On Three, Break: Grine’s Must-See Games in Week 8

This is the weekly taste test bringing New Mexico flavors, big-time stakes, and the games most likely to grab your eyes on Friday night (and Saturday morning). Full previews drop on game day; for now, here’s the plate of what matters most.

Top Five Games

ALLSICK/Carne Adovada Bowl: No. 7 La Cueva (4-2, 3-0) at No. 12 Los Lunas (4-2, 3-0), 7pm, Fri

Carne adovada (slow-braised red chile pork with a little bite) fits a matchup that’s tenderized over four straight wins apiece. Can the Tigers (No. 10 in 6A) spring the district upset on the Bears (No. 6 in 6A)? Both opened 0-2, both have hardened, and 2-6A bragging rights likely ride on QB efficiency and explosive plays.

NMPreps Prediction: La Cueva 24, Los Lunas 22
Grine: La Cueva
Favorite/Underdog: La Cueva -2.5

Allsup’s Road Trip: No. 4 Centennial (5-1, 2-0) at No. 8 Hobbs (4-2, 1-1), 7pm, Fri

Allsup’s (SE New Mexico’s roadwarrior pit stop) sets the tone for a four-hour 3-6A drive where field position and fuel matter. Centennial (No. 4 in 6A) leans on balance and line play; Hobbs (No. 7 in 6A) counters with tempo and home-stadium juice. Winner grabs a major lever in the district race.

NMPreps Prediction: Centennial 35, Hobbs 28
Grine: Centennial
Favorite/Underdog: Centennial -4.5

Green Chile Grinder: No. 15 Carlsbad (4-3) at No. 10 Alamogordo (4-3), 7pm, Fri

A grinder is exactly that (roasted green layered into a sandwich until the heat sneaks up late). Carlsbad rides back-to-back wins and nearly clipped Centennial three weeks ago; Alamogordo has dropped two of three and needs a reset. Bubble vibes: the loser risks seeding pain (or worse).

NMPreps Prediction: Alamogordo 27, Carlsbad 21
Grine: Carlsbad – My upset of the night
Favorite/Underdog: Alamogordo -3

Tamale Steamer: No. 44 Portales (2-5) at No. 37 St. Pius X (4-1), 7pm, Fri

Tamales are comfort with kick (the heat shows up if you’re not ready). Portales (No. 11 in 4A) has stacked two straight with a youth spark (Fr. QB Kingston Lee, So. ATH Slade Slagovia). St. Pius X (No. 6 in 4A) seeks a quick response after the Academy stunner and a chance to re-assert 2-4A control.

NMPreps Prediction: St. Pius X 28, Portales 22
Grine: St. Pius X
Favorite/Underdog: St. Pius X -6.5

Stuffed Sopa: No. 55 Pojoaque Valley (3-2) at No. 57 Hope Christian (5-2), 11am, Sat

A stuffed sopaipilla hides a lot inside—refried beans, meat, and a surprise kick) much like this 2-3A pecking-order game. Pojoaque (No. 5 in 3A) just stunned Robertson; Hope (No. 7 in 3A) is chasing a top-8 seed. If QB Joshua Gonzales stays rolling after the layoff and return, the Elks become a November headache.

NMPreps Prediction: Hope Christian 26, Pojoaque Valley 20
Grine: Pojoaque Valley
Favorite/Underdog: Hope Christian -4

Five More with Flavor (rapid fire)

3A Christmas Combo (Red or Green): West Las Vegas (3-3) at No. 56 Robertson (5-2), 7pm, Fri
Red vs green is a way of life, and in Las Vegas, bragging rights. Expect fourth-quarter trench work to settle it. NMPreps Prediction: Robertson 23, West Las Vegas 22 | Grine: Robertson | Favorite/Underdog: Robertson -1.5

3A Huevos Rancheros: No. 48 Dexter (4-1) at No. 54 Ruidoso (3-3), 7pm, Fri
Huevos is layered (beans, chile, egg) just like 3A’s contender stack. Dexter’s title cred meets Ruidoso’s dark-horse upside. NMPreps Prediction: Dexter 28, Ruidoso 21 | Grine: Dexter | Favorite/Underdog: Dexter -3.5

4A Chile or Chili: No. 36 Albuquerque Academy (3-3) at No. 43 Manzano (4-2), 11am, Sat
New Mexico “chile” vs everyone else’s “chili”, who’s the real deal? Was Academy’s win over St. Pius X the authentic heat? NMPreps Prediction: Manzano 24, Academy 20 | Grine: Manzano | Favorite/Underdog: Manzano -2

2A Oil Patch Clash: No. 73 Jal (2-4) at No. 71 Tularosa (2-4), 7pm, Fri
From the oil fields to the bracket lines, this could swing a first-round home game. Explosive plays vs ball control likely decides it. NMPreps Prediction: Tularosa 22, Jal 20 | Grine: Tularosa | Favorite/Underdog: Tularosa -1.5

6A Sandia Sunrise: No. 14 Eldorado (2-4) at No. 16 Sandia (2-4), 7pm, Fri
Named after the rosy glow on the mountains (and a favorite tune by Hooks & the Huckleberries, go give it a listen), this 2-6A tilt screams momentum game. Third-down defense and special teams flips are the tell. NMPreps Prediction: Sandia 24, Eldorado 21 | Grine: Sandia | Favorite/Underdog: Sandia -2

Questions for Week 8

Can No. 12 Los Lunas generate enough explosive runs to pry La Cueva out of its comfort zone, or will the Bears’ pass rush force the Tigers into third-and-long all night?

Does No. 4 Centennial’s front control the line in Hobbs, or can the Eagles’ tempo steal extra possessions and turn 3-6A into a true three-team race?

What does a fourth win mean for Santa Fe (3-3) under first-year HC Adrian Gonzales if the Demons handle Atrisco Heritage (1-5), culture shift or statement of staying power?

How does No. 13 Cibola respond on the back half of the Rio Rancho swing at No. 2 Cleveland, do the Cougars find chunk plays or is “get out healthy” the pragmatic win?

Who rebounds cleaner: No. 34 Miyamura after Highland, or Belen after pushing No. 23 Los Alamos, whose margin for error is thinner in 5A playoff seeding?

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Week 8 Schedule

Thursday, October 9
Capitan (0-5) at Legacy Academy (5-1), 6pm
NMSD (2-4) at Dora (0-6), 6pm
Rio Rancho (3-3) at Piedra Vista (3-3), 6pm

Friday, October 10
Albuquerque (3-3) at West Mesa (2-4), 7p
Aztec (1-6) at Bernalillo (5-1), 7p
Carlsbad (4-3) at Alamogordo (4-3), 7p
Carrizozo (1-5) at Reserve (0-3), 4p
Centennial (4-1) at Hobbs (4-2), 7p
Chaparral (6-1) at Silver (4-3), 7p
Cibola (4-2) at Cleveland (5-1), 7p
Clovis (1-5) at Organ Mountain (2-5), 7p
Cobre (1-5) at New Mexico Military (3-3), 7p
Crownpoint (2-4) at Zuni (1-5), 7p
Dexter (4-1) at Ruidoso (3-3), 7p
Eldorado (2-4) at Sandia (2-4), 7p
Estancia (2-4) at Santa Rosa (6-0), 7p
Grady (6-0) at Elida (5-2), 7p
Grants (5-1) at Taos (2-4), 6p
Jal (2-4) at Tularosa (2-4), 7p
Kirtland Central (1-5) at Espanola Valley (3-4), 6p
La Cueva (4-2) at Los Lunas (4-2), 7p
Laguna-Acoma (2-3) at McCurdy (4-2), 6p
Lordsburg (4-2) at Hagerman/Lake Arthur (4-2), 6p
Loving (5-2) at Texico (3-3), 7p
Melrose (5-2) at Mescalero Apache (1-5), 7p
Miyamura (3-3) at Belen (2-4), 7p
Moriarty (3-2) at Bloomfield (5-1), 6p
Mountainair (3-3) at Animas (5-1), 6p
Navajo Pine (1-5) at Ramah (1-4), 7p
Navajo Prep (5-1) at Cuba (0-6), 6p
Portales (2-5) at St. Pius X (4-1), 7p
Raton (2-4) at Tucumcari (3-3), 7p
Roy/Mosquero (2-3) at Floyd (2-3), 1p
Socorro (0-7) at Hatch Valley (3-4), 7p
Tatum (6-1) at Gateway Christian (3-3), 7p
Thoreau (5-1) at Santa Fe Indian (1-6), 7p
Tohatchi (2-4) at Shiprock (0-6), 7p
Volcano Vista (5-1) at Farmington (1-5), 7p
West Las Vegas (3-3) at Robertson (5-2), 7p
Wingate (5-2) at Gallup (3-4), 7p

Saturday, October 11
Albuquerque Academy (2-3) at Manzano (4-2), 11a
Escalante (5-2) at Menaul (4-2), 1p
Fort Sumner/House (5-0) at Clayton (2-4), 2p
Newcomb (1-5) at Hozho Academy (4-2), 2p
Pojoaque Valley (2-2) at Hope Christian (5-1), 11a
Questa (3-3) at Cloudcroft (1-5), 1p
Santa Fe (3-3) at Atrisco Heritage Academy (1-5), 11a