Eagle-eyed readers of the SUN Sports Section may have noticed something different this fall.
Much more than in recent years, there has been much more of a focus on the football teams throughout the year. No, this is not a directive from upper management.
We always look out for the biggest news, and that has been football this fall. It’s unusual — at least from my time here — for the best and most exciting teams in Rio Arriba to be the football teams. But that is the case right now. And the local crowds should support those teams.
All five teams in our coverage area have won at least three games this year. That’s been a stark departure from recent years, where some teams were, shall we say, inconsistent.
The Española Sundevils may be on track for their best season yet.
It took a few weeks for this team to get going. But get going they did. Now, they have won five games in a row, and will officially be district champions this week. How often is a Sundevil team asking around the sideline for the score of another game, with it directly affecting their playoff hopes?
Two years ago, I would go to a practice and there would be maybe a dozen players there during winless seasons. The freshmen and even eighth-graders then are now juniors and seniors and the team captains. A group of offensive linemen and running backs have put in the work for four years to get here, and deserve appreciation. DeLeon currently ranks second in the state in touchdowns and third in rushing yards.
Española beat Moriarty for what appears to be the first time ever in perhaps the best win in school history. Their previous eight meetings were losses by an average of 46-8, according to Athletic Director Matthew Abeyta. Instead, they took a top-10 and a favored team and took them to the woodshed. In a 13-minute span they scored 44 unanswered points.
Even in 2015, after a 9-1 regular season, they were upset in the first round of the state tournament. Based on the way they have looked in recent weeks, depending on how the bracket shakes out, whoever they draw in the first round will have their hands full.
Let’s not overlook the success of McCurdy, either. They likely won’t be in the playoffs this year, but don’t hold that against them.
They finished the year with a 50-point thwomping of a district opponent. The Bobcats averaged 40-plus points per game, led by a much-improved offensive line and a talented rushing duo.
Just two years ago, McCurdy had a rebirth after a program shutdown. Practices early in the season were spent teaching the basics of football. The A-gap vs. the B-gap. Basic run blocking and pass blocking. Now, they can dive deep into a playbook and out-scheme a defense.
The Bobcats went from two wins to four, then six this year. Will that continue to increase? I wouldn’t be surprised. They’ll have lots of talent coming back with a strong coaching staff.
And don’t count out Escalante, who appears to have a spot in the state playoffs again. While they’ll be a big underdog when they face a top team, that just means more chances to view the teams that are where they want to be, on top of the mountain.
It’ll take time to get back to where they were last decade. But the Lobos are improving, and their winning culture is returning. This is a team that still expects to win every game they play, and wants a blue trophy every year.
Pojoaque is also headed up after a bad year. While their schedule was up and down, grabbing three wins (all by at least 42 points) a year after finishing winless is a good step. Their defense has been quite strong against good teams. They just need a few more pieces on offense, while they have lost many to injuries.
The Elks will be fun to watch in the future. The duo of freshman currently-backup quarterback Josh Gonzales and running back Jonah Villegas should be thrilling for years to come
Even Dulce appears to be on the upswing. While 8-man football is still presenting them a challenge in both travel and quality of opponent, they went up to four wins this year.
So come out to the Chile Bowl this Friday in Española. And stay tuned for the state tournament brackets and see where the local teams end up.
And if Española ends up hosting a game, fans should show out in full force for a chance to see history.