City Series: Top Running Backs in Northern NM For 2024

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We continue our ‘City Series' by taking a look at the top running backs in Northern New Mexico, including those on the rise:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TOP FIVE</strong>:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1119160' first='Soren' last='Annon'], St. Michael's</strong>: As a junior, Annon had a key role in St. Michael's powerful ground assault with over 700 yards rushing. Look for more of the same from the Horsemen in 2024.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Brig Keiser, Piedra Vista</strong>: Keiser switched to running back last season and it turned out to be a genius move for the Panthers. At 6-foot-1, 185-pounds, he's a powerful runner. The Panthers move to Class 6A for 2024-25.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Andre Lazos, Grants</strong>: Few rushers in northern New Mexico were better than Lazos in 2023. He keyed Grants' bounce back season with 1,273 yards and 12 TD on 149 carries.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1129687' first='Jonah' last='Villegas'], Pojoaque Valley</strong>: Pure speed. Villegas is one of the fastest players in northern NM. As a freshman in 2023, he had over 700 yards rushing and 6 TD for the Elks. The future is bright for the Pojoaque Valley program. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='613159' first='Cannon' last='Walton'], Raton</strong>: Sure, he's the younger brother of the state's all-time leading rusher and current New Mexico Highlands RB Cayden Walton, but Cannon is forging his own identity as he showed last season when he rushed for nearly 800 yards. With Raton moving to Class 2A, Walton could become a 1,000-yard rusher in 2024. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>ON THE RISE</strong>:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1137858' first='Marcos' last='Casaus'], Cuba</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='853063' first='Isaiah' last='Dominguez'], St. Michael's</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1594850' first='Paul' last='Duran'], Robertson</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jonathan Gonzales, West Las Vegas</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1137850' first='Cross' last='Malcom'], Hozho Academy</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='604669' first='Bryle' last='Matthews'], Kirtland Central</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1594564' first='Kaden' last='McCown'], Bloomfield</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jordan Pinto, Miyamura</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1119146' first='Joseph' last='Saenz'], Raton</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='615432' first='Mateo' last='Salazar'], Taos &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='615662' first='Ethan' last='Tafoya'], West Las Vegas</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1137851' first='McKenzie' last='Tsosie'], Crownpoint</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1595769' first='Derek' last='Victorino Jr.'], Laguna Acoma</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Schake Waylon, Farmington</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1137848' first='Saige' last='Westmoreland'], Thoreau</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/Jonahv_23/status/1754323932759400755?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/Jonahv_23/status/1754323932759400755?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/GHSCoachBrown/status/1735431735352197214?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/GHSCoachBrown/status/1735431735352197214?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/andreslazos22/status/1766889581255831650?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/andreslazos22/status/1766889581255831650?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/RatonFootball/status/1730051939952480299?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/RatonFootball/status/1730051939952480299?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/CoachZekeV/status/1754197673186357330?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/CoachZekeV/status/1754197673186357330?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->