Week 1 In Review: Top Performers
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Week 1 of the New Mexico High School football season is complete and we saw many fantastic individual performances. Here are the top performers from Week 1 (listed in alphabetical order): Cash Aragon, Los Lunas: We expect Los Lunas QB…
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Continue ReadingWeek 1 of the New Mexico High School football season is complete and we saw many fantastic individual performances. Here are the top performers from Week 1 (listed in alphabetical order):
Cash Aragon, Los Lunas: We expect Los Lunas QB Paul Cieremens to be great every game and he rarely disappoints but it was Aragon that was the Tigers’ leading rusher in their 45-0 blanking of Belen. Aragon had 106 yards on 16 carries and 1 TD. Los Lunas pummeled Belen on the ground with 345 yards on 48 carries.
Aidan Armenta Aidan Armenta 6'3" | 190 lbs | QB La Cueva | 2023 State NM , La Cueva: Except for an ill-advised pass attempt that was intercepted and returned for a TD by Rio Rancho in the first quarter, the Bears’ senior QB was nearly flawless in La Cueva’s impressive 30-7 road victory over the Rams. By not flinching after the Pick-6, Armenta demonstrated his experience and leadership. He finished 22-of-32 for 188 yards and 3 TD, two to Ian Sanchez Ian Sanchez 5'10" | 160 lbs | WR La Cueva | 2023 State NM .
Michael Abeyta, Santa Fe: The Demons QB tried to make up for his team’s lack of a running game by completing 15-of-23 passes for 224 yards and 2 TD in Thursday’s loss to West Mesa.
Elijah Brody Elijah Brody 6'3" | 185 lbs | QB West Mesa | 2024 State NM , West Mesa: The junior QB had quite the debut for the Mustangs, completing 10-of-13 passes for 224 yards and 4 TD and added 80 yards rushing and 2 TD. Overall, he accounted for 6 TD. His 32-yard TD run on a 3rd-and-13 play was something to behold, and gave West Mesa a 32-13 halftime lead.
Anthony Carrillo Anthony Carrillo 5'11" | 140 lbs | QB Mayfield | 2023 State NM , Mayfield: In just one half of football, Carrillo accounted for four TD in the Trojans’ 35-0 victory over Manzano at Field of Dreams. The game was halted at halftime due to inclement weather and lightning.
Chris Coash Chris Coash 6'1" | WR St. Pius X | 2023 State NM , St. Pius X: The Sartans were beaten Saturday by Bloomfield but Coash was tremendous with 255 receiving yards, inc;luding TD receptions of 35 and 69 yards.
Cole Conway Cole Conway 6'3" | 230 lbs | RB Albuquerque Academy | 2023 State NM , Albuq. Academy: The Chargers ‘Big Three’ on offense came up big in a win over Rio Grande with Conway rushing for three TD in a 37-0 victory. QB A.J. Rivers (2 TD passes) and WR Kellan Gehre (2 TD catches) had good games as well.
Jabulani Cooper Jabulani Cooper 5'10" | 165 lbs | DB Albuquerque | 2023 State NM , Albuquerque: Cooper, one of the fastest players in the state, played a key role in Albuquerque High’s satisfying 22-20 road victory over Organ Mountain at Field of Dreams. Cooper rushed 10 times for 113 yards and 1 TD on offense and collected 3 tackles and 1 interception on defense.
Jeremiah D’Arezzo, Alamogordo: The senior free safety had 3 interceptions in Alamogordo’s 41-0 victory over Valencia. The Tigers defense was sensational, forcing 8 turnovers and scoring 2 TD on Pick-6s by Anthony Audette Anthony Audette 5'10" | 170 lbs | RB Alamogordo | 2024 State NM (90 yd INT return) and D’Andre Martin (11 yard INT return).
Manny Fuentez, Roswell: The Coyotes’ junior QB threw for 271 yards and 4 TD on 16-of-22 passing to lead a prolific Roswell offensive attack in a 69-29 victory over Lovington.
Mikah Gutierrez Mikah Gutierrez 5'8" | 160 lbs | RB Centennial | 2023 State NM , Centennial: Gutierrez showed whey he’s considered one of the top running backs in southern New Mexico by rushing 21 times for 194 yards, including an 81-yard scoring run in the second quarter, in Centennial’s 38-35 upset of Cleveland that snapped the Storm’s 22-game winning streak.
Alijah Gonzales Alijah Gonzales 5'10" | 175 lbs | RB Volcano Vista | 2024 State NM , Volcano Vista: Not only is Gonzales a top-notch linebacker for the Hawks, but he’s a pretty good running back as well. He had 15 carries for 105 rushing yards and 3 receptions for 42 yards in Volcano Vista’s 34-17 win over Las Cruces.
Daniel Hernandez Daniel Hernandez QB Centennial | 2024 State NM , Centennial: The Hawks’ new QB engineered arguably the weekend’s most surprising result – Centennial’s thrilling 38-35 victory over Cleveland at Thunderbolt Stadium in Rio Rancho – by running the read-option offense to perfection. Hernandez scored the winning TD on a 5-yard run with 44.7 seconds left. He finished with 83 yards on 16 carries.
Logan Howell, Piedra Vista: The Panthers dual-threat quarterback ran for three touchdowns and threw two TD passes in Piedra Vista’s 53-31 victory over cross-town rival Farmington.
Caedan Jojola Caedan Jojola 5'9" | 195 lbs | RB Valley | 2023 State NM , Valley: The Vikings surprisingly battered Bernalillo, 36-0, Thursday night at Cleveland HS and Jojola was a big reason why as he ran for 105 yards and two TD on 15 carries. He was part of a three-headed monster in he backfield with Tazhe Wilson (83 yards) and Rickey Henderson (53 yards) also contributing to the cause.
Marcus Leyba, St. Michael’s: Leyba keyed the Horsemen’s 20-8 victory over Taos by rushing for 159 yards on 18 carries in rainy conditions.
Tristen McNeal Tristen McNeal 5'10" | 165 lbs | RB Aztec | 2023 State NM , Aztec: McNeal, one of the top playmakers in the Four Corners, caught 4 TD passes and totaled 173 receiving yards from QB Marcquis Henry Marcquis Henry 5'9" | 175 lbs | QB Aztec | 2023 State NM as the Tigers rolled past Miyamura, 27-7, in Gallup.
Nick Mertz, La Cueva: The new look Bears defense stifled Rio Rancho Friday night on the Rams’ home field and Mertz, just a sophomore, led the way with four sacks.
Brent Miller Brent Miller DB Hope Christian | 2023 State NM , Hope Christian: Miller, the Huskies’ QB this season, three TD passes and had an interception on defense as Hope Christian beat McCurdy, 48-8, at Community Stadium. Ronnie Gilletti caught two TD passes for the Huskies.
Julian Munoz Julian Munoz 5'8" | 155 lbs | QB Capital | 2023 State NM , Capital: The senior QB, directing the Jaguars’ offense largely out of the pistol formation, rushed for a team-high 127 yards and 2 TD while completing 5-of-8 passes for 57 yards and 1 TD as Capital rushed for 378 yards in a 57-6 trouncing of Grants in Santa Fe. Francisco Diaz added 121 yards rushing and Juan Munoz had 109 yards on the ground.
Elliot Pasket-Bell, Volcano Vista: The Hawks’ new starting QB led his team to a 34-17 victory over Las Cruces at Community Stadium by throwing TD passes of 47 and 14 yards and rushing for a 21-yard TD. His 14-yard TD pass to Tristan Cordova (219 receiving yards) with 11 seconds left in the 2nd quarter gave Volcano Vista a 21-10 halftime lead and they never trailed in the second half. Pasket-Bell finished with 335 passing yards and 5 TD plus 120 rushing yards.
C.J. Perea, West Las Vegas: Perea, one of the top young quarterbacks in the state, threw for 278 yards and 1 TD as WLV beat Escalante, 34-13, on the road.
Marquise Renfro Marquise Renfro 5'11" | 160 lbs | WR Atrisco Heritage | 2024 State NM , Atrisco Heritage: The Jaguars have some offensive weapons and Renfro might be the best. He rushed for 91 yards on 13 carries, caught 7 passes for 125 yards and scored 3 TD in a loss to Sandia.
Jesse Seitzinger, Bloomfield: He caught two TD passes, recovered a fumble in the end zone and scored on a late run, finishing with 4 TD in Bloomfield’s 61-20 win over St. Pius X.
Ryan Sharpe Ryan Sharpe QB Bloomfield | 2023 State NM , Bloomfield: The Bobcats’ QB is healthy again after missing most of the second half of last season with an injury. He proved it in Bloomfield’s 61-20 win over St. Pius X Saturday afternoon at Milne Stadium by throwing for 324 yards and 6 TD.
Malachi Thymes Malachi Thymes 5'8" | 165 lbs | RB Sandia | 2023 State NM , Sandia: Our Player of the Week has a game for the ages on Thursday night as he rushed for 269 yards and 7 TD on 28 carries to lift the Matadors to a 59-37 victory over Atrisco Heritage. Kudos to the Sandia offensive line, as well. Sandia coach Chad Adcox said it best about Thymes: “We’re probably going to live and di with him.”
Nic Trujillo Nic Trujillo 6'1" | 160 lbs | WR Cleveland | 2023 State NM , Cleveland: Trujillo, a New Mexico commitment, was brilliant in a losing cause for the Storm by scoring 4 TD on passes from QB Evan Wysong Evan Wysong 5'10" | 165 lbs | QB Cleveland | 2023 State NM and a 90-yard kickoff return.
Dominic Trujillo Dominic Trujillo DB Los Lunas | 2024 State NM , Los Lunas: The Tigers CB spearheaded his team’s superb defensive effort in the 45-0 shutout of Belen with two interceptions.
Jordan Weathersby, Roswell: The Coyotes offense had its way for most of the game in a 69-29 victory over Lovington at the Wool Bowl. Weathersby caught 5 passes for 161 yards and 2 TD, averaging more than 32 yards per reception.
Brody Whitaker Brody Whitaker 5'11" | 235 lbs | LB Albuquerque Academy | 2024 State NM , Albuq. Academy: Whitaker has moved to linebacker this season and so far the move has paid dividends. Whitaker had 14 tackles, 5 sacks and 7 tackles for loss in the Chargers’ win over Rio Grande.