Terrific Thirty: Top Performers in Quarterfinals

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The quarterfinal round of the 2023 New Mexico high school football playoffs in the books. Here's our list of the weekend's top performers (in alphabetical order), something we're calling the Terrific Thirty:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1137388' first='Daniel' last='Amaro'], Las Cruces</strong>: Scored the eventual game-winning TD on a 16-yard run with just under 5 minutes to play as the Bulldawgs held off Centennial for a 38-34 victory at Field of Dreams. He finished with 110 yards and 3 TD on 15 carries.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='613752' first='JJ' last='Arellano'], Rio Rancho</strong>: Ran up the middle untouched for an 84-yard TD in the final seconds of the first half to give Rio Rancho an insurmountable 24-0 lead over sandia. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1119239' first='Izac' last='Cazares'], Artesia</strong>: Cazares accounted for 3 TD in 3 different ways in Artesia's 57-14 win over Los Alamos. He caught an 80-yard TD pass, ran 8 yards for a TD and threw a 20-yard TD pass to [player_tooltip player_id='1600893' first='Trent' last='Egeland'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='613053' first='Manny' last='Chavez'], Portales</strong>: The Portales defense has been incredibly stout this season and Chavez has been the leading tackler all season. He had a team-leading 11 tackles in the shutout win over Bernalillo.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='275599' first='Nicolas' last='Chavez'], Santa Rosa</strong>: The Lions saw their season come to an end with 29-21 loss to Texico in the 2A semifinals but Chavez as always posted impressive numbers on both sides of the ball. &nbsp;He rushed for 146 yards and 2 TD on 19 carries and made a staggering 23 tackles on defense. He finished the season with 2,127 rushing yards on 180 carries and 164 tackles on defense. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Zaiden Davis, Centennial</strong>: Incredible performance in a losing effort against Las Cruces as he completed 11-of-12 passes for 183 yards and rushed for 279 yards and 5 TD on 21 carries. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1103468' first='Jesse' last='James Dominguez'], Cobre</strong>: Had a 20-yard interception return for a Pick-6 TD in Cobre's 40-0 win over Dexter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='275066' first='Matthias' last='Duran'], St. Michael's</strong>: Scored the game-winning TD against Raton with a 9-yard run with about 24 seconds remaining. The score was set up by an interception.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='592201' first='Cade' last='Figg'], Texico</strong>: Figg, who holds multiple offers, carried 22 times for 180 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead Texico past Santa Rosa and advance to the Class 2A state championship game. Figg also threw for 100 yards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='592029' first='Isaiah' last='Garcia'], Raton</strong>: The senior LB led the Tigers defense against St. Michael's with 13 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1119224' first='Luis' last='Gomez'], Eunice</strong>: 5 receptions for 127 yards and 3 TD in Eunice's big win over Tularosa.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='275459' first='Wyatt' last='Gomez'], Lovington</strong>: In a game that ended by mercy rule, Gomez completed 10-of-16 passes for 170 yards and 4 TD in the Wildcats lopsided win over Espanola Valley. Lovington hosts Silver in the semifinals on Saturday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jesse James Gonzales, Robertson</strong>: Completed 10-of-17 passes for 291 yards and 4 TD and rushed for a team-high 87 yards on 11 carries as the Cardinals continued their last season surge with a win over Socorro.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='815932' first='Adan' last='Jacquez'], Silver</strong>: The Colts QB threw for 218 yards and 4 TD in Silver's 28-12 win over Aztec. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='853029' first='Gunnar' last='Guardiola'], Las Cruces</strong>: Completed 22-of-29 passes for 275 yards and 2 TD to lead Las Cruices past Centennial in a thriller at Field of Dreams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='613058' first='Valente' last='Herrera'], Lovington</strong>: The 6-foot-3, 275 pounder had 7 pancake blocks in Lovington's big win over Espanola Valley.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cheeto Lumbrera III, La Cueva</strong>: The Bears top running back rushed for 118 yards on 17 carries in La Cueva's win over Farmington.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Brig Keiser, Piedra Vista</strong>: Led the Panthers offense in their QF win over Valley by carrying the ball 25 times for 168 yards and two touchdowns.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='615455' first='Nate' last='Libby'], Las Cruces</strong>: Caught 10 passes for 150 yards and 2 TD in the Bulldawgs' win over Centennial.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='590512' first='Harris' last='Mbueha'], Cleveland</strong>: Rushd 20 times for 99 yards in Cleveland's dominant win over Hobbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1118921' first='Eli' last='Meador'], Bloomfield</strong>: Three interceptions, including one for s Pick-6, for the Bloomfield defense, which posted its fifth consecutive shutout in a quarterfinal rout of Albuquerque Academy.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='854273' first='Elijah' last='Melancon'], Eunice</strong>: Completed 17-of-25 passes for 227 yards and 5 TD in Eunice's mercy-rule win over Tularosa.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='611069' first='Nick' last='Mertz'], La Cueva</strong>: Led La Cueva with 12 tackles in the QF win over Farmington. Added an interception, one of four posted by the La Cueva defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='611083' first='Mason' last='Posa'], La Cueva</strong>: Posa again showed why he's a FBS prospect with 11 tackles, 5 TFL and 4 sacks in the convincing win over Farmington.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='591998' first='Julian' last='Richard'], Silver</strong>: 7 receptions for 163 yards and 4 TD in Silver's 28-12 win over Aztec. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cole Seidenberger, NMMI</strong>: The Colts QB directed his team's impressive and near flawless offensive performance at West Las Vegas. NMMI rushed for 339 yards and dominated time of possession. The Colts head north again this weekend for a 3A semifinal game at St. Michael's.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='340165' first='Bryce' last='Sanchez'], Roswell</strong>: Rushed for 115 yards and one TD as the Coyotes mercy-ruled Mayfield at the Wool Bowl.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='615635' first='Blake' last='Spencer'], Bloomfield</strong>: Threw four touchdown passes in the first half of Bloomfield's 55-0 win over Albuquerque Academy.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='613159' first='Cannon' last='Walton'], Raton</strong>: Looking a lot like his older brother Cayden, Cannon rushed for 173 yards and 2 TD on a workhorse 25 carries to lead the Raton offense. But the Tigers saw St. Michael's score 21 points in the final 8-1/2 minutes to pull out the win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='615650' first='Eljan' last='Woods'], Eunice</strong>: 154 yards rushing on 15 carries against Tularosa.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/Anthonyraymer30/status/1724277291193438216?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Anthonyraymer30/status/1724277291193438216?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/j1arellano/status/1724626634479644729?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/j1arellano/status/1724626634479644729?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/BaylorSeabolt/status/1724470152434188435?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/BaylorSeabolt/status/1724470152434188435?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/mason_espinda/status/1724453500220743752?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/mason_espinda/status/1724453500220743752?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/DavisZaiden/status/1724269506401333458?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/DavisZaiden/status/1724269506401333458?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->