Ad
Preps Central, Episode 16: Week 8 high school football recap and Week 9 games to watch
Published
Modified
Watch
Journal staffer James Yodice breaks down everything you need to know about the week in Albuquerque prep sports — the story lines, the players to watch and the games you don't want to miss.
Presented By:WNMU
Listen as Journal staffer James Yodice breaks down everything you need to know about the high school sports — the story lines, the players to watch and the games you don't want to miss.
If you enjoy our podcasts, please like and subscribe, and consider becoming a digital subscriber to the Albuquerque Journal, to help us continue to bring you more content like this. Follow the like below for a discount on a digital subscription.
Enter Promo Code: abqpods
To get your digital subscription to the newspaper for $3 per week, normally charged monthly at $12 that’s a savings of $9.
Thank you for Supporting The Albuquerque Journal New Mexico's leading local news source!
Hear
Subscribe to the Albuquerque Journal Podcast Network on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Soundcloud
Read
- NMAA announces changes at the top: Sally Marquez to retire, Dusty Young to take over
- Dyer has huge night for No. 1 La Cueva in victory over Los Lunas
- Yodice: Young St. Pius is growing up quickly right before our eyes
- Prep notes: It's dress rehearsal time for cross country athletes
Week 9 prep football games to watch
1. Roswell at Artesia, 7 p.m. Friday: A blockbuster Week 9 has several legit candidates for the No. 1 spot this week. But this showdown at Bulldog Bowl gets the nod. The most recent matchup was last November’s Class 5A state final, which Artesia won at home. Somehow, the Coyotes are going to have to put a leash on a Bulldogs offense that has scored at least 57 points in their last four games. These are the teams ranked No. 1 (Artesia) and No. 2 in 5A.
2. Bernalillo at Bloomfield, 6 p.m. Friday: This would be the top choice most any other week, and it is the second of the 1 vs. 2 games in Week 9, this one being the top two in Class 4A. Unlike the Roswell-Artesia game, however, this one pits two undefeateds against one another. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that this is quite possibly the best football team Bernalillo has ever fielded. But the Spartans face a difficult task here, going to the Four Corners to face the top-ranked Bobcats and their prolific QB, Blake Spencer.
3. Volcano Vista at Rio Rancho, 7 p.m. Friday: The top 6A matchup on the board in Week 9 is a doozy, with the fourth-ranked Hawks and sixth-ranked Rams doing battle in the first of the three huge games in District 1-6A down the stretch.
4. Lovington at Gadsden, 6 p.m. Friday: Great pairing here, with the third-ranked Wildcats going to Anthony to face the fifth-ranked Panthers in Class 5A. Here’s the thing: the winner of this game is going to be in a strong position to earn a coveted top-four seed and first-round playoff bye. The loser’s hopes for both those things will take a direct hit.
5. West Las Vegas at St. Michael’s, 1 p.m. Saturday: The second of the third major head-to-head matchups between the triumvirate of powers in District 2-3A, as the fifth-ranked Dons visit 3A’s No. 1 team, the Horsemen. We’ve already seen West-Robertson this weekend, and Robertson-St. Mike’s is still to come on the final Friday.
6. Manzano at Valencia, 7 p.m. Friday: Throwing in a bonus sixth game this week, as the Monarchs, the leaders of District 2-4A, take on a Jaguars team that has quietly enjoyed an excellent season so far. Much on the line in this game.
Week 9 prep football picks
