Saturday’s Standouts: Top Performers In State Championship Games

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Five state championship games were played Saturday afternoon throughout the state. Here are the standout performers in those games:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 6A</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1137388' first='Daniel' last='Amaro'], Las Cruces</strong>: Rushed for 90+ yards and 2 TD in the Bulldawgs' loss to Cleveland at Lightning Bolt Stadium.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cleveland Offensive Line</strong>: The unofficial Game MVP, the Storm's offensive line was dominant all day, opening holes for Cleveland's ball carriers. The Storm's 15-play, 80-yard drive that chewed up over 10 minutes of the clock bridging the third and fourth quarters was the key sequence in the game. Cleveland finished with 271 rushing yards on 39 carries.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1600936' first='Samuel' last='Bustillos'], Cleveland</strong>: Rushed for 210 yards and 2 TD on a workhorse 27 carries in the best performance of his career to lift the Storm past Las Cruces. His 28-yard rushing TD was the first score of the day. Set up another Storm TD with a 50+ yard run in the second quarter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='851903' first='Jacob' last='Maldonado'], Cleveland</strong>: Caught 5 passes and threw a 6-yard TD pass to QB [player_tooltip player_id='851873' first='Jordan' last='Kekoa Hatch'] on a flea flicker in the second quarter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1230420' first='Elijah' last='Richards'], Cleveland</strong>: The UNM commit had 2.0 tackles for loss and a key sack on fourth down in the Storm's win over Las Cruces.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Cleveland Storm win the 2025 Nusenda Credit Union 6A State Football Championship. <a href="https://twitter.com/nusendacu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nusendacu</a> <a href="https://t.co/jw1S57z5fI">pic.twitter.com/jw1S57z5fI</a></p>&mdash; NMAA (@_NMAA) <a href="https://twitter.com/_NMAA/status/1994903965109293269?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 5A</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1750200' first='Jack' last='Byers'], Artesia</strong>: Leaped high to catch the game-winning TD pass from Bulldogs QB [player_tooltip player_id='1672571' first='Derrick' last='Warren'] with 24 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to cap Artesia's remarkable comeback in a 25-24 victory.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Charlie Campbell, Artesia</strong>: Blocked Roswell's field goal attempt with under five minutes left that opened the door to the Bulldogs' remarkable late game comeback. The block led to <strong>Cristian Pando</strong>'s 8-yard TD run with 3:08 left.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Corbyn Dominguez, Artesia</strong>: Connected on two of the biggest kicks of his career for Artesia. Boomed a 48-yard field goal late in the second quarter for the Bulldogs' first points of the game. Then kicked the PAT for the game-winning point after Artesia's game-tying TD with under a minute left in regulation.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1750809' first='Olin' last='Ingram'], Roswell</strong>: Rushed for the game's first score on a 3-yard run for the Coyotes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1139144' first='Bryce' last='Parra'], Artesia</strong>: Rushed for a 9-yard TD midway through the third quarter for Artesia's first touchdown of the day.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1826036' first='Luis' last='Rodriguez'], Roswel</strong>l: Rushed for a 32-yard TD for the Coyotes with about 8 minute left in the third quarter to make it 21-3. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1266504' first='Edel' last='Villa'], Artesia</strong>: Had an interception in the first quarter and recovered the all-important onsides kick after Artesia pulled to within 24-18 with just over 3 minutes left in the 4^th quarter and had no timeouts left.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Artesia Bulldogs win the 2025 Nusenda Credit Union 5A State Football Championship. <a href="https://twitter.com/nusendacu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nusendacu</a> <a href="https://t.co/ifFCTM1HGG">pic.twitter.com/ifFCTM1HGG</a></p>&mdash; NMAA (@_NMAA) <a href="https://twitter.com/_NMAA/status/1994906994223059132?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 4A</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1154948' first='Isaiah' last='Carpenter'], St. Pius X</strong>: After a slow start, he rushed for 2 TD in the third quarter as St. Pius X cut a 36-7 halftime deficit down to two scores at 36-21 midway through the third quarter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Manual Chavarria, Bloomfield</strong>: The state's top passer accounted for SEVEN touchdowns in Bloomfield's surprising 58-27 rout of St. Pius X at Community Stadium. He threw 5 TD passes and ran for 2 scores, capping a remarkable senior season in which he threw over 50 TD passes. Finished title game 12-of-21 passing for 350 yards and rushed for 124 yards and 2 TD. His 9-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter pulled Bloomfield out of danger at 43-21. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='853022' first='Peyton' last='Duncan'], Bloomfield</strong>: Scored the game's first TD in the second snap from scrimmage, catching a pass over the middle and outrunning the St. Pius X defenders. Later, he scored on a 29-yard TD run to give Bloomfield a 50-27 lead and had an interception on defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1599958' first='Cole' last='Gosnell'], Bloomfield</strong>: Rushed for 122 yards on 14 carries + team-high 11 tackles, 3.0 TFL and 3.0 sacks in Bloomfield's win over St. Pius X. The Bobcats had 16.0 TFL in the game. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1154954' first='Hershul' last='Olloway'], Jr., St. Pius X</strong>: The FBS target scored the Sartans' first TD on a 67-yard run on their first snap from scrimmage. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1599979' first='Deasyl' last='Priddy'], Bloomfield</strong>: Caught 3 TD passes + 1 INT on defense in Bloomfield's win over St. Pius X.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here are some photos from the Class 4A Final between St. Pius X and Bloomfield at the 2025 Nusenda Credit Union State Football Championships <a href="https://twitter.com/nusendacu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nusendacu</a> <a href="https://t.co/xT3LvxlT11">pic.twitter.com/xT3LvxlT11</a></p>&mdash; NMAA (@_NMAA) <a href="https://twitter.com/_NMAA/status/1995002279184011385?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 3A</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='854287' first='Garet' last='Gonzalez'], Dexter</strong>: Rushed for 126 yards on 20 carries in Dexter's close loss to St. Michael's. The Demons grabbed an early 14-0 lead before St. Michael's stormed back. Dexter rushed for 190 yards on 46 carries but it wasn't enough.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1267011' first='Brayden' last='Hollis'], St. Michael's</strong>: Scored St. Michael's first TD Saturday on an 8-yard run on a direct snap. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1155019' first='Ryan' last='Hunt'], St. Michael's</strong>: Caught a 44-yard TD pass early in the 4^th quarter to cut Dexter's lead to 21-20 (PAT was blocked) + caught a pass for a first down on 3^rd-and-9 in the fourth quarter on St. Michael's game-winning drive + sack on Dexter's final desperation drive,. Finished with 7 receptions for 92 yards. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1155314' first='Rigo' last='Regalado'], Dexter</strong>: Caught a 22-yard TD pass in the third quarter to give Dexter a 21-14 lead. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1600843' first='Kamal' last='Stith'], St. Michael's</strong>: The senior QB has been dynamic all season for the Horsemen. Saturday, he scored the game-winning TD on a fourth-and-5 play from the Dexter 10-yard line with 1:11 left in in the fourth quarter of the Horsemen's 28-21 win. Earlier, he threw a 14-yard TD pass to [player_tooltip player_id='1763645' first='Roman' last='Barrera'] with no time left in the first half to tie the score at 14-14. Finished 12-of-18 passing for 133 yards and 1 TD. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">St. Michael's Horsemen win the 2025 Nusenda Credit Union 3A State Football Championship. <a href="https://twitter.com/nusendacu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nusendacu</a> <a href="https://t.co/3hdIZiq2If">pic.twitter.com/3hdIZiq2If</a></p>&mdash; NMAA (@_NMAA) <a href="https://twitter.com/_NMAA/status/1994904627020722514?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 2A</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1613755' first='Cross' last='Figg'], Texico</strong>: The Wolverines needed someone to step up when QB [player_tooltip player_id='1343408' first='Bennett' last='Wahlen'] went down with an injury in the opening game of the game. Figg responded. The sophomore capped a remarkable season by rushing for over 200 yards and 3 TD in Texico's 42-7 win over Eunice. Texico jumped out to a 28-0 lead early in the second quarter and cruised home from there for their third straight 2A championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1680161' first='Haziel' last='Goitia'], Eunice</strong>: Led the Eunice defense with 14 tackles in the Cardinals' loss to Texico.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Greyson Meek, Eunice</strong>: Sparked the Eunice defense with 12 tackles, 2.0 TFL and 2.0 sacks ^&nbsp;in the loss to Texico.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Texico Wolverines win the 2025 Nusenda Credit Union 2A State Football Championship. <a href="https://twitter.com/nusendacu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nusendacu</a> <a href="https://t.co/f6owVSd116">pic.twitter.com/f6owVSd116</a></p>&mdash; NMAA (@_NMAA) <a href="https://twitter.com/_NMAA/status/1994905100582883426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bloomfield Bobcats win the 2025 Nusenda Credit Union 4A State Football Championship. <a href="https://twitter.com/nusendacu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nusendacu</a> <a href="https://t.co/sUMS5kqYlV">pic.twitter.com/sUMS5kqYlV</a></p>&mdash; NMAA (@_NMAA) <a href="https://twitter.com/_NMAA/status/1994914732973957447?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html -->