2026 Team Preview: Bernalillo Spartans

OVERVIEW   Since winning just two games in 2022, Bernalillo has been on an upward trajectory under long-time head coach John Cobos, who enters his 19th season overall with the program. The Spartans are 24-12 over the past three seasons, but like everybody else in Class 4A, they've encountered the Bloomfield blockade, losing to the Bobcats in the quarterfinals (2025) and semifinals (2024) of the playoffs.   “Our program wasn't built overnight,” Bernalillo head coach John Cobos told Prep Redzone New Mexico. “We still have some powerhouses to deal with that are regrouping. We have a great senior class, but we also have some young guys who are eager to put their mark on the season.”       OFFENSE   Three contenders have spent the summer battling for the starting quarterback job: junior Travis Spridgen (transfer from Rio Rancho), sophomore Isaiah Jaramillo and sophomore Juaquin Unale. Cobos said he plans to decide on the starter by August 3, the opening day of preseason camp.        “We're going to be young at the quarterback position, but all those guys have a lot of promise,” Cobos said. “We're looking for somebody to grab that position by the horns. Travis has been getting acclimated (since arriving from Rio Rancho in January) with our terminology and playbook. We're giving all three quarterbacks the opportunity to see who wants to be our starting quarterback. It's a good problem to have.”      Because Bernalillo lacks varsity experience at QB spot, Cobos said the Spartans will likely run the football more than they have in previous years.  Last season, they ran the ball 63.2 percent of the time (165 passes, 283 runs), but don't be surprised if that run percentage number increases in 2026.   The Spartans have, as Cobos described it, a ‘three-headed monster' at running back with junior [player_tooltip player_id='2253094' first='Davontae' last='Richards'], junior Teo Martinez y Marr and good-sized (6-1, 200 pounds) sophomore Cayden Williams.      “We're probably going to be a running team,” Cobos said. “Those three guys are going to carry the rock. We're deep on the offensive line, which is great for us. So, we're going to lean on them.”   When opponents load the box, Bernalillo will throw the ball to 6-foot-3, 240-pound TE/WR [player_tooltip player_id='853757' first='Ulisses' last='Castro'], who quarterbacked the Spartans offense in 2025 but is being mainly recruited as a tight end. New Mexico and New Mexico State have both expressed interest. Castro is our No. 3 prospect in the 2027 class.   Additional receivers include senior RJ Fleets and junior Riley Tafoya. Senior Ryan Mortensen, who has been Bernalillo's placekicker, is also a good receiver. Bernalillo could also employ some two tight-end packages. When they do, senior Dusty Debeer will be the second tight end.        “We anticipate teams will load the box, so when they do that we'll hit them outside with Ulisses, RJ and Riley. When we go with two tight ends, we could line one up as a wing or both to one side and try to bulldoze people.”   Sophomore center Raul Aragon, who has a 4.25 GPA, will anchor the Bernalillo offensive line. How smart is Aragon? One of his goals is to be class valedictorian. The guards will be junior newcomer Harley Kiser (moved to Bernalillo from Colorado) and sophomore Emiliano Trujillo, a spot starter as a freshman in 2025.   “Raul is super smart and he always puts everybody in the right spot,” Cobos said.   The likely starting tackles will be senior [player_tooltip player_id='1787868' first='Xavier' last='Lucero'] and junior Mathias Samuel.   “We probably have six or seven offensive linemen that will definitely play and get playing time,” Cobos said.                      Key Players: [player_tooltip player_id='2253094' first='Davontae' last='Richards'] (RB), [player_tooltip player_id='853757' first='Ulisses' last='Castro'] (TE), Teo Martinez y Marr (RB) and Raul Aragon (OL).   DEFENSE   If there's one position of strength for the Bernalillo defense, it's defensive end. [player_tooltip player_id='853757' first='Ulisses' last='Castro'] returns after making 56 tackles, 9.0 TFL and 12 QB hurries in 2025. Castro has been playing on the Bernalillo varsity defense since he was an 8th-grader and goes into this season with 228 career tackles and 38 TFL.   Senior Brandon Coriz is expected to start at the opposite DE spot. Senior  Dominic Trujillo will see plenty of action too. The up-and-comer is freshman (2030) Jeziah Ehmcke, who played for the varsity as an 8th-grader in 2025 and was credited with 16 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks and 6 QB hurries.   “We're pretty loaded at defensive end,” Cobos said. “We have four legit guys playing two spots. We'll rotate them in. Ulisses is going into his fifth season as a defensive end. He started as an eight-grader. Jeziah has a motor. He'll play some tight end and defensive end.”   The defensive tackles include mammoth 6-foot-2, 380-pound senior [player_tooltip player_id='1787881' first='Avery' last='Gutierrez'], junior Gavin Gallegos, Emiliano Trujillo (see above), Raul Aragon (see above), sophomore Robert Robison and junior [player_tooltip player_id='2253097' first='Tyshawn' last='Calabaza'], who started on the DL as a sophomore in 2025.   The three linebackers in Bernalillo's new 3-3-5 alignment will be MLB Dusty Debeer (76 tackles in 2025), SAM Teo Martinez y Marr (55 tackles) and WILL [player_tooltip player_id='2253094' first='Davontae' last='Richards'] (28 tackles, 3.0 sacks). The backups are juniors Alistair Gonzales, Frankie Quintana and Juaquin Unale (see above).   “We've been blessed to have some stud linebackers,” Cobos said. “This year, we're blessed to have the athletes to run the 3-3-5. Defensively, we're going to get after it.”   The five secondary players will be free safety Riley Tafoya (fastest player on the team) and ‘hybrid' safeties Ryan Mortensen (see above) and junior [player_tooltip player_id='1741106' first='Brandon' last='Lovato']. The two cornerbacks will be RJ Fleets and promising sophomore Santiago Enriquez. Seniors Elijah Romero and Kaden Martinez are competing for playing time.      Key Players: [player_tooltip player_id='853757' first='Ulisses' last='Castro'] (DE), Dusty Debeer (LB), Riley Tafoya (DB), RJ Fleets (DB).   2026 BERNALILLO SCHEDULE   Aug. 21 at Belen                       Aug. 28 ALBUQUERQUE ACADEMY                     Sept. 4 ESPANOLA VALLEY*                        Sept. 11 at Taos (6 p.m.)*                Sept. 18 at Bloomfield*                 Sept. 25 Bye                Oct. 3 at Rio Grande (Sat, 11 a.m.)*                   Oct. 9 DEL NORTE*                Oct. 17 at Valley (Sat, 11 a.m.)*           Oct. 23 GRANTS*              Oct. 30 MANZANO*             *District 4A-1 Game   All kickoffs at 7 p.m. unless indicated otherwise.   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">End of the 2025-2026 season stats Offense -698 passing yds -528 rushing yds -44 receiving yds -4 Rec - 572 all purpose yds Defense -56 total tackles -9 solo -9 TFL -5 sacks -12 qb hurs<a href="https://x.com/BernalilloF?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BernalilloF</a> <a href="https://x.com/j2cobos?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@j2cobos</a> <a href="https://x.com/jarmaine94?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jarmaine94</a><a href="https://x.com/theblakemiller7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@theblakemiller7</a> <a href="https://t.co/q4p5renvsn">https://t.co/q4p5renvsn</a>— [player_tooltip player_id='853757' first='Ulisses' last='Castro'] (@UlissesCas09) <a href="https://x.com/UlissesCas09/status/1999192026747908305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2025</a></blockquote>   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Thank you <a href="https://x.com/DGS_4ya?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DGS_4ya</a> for stopping by today. It was a pleasure speaking with you. <a href="https://x.com/j2cobos?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@j2cobos</a> <a href="https://x.com/jarmaine94?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jarmaine94</a> <a href="https://x.com/theblakemiller7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@theblakemiller7</a> <a href="https://x.com/BernalilloF?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BernalilloF</a> <a href="https://x.com/PrepRedzoneNM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepRedzoneNM</a> <a href="https://x.com/CouchPSports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CouchPSports</a> <a href="https://t.co/dlWbAqUuct">pic.twitter.com/dlWbAqUuct</a>— [player_tooltip player_id='853757' first='Ulisses' last='Castro'] (@UlissesCas09) <a href="https://x.com/UlissesCas09/status/2056838303375376885?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2026</a></blockquote>   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Thank you <a href="https://x.com/CanaanYarro?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CanaanYarro</a> for stopping by and talking to me today!<a href="https://x.com/NMStateFootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NMStateFootball</a> <a href="https://x.com/j2cobos?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@j2cobos</a> <a href="https://x.com/theblakemiller7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@theblakemiller7</a> <a href="https://x.com/jarmaine94?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jarmaine94</a> <a href="https://x.com/BernalilloF?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BernalilloF</a> <a href="https://x.com/CouchPSports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CouchPSports</a> <a href="https://x.com/PrepRedzone?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepRedzone</a> <a href="https://t.co/vpDP9tHdVw">pic.twitter.com/vpDP9tHdVw</a>— [player_tooltip player_id='853757' first='Ulisses' last='Castro'] (@UlissesCas09) <a href="https://x.com/UlissesCas09/status/2045180526294962484?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2026</a></blockquote>

OVERVIEW