Baker's Dozen: Week 8 Preview

Week 8 of New Mexico High School football season is here! Here are the top 13 games of Week 8, which we call the ‘Baker's Dozen.' District play is now in full swing throughout the state. Bye weeks are also starting to pop up on schedules. Here we go!     GAME OF THE WEEK: Hope Christian at Moriarty (Fri., 7 p.m., Pintos Stadium)   The top game in the state this week features a high stakes battle in District 3A-1. Both teams are 5-1 overall, 2-1 in the district. Contrasting offensive philosophies make the game even more intriguing. Hope Christian likes to throw the football and freshman quarterback Nick Miller has completed 69 percent of his passes for 1,698 yards and 18 TD. Wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1605990' first='Darrien' last='Williams'] is an elite target. Moriarty, meanwhile, possesses arguably the state's most powerful rushing attack. The Pintos rarely throw the football and have already amassed over 2,000 rushing yards, an average of close to 350 yards per game on the ground. [player_tooltip player_id='1606046' first='Mario' last='Romero'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1155208' first='Mateo' last='Manley']-Griego headline the run game.     Sandia at Rio Rancho: These two teams are currently tied for third in District 6A-1 behind Cleveland and La Cueva. The winner stays involved in the battle for a top three finish in the district (and a top four seed in the playoffs). Both teams are looking to bounce back from Week 7 losses, so it's a big one The status of Rio Rancho QB [player_tooltip player_id='1604705' first='Micah' last='Takahashi'] is a key question. He was injured in last week's loss to La Cueva.   Carlsbad at Eldorado: Carlsbad makes its lone trip this season to the Albuquerque Metro Region for a huge game in District 6A-2. Eldorado is tied with Volcano Vista for first place in the district at 3-0. The Eagles are still in the hunt for a top four seed. They had a Week 7 bye after edging Las Cruces at Field of Dreams in Week 6. Carlsbad faces a must-win game holding a 1-2 district mark. They still have games left against Las Cruces and Hobbs. The RB battle between Eldorado's [player_tooltip player_id='1613434' first='Nolan' last='Romero-Williams'] and Carlsbad's [player_tooltip player_id='1605005' first='Brock' last='Wright'] will be fun to watch.        Volcano Vista at Hobbs: The second ‘big game' in District 6A-2 in Week 8. Volcano Vista is still unbeaten at 6-0 and is tied for first with Eldorado. Those two teams meet in Week 11. The Hawks' defense has been superb in the first three district games, allowing just 27 points in 12 quarters of football. If Hobbs wants to host a playoff game, they probably need to win this game with Centennial and Carlsbad still on the schedule. Eagles QB [player_tooltip player_id='1605057' first='Junior' last='Medrano'] appears headed towards another 1,000-1,000-yard season.   Here are the current District 6A-2 standings:   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/10/Screenshot-2026-10-08-at-12-55-07-6A-District-2-District-Football-Standings.png?w=851" alt="" class="wp-image-2442621" /></figure>   St. Michael's at West Las Vegas: St. Michael's carries a 39-game winning streak to Las Vegas for a big District 3A-1 matchup. The last team to beat the Horsemen? WLV in 2023. St. Michael's has posted five straight shutouts. Will the Dons be the first team to score on the Horsemen since Week 1?   Belen at Lovington: These teams are ranked No. 4 and No. 5, respectively, in Class 4A by MaxPreps. Belen lost for the first time this season in Week 7. Lovington has four losses, but three have come to 6A Carlsbad and two West Texas schools. Both schools have lost to Portales. The loser is likely eliminated from the District 4A-2 title race.          Centennial at Organ Mountain: The third key District 6A-2 game in Week 8. Centennial needs a win to vanquish the sour taste of the loss to Volcano Vista in Week 6. The Hawks struggled to run the ball against VV, averaging less than a yard per carry. Organ Mountain just wants a win, period. The Knights have lost their first three district games by 24+ points after a 3-0 start.            Valley at Manzano (Thur.): Key game in District 4A-1. Valley is undefeated in district play (4-0) and stands one-half game behind Bloomfield in the district standings. Manzano sits in third tied with Espanola Valley at 3-1. Both teams have impressive offensive talent.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/10/837887900_29219756384289260_190606443816558411_n.jpg?w=531" alt="" class="wp-image-2442628" /></figure>   Hatch Valley at Hot Springs (Thur.): Both teams are locked in a FOUR-way tie for second place in District 3A-2 behind Silver, which has yet to lose in district play. Hatch Valley looks to bounce back from a loss to Ruidoso. Hot Springs has been on a win one, lose one course since the season began.   Albuquerque Academy at Portales: Portales returns home to Greyhound Stadium following last week's impressive road win at Belen. Right now, the Rams have a firm grasp on second place in District 4A-2 and probably a top four seed as well. [player_tooltip player_id='1613398' first='Slade' last='Segovia'] is highly underrated at RB with close to 900 yards and 13 TD. And he's pretty good on defense too. Albuquerque Academy snapped a three-game losing streak with last week's win over Sanat Teresa.       Estancia at Legacy Academy (Sat., 6 p.m. at Bernalillo HS): Estancia QB [player_tooltip player_id='2114509' first='Devon' last='Chavez'] brings one of the best shows in New Mexico high school football to the Albuquerque Metro Region. Chavez is the state's leading rusher (1,382 yards) by more than 300 yards. How the Legacy Academy defense tries to contain him is the top storyline of the game. Will they succeed where others have failed?     Loving at Eunice: While district rivals Texico and Dexter were engaged in their steel cage match last week, Eunice was trouncing Jal. Result? Eunice is now ranked No. 1 in Class 2A by MaxPreps. Sophomore QB [player_tooltip player_id='2256783' first='Isaac' last='Melancon'] is No. 2 in the state in passing by a single yard. This game begins a three-week gauntlet for Loving, which faces Texico and Dexter in Weeks 9 and 10, respectively.     Jal at Texico: Texico cemented their status (until they play Eunice) as the favorites to four-peat as Class 2A champions in November with last week's impressive road win at Dexter. In case you haven't heard, [player_tooltip player_id='1613755' first='Cross' last='Figg'] is one of the top players in the state. Jal will try to move on from last week's mercy-rule loss to rival Eunice. But the road doesn't get any easier with upcoming games against Dexter and Loving.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/legacyacademyFB/status/2108197735648374862 </div></figure>   BEST OF THE REST   Santa Fe at Cibola   Ruidoso at Silver   Pojoaque Valley at Thoreau   Crownpoint at Tohatchi   Cobre at Capitan   OTHER GAMES   Clovis at Las Cruces   Piedra Vista at Capital   West Mesa at Farmington   Highland at Miyamura   Atrisco Heritage at Albuquerque High   Los Lunas at Los Alamos   Kirtland Central at Gallup   Grants at Taos   Del Norte at Bernalillo   Rio Grande at Espanola Valley   Santa Teresa at Valencia   Zuni at Hozho Academy   Cuba at Navajo Prep   McCurdy at Santa Fe Indian   Guymon (OK) at Raton   Shiprock at Newcomb   NMMI at Socorro   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/10/FB_IMG_1791370045667.jpg?w=678" alt="" class="wp-image-2442619" /></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/_NMAA/status/2107875976873132291 </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/_NMAA/status/2107488325204664644 </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/_NMAA/status/2107488425800855742 </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/_NMAA/status/2107488543581032931 </div></figure>

Week 8 of New Mexico High School football season is here! Here are the top 13 games of Week 8, which we call the ‘Baker's Dozen.' District play is now in full swing throughout the state. Bye weeks are also starting to pop up on schedules. Here we go!