Baker's Dozen: Week 10 Preview

The 2025 New Mexico High School football season enters Week 10. The action begins Thursday night and continues through Saturday afternoon. Here are our Top 13 games of Week 10, Best of The Rest and Other Games of what promises to be another exciting week.   GAME OF THE WEEK: Cleveland at Volcano Vista (Fri., 7 p.m., Community Stadium)   It's Round 2 of the annual season-ending round-robin between Cleveland, Rio Rancho and Volcano Vista in District 6A-1. If this game turns out to be as exciting as Round 1 between the Hawks and Rams, we're in for a treat. The district standings show how close things are with Cleveland and Rio Rancho tied at 3-0 and Volcano Vista one game back at 2-1 following the dramatic OT loss to the Rams last week. Victories by Cleveland and Rio Rancho here in Week 10 would cement a winner-take-all district championship game between the two crosstown rivals next Thursday.   Few quarterbacks in the state are having a better season than Cleveland's [player_tooltip player_id='851873' first='Jordan' last='Kekoa Hatch'], who is one of only two QBs who have eclipsed 2,000 passing yards entering Week 10. Hatch has completed 75 percent of his passes (120-160) for 2,053 yards and 25 TD with just 3 INT.  He has three talented receivers catching his passes: UNM commit [player_tooltip player_id='851903' first='Jacob' last='Maldonado'], sophomore sensation [player_tooltip player_id='1613490' first='Evan' last='Nanez'] and senior [player_tooltip player_id='1651252' first='Ajay' last='Vigil']. The run game is balanced with Sammuel Bustillos and Dominic Benavidez leading the way.   Volcano Vista was missing two key offensive starters for last week's game against Rio Rancho: QB Aurelius Wiley and RB [player_tooltip player_id='1423739' first='D'Angelo' last='Mitchell']. Sophomore QB Jude Herrera did an admirable job against the Rams, completing 20-of-32 passes for 310 yards and 1 TD. He proved the future is bright at the QB position for the Hawks. Volcano Vista's problem last week is they couldn't run the football against Rio Rancho, netting just 16 yards on 29 attempts. They'll need to be far more productive in the ground game to have a chance to beat the Storm.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-22-at-19-34-45-6A-District-1-District-Football-Standings.png?w=695" alt="" class="wp-image-1972150" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: MaxPreps</figcaption></figure>   Las Cruces at Carlsbad: The Bulldawgs are the No. 1 ranked team by Max Preps as they seek to keep their unbeaten season going at Carlsbad. The dynamic offensive trio of QB [player_tooltip player_id='853029' first='Gunnar' last='Guardiola'] (1,663 passing yards + 17 TD), RB [player_tooltip player_id='1137388' first='Daniel' last='Amaro'] (1,171 rushing yards) and WR [player_tooltip player_id='1142363' first='Francisco' last='Winnikoff'] (39 receptions for 792 yards) ranks among the best in the state, if not at the very top. The Carlsbad defense led by Power 4 prospect LB [player_tooltip player_id='1248663' first='Colton' last='McKibben'] will have its hands full trying to contain the Bulldawgs' prolific offense. RB [player_tooltip player_id='1605005' first='Brock' last='Wright'] (747 yards) and WR [player_tooltip player_id='1137066' first='Robert' last='Castaneda'] (40 receptions) generate a lot of offense for the Cavemen. If Carlsbad (5-3, 3-1) makes the playoffs, they will have earned it since their final two games are against Las Cruces and Hobbs. Right now, the Cavemen are tied for third in District 6A-3 with Centennial and carry a three-game winning streak into Week 10.   Goddard at Artesia: Goddard, one of the most improved teams in Class 5A, begins its annual regular season closing two-game gauntlet against Artesia and Roswell. Right now, Goddard (6-2, 4-1) is ranked No. 4 in the MaxPreps 5A poll. These next two weeks will tell us (again) how wide the gap is between Artesia and Roswell and the rest of Class 5A. Has the gap closed? We're about to find out. Artesia is coming off the big win over Roswell in which its vast array of offensive weapons was on full display. From QB [player_tooltip player_id='1672571' first='Derrick' last='Warren'] (1,817 passing yards + 27 TD) to RB [player_tooltip player_id='1139144' first='Bryce' last='Parra'] (829 rushing yards) to WRs [player_tooltip player_id='1600893' first='Trent' last='Egeland'], [player_tooltip player_id='1750200' first='Jack' last='Byers'] and Jett Fuentes to a solid O-Line, the Bulldogs offense is running on all cylinders.   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Game #9 <a href="https://t.co/P2AUfPKJnt">pic.twitter.com/P2AUfPKJnt</a>— BulldogFootball 🏈🏆x32 (@artesiafootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/artesiafootball/status/1980277256724361697?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2025</a></blockquote>   Albuquerque High at Sandia: This matchup has huge playoff implications for both teams. They enter this game tied for third in District 6A-2 behind La Cueva and Los Lunas. The winner takes a major step towards securing a playoff berth while the loser will likely have to fight for their playoff lives in Week 11. Albuquerque High does one thing very well – run the football with RB [player_tooltip player_id='1266534' first='Alberto' last='Landeros'] and a massive offensive line. Landeros is averaging 18.5 carries and 137.8 yards per game, so don't expect the Bulldogs to change anything. Sandia has won three of its last four games following an 0-4 start to the campaign. The Matadors offense is balanced between the run and pass. QB [player_tooltip player_id='1594010' first='Jahleel' last='Lewis'] has thrown for 1,620 yards and 21 TD.   Bernalillo at Grants: The first of TWO huge games in District 4A-1 this week. Both teams are coming off losses, as well, so the team that responds to adversity the best will win. The Spartans and Pirates are part of a three-way tie for third in the district behind Bloomfield and Taos. Bloomfield's ‘Goon Squad' defense was humbled last week in a lopsided loss to Bloomfield. Grants, meanwhile, recently lost starting QB and leading tackler [player_tooltip player_id='854297' first='Tristin' last='Fernandez'] to a season-ending injury. [player_tooltip player_id='1137878' first='Cardenio' last='Chavez'] did an admirable job filling in last week in the close loss to Moriarty.   St. Pius X at Valencia: The headliners in this important District 4A-2 matchup are the leading running backs for both teams: St. Pius X RB [player_tooltip player_id='1154954' first='Hershul' last='Olloway'] and Valencia RB [player_tooltip player_id='1599923' first='Michael' last='Storms III']. They combined for over 3,400 rushing yards in 2024 and have already combined for over 2,000 in 2025. Both teams have plenty to play for in this one. The No. 1 seed for the Class 4A playoffs is still in play for St. Pius. Right now, they're No. 2 in the MaxPreps rankings behind Bloomfield. Valencia is No. 11 in the MaxPreps rankings, so they're battling to improve their playoff seeding.           Moriarty at Taos: An intriguing battle in District 4A-1. Taos (4-4, 4-1) has sole possession of second place in the district behind powerful Bloomfield with Moriarty (4-3, 3-2) locked in a three-way tie for third with Bernalillo and Grants. Taos has won three straight games and four of five. QB [player_tooltip player_id='853710' first='Evan' last='Salazar'] is a solid playmaker. Moriarty, as always, will lean on its triple option/Wing-T rushing attack. [player_tooltip player_id='1606046' first='Mario' last='Romero'] is the No. 1 ball carrier with nearly 850 rushing yards. The Pintos have attempted only 23 passes in 7 games.      Silver at Manzano (Sat.): Few teams are playing as well as Silver (6-3, 2-3) right now. After starting 0-3 in District 4A-2, the Colts have upended Chaparral and Albuquerque Academy the past two weeks and suddenly looks like a team capable of making a deep run in the playoffs. Colts QB [player_tooltip player_id='1709925' first='Josiah' last='Madrid'] has thrown for 1,150 yards and 13 TD. It's the snarly defense, though, that has carried Silver through much of the season.  The ‘Killer B' duo of [player_tooltip player_id='1137898' first='Bodi' last='True'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1613352' first='Broden' last='Price'] leads the Manzano (4-4, 1-3) offense along with WR [player_tooltip player_id='1137881' first='Aiden' last='Erickson'] and RB [player_tooltip player_id='854302' first='Justin' last='Duran'].           Hope Christian at West Las Vegas: Both teams are battling for second place in District 3A-2 behind unbeaten St. Michael's. West Las Vegas (4-4, 1-1) has experienced mixed emotions the past two weeks. Fiirst they beat rival Robertson for the first time in 18 years. Last week, they were soundly trounced by St. Michael's. The Dons have played a very challenging schedule as their four losses have bene to Dexter, Sanat Rosa, Texico and St. Michael's. QB [player_tooltip player_id='1791395' first='Caydin' last='Encinias'] powers the offense throwing and running. Hope Christian (6-3, 1-2) looks to bounce back after the close Week 9 loss to Robertson. QB [player_tooltip player_id='1137124' first='RJ' last='Montoya'] is an elite dual threat QB.   Hot Springs at Dexter: Dexter has roared their way through the first four games of district play, outscoring their foes by a 181-23 margin. Dynamic dual threat QB [player_tooltip player_id='1155032' first='CJ' last='Granados'] and a deep RB corps led by [player_tooltip player_id='854287' first='Garet' last='Gonzalez'] (693 rushing yards, 14 TD) power the Demons offense. LB [player_tooltip player_id='1155314' first='Rigo' last='Regalado'] is the top tackler on a fast, aggressive defense. Hot Springs (4-4, 2-2) is fifth in District 3A-2 and a win over thew Demons would likely cement a playoff berth for the Tigers. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1613430' first='Zaiden' last='Baker'] is a talented dual threat QB.          Wingate at Thoreau: Only Week 10 games involving two teams with 7+ victories. These two teams are a combined 9-0 in district play with everybody else having 2+ losses. Essentially, this is the district championship game. DB Riley Morgan is an interception machine for Wingate (7-2, 5-0) with 9 picks. Thoreau QB [player_tooltip player_id='1613756' first='Aiden' last='Woody'] is very accurate throwing the football. His completion percentage is an impressive 68 percent (89-131) with 12 TD passes. Senior Elyjah Becenti leads a balanced Thoreau rushing attack.       NMMI at Ruidoso: These two teams are battling for second place in District 3A-3 behind Dexter. Both teams rely predominantly on the run with NMMI being led by senior Aquaylis Jordan and Ruidoso headlined by dual threat QB [player_tooltip player_id='1613409' first='Mason' last='Fikany'], who has rushed for 655 yards and 11 TD, Senior RB [player_tooltip player_id='1267035' first='Tru' last='Camejo'] is a nice second option. A NMMI victory would catapult them into second place in the district, while a Ruidoso win would strengthen the Warriors' grip on second behind Dexter.            Santa Rosa at Raton: The unbeaten Lions (8-0, 3-0) travel to Raton for a key game between two of the top three teams in District 2A-2. Santa Raton's best asset is a suffocating defense that has posted three straight shutouts and held opponents to 42 points in 8 games. [player_tooltip player_id='854299' first='David' last='Chavez'] is an elite two-way player for Santa Rosa. Raton (4-4, 2-1) RB [player_tooltip player_id='1604784' first='Cael' last='Walton'] has close to 1,000 rushing yards and is an excellent receiver as well. He's doing an exceptional job living up to the Walton Legacy in Raton.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-22-at-19-45-38-New-Mexico-Football-2025-Passing-Yards-Stat-Leaders.png?w=689" alt="" class="wp-image-1972204" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: MaxPreps</figcaption></figure>   BEST OF THE REST   Highland at Capital: Big game in District 5A-1.   Hobbs at Organ Mountain: Hobbs looking for a top four seed.   Mayfield at Roswell: Roswell is an angry football team after last week's loss to Artesia.   Santa Fe at La Cueva: Demons must pull the upset to give themselves a decent chance to make the 6A playoffs.     West Mesa at Eldorado: Must-win for Eldorado following last week's close loss to Albuquerque..   Cibola at Piedra Vista: Cibola battling for the best possible playoff seeding.   Pojoaque Valley at St. Michael's (Sat.): Can anybody stop the St. Michael's machine?   Bloomfield at Espanola Valley: Bloomfield's offense is a treat to watch.   Los Alamos at Valley (Sat.): Los Alamos seeks to clinch the District 5A-1 title against the Vikings     McCurdy at Navajo Prep: Huge game in District 2A-1   Laguna Acoma at Hozho Academy: Hozho Academy is ion the driver's seat for the District 2A-1 title.   Legacy Academy at Tucumcari: Legacy Academy strives to keep pace with Santa Rosa in District 2A-2.   Eunice at Tularosa: Is this the game Eunice QB [player_tooltip player_id='854273' first='Elijah' last='Melancon'] joins the exclusive club of quarterbacks with 10,000+ career passing yards.   Albuquerque Academy at Portales: Huge game in District 4A-2 for both teams.   Loving at Jal: Another important game in District 2A-3.   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨Team Power Scores are LIVE🚨 See how you matchup to the top competitors in your state! Find all power scores: <a href="https://t.co/vxyj2XUTeY">https://t.co/vxyj2XUTeY</a> <a href="https://t.co/y3hZDQeKJ1">pic.twitter.com/y3hZDQeKJ1</a>— Prep Redzone New Mexico (@PrepRedzoneNM) <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneNM/status/1980754748241244500?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2025</a></blockquote>   OTHER GAMES   Farmington at Rio Rancho   Clovis at Centennial   Atrisco Heritage at Los Lunas   Lovington at Deming   Belen at Rio Grande   Zuni at Shiprock   Newcomb at Cuba   Aztec at Kirtland Central   Crownpoint at Gallup   Miyamura at Del Norte   Gadsden at Santa Teresa   Capitan at Estancia   Cobre at Socorro   Santa Fe Indian at Tohatchi (Sat.)   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Week 1-7 Highlights (6-1 Record), on <a href="https://twitter.com/Hudl?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Hudl</a> at - <a href="https://t.co/gyFuaWGx87">https://t.co/gyFuaWGx87</a> 99-157, 1500 Yds, .657, Avg 15.7, 21 TDs, 3 Ints 19 Rushes - 130+ Yds, 7.1 Avg, <a href="https://twitter.com/ArtesiaSports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ArtesiaSports</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ArtesiaF32?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ArtesiaF32</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/artesiafootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@artesiafootball</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/_NMAA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@_NMAA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneNM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepRedzoneNM</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ExpoRecruits?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ExpoRecruits</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NCSA_Football?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NCSA_Football</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/jeremy_maupin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jeremy_maupin</a>— [player_tooltip player_id='1672571' first='Derrick' last='Warren'] (@warren12212) <a href="https://twitter.com/warren12212/status/1978295361211883972?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2025</a></blockquote>

The 2025 New Mexico High School football season enters Week 10. The action begins Thursday night and continues through Saturday afternoon. Here are our Top 13 games of Week 10, Best of The Rest and Other Games of what promises to be another exciting week.