2025 Team Preview: Espanola Valley Sundevils
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<p><strong>2025 ESPANOLA VALLEY SUNDEVILS PREVIEW</strong></p>
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<p><strong>OVERVIEW</strong></p>
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<p>Espanola Valley threw the ball just 15 times in 13 games last season under former head coach Tylon Wilder as they unleashed a powerful rushing attack to reach the Class 4A semifinals for the first time in school history.</p>
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<p>The Sundevils might throw the ball more in the first half of their season opener against Los Alamos under new head coach Caleb Holbrook, a former Los Alamos assistant and Division II college quarterback. Holbrook has installed a balanced offensive scheme for his first year at the helm.</p>
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<p>“I promise we're going to be an exciting offense to watch,” Holbrook told Prep Redzone New Mexico. “We'll try to be balanced. But that depends on what the defense gives us in any particular game. We want to attack matchups in all phases of the game. We won't have the same concepts week after week. I'm trying to stay away from tendencies. Same for the defensive side.” </p>
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<p>Holbrook, the quarterback for the Duke City Gladiators in Albuquerque for multiple seasons (until COVID hit in 2020), was the quarterbacks coach and film analyst at Los Alamos in 2024.</p>
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<p>He threw for over 6,000 yards in three years (2012-14) at NAIA Oklahoma Panhandle University and is enshrined in the school's Athletic Hall of Fame. Holbrook was set to join the Pojoaque Valley staff for the 2025 season when Class 6A Sandia hired Wilder as their new head coach. Holbrook submitted his resume, was interviewed and eventually hired by EVHS.</p>
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<p>Holbrook, who officially took over the Sundevils program in mid-May, is very pleased with how his first few months at Espanola Valley have gone.</p>
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<p>“Our guys have completely bought in to the culture I've brought in,” Holbrook said. “They've busted their butts in the weight room. I have to credit Coach Wilder. Our guys understand how important it is to lift in the summer. They're ready to go. It's been fairly smooth for the first couple of months.” </p>
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<p><strong>OFFENSE</strong></p>
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<p><strong>Top 3 Players: [player_tooltip player_id='1137865' first='Irvin' last='Primero']</strong> (QB), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1606533' first='Benny' last='Trujillo']</strong> (RB), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1752746' first='Cody' last='Coffeen']</strong> (WR)</p>
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<p>Rising senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1137865' first='Irvin' last='Primero']</strong> will likely be the starting quarterback for Espanola Valley after throwing 13 of the Sundevils' 15 pass attempts in 2024 and rushing 78 times. The backups are expected to be rising sophomore <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1715054' first='Cody' last='Trujillo']</strong> and promising rising freshman <strong>Isaiah Gallegos</strong>, who could be the future at the position. </p>
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<p>“I think Irvin is going to be a great quarterback,” Holbrook said. “If he plays the way I know he can play and does his job, he'll be up there as an all-state quarterback when the season is over. Our offense is timing-based. I want him to think one, two, three, checkdown.” </p>
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<p>Espanola Valley had SEVEN rushers with 55 or more carries in 2024. That won't happen in 2025. Rising sophomore <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1606533' first='Benny' last='Trujillo']</strong> and rising freshman <strong>Josiah Romero</strong> are competing for the No. 1 RB job. Romero also plays wide receiver and defensive back, and has impressed Holbrook during summer workouts.</p>
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<p>“We have a great senior class, but our skill guys are going to be young,” Holbrook said. “I'm going to have these kids for two or three years. In fact, we could have freshman starting for us at several positions throughout the lineup. I see that as a positive.” </p>
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<p>Six-foot-2 rising senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1752746' first='Cody' last='Coffeen'], </strong>rising sophomore <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1715054' first='Cody' last='Trujillo']</strong> and rising junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1752750' first='Santiago' last='Trujillo']</strong> will be three of the starting receivers. Rising senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1752753' first='Michael' last='Maestas']</strong> will be in the slot. The top returning rusher, rising senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1599942' first='Leonard' last='Martinez']</strong>, will play tight end and line up in the backfield in heavy sets. Martinez will also start at linebacker.</p>
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<p>Backup receivers include <strong>Josiah Romero</strong>, <strong>Julian Gallegos</strong> and <strong>Dominick Trujillo</strong>.</p>
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<p>Espanola Valley offensive line returns one starter from last season: rising junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1787957' first='Aiden' last='Guinn']</strong>. The rest of the starters will be freshmen and sophomores, Holbrook said. Rising sophomore <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1826296' first='Nicholas' last='Martinez']</strong>, who has emerged as a team leader in the weight room, will be one competing for a starting spot. </p>
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<p><strong>DEFENSE</strong></p>
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<p><strong>Top 3 Players: [player_tooltip player_id='1599942' first='Leonard' last='Martinez']</strong> (LB), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='854296' first='Dylan' last='Sandoval']</strong> (LB), <strong>Ezekiel Westfall</strong> (DL).</p>
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<p>Espanola Valley's new 3-3-5 defensive scheme is designed todominate the box and force opposing quarterbacks to throw the ball towards the perimeter. </p>
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<p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1599942' first='Leonard' last='Martinez']</strong> will be one of the starting linebackers for the Sundevils along with rising senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='854296' first='Dylan' last='Sandoval']</strong>. Rising junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1742722' first='Colt' last='Herrera']</strong> is one of the competitors for the third LB spot.</p>
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<p>The defensive line is projected to be fairly young. <strong>Ezekiel Westfall</strong> is a promising and stout rising freshman. He could play nose tackle if he displays enough quickness. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1787957' first='Aiden' last='Guinn']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1826296' first='Nicholas' last='Martinez']</strong> could play D-Line as well as O-Line. </p>
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<p>The first and second teams in the secondary will be comprised of the aforementioned receivers. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1752750' first='Santiago' last='Trujillo'] </strong>is versatile enough to play three positions: outside LB, cornerback and safety. </p>
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<p><strong>2025 Espanola Valley Football Schedule:</strong></p>
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<p>Aug. 22 LOS ALAMOS (7 p.m.) </p>
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<p>Aug. 28 CUBA (Thur. 6 p.m.) </p>
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<p>Sept. 5 at Capital (7 p.m.) </p>
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<p>Sept. 12 at Grants (7 p.m.)* </p>
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<p>Sept. 19 MORIARTY (7 p.m.)* </p>
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<p>Sept. 26 at Bernalillo (7 p.m.)* </p>
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<p>Oct. 3 TAOS (6 p.m.)* </p>
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<p>Oct. 10 KIRTLAND CENTRAL (6 p.m.)* </p>
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<p>Oct. 17 Bye </p>
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<p>Oct. 24 BLOOMFIELD (7 p.m.)* </p>
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<p>Oct. 31 at Aztec (7 p.m.)*</p>
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<p>* District 4A-2 Game</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Leadership council addressing the team after the storybook season comes to a close. Final score St. Pius 31 Sundevils 22. Best season in school history! <a href="https://t.co/QlFRRWo0EN">pic.twitter.com/QlFRRWo0EN</a></p>— Española Valley High School Athletics (@EVHSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/EVHSports/status/1860451395662405662?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sundevils advance to the state semifinals for the first time in school history! <a href="https://t.co/WAOEXvTMUN">pic.twitter.com/WAOEXvTMUN</a></p>— Española Valley High School Athletics (@EVHSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/EVHSports/status/1857621749275439327?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
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2025 ESPANOLA VALLEY SUNDEVILS PREVIEW
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