2024 Look Ahead: Manzano coach explains move to Class 4A

When the NMMAA released the new football realignment in December, some folks were likely taken aback by the fact Manzano had moved to Class 4A after spending two years in 5A.   However, ever since capturing the 2017 Class 6A state championship with  a perfect 13-0 record – a talented team that was led by future FBS players Jordan Byrd (San Diego State) and Andrew Erickson (New Mexico) – the Monarchs have struggled.   In 2018, Manzano went 7-5 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the 6A playoffs. That team was led by 1,677-yard rusher Xavier Ivey-Saud, a senior.   Since then, declining student enrollment caused in large part by the pandemic that struck in March 2020, has had severe consequences on the Monarchs program. Student enrollment at the school has fallen by 25 percent over the past four years and the numbers in the football program have, not surprisingly, fallen as well.   Since the 2019 season, Manzano has a combined record of 7-33 (not including the shortened 2020 spring season) in Class 6A and 5A.   Fourth-year Manzano head coach Stephen Johnston said the move to Class 4A was the correct one, even though some Monarch alumni may disagree.   “It came down to a couple of things,” Johnston told Prep Redzone New Mexico. “Our student population has been declining rapidly since 2017 when Manzano won the state championship. They were still a small 6A school then. That was a special team. Since then, demographics and socioeconomics have been massive factors. Covid wasn't kind to Manzano, at all. Since I got here (in 2021), I've dealt with the ramifications of it.”   Right now, Manzano's student population is around 1,200, which is similar to many 5A schools. However, as part of its latest realignment, NMAA allowed schools with a winning percentage of 20 percent or less in three of the last four years to opt to move down one classification.   After struggling with 1-8, 1-9 and 2-9 records over the last three seasons, Manzano decided to take advantage of the new rule.   “It was our enrollment numbers combined with the NMAA's ‘success factor,'” Johnston said. We had the option of staying in 5A or moving down to 4A. The decision was made by myself, the AD and the principal. The No. 1 consideration was our best path moving forward to create some positive momentum for Manzano football.   “It wasn't that we felt 4A was less competitive, but as of right now we felt like we had a better shot to be more competitive in that classification. Winning is attractive. We've come a long way since I've been here. We're slowly making progress. It hasn't been an overnight change but it's on a daily and yearly basis. We're making the changes we need to become the program we what to be.”   Manzano will compete in District 4A-2 along with Albuquerque Academy, Chaparral, Portales, Silver, St. Pius X and Valencia. The non-district slate features matchups with Highland, Rio Grande, Del Norte and Hope Christian. The first three aforementioned schools compete in District 5A-1.   Not an easy schedule by any stretch.   “We felt like going to 4A would be more positive for our community in southeastern Albuquerque,” Johnston said. “But 4A has a lot of good teams, too. If we are successful over the next two years, and we hope we are, we'll go back up 5A. That's already been told to us. That's Ok. Right now, we just want to generate some momentum and some positive things for our community.   “When I first got here, we were 6A. But most of the growth in Albuquerque is definitely happening on the west side. We know the challenges we face. We're trying to focus on the things we can control. We're doing a good job building our YAFL programs. When I got here, we had no YAFL teams. Because Albuquerque doesn't have middle school football, that's necessary.”   Manzano certainly has enough talent to compete in Class 4A. The 2024 team is led by next level talent OL/DL [player_tooltip player_id='1194194' first='Ricky' last='Scroggins'] (recently camped with ENMU and West Texas A&M; holds multiple offers), WR [player_tooltip player_id='1272795' first='Vincent' last='Varela Jr.'], QB [player_tooltip player_id='1258970' first='James' last='Vautier'], WR/DB [player_tooltip player_id='1137881' first='Aiden' last='Erickson'] and 6-foot-5, 270-pound OL/DL [player_tooltip player_id='1266485' first='Landon' last='Casalino'].      The Monarchs open the 2023 season Aug. 23 against Highland at Wilson Stadium. Five of their first six games are at home.   UP NEXT: 2024 Manzano Monarchs Preview.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/AuDesigns/status/1792616475657674870 </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/VinnyVarela84/status/1792742744450125857 </div></figure>     <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/StephenFBcoach/status/1792351743944323323 </div></figure>

When the NMMAA released the new football realignment in December, some folks were likely taken aback by the fact Manzano had moved to Class 4A after spending two years in 5A.

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2024 Look Ahead: Manzano coach explains move to Class 4A

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