Week 7
Right before headed into district play, many local teams see a big test that will determine where they sit on the bubble of a state tournament appearance. Wins for local teams could help them secure a spot, while a loss may have them on the outside looking in. The two Española teams especially enter the week on a hot streak, and need a big victory to both gain momentum and add to their resumes.
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Game of the Week
Española Valley Sundevils (3-3) vs. Kirtland Central Broncos (2-3)
Friday, Sept. 29, 7 p.m. in Kirtland
Final Score: Española 54, Kirtland Central 30
The Sundevils stayed hot on offense adding another 54 points to their season total and recording a huge win against a defending playoff team. Española Valley now is strongly in contention for a playoff spot with momentum on a 3-game win streak as they enter their bye week before district play.
Española Stat Leaders
Passing: Irvin Primero – 11/16, 180 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
Rushing: Adrick Deleon – 22 carries, 272 yards, 5 TD | Jack Purdy – 14 carries, 53 yards, 1 TD
Receiving: Kevin Coffeen – 4 receptions, 105 yards, 2 TD
PREVIEW: The Sundevils have finally found their offense in the past two weeks, scoring 116 points in those games after just 50 in their first four. That success has come behind Adrick DeLeon, who has been untouchable out of the backfield, securing eight touchdowns in the last two weeks.
This week is perhaps the most important game of the year for the Sundevils’ playoff hopes. The Broncos made the playoffs last year, but lost last week to upstart Grants. In order to keep pace in rankings, the Sundevils need a big win here, and the margin likely matters.
But Kirtland Central comes in with a strong passing attack, at more than 250 yards per game. The Sundevils have struggled at times this year with teams who throw the ball well, including West Las Vegas. The team’s secondary will have to find a way to step up to keep points off the board.
Cuba Rams (6-0) vs. McCurdy Bobcats (4-1)
Saturday, Sept. 30, 1 p.m. in Española
Final Score: McCurdy 26, Cuba 7
The Bobcats scored their fifth-straight win, knocking off undefeated Cuba. The defense was basically perfect, as the only points the Rams scored came off of an interception. McCurdy’s streak included four straight wins against bigger 3A schools. But now the real tests begin against district opponents, starting with a trip to red-hot Santa Rosa.
McCurdy Stat Leaders
Passing: Jeremaya Roybal – 2/4, 41 yards, 2 INT
Rushing: Jeremaya Roybal – 23 carries, 293 yards, 3 TD | Mari Sanchez – 5 carries, 67 yards, 1 TD
Receiving: Mari Sanchez – 1 reception, 31 yards
PREVIEW: The Bobcats are on their hottest stretch since they were a feared statewide program decades ago. Their offense is on a torrid pace, with 228 points in their last four games. Cuba comes in undefeated, but on paper have not faced a team as strong as McCurdy – one of their wins was by one point against Santa Fe Indian, a school that McCurdy beat by 29. If the Bobcats grab another win – their fifth straight – they will make a statement headed in to district play.
Tularosa Wildcats (3-2) vs. Escalante Lobos (2-4)
Friday, Sept. 29, 7 p.m. in Tierra Amarilla
Final Score: Tularosa 68, Escalante 19
Missed opportunities early piled up for the Lobos, who also never found a defense with consistent success. The Wildcats diced up Escalante with an offense featuring primarily screen passes, and the Lobos found no answer. A fourth-quarter kick return touchdown was about the only highlight, as Tularosa’s quarterback threw for nine touchdown passes.
Escalante Stat Leaders
Passing: Trey Archuleta – 7/12, 86 yards, 2 INT
Rushing: Trey Archuleta – 29 carries, 135 yards, 1 TD | Jeremiah Martinez – 20 carries, 101 yards, 1 TD
Receiving: Greysen Horan – 2 receptions, 54 yards
PREVIEW: Escalante picked up a big win last week, defeating Top 10 Mescalero Apache by 35 points. They have a positive point differential on the season despite a losing record. This week will let Escalante see how well they can compete with the state’s top teams. Tularosa has held their own against the top teams in 2A, and routed some other strong teams.
Robertson Cardinals (4-1) vs. Pojoaque Valley Elks (3-2)
Friday, Sept. 29, 7 p.m. in Pojoaque
Final Score: Robertson 45, Pojoaque 0
Pojoaque’s schedule has been a mix of too-easy and too-hard opponents. This week saw them run into one of the hottest and best teams in the state. The Elk defense held strong early, but the offense never got going, and the Cardinals dominated the game. Next week could be Pojoaque’s Goldilocks, and finally a competitive game.
PREVIEW: The Elks’ up-and-down schedule continues this week with another very tough opponent. Last week, it was a 50-0 halftime win over Cloudcroft, with Jonah Villegas running wild. This week, they have the top ranked 3A team, with the Cardinals coming off a big 42-14 win over previously undefeated Dexter.
Dulce Hawks (3-2) vs. Melrose Buffaloes (5-1)
Final Score: Melrose 72, Dulce 6
PREVIEW: The Hawks have come back to earth when facing their southern rivals, losing their past two games 56-0 and 50-0 against top teams. Now comes potentially an even tougher one, against currently the top-ranked team in 8-man. Dulce will look to just keep the game close, and potentially get points on the board. In the past two years, Melrose has won this matchup 68-0 and 54-0. But last year, even in that big loss, Dulce showed fight against the Buffaloes.