It is playoff time, at least for one local high school football team. The remaining ones are still fighting to make the postseason and likely will need wins on this final weekend of the regular season to keep playing.
No. 5 Escalante (7-3) vs. No. 12 Alamo Navajo (3-5), 6 p.m. Friday
The Lobos came up just short of their goal to earn a bye for the opening week of the eight-man football playoffs, but they do enter the opening round as the highest seed having to play this weekend.
But Escalante faces something of a mystery foe in the Cougars, who were undefeated in District 1 and whose four members combined to go 1-18 outside of district play.
Alamo Navajo has not made the playoffs since 2018.
“We’ve never played them,” Lobos coach Carlos Casados said, although this is Escalante’s second season in eight-man ball.
Trying to get a good read on the Cougars, however, has been difficult.
“There’s not much film on them,” Casados said.
Offensively, Escalante is going to be something of a mystery itself, as starting quarterback Braylon Emery is almost certain to sit out after suffering a head injury against Fort Sumner, although he was cleared to play again in that game, Casados said.
Española Valley at Aztec, 1 p.m. Saturday
It all comes down to this game for the Sundevils (4-5, 2-4 in District 2-4A).
A win and Española is almost certainly in the playoffs. A loss, well, it probably means the Sundevils can start planning for next season a lot sooner than anybody anticipated.
“If we beat Aztec, we should be in,” Española coach Caleb Holbrook said. “Our main concern is beating Aztec, and hopefully, we are able to get in the playoffs.”
The Tigers (1-8) have lost eight consecutive games and been beaten by mercy rule three times in that stretch, including 50-0 by Moriarty, who the Sundevils beat 24-18.
While on paper, Española should appear to have an easy time of it, Holbrook said the Sundevils cannot overlook Aztec.
Pojoaque Valley vs. West Las Vegas, 7 p.m. Friday
Playing in the toughest district should earn the Elks (4-4, 1-2 in District 2-3A) some points, but getting a win over the Dons (4-5, 1-2) would secure a playoff berth.
Both teams are coming off tough losses, with WLV losing 28-0 last week to Hope Christian.
“It’s a winnable game,” Elks coach Zeke Villegas said. “It’s something to end the season on a high note. If we do beat them, we’ll have a winning record.”
It could mean a top seed and a coveted home game, which would be a first for the school.
“It would also lock us in for third in the district so it’s a big game for sure,” he said. “We can lock in a top four, top five seed. Going from a top five seed to a seven or eight, that’s a big difference. Our guys know what’s at stake. It would be nice to go 2-2 in the district. That’s another goal.”
The Dons have been beat up and were missing several starters for the game against the Huskies and it appeared several other players were hurt during the game, as well.
“We do know that they like to run the ball,” Villegas said. “They do pass, but they like to run first. We watched the game against Hope. They are aggressive. They’re big. But no week has been an easy task in this district. We know that. We just know we have to play football. We are home so that’s a big advantage for us.”
Dulce vs. Hozho Academy, 1 p.m. Saturday
In a season that has been derailed by a lack of healthy or eligible bodies, the Bobcats (4-5, 1-3 in District 1-2A) need a win to make a playoff berth a sure thing after three straight losses.
But the Wolves (7-2, 4-0) are the district’s best and have three wins by mercy rule, with a 164-8 advantage in district play. Additionally, they beat Class 3A Pojoaque Valley 21-14 earlier in the season.