Baker's Dozen: Week 4 Preview

High school football season enters its fourth week of action! District play begins for the 8-team districts in the state (6A-2, 5A-1, 5A-2, 4A-1). Here's our Top 13 Games of Week 4 plus other games. We fondly call this the Baker's Dozen:   GAME OF THE WEEK: Roswell at Lovington (Fri., 7 p.m.)   These teams are No. 1 (Lovington) and No. 2 (Roswell) in both the MaxPreps and Coaches polls. And for good reason as both have outstanding players on both sides of the ball. Roswell edged 6A Hobbs last weekend in overtime, 37-35. Senior QB Jacob Palomino is off to a nice start for the Coyotes with [player_tooltip player_id='1594192' first='Jaylon' last='Cloud'] contributing at RB. Roswell's defensive front seven is as talented as any in the state, although they will be tested by Lovington's prolific offensive attack. The Coyotes defense scored two TD in last week's win over Hobbs – a fumble return for a TD and a Pick-6 interception return by LB [player_tooltip player_id='836944' first='Keegan' last='Nichols']. LB [player_tooltip player_id='1137465' first='Kyler' last='Reaves'] leads Lovington's defensive corps with 24 tackles and 2.5 TFL in the first three games.       The Wildcats have scored 30+ points in each of their first three games. Senior QB Mathew Prudencio has been everything the Lovington coaches hoped he would be when he was named the starter in the summer. So far, Prudencio has thrown for 806 yards and 10 TD while completing 72.2 percent  (65-of-90) of his passes. How good has Prudencio been? He has yet to throw an interception. [player_tooltip player_id='615565' first='Ondalis' last='Cardenas'] (237 yards on 35 carries) ignites the run game, which is supported by an outstanding O-Line. [player_tooltip player_id='1137475' first='Jayden' last='Gutierrez'] (18 receptions for 229 yards, 3 TD) and [player_tooltip player_id='1137867' first='Elijah' last='Rivero'] (15 for 186), both juniors, are Prudencio's favorite targets in the passing game.                  Cleveland at Las Cruces (Thur.): An intriguing Class 6A showdown and possible championship game preview. This game was originally scheduled for Saturday afternoon at Field of Dreams but was moved to Thursday night. Cleveland has posted back-to-back lopsided victories over Los Lunas and Clovis since the Week 1 loss to Centennial. The Storm have relied on an array of weapons on offense starting with QB [player_tooltip player_id='851873' first='Jordan' last='Kekoa Hatch'], RB [player_tooltip player_id='611120' first='Juan' last='Munoz'] and RB [player_tooltip player_id='1595801' first='Isaiah' last='Yannis']. DL [player_tooltip player_id='611047' first='Psalmon' last='Kegler'] has been exceptional with 23 tackles, 4.5 TFL and 1.5 sacks in the first three games. Las Cruces showcased much of its offensive arsenal in last week's impressive road win at Rio Rancho. RB [player_tooltip player_id='1137388' first='Daniel' last='Amaro'] is a stud while strong-armed [player_tooltip player_id='853029' first='Gunnar' last='Guardiola'] is deadly accurate throwing to receivers like [player_tooltip player_id='615455' first='Nate' last='Libby'].         Rio Rancho at Centennial: This is the back half of the Fantastic Four Weekend at Field of Dreams. Both teams are capable of making deep runs in the Class 6A playoffs. Centennial QB [player_tooltip player_id='613746' first='Zaiden' last='Davis'], a New Mexico State commit as a LB,  has emerged as a NM Heisman Trophy front runner after a sensational 350+ yard, 6 TD rushing performance against Artesia lasty Saturday. [player_tooltip player_id='837060' first='Rudy' last='Rios'] added 160 yards on 16 carries. Overall, the Hawks ran for 577 yards in the win over the Bulldogs. Stopping the run – no easy task – is Job #1, #2 and #3 for the Rio Rancho defense, which had difficulty stopping Las Cruces on the ground last week. This game could become a shootout with Rams QB [player_tooltip player_id='613752' first='JJ' last='Arellano'] playing well and RB [player_tooltip player_id='1604705' first='Micah' last='Takahashi'] emerging as a pleasant surprise. Both teams have excellent receivers.           Deming at Artesia: Don't look now but Deming is 3-0 and playing great football. If Artesia, Lovington and Roswell are the ‘Big Three' of Class 5A football so far this season, the Wildcats (and probably Gadsden too) aren't far behind. This game will provide us with the first barometer of how wide the gap – if any – there is between Deming and the Big Three. After the Artesia defense struggled to stop Centennial QB [player_tooltip player_id='613746' first='Zaiden' last='Davis'] last weekend, you have to wonder how much damage Deming's dynamic QB [player_tooltip player_id='837197' first='Ryan' last='Alfaro'] will do in this one. Certainly, the Artesia defense must play much better. The Bulldogs offense will always score points, and they did last week in the shootout loss to Centennial. Senior QB [player_tooltip player_id='1119239' first='Izac' last='Cazares'] to senior WR [player_tooltip player_id='1118257' first='Ethan' last='Conn'] has so far proven to be a prolific combination.           Volcano Vista at West Mesa: This is the final non-district tuneup for West Mesa prior to the start of district play next week. The Mustangs had a bye last week after beating Mayfield at the Field of Dreams in Week 3. The West Mesa offense has scored 89 points in the first two games. Powered by a massive O-Line, the Mustangs have run the ball 79 times, highlighted by senior RB [player_tooltip player_id='1594033' first='Jamari' last='Phillips-Woods']' 291 yards and 3 TD on 36 carries. Volcano Vista followed up their come-from-behind victory over Las Cruces in Week 2 with a solid win over sandia last week. The Hawks want to runt he football, too, behind senior [player_tooltip player_id='1257357' first='Mason' last='Gurule'] (226 yards on 46 carries) and dynamic freshman [player_tooltip player_id='1423739' first='D'Angelo' last='Mitchell'], who led the way with 134 rushing yards against Sandia.           St. Michael's at Albuquerque Academy (Sat., 2 p.m.): An intriguing 3A vs. 4A matchup. Particularly, St. Michael's tough, physical defense against the high-scoring Albuquerque Academy offense. Sophomore QB [player_tooltip player_id='1369761' first='William' last='Braun'] has already thrown for nearly 1,000 yards in just three games for the Chargers, including 377 yards and 4 TD (both season highs) in last week's win over Hope Christian. The decision to move Jet Galles to slot receiver is paying dividends. Six-foot-5 [player_tooltip player_id='851898' first='Gage' last='Conway'] is averaging 24.5 yards per reception. That trio will definitely be tested by a Horsemen defense that has allowed just 3 points in three games. [player_tooltip player_id='1137830' first='Pete' last='Johnson'] is an elite LB. Offensively, St. Michael's should continue to ride a balanced rushing attack and try to control the clock.       Mayfield at Gadsden (Thur.): Another enthralling Thursday night matchup. This is a rematch of a hard-fought first-round playoff game won by Mayfield last November. The Trojans posted their first win of the season last week against Organ Mountain. QB [player_tooltip player_id='1257289' first='Luke' last='Linnan'] is an outstanding (and probably underrated) dual threat QB, rushing for nearly 200 yards in the win over the Knights. Senior RB [player_tooltip player_id='1266489' first='Anthony' last='Nevarez'] complements Linnan nicely in the backfield. Beating a traditional power like Mayfield would be a statement win for a vastly improved Gadsden program. The Panthers are 3-0 in 2024 as the defense has allowed just 6 points all season. [player_tooltip player_id='615673' first='Alfredo' last='Andrade'] has become one of the top running backs in the state with 552 rushing yards on 64 carries. LB [player_tooltip player_id='615429' first='Daan' last='Cano'] has 31 tackles in 3 games.           Los Lunas at Eldorado (Thur.): Los Lunas started the season inauspiciously with a cancellation of the opener against Roswell and a lopsided loss to Cleveland. But they bounced back nicely last week with a win over Farmington. QB [player_tooltip player_id='1137088' first='Kaiden' last='Reese'] is a dynamic playmaker. Sophomore RB [player_tooltip player_id='1604956' first='Jagger' last='Casillas'] introduced himself to the NM high school football community by rushing for 140 yards against the Scorpions. Eldorado is flying under the radar but the Eagles are off to an encouraging 2-0 start. Exciting sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1155116' first='Jahari' last='Morehead'] has returned kickoffs for touchdowns the past two games.         Moriarty at Bernalillo: The District 4A-1 opener for both teams. Moriarty will do what they always do, run the football relentlessly with their Power Wing-T attack. The Pintos have averaged about 47 rushing attempts per game. [player_tooltip player_id='1258989' first='Caedon' last='Kamplain'] is an under-the-radar RB with 330 rushing yards on 49 carries in the first three games. He'll be challenged by Bernalillo's strong ‘Goon Squad' defense led by elite LB [player_tooltip player_id='853756' first='Mario' last='Molinar'], who's on pace for another 120+ tackle season. Bernalillo QB [player_tooltip player_id='615632' first='Uriel' last='Castro'] has shown a flair for the dramatic with long 4th quarter TD passes to beat Highland and Portales. Fearless RB [player_tooltip player_id='1594652' first='Nathan' last='Encinias'] grinds out the tough yards.         La Cueva at Sandia: The last time we saw La Cueva, they were outlasting Phoenix (AZ) Pinnacle in double OT in Flagstaff, AZ. The Bears enjoyed a bye week in Week 3 before beginning district play against the Matadors. All the names of La Cueva's offensive weapons are familiar: QB [player_tooltip player_id='611098' first='Cameron' last='Dyer'], RB Cheeto Lumbrera, WR [player_tooltip player_id='853013' first='Tanner' last='Montano'] and a stout O-Line led by Minnesota commit [player_tooltip player_id='1118241' first='Mark' last='Handy']. Their defense led by LB [player_tooltip player_id='611083' first='Mason' last='Posa'] is pretty good too. Sandia has had an up-and-down start to the season with losses to Piedra Vista and Volcano Vista by nearly identical scores sandwiching a victory over Cibola. Matadors QB Jahleel Lewis and freshman RB [player_tooltip player_id='1613382' first='Gad' last='Harris'] are two young stars on the rise.         Pojoaque Valley at Dexter: Per MaxPreps, this is the only Week 4 game in New Mexico between 3-0 teams. The Elks love to run the football with the dynamic duo of junior [player_tooltip player_id='1416992' first='D'Marcus' last='Rodriguez'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1129687' first='Jonah' last='Villegas'] handling most of the load. Dexter also likes to run the ball and they have one of the most balanced rushing attacks in the state. FIVE ball carriers have between 116 and 182 yards, and all five have between 15 and 18 carries. [player_tooltip player_id='1119136' first='Julian' last='Manzanares'] is the leading rusher with 182 yards and 3 TD. QB [player_tooltip player_id='1155032' first='CJ' last='Granados'] has elite dual threat skills.          West Las Vegas at Portales: A few weeks ago, this game had the potential to be a battle between two elite quarterbacks. But Portales QB [player_tooltip player_id='615523' first='Paxton' last='Culpepper'] suffered a torn ACL two weeks ago against Lovington and will miss the rest of the season. Senior Dallas Lozano filled in last week at Bernalillo. Culpepper's serious injury robs us of an elite matchup with West Las Vegas senior QB C.J. Perea, who is nearing 7,000 career passing yards. Still, watching Perea and the talented WLV offense operate against a very good Portales defense led by LB [player_tooltip player_id='613053' first='Manny' last='Chavez'] makes this contest must-see football.               St. Pius X at Organ Mountain (Sat., 7 p.m.): These two teams square off in a rare Saturday night encounter at Field of Dreams. St. Pius X is 2-1 and riding a two-game winning streak after the Week 1 loss to West Mesa. The Sartans' array of young offensive talent will again be on display with sophomore RB [player_tooltip player_id='1154954' first='Hershul' last='Olloway'] (456 rushing yards + 7 TD on 37 carries) and his 4.4 speed along with 6-foot-5 QB [player_tooltip player_id='1154948' first='Isaiah' last='Carpenter'] (657 passing yards) leading the charge. Organ Mountain is 0-3 but the Knights have been very competitive in Kenneth Sanchez's second year as head coach. RB Xavier Perez leads an effective rushing attack. Senior DB [player_tooltip player_id='1595894' first='Riley' last='Test'] has been a standout on defense. Could the breakthrough win for Organ Mountain come this weekend?        NEW MEXICO VS. TEXAS:   El Paso (TX) Parkland at Hobbs   Texico at Olton (TX)   Eunice at Morton (TX)   Van Horn (TX) at Jal   NEW MEXICO VS. COLORADO   Falcon (CO) at Farmington   Gallup at Bayfield (CO)   NEW MEXICO VS. ARIZONA   Keams Canyon (AZ) Hopi at Zuni   BEST OF THE REST:   Cibola at Carlsbad   Santa Fe at Albuquerque High (Sat.)   Silver at Cobre   Grants at Espanola Valley   Kirtland Central at Bloomfield   Chaparral at NMMI   Tohatchi at Newcomb   Thoreau at Hot Springs   OTHER GAMES:   Piedra Vista at Alamogordo   Santa Teresa at Goddard   Rio Grande at Miyamura   Highland at Los Alamos   Hope Christian at Manzano (Sat.)   Hatch Valley at Laguna Acoma (Thur.)   Belen at Valley (Thur.)   Aztec at Taos   Estancia at Socorro   Valencia at Cuba   Ruidoso at Robertson   Legacy Academy at Santa Fe Indian   Santa Rosa at Tularosa   McCurdy at Wingate   Loving at Tucumcari   Navajo Prep at Crownpoint   Capital at Del Norte   Capitan at Hozho Academy   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/artesiafootball/status/1833283012311847350 </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/_NMAA/status/1833566109246558311 </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/_NMAA/status/1833566357566247217 </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/_NMAA/status/1833566609295769980 </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/_NMAA/status/1833566861163958304 </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/_NMAA/status/1833567112927056236 </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/rick_tripp58/status/1833348108123836754 </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/gsc_productions/status/1833215620583727307 </div></figure>

High school football season enters its fourth week of action! District play begins for the 8-team districts in the state (6A-2, 5A-1, 5A-2, 4A-1). Here's our Top 13 Games of Week 4 plus other games. We fondly call this the Baker's Dozen: