2024 Look Ahead: Deming Wildcats

If Roswell and Artesia have been the most successful Class 5A programs over the past several years, Deming has a legitimate claim to being No. 3.   Since 2019, Deming has advanced to the 5A playoff semifinals three times in four full seasons (2019, 2022, 2023). Like most teams, the Wildcats have struggled to overcome the Artesia-Roswell juggernaut but, all in all, Deming has been a consistently solid program for years.   It's likely 2024 won't be any different.   “We need to get into the finals this year,” Deming head co ach Rich Perales told Prep Redzone New Mexico. “We've raised our standards. You have to every year. We're excited. We're a year older and we're senior loaded. I like the guys we have coming back. The kids are working their tails off. And we have a great schedule.”      Dynamic dual threat quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='837197' first='Ryan' last='Alfaro'], a rising senior, came close to joining the prestigious 1,000-1,000 club last season, passing for 952 yards and 8 TD while rushing for 944 yards and 17 TD. In two seasons as Deming's starting QB, Alfaro has rushed for nearly 1,900 yards and 34 TD, so he's very capable of inflicting serious damage with his feet.   Alfaro is also impressively strong. He won his weight class (165) at the state power lifting championships in April. He also runs 100 meters in about 11 seconds, so he's a dazzling combination of size, speed and strength.     “Ryan is having a great offseason,” Perales said. “He's our best athlete. He's throwing the ball very well. Our offensive coaches have been working with him. His accuracy has improved. He took a beating last year. With our schedule, he's going to have to throw the ball. Ryan is a heckuva runner, but he has put a lot of work into his passing game.”       Deming ran the ball about 71 percent of the time last season (368 rushes, 153 passes) and averaged 6.1 yards per attempt. However, in their shutout loss to Roswell in the 5A semifinals, Deming totaled just 42 yards on 19 carries, a paltry 2.2 yards per attempt.   Perales is taking steps to make sure that doesn't happen again. The solution? A more balanced offensive attack.     “We can run the ball against anybody, but we're working on our passing game,” Perales said. “When we face teams with those big boys on the defensive line like Roswell and Artesia, they stuff eight guys in the box. That's when we have to throw the ball. This year, we're going to take some deep shots, and we have to do it all year long. When you just run the ball, that's too easy to stop.”   Deming is loaded at running back with [player_tooltip player_id='611155' first='Isaiah' last='Pizarro'], 6-foot-0, 205-pound rising junior [player_tooltip player_id='851887' first='Isaac' last='Martinez'] and Alexis Gutierrez. All-State LB [player_tooltip player_id='1118366' first='Sebastian' last='Acuna'] will also see action in the backfield.   “[player_tooltip player_id='851887' first='Isaac' last='Martinez'] is a bruiser type back,” Perales said. “He's not going to break away but he can fall forward and get six yards. He had a heckuva game against Artesia last year.”   Rising junior [player_tooltip player_id='1751254' first='Joan' last='Ramirez'] should be one of Deming's featured wide receivers. Rising sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1604953' first='Max' last='Allison'], Deming's backup QB, will also play WR along with two-way standout Anthony Alacron and [player_tooltip player_id='836981' first='Julian' last='Bustamante'].          “This might be the best corps of receivers we've had here,” Perales said. “We have some young guys, but they're going to be good.”   Six-foot-3, 275-pound rising senior right tackle [player_tooltip player_id='510673' first='Ezra' last='Hensley'], another state powerlifting champion, headlines the offensive line. Hensley is being courted by numerous colleges for the next level. He's just one of  five returning starters along the offensive front.   Rising senior [player_tooltip player_id='615691' first='Diego' last='Baca'] will be the starting left tackle. [player_tooltip player_id='836993' first='Devin' last='Camacho'] (4th in weight class at state powerlifting championships) returns at left guard while Elijah Cabrera (5th in weight class at state powerlifting championships) is back at center. [player_tooltip player_id='1250000' first='Jesus' last='Olvera'], another extremely strong player, lines up at right guard. Olvera finished tied for first in his weight class (220 pounds) at the state powerlifting championships.      “Everybody knows we're going to run behind Ezra,” Perales said. “But we won't be as predictable as a year ago. With all our guys coming back, we can do something special.”     Acuna (91 tackles in 2023) and Pizarro (71), who is being moved to safety, headline the Deming defense, which returns nine starters from a season ago. Rising junior [player_tooltip player_id='1751361' first='Fabian' last='Gutierrez'] moves from defensive end to MLB. Hensley will start playing on the defensive line when district play begins. Alacron will play safety.   [player_tooltip player_id='1137892' first='Vicente' last='Chacon'] joins Acuna at linebacker and will backup Acuna at fullback. Rising junior [player_tooltip player_id='851886' first='Isaac' last='Ledezma'] returns at nose tackle.   2024 Deming Schedule   Aug. 23 at Alamogordo   Aug. 30 ORGAN MOUNTAIN   Sept. 6 at Silver (Battle of I-180)   Sept. 13 at Artesia*   Sept. 20 ROSWELL*   Sept. 28 at Mayfield (Sat., 10 a.m.)*   Oct. 4 GODDARD*   Oct. 11 Bye   Oct. 17 SANTA TERESA (Thur.)*   Oct. 25 at Lovington*   Nov. 1 GADSDEN*   * District 5A-2 Game   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/ryanaalfaro06/status/1763645450933145690 </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/EzraHensley5/status/1730099681198301557 </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/33_zayaaa/status/1770081499921928622 </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/DemingWildcat/status/1760003408990482533 </div></figure>

If Roswell and Artesia have been the most successful Class 5A programs over the past several years, Deming has a legitimate claim to being No. 3.