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Prep football: Week 8 games to watch and expert picks
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Games to watch
1. La Cueva at Los Lunas, 7 p.m. Friday: Yes, it is only Week 8, and we don’t usually have a district championship-level event as early as Balloon Fiesta, but that is, in fact, what we have here, as the Bears and Tigers collide. The winner, barring at least one and perhaps multiple minor miracles, will certainly become the District 2-6A champion.
2. Centennial at Hobbs, 7 p.m. Friday: Plenty at stake at Watson Memorial Stadium as two of the top three teams in District 3-6A share a field. The Hawks are ranked third in Class 6A, the Eagles seventh. It is conceivable the winner of this game will earn a first-round playoff bye down the road. This is perhaps slightly more true for Centennial than for Hobbs.
3. West Las Vegas at Robertson, 7 p.m. Friday: This is always such a juicy matchup, and so many of the stakes we see when the Dons and Cardinals get together are again on display here, not the least of which is claim as the city’s best team. A key district game, and two top-five ranked teams — West fourth, Robertson third.
4. Carlsbad at Alamogordo, 7 p.m. Friday: This might seem an unusual game to put on the list, but there is a method to the madness. Although neither of these teams are ranked in Class 6A at the moment, the winner of this game might just reflect on this victory as the one that got them into the playoffs. No, that’s not an exaggeration.
5. Albuquerque Academy at Manzano, Wilson Stadium, 11 a.m. Saturday: Another perhaps curious selection, but allow me to explain. Last year, Manzano came into Academy riding a five-game winning streak, promptly gave up 57 points to the Chargers, and the Monarchs were not the same after that afternoon, losing five in a row to end the season. Be sure of this: Manzano has not forgotten.
