2025 Team Preview: Organ Mountain Knights

OVERVIEW   Organ Mountain was one of the most improved teams in Class 6A last season, going from zero wins in 2023 to four wins and barely missing the playoffs in 2024. At the heart of the Knight's transformation was a significantly better offense, which averaged 23.0 points per game in 2024 after averaging just 7.3 points in 2023. That's better than a two-touchdown improvement. Head coach Kenneth Sanchez looks for the Knights to be even better in 2025.   “We'll be a little better this year than we were last year,” Sanchez told Prep Redzone New Mexico. “My first year (2023) wasn't so much coaching as trying to establish a better culture. We had to sacrifice some things to get the culture to where we wanted it. The kids that wanted to stay and understood where we were going in terms of the expectations ended up staying. Those kids have gotten a lot better.”   The next step for Organ Mountain? “Our goal is the playoffs,” Sanchez said. “We've told our guys that we want to get better, little by little. One bite at a time.”   Organ Mountain won three district games in 2024, their first victories over district opponents in eight years, after starting the season 0-3. But those games were highly competitive before the Knights finally broke through in Week 4 for their first win since 2022.   “We just had to knock that first one down and when we did, we started rolling,” Sanchez said. ‘ Now our expectation is to win the games, not just want to win the games.”     OFFENSE   3 Players To Watch: [player_tooltip player_id='1613370' first='Romeo' last='Jones'] (RB), [player_tooltip player_id='1680049' first='Jaden' last='Gonzales'] (QB), [player_tooltip player_id='1680055' first='Zeke' last='Weir'] (WR).      The heart of Organ Mountain's improvement was an enhanced rushing attack led by rising sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1613370' first='Romeo' last='Jones'], who emerged as one of the top 2028 running backs in the state. Two years ago, the Knights averaged 2.9 yards per rushing attempt. Last year, that figure jumped to 5.2 yards per carry. Jones gained 751 yards and scored 7 TD on 140 carries. Jones is dripping with 1,000-yard potential.   “Our goal for Romeo this year is for him to get 1,000 yards,” Sanchez said. “Obviously, our offensive line will have a big part in that. Last year, Romeo showed glimpses of becoming a very good running back. He was super young. We are definitely fired up about him. He has looked great in the off-season.”   Rising senior [player_tooltip player_id='1118277' first='Damian' last='Avila'] should get some carries as well as the probable No. 2 RB. But he'll face plenty of competition this summer now that baseball season has ended.      The Knights had a senior dual threat quarterback in 2024 (Xavier Perez), and his likely successor will be  rising junior [player_tooltip player_id='1680049' first='Jaden' last='Gonzales'], who was an all-district fullback and valuable utility player for Organ Mountain in 2024. He gained experience serving as Perez's backup last season. Like Perez, Gonzales is a dual threat QB, which fits nicely into Organ Mountain's options scheme.   The leading contender for backup QB is rising sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1684493' first='Jerry' last='Telles'], who looks to make the jump from freshman team to varsity.   Organ Mountain's top three receivers last season were all seniors (and all first-year football players), so the Knights WR corps will look significantly different in  2025. Rising junior [player_tooltip player_id='1680055' first='Zeke' last='Weir'] – described by Sanchez as a ‘stud' - is slated to be the No. 1 WR with rising senior Jayshawn Caldwell competing to be the No. 2 WR.   Along the offensive line, 6-foot-5, 250-pound rising senior [player_tooltip player_id='1749157' first='Brennan' last='McNiece'], a standout pitcher for the Knights baseball team, returns to the football team after taking last season off. He'll likely be the starting left tackle. McNiece has excellent feet and good size. Rising junior [player_tooltip player_id='1680058' first='Desmond' last='Arrey'] returns at center. After that, most of the OL positions will be the subject of intense position battles this summer. [player_tooltip player_id='1748631' first='Damian' last='Martinez'], Emmanuel Almarez and Gael Ayala will be involved in the competition.               DEFENSE   3 Players To Watch: [player_tooltip player_id='1749227' first='Tyrell' last='Toledo'] (DL), [player_tooltip player_id='1680207' first='Diego' last='Acosta'] (LB), [player_tooltip player_id='1680197' first='Joshua' last='Belmontes'] (LB).   Rising senior [player_tooltip player_id='1749227' first='Tyrell' last='Toledo'] is one of several defensive linemen returning in 2025. He'll be joined by rising juniors Jacquese Salas and Chris Ibarra-Sanchez. A promising newcomer is rising sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1684497' first='Noah' last='Zubiate-Sanchez'], who moves well and has enjoyed a solid offseason so far.   Rising junior [player_tooltip player_id='1680207' first='Diego' last='Acosta'] (37 tackles, 3.0 TFL) moves to middle linebacker from the outside after earning all-district honors in 2024. Rising junior [player_tooltip player_id='1680197' first='Joshua' last='Belmontes'] (42 tackles) will also play ILB. Rising junior Jayden Ramirez will likely play one of the OLB spots. Rising juniors Alejandro Padilla and Daizriel Arenivas will compete for spots.   The secondary was arguably the strength of the Organ Mountain defense in 2024. But changes are coming. [player_tooltip player_id='1595894' first='Riley' last='Test'] has graduated, Kendin Mangrum moved to Tennessee with his family (his father was hired as an assistant basketball coach at Vanderbilt) and [player_tooltip player_id='1606054' first='Alejandro' last='Guerra'], last season's leading tackler, transferred to another high school in Las Cruces.   CB Ezekiel Gomez is back while baseball standout Alex Venegas joins the program and is being eyed as Mangrum's replacement at CB. Steven Diaz will compete for a starting job at CB. Rising senior Donnail Escudero, a speedster who competes in track (district champion in 400 meters) , and rising junior Kyler Peterson will battle for starting jobs at safety. Peterson played OLB and strong safety in 2024.   2025 Organ Mountain Football Schedule:   Aug. 22 at Eldorado (7 p.m.)      Aug. 30 DEMING (Sat., 10 a.m.)     Sept. 5 MAYFIELD (7 p.m.)     Sept. 11 at St. Pius X (Thur., 6 p.m.)      Sept. 19 at Alamogordo (7 p.m.)*      Sept. 26 at Las Cruces (7 p.m.)*      Oct. 4 CARLSBAD (Sat. 1 p.m.)*     Oct. 10 CLOVIS (7 p.m.)*      Oct. 17 at Centennial (7 p.m.)*   Oct. 23 HOBBS (Thur., 7 p.m.)*      Oct. 31 Bye      * District 6A-3 Game   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">District Champions Medley Relay: Jeron Wisner, [player_tooltip player_id='1680055' first='Zeke' last='Weir'], [player_tooltip player_id='1680049' first='Jaden' last='Gonzales'], Ethan Martinez! Good Luck at STATE! <a href="https://t.co/cIUqpwXtDb">pic.twitter.com/cIUqpwXtDb</a>— Organ Mountain High School (@OrganMountainHS) <a href="https://twitter.com/OrganMountainHS/status/1922959934943035873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2025</a></blockquote>   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/4Zb7VdPtGe">pic.twitter.com/4Zb7VdPtGe</a>— Organ Mountain High School (@OrganMountainHS) <a href="https://twitter.com/OrganMountainHS/status/1926016245289140572?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2025</a></blockquote>   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Congrats District Champs: Ryan Harrington: 200 m Donnail Escudero: 400 m Good Luck at State! Photo credit: T.Rodriguezphotography <a href="https://t.co/e3mcdzmkoO">pic.twitter.com/e3mcdzmkoO</a>— Organ Mountain High School (@OrganMountainHS) <a href="https://twitter.com/OrganMountainHS/status/1921904431072710712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2025</a></blockquote>

OVERVIEW