New Mexico High School Football Friday Night Recap
Quarterfinal Friday in New Mexico high school football delivered everything the playoffs promise: overtime thrillers, defensive masterpieces, offensive explosions, stunning comebacks, and historical milestones. Across the state, teams punched tickets to semifinals and championship games, while several programs saw magical seasons come to an end under the lights.
6A FOOTBALL
In Rio Rancho, No. 2 Cleveland delivered one of its most dominant playoff wins in years, a 42-0 dismantling of No. 7 Volcano Vista in a performance that reasserts the defending champions as the team to beat in Class 6A. Senior quarterback Jordan Hatch completed 15-of-22 passes for 199 yards and three touchdowns, spreading the ball to multiple weapons while the Storm ground game rolled for 223 yards. Defensively, Cleveland suffocated Volcano Vista all night, registering sacks, forcing punts, and allowing almost nothing in space. It was total control from start to finish and the kind of November statement championship teams make.
Down south, No. 3 Hobbs earned one of the program’s most meaningful victories in decades, beating No. 11 Carlsbad 30-19 to advance to the semifinals for the first time since 1981. Junior quarterback Junior Medrano—playing like one of the state’s toughest dual-threat players—powered the Eagles past their district rival and into school history. Hobbs weathered Carlsbad’s surges and closed the night with defensive stops that sent the home crowd into celebration.
In Las Cruces, No. 1 Las Cruces overcame nearly 200 penalty yards and a spirited effort from No. 8 Los Lunas to win 49-29 at the Field of Dreams. Los Lunas stunned the stadium by scoring just 95 seconds into the game on a Martin Cordova touchdown after a 67-yard catch from Luke Cieremans. The Bulldawgs responded immediately and eventually stretched the lead with a 37-yard pick-six by Hunter Parmeter and an 82-yard catch-and-run touchdown by Francisco Winnikoff. Cordova scored twice for the Tigers, but two Las Cruces touchdowns in an eight-second span—following a misplayed kickoff—blew the game open late. Danny Amaro sealed the win with a 28-yard score, pushing the unbeaten Bulldawgs into the semifinals.
5A FOOTBALL
The lone Class 5A game belonged entirely to the defending champions as No. 2 Roswell blasted No. 7 Belen 51-0 in a complete performance. The Coyotes struck early, struck deep, and never let up, overwhelming Belen with speed, physicality, and explosive plays. Realty hit for Belen. Roswell looked every bit like a team chasing a third straight championship appearance.
4A FOOTBALL
Friday’s best drama unfolded in Chaparral, where No. 3 Chaparral outlasted No. 6 Moriarty 42-41 in overtime in one of the greatest wins in school history. The Lobos—once owners of a 43-game losing streak—are now semifinalists after a game filled with lead changes, big plays, and tense moments. Senior quarterback Israel Nieto accounted for multiple touchdowns, including the game-tying score in overtime, before drilling the go-ahead PAT that proved to be the difference. Moriarty scored first in OT but missed a two-point attempt; Chaparral answered immediately and advanced in storybook fashion, setting off a celebration years in the making.
In Albuquerque, No. 2 St. Pius X delivered a complete performance in a 48-7 win over No. 7 Grants. The Sartans exploded to a 21-0 lead on touchdown passes from Isaiah Carpenter to Cayl Cox-Liggins (26 yards) and Curtis Flakes III (48 yards), followed by a 44-yard pick-six by sophomore linebacker Nicholas Casco. Grants answered with one scoring drive, but immediately afterward Hershul Olloway Jr. ripped off a 67-yard touchdown run in a moment that broke the game open. St. Pius piled on with an 11-play touchdown drive capped by Ezra Ocampo, another Carpenter rushing score before halftime, and a dominant defensive second half under a running clock. It was one of the Sartans’ strongest playoff efforts under the Friday night lights.
In Taos, No. 4 Taos stunned No. 5 Albuquerque Academy 25-24 in a comeback masterpiece that featured everything from field goals to safeties to pick-sixes. Academy led 17-3 at halftime after two touchdowns by Gage Conwa, including a pick-six, but Taos flipped the entire game in the second half. A safety sparked momentum, followed by a 70-yard touchdown pass from Evan Salazar to Alejandro Ortega. After Academy answered with an 80-yard touchdown in the third, Salazar responded again in the fourth with a 20-yard touchdown run and then, with under a minute left, a stunning 51-yard strike to Ortega to tie the game. Theo Blaustein’s PAT gave the Tigers the lead, and the defense held for one of the most dramatic 4A playoff wins in years.
3A FOOTBALL
In Albuquerque, No. 3 Hope Christian rolled into the semifinals with a 48-21 win over No. 11 Hot Springs. The Huskies opened the night with a 65-yard touchdown drive capped by quarterback RJ Montoya, then immediately capitalized on a Hot Springs fumble, scoring on a 20-yard connection from Montoya to Darrien Williams. Hope Christian controlled the game from start to finish, leaning on Montoya’s dual-threat brilliance and a defense that forced mistakes early and often.
Over at Pojoaque, No. 5 NMMI powered past No. 4 Pojoaque Valley 42-28 behind a dominant ground attack and the efficient passing of sophomore quarterback Luke Tomasits. NMMI rushed for 221 yards and added 153 through the air, with senior Konstantino Scopelitis delivering 211 all-purpose yards and five total touchdowns. Pojoaque, playing in its first quarterfinal as a host in years, battled throughout but could not match the Colts’ efficiency and physicality.
2A FOOTBALL
No 2A games were scheduled for Friday night; all four quarterfinals are set for Saturday.
8-MAN FOOTBALL
In the 8-Man semifinals, No. 1 Fort Sumner surged into the state championship with a 54-12 win over Monument Valley Christian, continuing its dominant season on both sides of the ball. Melrose clinched the other championship berth by beating Tatum 32-14 in a controlled, methodical semifinal performance.
6-MAN FOOTBALL
The state championship belonged to Logan, completing one of the greatest comebacks in New Mexico 6-Man state title history with a 32-31 win over Grady. The Longhorns trailed by 25 points before storming back with a relentless second-half surge, turning what looked like a Grady coronation into a Logan classic. Their resilience, timely scoring, and defensive stops in the final minutes produced a championship that will be remembered for years, adding another remarkable trophy to the Longhorns’ proud small-school legacy.