2024 Look Ahead: NMMI Colts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI) in Roswell won 10 games and reached the semifinals of the Class 3A playoffs last season before seeing their year end with a loss to eventual champion St. Michael's.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That game, second-year NMMI head coach John O'Mera said, taught the Colts some valuable lessons going into the offseason.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“We got better and better every week,” O'Mera told Prep Redzone New Mexico. “We were playing pretty well until we ran into a buzzsaw. St. Michael's is a program, not just a team. They're built well. If we're going to beat them, we've preached to our kids that we have to get into the weight room and work and get bigger, stronger and faster. We've done that.”&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Running the triple option, NMMI has one of the best rushing attacks in the entire state. The engineer is senior quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1089649' first='Cole' last='Seidenberger']</strong>, who rushed for close to 700 yards during the regular season in 2023. When he threw the football, he averaged 21.0 yards per completion. However, a lack of receivers forced NMMI to stick mainly to the ground assault in 2023.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>O'Mera hopes NMMI will be able to throw the ball more this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“One of the things we're hoping to improve this year is our passing game and add that to the option,” O'Mera said. “We always want to establish the run. But we could be scary if we develop a passing attack to go along with it. Hopefully, we'll stop opposing defenses from cheating and putting all 11 guys in the box and shutting us down. Cole has had a good offseason. He's gotten bigger, stronger and faster. We're excited to see how much he has developed since last season.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Joining Seidenberger in the offensive backfield is last season's leading rusher, senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1119319' first='Cohen' last='Tomasits']</strong>, who rushed for 709 yards during the regular season. Tomasits brings plenty of speed to the RB position as he won the district championship in the 100 meters this past spring. He finished second in the long jump and 4th in the 200 meters at the Class 3A state track and field meet.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“Cohen has some speed,” O'Mera said. “We're excited to have him back.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1137854' first='Alejandro' last='Piedras']</strong> had 40+ carries last season and he should again have a prominent role in the NMMI offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While he wants NMMI to work on throwing the football more in 2024, O'Mera acknowledges the Colts must find reliable receivers who can catch it. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“That's our big challenge, can we develop some receivers,” O'Mera said. “We've recruited some guys from our basketball team. They're unproven, so it's wait and see. Finding some players who can catch the football is our big project this season.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The anchor for NMMI's offensive line is 6-foot-5, 270-pound senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1258904' first='Samuel' last='McCargish']</strong>, a state powerlifting champion (308 pound class) who can deadlift well over 500 pounds. Bowling Green, New Mexico Highlands (previous staff) and College of Idaho have offered while Montana has expressed interest.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Junior <strong>Grant Maloney</strong> and 6-foot-3, 255-pound senior <strong>Yong Jin Bessell</strong> are also expected to earn starting OL spots.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Grant Maloney</strong>, <strong>Tegin Maloney</strong> (cousins, not brothers) and Piedras will headline NMMI's standard 4-3 defense. Seidenberger will help lead the secondary. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1594872' first='Noah' last='Martinez'], Alex Sanchez</strong> and <strong>Miguel Garcia</strong> join him there. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2024 NMMI FOOTBALL SCHEDULE</strong>:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aug. 30 at Loving (7 p.m.)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 6 EUNICE (7 p.m.)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 13 CHAPARRAL (7 p.m.)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 20 at Hatch Valley (7 p.m.)*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 27 at Cobre (7 p.m.)*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oct. 4 DEXTER (7 p.m.)*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oct. 11 at El Paso (TX) Cathedral (7 p.m.)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oct. 18 RUIDOSO (7 p.m.)*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oct. 25 at Hot Springs (7 p.m.)*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nov. 1 SOCORRO (7 p.m.)*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/NMMIAthletics/status/1786796195307778280","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/NMMIAthletics/status/1786796195307778280 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/NMMIAthletics/status/1789776446187028721","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/NMMIAthletics/status/1789776446187028721 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/NMMIAthletics/status/1718150164005720520","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/NMMIAthletics/status/1718150164005720520 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->