Baker's Dozen: Week 4 Preview

The 2025 New Mexico High School football season enters Week 4. The action begins Thursday night with a handful of intriguing games around the state and runs through Saturday afternoon. Here are our Top 13 games of Week 4, Best of The Rest and Other Games of what promises to be another exciting week.   GAME OF THE WEEK: Las Cruces at Cleveland (Fri., 7 pm., Lightning Bolt Stadium)   Clash of the Titans. These are the top two teams in the latest statewide ranking by MaxPreps, and most likely this won't be the last time we see these two Goliaths clash this year. You'll need a calculator to count the number of next level prospects on the field at any one time. Yes, there will be a lot of talent on display in Rio Rancho Friday night.   The game features arguably the top two quarterbacks in the state ([player_tooltip player_id='851873' first='Jordan' last='Kekoa Hatch'] of Cleveland, [player_tooltip player_id='853029' first='Gunnar' last='Guardiola'] of Las Cruces), the top running back ([player_tooltip player_id='1137388' first='Daniel' last='Amaro'] of Las Cruces, ENMU offer) and the top 2026 wide receiver (Cleveland's [player_tooltip player_id='851903' first='Jacob' last='Maldonado'], committed to New Mexico) along with WR [player_tooltip player_id='1142363' first='Francisco' last='Winnikoff'] (offered by NMHU and Sterling College) and two stellar offensive lines that are big, strong and mobile. Six-foot-5, 280-pound Cleveland OL [player_tooltip player_id='851862' first='Moses' last='Sparks'] is committed to Utah. Las Cruces OL Gracin Poe was offered by New Mexico Highlands on Monday.   Next level talent isn't limited to the offensive side of the ball, either. Six-foot-5, 225-pound Cleveland DE [player_tooltip player_id='1230420' first='Elijah' last='Richards'] is committed to New Mexico. Las Cruces DB [player_tooltip player_id='1266523' first='Isaac' last='Gomez'], who impressed during camping season, has offers from New Mexico Highlands and Western New Mexico. Richards is part of one of the best defensive lines in the state with [player_tooltip player_id='1599835' first='Riley' last='Haussler'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1671767' first='Eli' last='Powell']. The Las Cruces LB duo of [player_tooltip player_id='1606042' first='Denton' last='Walter'] (43 tackle sin 3 games) and [player_tooltip player_id='1606076' first='Hunter' last='Parmeter'] (36 tackles) is top-notch.   Bottom line, this should be a fantastic game. However, based on the latest weather forecasts, rain could be a factor.         <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Big game Friday night! You can watch it on the NFHS network! 🏈 ⬇️<a href="https://t.co/hmr62Vjegf">https://t.co/hmr62Vjegf</a> <a href="https://t.co/qXTS2yfGhH">pic.twitter.com/qXTS2yfGhH</a>— NMAA (@_NMAA) <a href="https://twitter.com/_NMAA/status/1965828990050160676?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></blockquote>   Centennial at Rio Rancho: These teams square off for the third time in the last four seasons in the back half of a home-and-home series. Centennial goes to Rio Rancho with plenty of momentum as a result of last week's wild 42-38 victory over Artesia at the Bulldog Bowl. After that, the Hawks definitely won't be intimidated by what they encounter at Rio Rancho. The duo of QB [player_tooltip player_id='1604943' first='Ruiz' last='Laborin'] and RB [player_tooltip player_id='1605033' first='Dailen' last='Ramirez'] has emerged as one of the best QB-WR tandems in the state through Week 3. Laborin has thrown for 539 yards and 5 TD while Ramirez has 493 yards on 45 carries. Rio Rancho, coming off a loss at Las Cruces, has its own highly productive offensive trio in QB [player_tooltip player_id='1604705' first='Micah' last='Takahashi'], RB Ethan Rolon and WR [player_tooltip player_id='1266408' first='Parker' last='Miller']. Possible playoff preview.         Carlsbad at Cibola (Thur.): The epicenter of this game is the battle between two of the top defensive players in the state, both of whom have FBS football in their future: Cibola LB [player_tooltip player_id='854199' first='Hayes' last='Baum'] and Carlsbad LB [player_tooltip player_id='1248663' first='Colton' last='McKibben']. Baum is committed to New Mexico while McKibben already holds numerous Power 4 offers and he's only three games into his junior season. Adding another layer of intrigue to this game is Baum's new status as Cibola's Wildcat quarterback. In three games, he's rushed 34 times for 277 yards and scored 9 TD. Baum is Cibola's main red zone weapon. So far, David Howes has done a fantastic job turning around the fortunes of the Cougars.         Alamogordo at Piedra Vista: Unbeaten Alamogordo (3-0), making its second lengthy road trip in as many weeks, has emerged as a serious playoff contender in Class 6A behind the offensive exploits of QB [player_tooltip player_id='1600835' first='Nathanael' last='Best'], RB/DB [player_tooltip player_id='1605059' first='Bryson' last='Bloom'] and a big, physical offensive line featuring 6-foot-5, 315-pound next level prospect [player_tooltip player_id='1268759' first='Diego' last='Ortega']. Best is an outstanding dual threat QB as he showed in last week's road win over Albuquerque High. Piedra Vista (2-1) has won two of its first three games, including a victory over defending 4A champion Bloomfield in Week 2. QB Reuban Marquez fuels the Panthers offense. Bothe defenses will be tested in this intriguing North vs. South cross-classification battle.              Los Alamos at Highland: If you still don't know about Los Alamos RB [player_tooltip player_id='1604744' first='Jordan' last='Herrera'], watch his film. Herrera is a powerfully built 5-foot-8 dynamo who loves contact. He's already carried 66 times in the first three games for 653 yards and 14 TD, putting him on pace for 2,000+ yards during the regular season. The Hilltoppers defense brings the heat as well, allowing just 45 points in the first three games. Highland loves to run the football (112 rushes in 3 games) and their major weapon is speedy sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1688720' first='William' last='Anchondo'], who makes most of his yards on the perimeter. This game boils down to which defense stops the run the best.           Organ Mountain at St. Pius X (Thur.): Many folks probably left Organ Mountain for dead following their Week 1 loss to Eldorado when the Knights surrendered 56 points. Surprise. Organ Mountain has bounced back with encouraging hard-fought wins over Deming and Mayfield. WR [player_tooltip player_id='1680055' first='Zeke' last='Weir'] has emerged as a bigtime receiver for the Knights. He has quickly become QB [player_tooltip player_id='1680049' first='Jaden' last='Gonzales']' favorite target. Speaking of receivers, St. Pius X has plenty of them, arguably one of the best groups in the state, with [player_tooltip player_id='1154956' first='Cayl' last='Cox-Liggins'], [player_tooltip player_id='1155012' first='Curtis' last='Flakes III'], [player_tooltip player_id='1613459' first='Ezra' last='Ocampo'] and others. And they have one of the top quarterbacks ([player_tooltip player_id='1154948' first='Isaiah' last='Carpenter']) and running backs ([player_tooltip player_id='1154954' first='Hershul' last='Olloway']) in the state.             Lovington at Roswell: District 5A-2 opener for both teams. While defending 5A champion Roswell is off to a 1-2 start, both setbacks have come to 6A schools (Alamogordo, Hobbs) and the Coyotes are still ranked No. 2 in Class 5A by MaxPreps behind rival Artesia. Six-foot-3, 215-pound [player_tooltip player_id='1750685' first='Luke' last='Lynn']'s tenure as Roswell's dual threat QB is off to an encouraging start. He completed 16-of-24 passes for 180 yards and rushed 16 times for 101 yards in the loss to Hobbs. He's a load to bring down. LB [player_tooltip player_id='1750954' first='Joaquin' last='Bolanos'] leads the Coyote defense. Lovington is also off to a 1-2 start with setbacks to 6A teams Hobbs and Carlsbad. QB [player_tooltip player_id='1665332' first='Justin' last='Allen'] has an array of weapons around him. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='1750336' first='Zachary' last='Diaz'] headlines the ground game.         Albuquerque Academy at St. Michael's (Sat.): The first of a pair of highly attractive home matchups for St. Michael's on consecutive Saturdays. The Horsemen host Eunice next weekend. This one is mostly about QB [player_tooltip player_id='1369761' first='William' last='Braun'], RB [player_tooltip player_id='854309' first='Zachary' last='Waghorn'], WR [player_tooltip player_id='851898' first='Gage' last='Conway'] and the rest of the Chargers offense against the always physical St. Michael's defense that has allowed just seven points in the first 3 weeks of the season with two shutouts. Can Albuquerque Academy bounce back form last week's home loss to Hope Christian?       Dexter at Pojoaque Valley (Sat.): This game has the potential to become a shootout. Both quarterbacks are playing at a high level, especially Dexter QB [player_tooltip player_id='1155032' first='CJ' last='Granados'], who possesses a strong and accurate throwing arm, runs the ball well and is aided by a sturdy supporting cast. But Pojoaque Valley's [player_tooltip player_id='1248677' first='Joshua' last='Gonzales'] has been very good most of the time as well. He can gain chunks of yardage with his legs. [player_tooltip player_id='1416992' first='D'Marcus' last='Rodriguez'] is a underrated RB for Pojoaque Valley.     Bernalillo at Moriarty: Bernalillo has become the Kardiac Kids of Class 4A with overtime road victories the past two weeks at Highland and Portales. In both games, the Spartans tied the score with a late TD in the fourth quarter. [player_tooltip player_id='853757' first='Ulisses' last='Castro'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1599893' first='Joseph' last='Duran'] are fun to watch. How dangerous is Moriarty? They led St. Pius X 14-0 in the first quarter last week before severe weather forced the game to be abandoned and declared a ‘No Contest.' The Pintos love to bring the Boom with their triple option/Wing-T rushing attack and a solid O-Line led by [player_tooltip player_id='1599883' first='Lance' last='Volk'], who continues to reel in offers.     <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Me and the boys at the office taking care of business. <a href="https://t.co/quE6XdgmkN">pic.twitter.com/quE6XdgmkN</a>— [player_tooltip player_id='1599883' first='Lance' last='Volk'] (@LanceVolk_65) <a href="https://twitter.com/LanceVolk_65/status/1965624190280892859?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></blockquote>   Hope Christian at Manzano (Sat.): Unbeaten Hope Christian (3-0) has become one of the best stories in Class 3A with their perfect start. It has included surprising (in the eyes of some) wins over Legacy Academy and Albuquerque Academy. [player_tooltip player_id='1137124' first='RJ' last='Montoya'] is an experienced and talented dual threat QB with RB [player_tooltip player_id='1248715' first='Noah' last='Carter'] and WR [player_tooltip player_id='1605990' first='Darrien' last='Williams'] in the Huskies' ‘Big Three.' Manzano is off to an encouraging 2-1 start. The Killer B's of QB [player_tooltip player_id='1137898' first='Bodi' last='True'] and WR [player_tooltip player_id='1613352' first='Broden' last='Price'] lead the Monarchs offense with RB [player_tooltip player_id='854302' first='Justin' last='Duran'] boosting the run game.          Espanola Valley at Grants: Espanola Valley's rebound from a Week 1 trouncing at the hands of Los Alamos has turned this game into an intriguing clash. The Sundevils are extremely young under first-year head coach Caleb Holbrook but they've shown plenty of spunk the past two weeks. Grants is coming off an impressive road win last week at Dexter. Pirates QB [player_tooltip player_id='854297' first='Tristin' last='Fernandez'] is one of the most underrated two-way standouts in the entire state. He's the quarterback, leading rusher and top tackler for Grants. District 4A-1 opener for both teams.        Tucumcari at Loving: Tucumcari (2-1) won its first two games for its best start in a long time before dropping a shootout to McCurdy last week. Talented WR [player_tooltip player_id='1137084' first='Daymion' last='Urioste'] is one of the best kept secrets in the state and he's joined by basketball standout Luis Archuleta on the outside catching the passes of Rattlers senior QB Nick Geon. Loving (2-1) has plenty of offensive weapons led by QB [player_tooltip player_id='1137875' first='Tristen' last='Onsurez'], RB [player_tooltip player_id='854281' first='Bobby' last='Parraz'] and WR [player_tooltip player_id='1827281' first='Rider' last='Gonzalez']. The Falcons can score points quickly.     <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">New season is ahead! <a href="https://t.co/7vkPm079Ud">pic.twitter.com/7vkPm079Ud</a>— Deming Wildcat Football (@DemingWildcat) <a href="https://twitter.com/DemingWildcat/status/1965071948016505076?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote>   BEST OF THE REST   West Mesa at Volcano Vista: The Volcano Vista Hawks are ranked No. 6 in the state but are looking to bounce back from Week 3's loss at Las Cruces.   Eldorado at Los Lunas: Can Los Lunas make it two wins in a row? District opener for both teams.   Albuquerque High at Santa Fe: Both teams suffered losses in Week 3 after 2-0 starts.   Artesia at Deming: The Bulldogs hit the road for the district opener against the 0-3 Wildcats.   Cobre at Silver: Very underrated rivalry. Silver is 3-0 and playing well.   Gadsden at Mayfield: The fortunes of these two teams have changed course over the last few years.   Tularosa at Santa Rosa: The host Lions are ranked No. 2 in Class 2A and playing outstanding football on both sides.   NMMI at Chaparral: How effectively will Chaparral deal with NMMI's ground game assault?   Robertson at Ruidoso: Robertson is coming off a rare home loss in which it was blanked by Santa Rosa. Intriguing cross-district matchup in Class 3A.   NEW MEXICO VS. TEXAS   Hobbs at El Paso (TX) Parkland   Morton (TX) at Eunice   Olton (TX) at Texico   Jal at Van Horn (TX)   NEW MEXICO VS. COLORADO   Farmington at Falcon (CO)   Bayfield (CO) at Gallup   OTHER GAMES   Goddard at Santa Teresa   Sandia at La Cueva   Bloomfield at Kirtland Central   Valley at Belen   Portales at West Las Vegas   Taos at Aztec   Miyamura at Rio Grande   Cuba at Valencia   Hot Springs at Thoreau   Santa Fe Indian at Legacy Academy   Laguna Acoma at Hatch Valley   Crownpoint at Navajo Prep (Thur.)   Del Norte at Capital   Sanders (AZ) Valley at Zuni   Hozho Academy at Capitan   Socorro at Estancia   Newcomb at Tohatchi   Wingate at McCurdy   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/mdSPvHkUvD">pic.twitter.com/mdSPvHkUvD</a>— Legacy Academy Football (Silverbacks) (@legacyacademyFB) <a href="https://twitter.com/legacyacademyFB/status/1965596678683230639?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></blockquote>   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">#1 nationally for touchdowns <a href="https://twitter.com/MaxPreps?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MaxPreps</a> 14 Rushing TD's through 3 games<a href="https://t.co/NRz2LH56WE">https://t.co/NRz2LH56WE</a> <a href="https://t.co/ywjgwDOpd9">pic.twitter.com/ywjgwDOpd9</a>— [player_tooltip player_id='1604744' first='Jordan' last='Herrera'] (@JordanHerrera27) <a href="https://twitter.com/JordanHerrera27/status/1964888545082122334?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote>   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">District play begins! <a href="https://t.co/SFgWWdcG7f">pic.twitter.com/SFgWWdcG7f</a>— BulldogFootball 🏈🏆x32 (@artesiafootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/artesiafootball/status/1965041256595341416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/09/545365096_25239515265635532_5898058453942753152_n.jpg?w=791" alt="" class="wp-image-1882102" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: Facebook</figcaption></figure>

The 2025 New Mexico High School football season enters Week 4. The action begins Thursday night with a handful of intriguing games around the state and runs through Saturday afternoon. Here are our Top 13 games of Week 4, Best of The Rest and Other Games of what promises to be another exciting week.