New Mexico High School Football Saturday Preview
After a Friday night packed with chaos and upsets, Saturday’s slate feels calmer, but don’t count out the possibility of more late-season drama. Cooler weather rolls in, and with playoff positioning on the line, several tpo programs take the field looking to solidify their postseason resumes.
In Class 6A, No. 16 Santa Fe (4-4) travels to face No. 5 La Cueva (6-2) at 11 a.m. The Bears look to close their regular season strong and maintain momentum behind one of the state’s more balanced teams, while Santa Fe aims to hang tough and spoil La Cueva’s seeding plans. For the Demons, containing the Bears’ speed and efficiency on both sides of the ball will be the key to keeping things close.
Over in Class 5A, the story of the day could unfold in Albuquerque, where the undefeated No. 6 Los Alamos Hilltoppers (8-0) visit No. 11 Valley (3-5), also at 11 a.m. Los Alamos is eyeing not just the District 1-5A title, but potentially a top-four seed in the 5A playoffs. The Hilltoppers’ offense has been unstoppable behind Jordan Herrera (2027), who has already racked up 1,538 rushing yards and 27 rushing touchdowns this season. Complementing him is quarterback Hayden Walker (2026), who’s quietly built a strong campaign with 1,487 passing yards and 12 touchdowns, giving Los Alamos a true 1-2 punch on offense.
In Class 4A, the defending state champions and top-ranked No. 1 Bloomfield Bobcats (7-1) travel to No. 8 Espanola Valley (4-4) for a 1 p.m. kickoff. Bloomfield has looked every bit the two-time defending champ this fall, thanks to the leadership and poise of quarterback Manual Chavarria (2026), tthe state’s passing leader across all classes with 2,128 yards and 33 touchdowns. His go-to targets, Kaleb Hutchens (2026) with 757 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, and Deasyl Priddy (2026) with 480 yards and six touchdowns, headline one of the most efficient air attacks in New Mexico. Espaola will need a near-perfect defensive effort to slow the Bobcats’ rhythm.
Later in the day, No. 5 Silver (6-3) heads to the metro area to take on No. 13 Manzano (4-4) at 3 p.m. Silver has surged late in the season, finding form at the right time, while Manzano (despite recent struggles) remains a disciplined, physical team that’s always tough. If there’s an “upset radar” game on Saturday, this could be it.
The marquee 3A matchup sees the undefeated No. 1 St. Michael’s Horsemen (8-0) hosting No. 5 Pojoaque Valley (4-3) at 1 p.m. St. Michael’s has been the class of 3A all season behind quarterback Kamal Stith (2026), who’s put up 1,387 passing yards and 24 touchdowns through the air, along with 465 rushing yards and 10 more scores. His backfield partner, Isaiah Dominguez (2026), has been a dynamic two-way threat, totaling 641 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, plus 439 receiving yards and four more scores. In the passing game, Brayden Hollis (2026) has emerged as Stith’s top downfield weapon with 389 yards and seven touchdowns, while on defense, Ryan Hunt (2027) and Curtis Valdez (2028) anchor an elite unit. Hunt’s numbers (48 total tackles, 22 tackles for loss, and 15 sacks) define domination.