Playoffs, Round 1: New Mexico high school football scores and summaries

Eldorado’s Terel Anyaibe is chased down by Hobbs Tristan Davis during the Class 6A first-round football game at Wilson Stadium in Albuquerque on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024.

Jon Austria / Journal

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Published November 8, 2024 - 10:18 p.m. Modified November 9, 2024 - 8:37 p.m.

This page will be updated throughout the weekend.

Class 6A first round

• (9) Hobbs 35, (8) Eldorado 14

You might say the Hobbs Eagles took the road less traveled on Friday.

This was pretty much a literal reference, since the bus route Hobbs planned to take Friday to Albuquerque had to be altered, and the team was forced to take more of a southern route to face Eldorado at Wilson Stadium.

But the travel twist aside, Hobbs had a smoother night once they put the pads on.

Hobbs scored 39 seconds into the game, led from start to finish, and the No. 9 seed in the Class 6A football playoffs beat No. 8 Eldorado in the first round of the postseason on a frigid night in the Northeast Heights.

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• (5) Las Cruces 49, (12) West Mesa 7

At the Field of Dreams in Las Cruces, the fifth-seeded Bulldawgs (8-3) swarmed the 12th-seeded Mustangs (5-6) in the 6A first round, setting up a high-profile rematch in the quarterfinals with No. 4 Volcano Vista next week in Albuquerque.

The Hawks beat Las Cruces 27-24 early in the regular season.

Danny Amaro rushed for two first-quarter touchdowns as Las Cruces led 21-0 early and never looked back.

• (6) Los Lunas 28, (11) Piedra Vista 27

In Los Lunas, a blocked field goal with just over a minute left preserved a victory for No. 6 seed Los Lunas over 11th-seeded Piedra Vista.

Gage Marquez, who scored two touchdowns for Los Lunas, pushed an offensive lineman backward on his way to blocking the 30-yard field goal try with his chest.

“That was definitely a crazy thing,” said Marquez, who plays both fullback and linebacker for the Tigers. “You just go full force into the guy. You just go hard.”

Temperatures near the freezing mark seemed to cause problems in the kicking game, with Los Lunas having several miscues punting and the Panthers missing an extra point after their final touchdown to leave the Piedra Vista lead at 27-21 early in the fourth quarter.

A short run by Marquez and the successful extra point with less than six minutes remaining in regulation put Los Lunas ahead 28-27, setting up the final drama.

Even with standout running back Brig Keiser unable to play because of injury, Piedra Vista (3-8) was able to move the ball effectively on the ground. Panthers' wide receiver Amasi Griego scored three touchdowns, including two running the ball out of the slot.

Neither team was able to build more than a touchdown advantage, with the score 14-14 at the half. Each squad did score on a pass, but both teams focused on the running attack.

“They run the ball old-school style, so we knew it was going to be super physical,” said Los Lunas coach Greg Henington. “But we’re still alive.”

Los Lunas (8-2) visits No. 3 Cleveland at 7 p.m. Friday in the quarterfinals. The Storm beat the Tigers 55-7 in the regular season in late August.

• (7) Rio Rancho 48, (10) Sandia 17

At Rams Stadium, seventh-seed Rio Rancho had no trouble dealing with No. 12 Sandia on Friday night as the Rams cruised to victory in the first round of the state football tournament.

Rio Rancho senior quarterback JJ Arellano threw three touchdowns, all to receiver Jace Pitt.

Arellano’s arm was on full display. His first touchdown was a 62-yard bomb to Pitt up the left seam. His second was a tight 11-yard out to Pitt. His third capped off the night, sailing 59 yards into the arms of a wide-open Pitt.

Arellano also ran for three touchdowns, bringing his total to six on the night.

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Class 5A first round

• (9) Highland 20, (8) Miyamura 12

In Gallup, Amiri Mumba’s scoring run midway through the fourth quarter broke a 12-12 tie, and the ninth-seeded Hornets (7-4) beat the eighth-seeded Patriots (6-5) in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs.

“I’m just so proud of the guys,” Highland coach Phillip Lovato said. “This is our first playoff win in 20 years. It’s been a long time.”

The Hornets will play at No. 1 Roswell next week in the quarterfinals.

Lovato didn’t have the exact total, but estimated that Mumba, Highland’s talented and bruising running back, rushed for about 250 yards in the win. The Hornets gained a huge measure of payback after Miyamura beat Highland at Milne Stadium last month.

Mumba had two of the three touchdowns for Highland, including a 67-yard gallop on the first offensive play for the Hornets.

Isai Herrera added a pick-six for Highland later in the first quarter for a 12-0 lead. Miyamura scored one touchdown in the second quarter, and tied the game in the third quarter.

• (6) Mayfield 53, (11) Belen 7

At the Field of Dreams in Las Cruces, the sixth-seeded Trojans (5-6) rolled past the 11th-seeded Eagles (4-6) in the 5A first round. Mayfield earns a repeat bid in the quarterfinals against Deming, a team that beat the Trojans in the final 15 seconds in the regular season. That game will be Friday night.

All three phases got involved for Mayfield on Saturday. The Trojans registered a pick-six, and also blocked a punt that led to a touchdown as the Mayfield defense stymied Belen throughout.

• (7) Lovington 55, (10) Goddard 21

In Lovington, Class 5A’s seventh-seeded Wildcats (7-4) rushed for over 350 yards as they eliminated the 10th-seeded Rockets (2-9) with a first-round victory.

Ondalis Cardenas rushed for 185 yards and two scores, while Camon Ochoa also was over 100 yards rushing with a pair of touchdowns. Quarterback Mathew Prudencio passed for two TDs and rushed for a third.

Lovington will visit No. 2 Artesia next week in the quarterfinals.

• (5) Los Alamos 49, (12) Valley 28

Class 4A first round

• (12) Chaparral 10, (5) Portales 0

The biggest upset Friday night was authored by Class 4A No. 12 seed Chaparral. The Lobos, who started the year riding a 41-game losing streak and who lost by 25 points to Portales just last week, blanked the fifth-seeded Rams on the road in the first round as Chaparral advances to play at No. 4 Bernalillo next Friday night.

• (8) Valencia 35, (9) Moriarty 34

In Los Lunas, Valencia and Moriarty each showed a potent running attack Saturday in the opening round of the 4A playoffs, but a big play on defense turned the tide and Jaguars came away with the win on their home field.

Fullback Rylan Thackerson found the end zone to pull ninth-seeded Moriarty (4-7) within one point with 3:14 to go in the game. The Pintos went for two, but the try was snuffed out by Mario Santiago, helping to preserve a victory for No. 8 Valencia (8-3).

The Pintos, despite failing on the extra point attempt, were not yet out of the game. Moriarty got the ball back with less than a minute to go, but Santino Mares' second interception of the afternoon was the exclamation mark for the Jaguars, who advance to a quarterfinal matchup next weekend at top-ranked Bloomfield.

Moriarty took a 16-8 second-quarter lead on a pass from freshman quarterback Devin Ortiz to Raymon Schmutz, but touchdowns by Valencia quarterback Aiden Harrington and one by running back Michael Storms III just before the half put the Jags up 22-16.

Storms’ third touchdown of the day gave Valencia a 35-22 advantage, but Moriarty fought back with scores by Ortiz and Thackerson.

“We were blessed to play at home and fortunate to get a win, said Valencia coach LeDarrius Cage. “It’s a big deal for us.”

• (6) Española Valley 14, (11) Manzano 6

In Española, Leonard Martinez scored on a first-quarter run and junior quarterback Irvin Primero added a running score of his own in the second quarter, and the Sundevil defense did the rest as they advanced to the Class 4A quarterfinals for the second straight season with a defensive-minded first-round win.

Española Valley (8-3), the No. 6 seed, plays at No. 3 Taos next week in the quarters.

Manzano (5-6), seeded 11th, ended the season on a five-game skid. The Monarchs never really had a chance late to tie the game as the Sundevils ran out the final 7½ minutes with their offense.

• (7) Grants 22, (10) Silver 16

Class 3A first round

• (9) Thoreau 22, (8) Hope Christian 20

At Milne Stadium, the eighth-seeded Huskies were at the Hawks’ 1-yard line when time expired on Friday night in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs.

Hope Christian (4-7) had completed a long pass to Breylon Williams to the 1-yard-line of No. 9 seed Thoreau (9-2). A Hawks player was injured on the play, stopping the clock with 1 second showing.

The Huskies spiked the ball, hoping they’d have enough time to get off another play, but the clock hit zero and Hope was left three feet away from a win.

Thoreau took a 22-20 lead with just three minutes left. Williams returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown, but it was erased by penalty.

• (5) New Mexico Military Institute 35, (12) Hot Springs 6

• (6) West Las Vegas 26, (11) Ruidoso 0

• (7) Hatch Valley 28, (10) Pojoaque Valley 20