November Madness: Class 6A State Championship Game Preview
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Class 6A State Championship Game Preview Who: La Cueva (9-3) at Cleveland (9-3) Where: Thunderbolt Stadium, Rio Rancho, NM When: Sat., Nov. 25, 1 p.m. This rematch from last season’s high-scoring title game (75-61) in Albuquerque features two teams that…
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Continue ReadingClass 6A State Championship Game Preview
Who: La Cueva (9-3) at Cleveland (9-3)
Where: Thunderbolt Stadium, Rio Rancho, NM
When: Sat., Nov. 25, 1 p.m.
This rematch from last season’s high-scoring title game (75-61) in Albuquerque features two teams that overcame early season adversity and are now playing their best football at the right time.
La Cueva started the season 0-3 after being forced to forfeit its opening game win over Rio Rancho and losing on the field to Cleveland and Centennial. Since then, the Bears have won nine straight games behind an extremely fast and explosive offense and a talented, suffocating defense. The Bears have scored 45+ points in eight of those wins, including 63 in last week’s semifinal win over Las Cruces at Wilson Stadium.
“When you’re young on offense, you have to grow up,” La Cueva head coach Brandon Back told Prep Redzone New Mexico. “And when you play the best two teams in the state, you expect some bumps in the road. We learned some lessons like you can’t make mistakes in big games. We’ve gotten better each week. We‘ve done a better job executing our roles. We continue to grow and get better at that.”
Cleveland, meanwhile, had people wondering if they were going to take a step backwards this season following back-to-back losses to Artesia and Frenship (TX) in mid-September. However, the Storm had several key players sidelined with injuries during that stretch. Once they got healthy, the Storm surged, literally. Cleveland has won six games in a row with the closest margin of victory being 23 points over Volcano Vista. The stretch includes 37-0 and 38-7 victories over crosstown rival Rio Rancho.
“We were really beat up at that time of the year (when the Storm lost to Artesia and Frenship),” Cleveland head coach Robert Garza told Prep Redzone New Mexico. “We had some key guys dropping (with injuries). We knew we had to get those guys healthy if we were going to make a run for the title. All in all, though, those games made us better. We knew we might take some lumps as the season went along. We were hoping it would prepare us for district play.
Both quarterbacks had Grand Canyon-sized shoes to fill coming in this season. Cameron Dyer Cameron Dyer 6'3" | 185 lbs | QB La Cueva | 2025 State NM showed off his elite athleticism last season by playing multiple positions, including kickoff returner. Succeeding Aidan Armenta (now at New Mexico) at quarterback, Dyer has been dynamic all season long by making countless plays with his arm and his feet. Last week he rushed for 200 yards and threw for 334 yards in the win over the Bulldawgs.
“We knew Cameron had great ability,” Back said. “For him, it was just learning what he does well and what we could call to give him the best opportunity to make plays. That was part of the learning process we had to go through early in the season. Cameron is a special talent. He’s a great leader. He loves to get better at this game and he loves to watch film. He’s unique. It has ben fun to watch him grow as the season has gone on.”
If anybody had bigger shoes to fill in the state than Dyer, it’s Cleveland’s sophomore QB Jordan Kekoa Hatch, who had the tough task of replacing two-time MaxPreps Player of the Year Evan Wysong. Hatch has been solid all season long, and has steadily grown and developed into a very capable signal caller.
“Jordan is maturing, growing and progressing,” Garza said. “We knew it would be a process getting a sophomore quarterback ready to play at an elite level. It was a great thing for him to see what he was made of. He’s matured tremendously. He’s become a leader of the offense. He’s doing the things we expect the quarterback to do.”
Both quarterbacks are supported by strong ground games. For La Cueva, junior Cheeto Lumbrera III has emerged as one of the best running backs in the state after playing receiver in 2022. Cleveland RB Harris Mbueha Harris Mbueha 5'11" | 190 lbs | RB Cleveland | 2024 State NM is a big, powerful, between the tackles ball carrier who can run over defenders as well as elude them.
Lumbrera had 147 yards rushing in last week’s win over Las Cruces, including a 71-yard sprint to the end zone on the second snap of the game.
“Cheeto forces defenses to try to figure out who they’re going to stop,” Back said. “Cheeto and Cam are both capable of making big plays. We saw that in the semifinals. His vision and ability to stay in there and make plays is pretty unique. He’s a grinder. He played receiver for us for two years. We wanted to find a place for him to get on the field. He has been working hard for 12 months for this opportunity.”
Mbueha has rushed for over 1,500 yards this season with seven games of 100+ yards. He had four rushing touchdowns in last year’s 6A championship game filling in for the injured Josh Perry, and carried that momentum into the 2023 season.
“Harris stepped up big time for us last year”, Garza said. “We knew what Harris was capable of. He’s a big bruiser back. He gets beat up from time to time. Our goal is to keep him healthy. He’s done a tremendous job carrying the offense for the majority of the year.”
The wide receiver corps are different. La Cueva’s fleet of fast receivers is built on elite speed with Tanner Montano Tanner Montano 5'11" | 155 lbs | WR La Cueva | 2026 State NM , Cruz Markham Cruz Markham 6'3" | 200 lbs | TE La Cueva | 2024 State NM and Jackson Hix Jackson Hix 6'0" | 175 lbs | WR La Cueva | 2024 State NM (Note: Kobe McGill moved to Alabama with his family midway through the season).
“Our entire receiver corps has made big plays for us all season,” Back said. “Tanner has a lot of speed and he can blow the top off. He puts a lot of pressure on the defenses. Tanner is hard to bring down. He really gets after it. Hix had a great game last week. He’s our smartest football player. He’s been a part of our offense for a long time. Our offensive staff does a great job finding out who the other team is keying on and we try to get the ball to the other guys. All of them can make big plays.”
Cleveland’s WR is led by two-sport standout Jaden Davis Jaden Davis 6'0" | 170 lbs | WR Cleveland | 2024 State NM , who has signed with New Mexico State to play Div. I baseball, and Karter Weddle. Davis is a strong contender for 6A Breakout Player of the Year.
“Jaden is a very athletic player and this is exactly what we were hoping for from him,” Garza said. “We knew he was capable of making big plays and helping our offense take some of the load off the running game.”
The La Cueva offensive line, which returns four of five starters in 2024, is highlighted by FBS prospect Mark Handy. He’s been offered by Texas Tech and Baylor within the last week or so. Cleveland’s OL is led by Ben Linfoot Ben Linfoot 5'9" | 220 lbs | OL Cleveland | 2024 State NM , one of the strongest players in the state, Gage Marquez Gage Marquez 5'11" | 220 lbs | LB Los Lunas | 2025 State NM and sophomore Moses Sparks Moses Sparks 6'4" | 240 lbs | OL Cleveland | 2026 State NM .
Two of the best – and most heavily recruited – defensive players in the state will be on display Saturday afternoon. La Cueva LB Mason Posa Mason Posa 6'3" | 210 lbs | LB La Cueva | 2025 State NM has picked up several Power 5 offers in recent weeks while Cleveland LB Stratton Shufelt Stratton Shufelt 6'3" | 220 lbs | LB Cleveland | 2024 State NM is the No. 1 2024 prospect in the state and currently holds offers from Washington State, New Mexico, New Mexico State, UTEP and others. Posa, the top 2025 prospect, has offers from several Pac-12 and Big 12 programs.
“Mason is to our defense what Cameron is to our offense,” Back said.
Both are surrounded by exceptional players. Junior Nick Mertz Nick Mertz 5'11" | 185 lbs | LB La Cueva | 2025 State NM plays alongside Posa for the Bears and is very underrated and underrecruited. Three-year starter Jackson Cherry Jackson Cherry 6'0" | 180 lbs | DB La Cueva | 2024 State NM leads the secondary. Shufelt is the face of a very balanced Cleveland defensive corps that features six players with 44+ tackles. LB Isaac Medrano Isaac Medrano 6'0" | 195 lbs | LB Cleveland | 2024 State NM , DE Chuka Tutman Chuka Tutman 6'1" | 230 lbs | DL Cleveland | 2024 State NM , DL Nathanel Perry, DL Psalmon Kegler Psalmon Kegler 6'2" | 240 lbs | DL Cleveland | 2025 State NM and Marcus La Cuesta are all next level talents.
Eight seniors start on defense for Cleveland, so they are experienced at all three levels.
“We knew we had a chance to have a very good defense,” Garza said. “Our front seven has a lot of veteran guys. Many of them are next level athletes. There are no selfish guys. We don’t have a 100-tackle guy. It’s a total team defense. That’s why watching them is fun. It’s a race to see who will get to the ball first.”
These teams met in Week 2 with Cleveland prevailing, 27-7. However, Garza expects to see a different La Cueva team on Saturday.
“They’re really moving the ball on people and getting into the end zone,” Garza said. “We know they’re not the same team we played the last time. They’re going to be eager to get some points on the board. We’ll challenge the defense. It’s going to be a physical battle.”