Terrific Thirty: Top Performers in Quarterfinals
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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: Daniel Amaro Daniel Amaro 5'9" | 175 lbs…
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Continue ReadingThe 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:
Daniel Amaro Daniel Amaro 5'9" | 175 lbs | RB Las Cruces | 2026 State NM , Las Cruces: 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.
JJ Arellano JJ Arellano 5'11" | 165 lbs | QB Rio Rancho | 2025 State NM , Rio Rancho: 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.
Izac Cazares Izac Cazares 6'1" | 185 lbs | QB Artesia | 2025 State NM , Artesia: 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 Trent Egeland.
Manny Chavez Manny Chavez 5'11" | 170 lbs | LB Portales | 2025 State NM , Portales: 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.
Nicolas Chavez Nicolas Chavez 5'9" | 150 lbs | RB Santa Rosa | 2024 State NM , Santa Rosa: 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. 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.
Zaiden Davis, Centennial: 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.
Jesse James Dominguez Jesse James Dominguez 6'0" | 150 lbs | LB Cobre | 2024 State NM , Cobre: Had a 20-yard interception return for a Pick-6 TD in Cobre’s 40-0 win over Dexter.
Matthias Duran Matthias Duran 5'10" | 195 lbs | RB St. Michael's | 2024 State NM , St. Michael’s: 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.
Cade Figg Cade Figg 5'8" | QB Texico | 2024 State NM , Texico: 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.
Isaiah Garcia Isaiah Garcia 6'3" | 210 lbs | OL Raton | 2024 State NM , Raton: The senior LB led the Tigers defense against St. Michael’s with 13 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles.
Luis Gomez Luis Gomez 6'2" | 160 lbs | DB Eunice | 2025 State NM , Eunice: 5 receptions for 127 yards and 3 TD in Eunice’s big win over Tularosa.
Wyatt Gomez Wyatt Gomez 6'2" | 180 lbs | QB Lovington | 2024 State NM , Lovington: 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.
Jesse James Gonzales, Robertson: 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.
Adan Jacquez Adan Jacquez 6'1" | 160 lbs | QB Silver | 2024 State NM , Silver: The Colts QB threw for 218 yards and 4 TD in Silver’s 28-12 win over Aztec.
Gunnar Guardiola Gunnar Guardiola 6'0" | 185 lbs | QB Las Cruces | 2026 State NM , Las Cruces: Completed 22-of-29 passes for 275 yards and 2 TD to lead Las Cruices past Centennial in a thriller at Field of Dreams.
Valente Herrera Valente Herrera 6'3" | 290 lbs | OL Lovington | 2025 State NM , Lovington: The 6-foot-3, 275 pounder had 7 pancake blocks in Lovington’s big win over Espanola Valley.
Cheeto Lumbrera III, La Cueva: The Bears top running back rushed for 118 yards on 17 carries in La Cueva’s win over Farmington.
Brig Keiser, Piedra Vista: Led the Panthers offense in their QF win over Valley by carrying the ball 25 times for 168 yards and two touchdowns.
Nate Libby Nate Libby 6'3" | 175 lbs | WR Las Cruces | 2025 State NM , Las Cruces: Caught 10 passes for 150 yards and 2 TD in the Bulldawgs’ win over Centennial.
Harris Mbueha Harris Mbueha 5'11" | 190 lbs | RB Cleveland | 2024 State NM , Cleveland: Rushd 20 times for 99 yards in Cleveland’s dominant win over Hobbs.
Eli Meador Eli Meador DB Bloomfield | 2025 State NM , Bloomfield: 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.
Elijah Melancon Elijah Melancon 5'11" | 170 lbs | QB Eunice | 2026 State NM , Eunice: Completed 17-of-25 passes for 227 yards and 5 TD in Eunice’s mercy-rule win over Tularosa.
Nick Mertz Nick Mertz 5'11" | 185 lbs | LB La Cueva | 2025 State NM , La Cueva: Led La Cueva with 12 tackles in the QF win over Farmington. Added an interception, one of four posted by the La Cueva defense.
Mason Posa Mason Posa 6'3" | 210 lbs | LB La Cueva | 2025 State NM , La Cueva: Posa again showed why he’s a FBS prospect with 11 tackles, 5 TFL and 4 sacks in the convincing win over Farmington.
Julian Richard Julian Richard 6'2" | 150 lbs | WR Silver | 2024 State NM , Silver: 7 receptions for 163 yards and 4 TD in Silver’s 28-12 win over Aztec.
Cole Seidenberger, NMMI: 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.
Bryce Sanchez Bryce Sanchez 5'10" | 195 lbs | RB Roswell | 2024 State NM , Roswell: Rushed for 115 yards and one TD as the Coyotes mercy-ruled Mayfield at the Wool Bowl.
Blake Spencer Blake Spencer 5'11" | 155 lbs | QB Bloomfield | 2025 State NM , Bloomfield: Threw four touchdown passes in the first half of Bloomfield’s 55-0 win over Albuquerque Academy.
Cannon Walton Cannon Walton 5'10" | 170 lbs | RB Raton | 2025 State NM , Raton: 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.
Eljan Woods Eljan Woods 5'7" | 145 lbs | RB Eunice | 2025 State NM , Eunice: 154 yards rushing on 15 carries against Tularosa.