2025 Team Preview: Bloomfield Bobcats

OVERVIEW   Bloomfield is the closest thing to a dynasty in Class 4A. Over the last five full seasons (omitting abbreviated 2021 spring season), the Bobcats have compiled an impressive 57-5 record, appeared in three state championship games and captured two titles (2024, 2022). Last time Bloomfield lost a regular season game? 2022 to Silver on a neutral field.   Last season, Bloomfield won seven of their 12 games by the mercy rule. Many players in the core group that led Bloomfield to football glory have graduated, concluding May's class that included quarterback Blake Spencer, WR Kade McCown, LB Logan Gosnell, LB McKell Colbert and DB Eli Snell-Martinez.   “I do have the fear right now that coming off such a successful season and you lose some key people, we have to be careful on the approach,” Bloomfield head coach Mike Kovacs told Prep Redzone New Mexico. “One thing you have to promote is your culture.   “Our players must understand that we're not lowering the bar. If anything, we're putting the bar up one more rung. We're not relaxing on our culture because we've had some success. We have to put ourselves in position to be successful every day.”         Make no mistake, though. Few of Bloomfield's Class 4A rivals are feeling sorry for the Bobcats. Why? They realize Bloomfield will reload, and actually returns several major contributors from a season ago.   “Our players can't forget that in 2025, we haven't done anything,” Kovacs said. “Yes, 2024 was a great year. But we haven't won anything in 2025. We've had some success in 7-on-7, but that won't win us the blue trophy. It will sharpen our tools and give us some more tools to work with.”   OFFENSE   Top 3 Players: [player_tooltip player_id='1751724' first='Manuel' last='Chavarria'] (QB), [player_tooltip player_id='853022' first='Peyton' last='Duncan'] (RB), [player_tooltip player_id='1137877' first='Kaleb' last='Hutchens'] (WR).      The new Bobcats quarterback is rising senior [player_tooltip player_id='1751724' first='Manuel' last='Chavarria'] (“Peanut” to everybody in the Bloomfield program), who has displayed a strong and accurate throwing arm throughout 7-on-7 season. He was Spencer's backup last season and now he gets one opportunity to lead the Bobcats Air Raid offense.   “Manuel has been a quarterback in our system for four years,” Kovacs said. “Unfortunately, he had to battle Blake. But he was always step-for-step with Blake. Manuel has had a ton of reps at the sub-varsity level.”   The backup is expected to be rising freshman Wyatt Babcock, who will likely be the JV QB this season to prepare him for 2026 and beyond.   “We have a great offensive line, so if we have to run the ball a little more than we're used to, we're set up for that,” Kovacs said. “Everybody thinks the Air Raid is just about passing. But it's really about leverage and spacing, not just passing.”   Helpful to Chavarria is the fact Bloomfield's leading rusher last season by a wide margin, rising senior [player_tooltip player_id='853022' first='Peyton' last='Duncan'], returns. He finished 2024 with close to 1,400 rushing yards and 10 TD. He's also adept at catching the ball and playing defense, so Duncan does it all for the Bobcats.   “Peyton is absolutely going to be our full-time running back again,” Kovacs said. “It' s his third year running the football for us. We have high hopes we're going to see a lot of good things from him. Defensively, he'll still get his reps.”   Last season's leading receiver, rising senior [player_tooltip player_id='1137877' first='Kaleb' last='Hutchens'], is also back. He's enjoyed a solid summer so far. He'll be the outside receiver on the right side. Kovacs described him as ‘dynamic.' Hutchens will be joined by promising rising sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1826139' first='Cable' last='Carruth'], who battled injuries last season, rising senior [player_tooltip player_id='1599979' first='Deasyl' last='Priddy'], rising junior [player_tooltip player_id='1787747' first='Tayetum' last='Callado'] and rising senior [player_tooltip player_id='1751727' first='Gavin' last='Pecotte'].   “We have a nice nucleus of receivers,” Kovacs said. “Cable is one of those every 10 to 15 year kids you get in your program. We have to see what he can do. WE have some good receivers. We just have to put them in the right places.”   Four of five starters return on the offensive line: RT [player_tooltip player_id='1751732' first='Cristian' last='Medrano'], RG Benjamin Hensley, C [player_tooltip player_id='1604759' first='Johnny' last='Yates'] and LG [player_tooltip player_id='1599881' first='Dean' last='Litsuie']. All are rising seniors except for Yates, who's a rising junior. The left tackle job is open. Rising junior Marius Benally and rising senior Wyatt Etcitty will be the top reserves if one of them doesn't earn the LT job. Alex Luehrs is a talented newcomer.                               DEFENSE   Top 3 Players: [player_tooltip player_id='1599958' first='Cole' last='Gosnell'] (DL), D'Ante Morgan (LB), [player_tooltip player_id='853059' first='Andrew' last='Himes'] (DB)     Bloomfield's 3-5-3 defense loses its top four tacklers from last season's undefeated state championship team. The top returning tackler is rising senior DT [player_tooltip player_id='1599958' first='Cole' last='Gosnell'], younger brother of LB Logan ‘Thor' Gosnell, who led the Bobcats in tackles last season.   Rising junior [player_tooltip player_id='1790852' first='Devon' last='Garcia'] will join Gosnell on the D-Line along with [player_tooltip player_id='1751735' first='Yahir' last='Jimenez']. All three have been impressive on this summer's camp circuit.   [player_tooltip player_id='1599979' first='Deasyl' last='Priddy'] and [player_tooltip player_id='853059' first='Andrew' last='Himes'] will be the cornerbacks with [player_tooltip player_id='1826139' first='Cable' last='Carruth'] at safety. [player_tooltip player_id='1787747' first='Tayetum' last='Callado'] will be there as well. The LB corps will have several newcomers. Rising seniors D'Ante Morgan and Filoramio Aguliar are expected to be start at ILB. The OLB (Razors) should be [player_tooltip player_id='853022' first='Peyton' last='Duncan'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1137877' first='Kaleb' last='Hutchens']. Basketball player Marcus Garcia, a rising junior, will get a look at several positions after not playing football in 2024.           2025 Bloomfield Football Schedule:   Aug. 22 BELEN (7 p.m.)          Aug. 29 PIEDRA VISTA (7 p.m.)         Sept. 5 at Miyamura (7 p.m.)          Sept. 12 at Kirtland Central (6 p.m.)*         Sept. 19 AZTEC (7 p.m.)*            Sept. 26 at Taos (7 p.m.)*            Oct. 3 Bye          Oct. 10 MORIARTY (6 p.m.)*        Oct. 17 at Bernalillo (7 p.m.)*         Oct. 24 at Espanola Valley (7 p.m.)*          Oct. 31 GRANTS (7 p.m.)*      * District 4A-1 Game   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">[player_tooltip player_id='1137877' first='Kaleb' last='Hutchens'] Jr year 9 games 12 TD 31 Rec 653 Yds <a href="https://t.co/pFzpwK2zbI">pic.twitter.com/pFzpwK2zbI</a>— [player_tooltip player_id='1137877' first='Kaleb' last='Hutchens'] (@KalebHutchens2) <a href="https://twitter.com/KalebHutchens2/status/1863688717917098227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2024</a></blockquote>   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Bloomfield wins the 2024 Nusenda Credit Union 4A State Football Championships over St. Pius X, 62-28. Congratulations to both teams on a fantastic season. <a href="https://twitter.com/nusendacu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nusendacu</a> <a href="https://t.co/61Yj2VulDH">pic.twitter.com/61Yj2VulDH</a>— NMAA (@_NMAA) <a href="https://twitter.com/_NMAA/status/1863031832536641612?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2024</a></blockquote>   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Perfect season!!! <a href="https://t.co/RW3hgKNhbd">pic.twitter.com/RW3hgKNhbd</a>— Bobcat sports fanatic (@FanaticBobcat) <a href="https://twitter.com/FanaticBobcat/status/1862996457583788434?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

OVERVIEW