbs | OL La Cueva | 2023 State NM , and they’ll anchor the O-Line.
Defensively, in direct contrast to the offense, La Cueva returns just two of the 11 starters from a season ago. One of those is 6-foot-3, 200-pound sophomore LB Mason Posa, who was offered by New Mexico a few weeks ago during their camp. Posa, who won the state wrestling championship in his weight class, must become a leader for the Bears with so many fresh faces on defense. Posa can play either inside or outside on the second level. Back plans to utilize him at various spots to take advantage of his skills. Right now, Posa is one of the state’s top 2025 prospects.
The other returning defensive starter for La Cueva is safety Colt Mangino Colt Mangino 6'0" | 170 lbs | DB La Cueva | 2023 State NM , who was so impressive at Eastern Mexico’s recent camp at LCHS that Greyhound coaches quickly offered him when the camp ended. NM Highlands has also offered. Mangino had 42 tackles and 3 INT last season and enters the 2022 campaign as one of the best ball-hawking defensive backs in the state. He flies around the field and rarely misses a tackle. The rest of the Bears defense will consist of promising yet inexperienced players. Some of the newcomers to watch include LB Matt Pascuzzi (22 tackles, 2 sacks in 7 gms), junior DB Jackson Cherry Jackson Cherry 6'0" | 180 lbs | DB La Cueva | 2024 State NM (member of NM Legacy 7×7 team), senior Christian Melo and safeties Diego Herrera, Naseem Ali and Jack Limon. Any of those latter three could line up at OLB as well.
Schedule: Nobody in the state has a more difficult opening five weeks of the season than La Cueva. The Bears take on Class 6A heavyweights Rio Rancho, Cleveland and Centennial to open the season before squaring off with Volcano Vista and Los Lunas. If the Bears somehow maneuver their way through that rugged stretch unscathed, they’ll immediately become the 6A title favorites.
Aug. 19 at Rio Rancho
Aug. 26 CLEVELAND
Sept. 2 CENTENNIAL
Sept. 9 VOLCANO VISTA
Sept. 16 at Los Lunas
Sept. 24 at Albuquerque High (Sat.)
Sept. 30 ELDORADO*
Oct. 7 Bye
Oct. 13 at West Mesa (Thur.)*
Oct. 21 at Sandia*
Oct. 28 FARMINGTON*
* District Game
Top Storyline: After falling millimeters short of reaching the Class 6A championship game last November, will La Cueva ride arguably the state’s top offense all the way to its second title since 2018?
Final Thoughts: In the last four full seasons (2017-19, 2021), La Cueva has reached the state championship game twice (2017-18), won the 6A title (2018) and lost a heartbreaker in the semifinals (2021). The Bears have become one of the best programs in Class 6A. That should continue in 2022 even though LCHS begins the season with a ‘Murderer’s Row’ sale of five games. The Bears might not win every one of those games but they’ll be well prepared when district play starts in late Sept. Look for La Cueva to win its district and earn a top four seed for the playoffs.
Coach’s Comments: “Offensively, we should be more mature, ready and faster. The defense is going to have to find a way with our schedule to grow up very quickly. First and foremost, we’re expecting Aidan to be a very good leader and we’re expecting him to have a better grasp of the offense so we can a little more dynamic in certain situations. He’s been working on his escapes and things like that. We have a lot of talent on offense, especially at running back and wide receiver. What defenses are going to do to us will probably change play-to-play, quarter-to-quarter. Aidan has to be able to pick those things up and make the necessary adjustments. Hands down, he’s the best quarterback in the state. What we don’t want him to do is think he has to do everything. He’s one of 11 out there. Being a leader means he has to serve the players around him. I think Gabriel is going to have the biggest year out of everybody. He is so strong and so fast.” – La Cueva coach Brandon Back.
Awesome camp today @unlvfootball! Thank you for the great tour of the facilities @coachscottmb. @coachnholz @coacharroyo @LaCuevaFootball pic.twitter.com/YRk6lftmfC
— Aidan Armenta (@AidanArmenta) June 25, 2022
https://twitter.com/gabrielbuie07/status/1538671934178619392
https://twitter.com/ExodusAyers_/status/1535798652614037504
https://twitter.com/MasonPosa/status/1534584776954458113
Had a great time competing at the SMU camp today! @CoachMike_UMHB @CoachMoffett5 @chrischildress_ @LandanYount @JBonney_4 @CoachDrewBrady @Zrob_15 @CoachSanders96 @paytheprice619 @DavidHowes5 @CoachPerrone pic.twitter.com/i4tTiUTbCv
— Colt Mangino (@ManginoColt) June 4, 2022
2022 FB schedule for @LaCuevaFootball (La Cueva).
8/19 at Rio Rancho
8/26 CLEVELAND
9/2 CENTENNIAL
9/9 VOLCANO VISTA
9/16 at Los Lunas
9/24 at Albuquerque High
9/30 ELDORADO
10/13 at West Mesa
10/21 at Sandia
10/28 FARMINGTONToughest schedule in the state?@AidanArmenta pic.twitter.com/0DWt1pxdqD
— Prep Redzone New Mexico (@PrepRedzoneNM) April 7, 2022