2026 Team Preview: Centennial Hawks
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<p><strong>OVERVIEW</strong></p>
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<p>Centennial experienced heartbreak last November in the 6A playoffs, earning a top four seed before falling to La Cueva at the Field of Dreams on a walk-off field goal. Two seasons ago, the Hawks were beaten soundly by Cleveland in the 6A semifinals. The year before that, Centennial's quarterfinals battle with Las Cruces boiled down to one play. The Hawks were stopped short of the goal line in the final seconds.</p>
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<p>Centennial hopes those experiences produce fruit in 2026 – a trip to the Class 6A state championship game.</p>
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<p>“We want to build our team around our work ethic, effort level and positive attitude,” Centennial head coach Aaron Ocampo told Prep Redzone New Mexico. “We want to be a tough football team. Our kids have worked hard and they've really improved. A lot of guys have stepped up into leadership positions. We're moving in a positive direction. We have a lot of production back.” </p>
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<p><strong>OFFENSE</strong></p>
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<p>Centennial could potentially have one of the most dynamic offenses in the state this upcoming season. It all begins with rising senior cannon-armed quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1604943' first='Ruiz' last='Laborin']</strong>, who possesses fantastic size at 6-foot-3, 205 pounds. He threw for nearly 2,000 yards and 15 TD in 2025. But he also displayed outstanding mobility, rushing for 501 yards and 11 TD. So, Laborin can beat you both with his powerful arm and his nimble feet, and his high football IQ. New Mexico Highlands has offered.</p>
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<p>You can make the argument Laborin came of age – and certainly endeared himself to his teammates – by leading the Hawks to impressive back-to-back shootout road wins at Artesia and Rio Rancho early last season. He's also an outstanding basketball player.</p>
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<p>“When you have a quarterback that's in his second year starting, he's usually fairly confident because he's seen a lot of live bullets and knows how to make decisions quickly,” Ocampo said. “He's not nervous about being in the big moments. Ruiz's work ethic really helps him. He' works hard to be a good football player and studies the game. We're excited to see what he dies in the future.”</p>
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<p>Ocampo wants Laborin to improve his accuracy as a senior after connecting on 59.3 percent of his passes last season.</p>
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<p>“If Ruiz wants to be one of the best quarterbacks in the state, he needs to have a 65 to 70 completion percentage,” Ocampo said. “We also want him to improve marrying up his timing between his feet and his eyes. He did a lot of good things last season, but Ruiz knows he left a lot of meat on the bone and could have made some more plays. He's excited to do that.” </p>
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<p>First-Team All-State running back <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1605033' first='Dailen' last='Ramirez']</strong> returns for his senior season after rushing for 1,151 yards and 15 TD in just seven games last season. He averaged 8 yards per carry. Ramirez is a rare combination of speed and strength. The backup RB job will be by-committee, Ocampo said. Speedy rising junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1684506' first='Aiden' last='Corral Jaquez']</strong>, described by Ocampo as a ‘sparkplug,' will be one of the contenders along with multiple freshmen. Jaquez can also play receiver.</p>
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<p>“Dailen had an excellent season,” Ocampo said. “Unfortunately, he got hurt and we missed him down the stretch. Dailen is explosive and strong. He runs super hard. I expect him to one of the better running backs in the state.” </p>
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<p>The third member of Centennial's returning offensive trio is Honorable Mention All-State wide receiver <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1679776' first='Andrew' last='Sandoval']</strong>, who led the Hawks last season by a wide margin with 58 receptions for 889 yards and 7 TD. After Sandoval, no returning receiver had more than 4 receptions in 2025. As a result, the other spots are wide open. Several young players are competing during spring practice.”</p>
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<p>Six-foot-2 rising sophomore <strong>MJ Frias</strong> will line up at tight end or receiver. He played main JV in 2025 and showed enormous promise. </p>
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<p>“Drew was very productive last year and I expect him to do the same thing ,” Ocampo said. “He's not the fastest kid running in a straight line, but he is fast getting in and out of breaks and he runs great routes. He understands how to run routes. MJ has good size and he's a great athlete. He is strong. If he keeps growing and filling out, he could be a next level guy.” </p>
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<p>While the major offensive skill position players are back, the offensive line and tight end will be entirely new. Rising senior <strong>Juan Martinez</strong> is expected to be one of the leaders after playing mostly JV in 2025. The other four spots are up for grabs.</p>
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<p>“We have the potential to be decent up front,” Ocampo said. “We're going to be younger. Most likely, we're going to start three underclassmen, if not four. We pride ourselves on making sure our young guys are ready when they're called upon. They watch enough film and get a lot of reps, so they're ready for the big moments.” <strong> </strong></p>
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<p><strong>Key Players</strong>: [player_tooltip player_id='1604943' first='Ruiz' last='Laborin'] (QB), [player_tooltip player_id='1605033' first='Dailen' last='Ramirez'] (RB), Andrew Sandoival (WR), MJ Frias (TE/WR). </p>
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<p><strong>DEFENSE</strong></p>
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<p>Centennial will have three new starters on the defensive line with rising senior <strong>Elijah Delao</strong> expected to be the anchor. Delao played mostly JV last season due to the Hawks' depth at that position last season. Delao is ‘super strong' and blessed with good speed, according to Ocampo. He finished second in the 220-pound class at last month's state power-lifting championships.</p>
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<p>“We're usually undersized on the defensive line,” Ocampo said. “We're not going to be big up front on the D-Line. But I'm excited to see which guys step up. We have some competition going on right now.”</p>
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<p>A talented group of linebackers will be the ‘heart and soul' of the Hawks' 3-4 defense. All four expected starters saw extensive action and started multiple games in 2025. Rising juniors <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2109767' first='Carlos' last='Medina']</strong> (Hawks' 3<sup>rd</sup> leading tackler with 61 tackles + 5.0 sacks in 2025) and <strong>Gerardo Estrada</strong> (50 tackles + 2.5 sacks) will be the outside linebackers.</p>
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<p>“Estrada has been impressive in our spring practices,” Ocampo said. “He will come up and hit you. He's smart. Medina had a very good season as a sophomore. He played very well.”</p>
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<p>The inside linebackers will be rising seniors <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1606127' first='Izmael' last='Medina']</strong>, a three-year starter, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2103708' first='Johnathon' last='Valenzuela-Chaires']</strong>, last season's second leading tackler with 79 and an Honorable Mention All-State selection in 2025.</p>
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<p>“Johnathon is super physical,” Ocampo said. “He had a great junior year. He plays with a super high motor. He's explosive when he hits people. These guys are fast and get to the ball.”</p>
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<p>After playing a lot of younger players in 2025, the Centennial secondary will be more experienced this season. Ocampo is counting on them to ‘come along' in 2026. The group includes rising senior free safety <strong>Caius Chavez</strong>, rising senior strong safety <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1679772' first='Jacob' last='Bermudez']</strong> (45 tackles in 2025), rising senior cornerback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1679780' first='Kobe' last='Garcia']</strong> and rising junior <strong>Omari Holloway</strong>. Several promising newcomers will battle for starting jobs. </p>
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<p>“We're not the fastest guys, but I sense we're playing with a lot more confidence in spring ball than they were last year,” Ocampo said. “We have to play well because we're going to play some teams with good receivers.”</p>
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<p>Bermudez was the backup QB last season behind Laborin and could serve in that role again. He had 21 pass attempts in 2025. </p>
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<p><strong>Key Players</strong>: [player_tooltip player_id='2109767' first='Carlos' last='Medina'] (LB), Gerardo Estrada (LB), [player_tooltip player_id='1606127' first='Izmael' last='Medina'] (LB), [player_tooltip player_id='2103708' first='Johnathon' last='Valenzuela-Chaires'] (LB), Elijah Delao (DL).</p>
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<p><strong>2026 CENTENNIAL SCHEDULE</strong></p>
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<p>Aug. 21 at Cleveland </p>
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<p>Aug. 28 at El Paso (TX) Andress </p>
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<p>Sept. 3 ARTESIA (Thur.) </p>
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<p>Sept. 11 CARLSBAD* </p>
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<p>Sept. 18 at Clovis* </p>
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<p>Sept. 26 at Volcano Vista (Sat., 1 p.m.)* </p>
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<p>Oct. 2 Bye</p>
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<p>Oct. 9 at Organ Mountain* </p>
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<p>Oct. 16 HOBBS* </p>
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<p>Oct. 23 at Eldorado* </p>
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<p>Oct. 30 LAS CRUCES* </p>
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<p>* District 6A-2 Game</p>
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<p>All kickoffs at 7 p.m. unless otherwise indicated</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Junior season highlights . Looking forward to basketball and the offseason! <br>15 throwing touchdowns <br>(1992 passing yards) <br>11 rushing touchdowns<br> (501 rushing yards) <a href="https://twitter.com/Angrybirdfb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Angrybirdfb</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/nmpreps?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nmpreps</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachYost?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CoachYost</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachCala?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CoachCala</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Coach_TSanchez?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Coach_TSanchez</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Coach_Eck?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Coach_Eck</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachDoege?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CoachDoege</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SeanDillonSDSU?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SeanDillonSDSU</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Coachbwright4?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Coachbwright4</a> <a href="https://t.co/3sQmi8zQw1">pic.twitter.com/3sQmi8zQw1</a></p>— [player_tooltip player_id='1604943' first='Ruiz' last='Laborin'] (@Ruiz_J_Laborin) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ruiz_J_Laborin/status/1996307128026341745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Junior season highlights at RB!<br>1st team all state<br>1st team all district<a href="https://twitter.com/Angrybirdfb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Angrybirdfb</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneNM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepRedzoneNM</a><a href="https://twitter.com/nmpreps?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nmpreps</a> @COACHJJ_LOBOS<a href="https://twitter.com/CoachD_Delgado?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CoachD_Delgado</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DCobb27?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DCobb27</a><a href="https://twitter.com/COACHJMACRB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@COACHJMACRB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/mjgaynor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mjgaynor</a><a href="https://twitter.com/CoachTwelveGage?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CoachTwelveGage</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/nmprepcosports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nmprepcosports</a><a href="https://twitter.com/RealCoachCarter?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RealCoachCarter</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachCalebMoore?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CoachCalebMoore</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aguanos?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@aguanos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachKade_Glenn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CoachKade_Glenn</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/xdye21?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@xdye21</a> <a href="https://t.co/6plsxEWafD">pic.twitter.com/6plsxEWafD</a></p>— DailenRamirez2 (@DailenRamirez2) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailenRamirez2/status/1998594622151684496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Junior Szn Highlights!! looking forward for track and the offseason. Extremely Blessed!<br>1st Team all district Slot WR 🏆<br>890 Receiving yards📍<br>7 Receiving Td's 📍<br>58 Receptions 📍<br>15.3 AVG Yards 📍<a href="https://twitter.com/Angrybirdfb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Angrybirdfb</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneNM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepRedzoneNM</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/nmpreps?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nmpreps</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Coach_TSanchez?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Coach_TSanchez</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/COACHJUICE_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@COACHJUICE_</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/coach_bhickman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@coach_bhickman</a> <a href="https://t.co/VjgYEXAp1q">pic.twitter.com/VjgYEXAp1q</a></p>— Drew Sandoval (@Drew_Sandoval_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Drew_Sandoval_/status/1997481470840197392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I am honored to be nominated second team all district<a href="https://twitter.com/Angrybirdfb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Angrybirdfb</a> <a href="https://t.co/M7TtTcCUcp">pic.twitter.com/M7TtTcCUcp</a></p>— [player_tooltip player_id='2109767' first='Carlos' last='Medina'] (@Carlosmedi61449) <a href="https://twitter.com/Carlosmedi61449/status/1995320637728895426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/johnnyjcvc08?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@johnnyjcvc08</a> is Honorable Mention All State! <a href="https://t.co/TfnaFOlqep">pic.twitter.com/TfnaFOlqep</a></p>— Aaron Ocampo (@Angrybirdfb) <a href="https://twitter.com/Angrybirdfb/status/1998450781431935116?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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