2025 Team Preview: Las Cruces Bulldawgs

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025 LAS CRUCES PREVIEW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>OVERVIEW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Is this the year a team from Las Cruces finally breaks the eight-year drought and earns a spot in the Class 6A state championship game? Perhaps. The Bulldawgs, who have reached the semifinals the past two years, certainly possess the firepower on both sides of the ball to play on Thanksgiving weekend, especially the offensive skill positions. Las Cruces could arguably have the most dynamic offense in the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“Getting to the state championship game is going to take a little more attention to detail and a little extra belief of taking the next step,” Las Cruces head coach Mark Lopez told Prep Redzone New Mexico. “That's been our main focus during the offseason. The more physical and more disciplined teams have the best chance to get to the title games.” &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>OFFENSE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>3 Players To Watch: [player_tooltip player_id='853029' first='Gunnar' last='Guardiola'] </strong>(QB), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1137388' first='Daniel' last='Amaro']</strong> (RB), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1142363' first='Francisco' last='Winnikoff']</strong> (WR). <strong>&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rising senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='853029' first='Gunnar' last='Guardiola']</strong> enters his third full season as the Bulldawgs' starting quarterback. He also started a handful of games as a freshman in 2022. He's one of the top quarterbacks in the state and a legitimate 2025 New Mexico Heisman Trophy contender. Last season he threw for over 2,000 yards and 19 touchdowns, and completed 62.2 percent of his passes. Guardiola makes very few mistakes. We could see a new wrinkle from Guardiola this season: more designed QB runs.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“I can't say enough about Gunnar,” Lopez said. “As a rising senior, he's now one &nbsp;of our most vocal leaders, if not the most vocal. He really knows the heartbeat of the team. He's so hungry for success. He pours so much into it every single day. He's working hard to improve his agility and speed so he can help us in that area. He can make every throw on the field and he's always incredibly prepared. He knows what the defenses are doing. Everything begins with him.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Guardiola, who's also a standout pitcher for the Bulldawgs baseball team, &nbsp;aspires to play at the next level and was recently offered by New Mexico Highlands.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“He has a great command of the field,” Lopez said. “He's gotten bigger, stronger and faster. He has the ability to play at a pretty high level.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Guardiola is helped by a solid ground game led by rising senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1137388' first='Daniel' last='Amaro']</strong>, who was also offered by NM Highlands recently. Amaro rushed for nearly 1,300 yards and 23 TD last season in 11 games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“We've run a lot of RPOs (run-pass options) in the last couple of years with Gunnar and Danny,” Lopez said. “It's such a threat because if the defense keeps the linebackers back, Danny can really gash you up front. He's such a dynamic player because he runs with power, speed&nbsp; and elusiveness. He can get the tough yards and has the ability for the big play. You don't find that a lot. I like to think we have the best offensive backfield in the state.”&nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rising junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1272747' first='Jaxon' last='Alba']</strong> is the favorite to claim the No. 2 RB job behind Amaro, positioning him to become the top ball carrier in 2026. Alba averaged 7.6 yards per carry and scored 6 TD in 2024. He had 116 rushing yards on just 8 carries against Alamogordo last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“Jaxon played when Danny missed a couple of games last season and did a very good job for us,” Lopez said. “He ran the ball well. He grew a ton in those games he started for us. We're looking for him to not just be the backup but to relieve Danny to keep him fresh for the fourth quarters.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1142363' first='Francisco' last='Winnikoff']</strong> ascends to the No. 1 WR role after serving as No. 2 to the graduating [player_tooltip player_id='615455' first='Nate' last='Libby'] in 2024, Winnikoff actually had more receptions than Libby last season (51-46) but fewer yards as Libby's size and speed made him an attractive downfield threat. Rising senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1672408' first='Jacob' last='Misquez']</strong> and rising junior <strong>Aron Carrasco</strong> saw a lot of snaps in 2024 and should add impressive depth to the Las Cruces WR corps. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“Francisco has had a tremendous off-season,” Lopez said. “He's taken some big steps in leadership for our team. He looks like a specimen right now. He's running very well. Jacob and Aron are big-time threats in my eyes and can do great things.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bulldawgs' offensive line loses three starters from last year's unit. Rising senior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1672411' first='Julian' last='Chavez-Lopez']</strong>, a three-year starter, headlines the 2025 group. Chavez-Lopez is known for his toughness and physicality. Rising senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1748835' first='Gracie' last='Poe']</strong> returns at tackle. Rising senior <strong>Dean Ostland</strong> looks to bounce back from an injury last season. Several candidates – possibly as many as four or five - are vying for the starting job at the other two spots. Two of them is expected to be 6-foot-2, 320-pound rising junior <strong>Paulo Velasquez</strong> and rising senior <strong>Jaime Mendez</strong>. Rising junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1680164' first='Diego' last='Lopez']</strong> returns at tight end. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DEFENSE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>3 Players To Watch</strong>: <strong>Denton Walter</strong> (LB), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1594128' first='Isaac' last='Gomez'] </strong>(DB), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1600974' first='Carlos' last='Gamboa']</strong> (DL).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A year ago, Bulldawgs rising junior linebacker <strong>Denton Walter</strong> was a promising, up-and-coming prospect. The Las Cruces coaches thought he could be a special player at the varsity level. The 6-foot-2 Walter was that and more as a sophomore in 2024 as he led the state in tackles with 163 and finished with 14.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, 9 QB hurries and 2 interceptions. Walter is moving to middle linebacker for 2025 in the Bulldawgs' 4-3 scheme. after playing the SAM/Nickel spot last season. Will Walter top last year's numbers in 2025?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“We knew Denton was special,” Lopez said. “He's just different. We saw him as a freshman and he was everywhere. He's long, athletic and loves to hit. He's crazy smart. He has great speed. He has great passion for the game. Like Gunnar on offense, I can't say enough about Denton. What he brings to the table, he's the entire package.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With Walter moving to the middle, rising junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1606076' first='Hunter' last='Parmeter']</strong> (66 tackles in 2024) takes over at the Nickel/SAM spot. Rising senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1748941' first='Michael' last='Diaz']</strong> will be the WILL LB after spending most of last season with the JV team. Diaz loves to hit people. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The defensive line returns two starters: rising seniors DT <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1600974' first='Carlos' last='Gamboa']</strong> (92 tackles, 7.0 TFL) and DE <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1672428' first='Collin' last='Bannister']</strong> (50 tackles, 11.0 TFL in 2024). Gamboa is an elite wrestler and ranks among the best in the state in his weight class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>All four starters return to the senior-dominated secondary, led by CB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1594128' first='Isaac' last='Gomez']</strong>, who was also offered by New Mexico Highlands. Gomez had 46 tackles, 6 INT and an impressive 29 passes defended last season, including multiple Pick-6s. He's also a standout on special teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“Isaac is one of the best cover guys in the state,” Lopez said. “He's fast, physical and has great ball skills.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rising senior<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1672433' first='Devin' last='Alba']</strong> is back at safety after making 47 tackles and 3 INT in 2024. The most vocal guy in the secondary could be <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1748856' first='Josiah' last='Gutierrez']</strong>, who often responsible for making the defensive calls. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1748882' first='Mateo' last='Montoya']</strong> will line up at the CB spot opposite Gomez. He has breakout potential.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025 Las Cruces Football Schedule:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aug. 22 at Mayfield (Field of Dreams), 7 p.m.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aug. 28 VOLCANO VISTA, 7 p.m. (Thur.)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 4 RIO RANCHO, 7 p.m. (Thur.)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 12 at Cleveland, 7 p.m. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 19 HOBBS, 7 p.m.* &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 26 ORGAN MOUNTAIN, 7 p.m.*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oct. 3 at Clovis, 7 p.m.*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oct. 10 Bye</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oct. 17 at Alamogordo, 7 p.m.*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oct. 24 at Carlsbad, 7 p.m.* &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oct. 31 CENTENNIAL, 7 p.m.* &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>* District 6A-3 Game</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/qQDIqL4pY0">https://t.co/qQDIqL4pY0</a><br>Junior Year<br>Thankful for these Seniors and Program.<a href="https://twitter.com/LCHSFOOTBALL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LCHSFOOTBALL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/mjlopezdawgs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mjlopezdawgs</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TaylorMazzone1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TaylorMazzone1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MannyG9292?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MannyG9292</a></p>&mdash; [player_tooltip player_id='853029' first='Gunnar' last='Guardiola'] (@GunnarGuardiola) <a href="https://twitter.com/GunnarGuardiola/status/1863585958949712154?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2024</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sophomore Season Stats <br>-159 Total Tackles (#1 in NM) <br>-14 TFL <br>-5 Sacks <br>-2 Int <a href="https://twitter.com/mjlopezdawgs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mjlopezdawgs</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/LCHSFOOTBALL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LCHSFOOTBALL</a> <a href="https://t.co/3o2eSMcYHV">https://t.co/3o2eSMcYHV</a></p>&mdash; Denton Walter (@denton_45) <a href="https://twitter.com/denton_45/status/1884004178382708835?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Check out my highlight - <a href="https://t.co/B5uZCA9RSn">https://t.co/B5uZCA9RSn</a><br><br>2024 Regular Season Highlights🏈<br>- 21 Total tds-<br>-134 carries, 1066 rushing yards-<br>-271 receiving yds-<br>-377 special teams yds-<br>-1,714 all purpose yds-<br>⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/mjlopezdawgs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mjlopezdawgs</a>⁩ ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/renetorres05?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@renetorres05</a>⁩</p>&mdash; [player_tooltip player_id='1137388' first='Daniel' last='Amaro'] (@AmaroDaniel22) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmaroDaniel22/status/1858946910767202719?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Junior year highlights 2nd team all state 1st team all district<br>5 total touchdowns 7 interceptions, 3 pick sixes, 2TFLs, 35 total tackles, 4 pass deflections <br> <a href="https://twitter.com/LCHSFOOTBALL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LCHSFOOTBALL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneNM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepRedzoneNM</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/nmprepcosports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nmprepcosports</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/mjlopezdawgs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mjlopezdawgs</a><a href="https://t.co/IQDFuNAtH3">https://t.co/IQDFuNAtH3</a></p>&mdash; [player_tooltip player_id='1594128' first='Isaac' last='Gomez'] (@IsaacGom_32) <a href="https://twitter.com/IsaacGom_32/status/1915476104112201762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">JR Yr Highlights 55 rec 850 yards 7 Tds <a href="https://twitter.com/mjlopezdawgs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mjlopezdawgs</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/renetorres05?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@renetorres05</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/GinoSatriana?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GinoSatriana</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/LCHSFOOTBALL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LCHSFOOTBALL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneNM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepRedzoneNM</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/nmprepcosports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nmprepcosports</a> <a href="https://t.co/5AJc4kV6H8">https://t.co/5AJc4kV6H8</a></p>&mdash; [player_tooltip player_id='1142363' first='Francisco' last='Winnikoff'] (@Sisco2x__) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sisco2x__/status/1885505442127687739?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html -->