2022 Football Preview

Roswell Daily Record

Mayes

115 S Virginia Ave | Roswell, NM 88203 | (575) 622-1360

It’s all here somewhere. Serving Roswell and beyond since 1934 Catch us on Facebook or at: www.mayeslumbercompany.com

Publisher Barbara Beck

General Manager

SaraLei Fajardo

Editor

John Dilmore

Advertising Director

Manny Gonzalez

Composing Director

Aric Loomis

Cover/Layout Design

Aric Loomis

Ad Design

Sandra Martinez

Advertising Sales

Melanie Page Merle Alexander Writers

Blynn Beltran

NMMI Sports Press

Photographers

David Rocha

Shawn Naranjo

Steve Notz

NMMI Sports Press

For over 89 years customers have found needed items at Mayes. We are stocking exotic hardwood and slabs for wood workers.

623-8778

Correspondence: Mail correspondence to Daily Record Sports, P.O. Drawer 1897, Roswell, N.M. 88202-1897 or sports@rdrnews.com.

Submissions: Call 622-7710, ext. 304, for writers’ guidelines. The Daily Record sports department is not responsible for loss or damage to unsolicited materials.

The Roswell Daily Record and its associated publications are published at 2301 N. Main St., Roswell, N.M.

The contents of this publication are Copyright 2022 by the Roswell Daily Record and may not be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.

309 North Virginia Ave. Roswell, NM 88201 www.nesselrodt.com

622-0856

309 North Virginia Ave. Roswell, NM 88201 Lics. #360638

Rockets bring back strong core, look to reach new heights

By Blynn Beltran Roswell Daily Record

The Goddard High School football program began its fullgear practices in the first week of August.

After a workout under the intense New Mexico heat, Goddard football head coach Chris White spoke about his team before sending them home.

“We have a really good core of kids,” White said. “We’ve got a lot of experience last year that will be back on offense and defense. We are going to have a lot of depth this season and it’s going to be an exciting year.”

Six former juniors return from their 2021-2022 roster: defensive end Landon Victor, linebacker Cesar Fierro, center/defensive tackle Albert Montoya, running back Javyn Morales, middle linebacker Colton Franzoy and linebacker Hector Salvarrey.

“Coming into this season, the bond between us is something that I haven’t felt toward other teams throughout my four years,” Morales said. “The bond is something different.”

All the seniors are working toward the same goal this season, and it is to get that blue trophy.

“We’ve been playing with each other since freshman year,” Montoya said. “Some of them, I didn’t even know until I met them during freshman year. Now we’re really close, like brothers and family. Hope-

fully, this bond will take us to the blue trophy.”

The seniors agree that their bond is special this time around, but instilling this type of unity in the rest of the team will take effort from the leaders.

“We have higher intensity this year for sure. You could tell in some of our summer workouts that we are pushing each other more and more,” Salvarrey said. “The focus is there too. Higher intensity and higher focus.”

Fierro, a utility-type player in coach White’s lineup, said that he wants to let the younger guys know that they should not be afraid to fail.

“I hope to let them know that they shouldn’t be scared to fail because it’s a part of life.” Fi-

erro said.

With Mayfield High School in Las Cruces coming to Goddard’s district, the 5A District has become one of the tougher districts in terms of football.

“Mayfield took Alamogordo’s place in our district and of course, they have a rich history of winning football games and state championships. They’re gonna be really tough,” White said. “Our district is going to be, by far, the toughest district I think in the state. In any classification where you have four teams that are going to compete for a state championship, and they’re all in the same district together, the district will definitely be a dogfight.”

Needless to say, the seniors and juniors have their work cut

out for them.

“This year I think we got a good group of leaders,” Franzoy said. “We got strong leaders in our seniors and the juniors. They know how to take initiative. I think our experience is coming into play this offseason. I think we are able to teach the younger guys and some of the juniors are able to teach them as well.”

Coach White said that the Rockets have a good schedule of opponents this year to acclimate the team to the playoff atmosphere.

“There’s not a game that is bigger than the other,” White said. “We just try, get ready, and play football every week.”

The Rockets ended last season with a record of 7-5 and third in the 5A District 4.

Goddard pushed their season through the semifinals of the 2021 5A New Mexico Activities Association State Football Championships, but fell against the eventual champions, the Los Lunas Tigers, with a final score of 26-21.

Sports reporter Blynn Juliano Beltran can be reached at 575-622-7710, ext. 304, or sports@rdrnews.com.

Shawn Naranjo Photo

Goddard’s Javyn Morales (2) runs through a hole courtesy of the Goddard offensive line, Aug. 27, 2021.

Shawn Naranjo Photo Hagerman defender Eli Alvidrez (58) pursues NMMI quarterback Juan Badillo (10) as he runs downfield, Sept. 10, 2021

Steve Notz Photo Goddard’s Hector Salvarrey (34) prepares to tackle Deming’s Fabian Reyna (88) during a game at the Wool Bowl, Sept. 3, 2021.

Coyotes looking for experienced juniors to step up, contribute

By Blynn Beltran Roswell Daily Record

In a 7-on-7 tournament held by New Mexico Military Institute, Jeff Lynn gathered his players for a debrief after losing against the Lovington Wildcats team.

“The ‘A’ in DAWG stands for anger,” Lynn said in his debrief.

Roswell’s program had a rough start to the season last year but despite losing their first four games, the Coyotes turned their season around to top the 5A District. Lynn, head coach of the Roswell High School football program, is looking to improve from the 2021-2022 season.

“We lost our entire defensive line: Juan Alvarez, Joseph Renteria and Jeff Irish being the guys we are going to miss the most,” Lynn said. “The thing about last year’s team is that we are really young. We started with six sophomores. We didn’t have that many seniors.”

Roswell High ended with a 5-6 record, fourth best in the 5A division, but played well enough to make it into the playoffs. This season, Lynn is looking to get past a tougher district with Mayfield High School replacing Alamogordo in the district.

“We should be all right. We returned ‘Cheeto’ Lomeli to the defensive line,” Lynn said.

“We got a bunch of kids that

will be juniors who have JV experience. They are just going to have to step it up. We have Javier Garcia, Robert Truex, Jorge Gomez, and my son Eli will roll in there some. We got some good defensive linemen, they are just not proven on the varsity level. I think eventually they’re going to be OK but there might be some growing pains there.”

Roswell High lost a few seniors on the offensive end, like their previous quarterback Richard Arreola, who graduated. Lynn said the juniors that are coming in are experienced enough to make the team better this season.

“Richard Arreola did a pretty good job for us but we got some offensive linemen returning for us, Jesus Campos, Remi Villa and Lucius Moore, those guys will anchor our offense,” Lynn said. “We got a bunch of good juniors. We have Bryce Sanchez, he was a sophomore running back who rushed 800 yards. Manny Fuentez will be our quarterback, he’s done a good job this summer, Payton Kennard, Christian Hernandez, all those guys will carry the ball for us.

“At receiver, we got Josh Estrada, Sebastian Mendoza and Manny Sigal. We should

be pretty good on offense. Again, juniors with JV experience, they have to step up.”

The Coyotes pushed their season all the way to the quarterfinals of the 2021 5A New Mexico Activities Association State Football Championships, but lost against their hometown rival, Goddard High School.

Roswell High senior Sylvester “Cheeto” Lomeli was a defensive tackle for Roswell in the 2021-2022 season, and he hopes to be a positive role model and mentor this season.

“I’m going to do all I can to make the team better and

push everyone to be their best,” Lomeli said. “I think we’ll be better this year than we were last year.”

Sports reporter Blynn Juliano Beltran can be reached at 575-622-7710, ext. 304, or sports@rdrnews.com.

David Rocha Photo

Roswell’s Bryce Sanchez (42) carries the ball around the left side of the line while Nathaniel Severence (66) leads the way against Farmington, Aug. 20, 2021.

David Rocha

Photo Roswell’s Eli Lynn (33) catches a touchdown pass against Los Lunas, Sept. 10, 2021.

David Rocha Photo Roswell defenders Miguel Cabrales (22) and Kelvin Alarcon (6) tackle Farmington quarterback Brandon Furbee (14) as he attempts to get rid of the ball, Aug. 20, 2021.

David Rocha Photo Roswell’s Adrian Anaya (3) intercepts a pass against Los Lunas, Sept. 10, 2021.

David Rocha Photo Roswell’s Sebastian Mendoza (2) sheds a Carlsbad tackler as he heads toward the end zone, Sept. 17, 2021.

Dexter Demons ready to return to their winning ways in 2022

By Blynn Beltran Roswell Daily Record

The Dexter High School football program is looking to get back into contention this season and improve on their previous record of 5-6 in the 2021-2022 season.

Head coach of Dexter football, Arturo Duran, is there to see the vision through and take Dexter to a better record.

“We lost some offensive linemen that were good athletes on both sides of the ball, offense and defense,” Duran said. “The team that is coming back this year had two years of new offense we incorporated. They are used to the offense and so I think they are going to be more knowledgeable on the offensive side. I expect the program to run smoother than last year.”

To prime the team, Duran and his players participated in competitions held by other schools, including a 7-on7 tournament held by the New Mexico Military Institute, on top of their off-season workouts.

“The kids come and work hard,” Duran said. “That’s what they learned from the athletes last year. They’ve been showing up and working hard during the offseason. We expect great things from them. Even though we are having to replace athletes as they graduate and move on to college, it’s nice to see younger athletes step in those roles to keep the program as strong as it’s been for the past couple of years.”

However, the task ahead is never easy. The 3A District has a formidable lineup of Hope Christian, Tucumcari and NMMI’s Colts.

“We’re going to be young,” Duran said. “We are going to have speed but we are young. Our main point coming into this season is going to be the offensive line. They’re going to be the

ones to carry the load for the team. I’m going to be asking a lot of them because they are composed of older athletes on the team. As long as we stay healthy, I think our football season will be good. On the defensive side, our strength is going to be the defensive line. We have great athletes that are going to help us in different situations but the main strength is going to be the defensive line.”

In the 2021-2022 season, the Demons recorded 62 completions in 132 passing attempts. Dexter’s rushing game is better than the national average, according to MaxPreps, with 2,646 rushing yards, an average of 240.5 yards per game, and 31 rushing touchdowns.

“I’m happy with the way the kids have been showing up during the offseason,

working out and lifting weights,” Duran said. “I think it’s going to pay off by the end of the season and it keeps the athletes healthy. That is the main thing about small schools is keeping the athletes healthy. If you are able to keep your athletes healthy throughout the

year, you have a good shot. So, that is the focus that we have to maintain.”

Sports reporter Blynn Juliano Beltran can be reached at 575-622-7710, ext. 304, or sports@rdrnews.com.

David Rocha Photo Dexter running back Edgar Lopez (10) carries the ball and some West Las Vegas defenders, Oct. 8, 2021.

Shawn Naranjo Photo Dexter’s Joshua Duran (7) runs through a lane opened up by his offensive line, Aug. 20, 2021.

Shawn Naranjo Photo Dexter’s Joel Venegas (21) gets the ball over the goal line for a touchdown against Santa Rosa, Aug. 20, 2021.

Shawn Naranjo Photo Dexter’s Juan Fuentes (11) rolls out looking for an open receiver against NMMI, Oct. 15, 2021.

NMMI Colts plan to build on last season’s playoff run

NMMI Sports Press

The New Mexico Military Institute Colts are coming off their best season in 17 years, which featured a District 4-3A title and a playoff victory.

For veteran head coach Randy Montoya, the challenge is to build off of that success despite losing nine seniors to graduation and several more underclassmen that transferred.

“We lost some kids after Christmas last year, lost more over the summer, but that’s par for the course,” Montoya said. “We do have some good returning talent, but there’s a big crop of new kids. Our numbers are good, we just have to figure out where all the pieces of the puzzle fit.”

Montoya hopes his experienced offensive linemen and senior quarterback Juan Badillo will be able to hold down the fort while a young group of skill players learn on the fly.

“Juanito (Badillo) is a three-year cadet, he’s been in the system for a while and I told him that his leadership will be a major factor in this where this team goes,” Montoya said. “We also have a couple linemen up front in juniors William Rosser and Gabriel Richardson. Those two guys have been a key to our success and we’ll need them more than ever.”

Last year’s squad was freshman heavy, so Montoya is excited to see how those players will progress as sophomores.

Montoya said the success of the junior college Broncos has helped make NMMI more visible to high schoolers.

“Everybody benefits from that kind of success,” he said. “We’ve had a couple kids that saw the Broncos on TV and they wanted to see what the Institute was all about and decided to attend. The Broncos really put us on the map last year.”

The Colts faced Eunice in a scrimmage on Aug. 11, less than two weeks after the team had its first practice of the year.

“Our time is very scheduled and limited around here so we try to maximize that time,” Montoya said. “A lot of public school players have been working together for months. They don’t get the weight room time I would like them to have and we don’t get to take practice late or grab a few extra reps.”

Despite the challenges, Montoya believes NMMI is a great place to learn and play.

“They get humbled real quick. There’s always a couple you don’t think will make it, but when they buy in, turn it around and then say ‘If it wasn’t for the Institute, I don’t know where I’d be’… that is satisfying,” Montoya said. “There are bigger things in life than football, but football can teach you a lot about life.”

The upcoming campaign features four home games, including the final regular-season home game against district rival Dexter. Last year, NMMI picked up its first win over the Demons since joining the district in 2018. The Demons defeated NMMI handily from 2018 to 2020, but hopefully last year’s 17-15 win down in Dexter will propel the matchup to greater local rivalry status.

Five of the first seven contests are on the road, including three in a row against McCurdy, Texico and Hagerman, as well as a trip to Albuquerque to play Hope Christian at Nusenda Community Stadium.

The season kicks off Aug. 19 against the Mescalero Apache Chiefs at Colt Field on the NMMI campus. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

NMMI Sports Press

Sophomore wideout and defensive back Cohen Tomasits takes the ball away from the Cardinals during a scrimmage on Aug. 11.

NMMI Sports Press

NMMI senior quarterback Juan Badillo extends the ball for more yardage during an Aug. 11 scrimmage against the Eunice Cardinals at Colt Field on the NMMI campus.

Shawn Naranjo Photo NMMI’s Juan Badillo (10) follows his blockers as he runs out of the backfield against the Dexter Demons, Oct. 15, 2021.

NMMI Sports Press Photo

NMMI senior wide out Norberto Valencia hauls in a pass from junior quarterback Juan Badillo for the first Colt touchdown in NMMI’s first-round Class 3A playoff win at home against Thoreau High School, Nov. 6, 2021.

NMMI Sports Press Photo

NMMI’s Juan Badillo (10) hurls a pass against Hot Springs, Sept. 17, 2021.

National champion Broncos ready to defend title

NMMI Sports Press

“The standard has been set.”

That’s the message from secondyear head coach Kurt Taufa’asau after his New Mexico Military Institute Broncos went 12-1 last season and finished the year hoisting the National Junior College Football Championship, the first in school history and the first football national title at any level for a New Mexico school.

“The expectation is to be in the top four at the end of the season and then compete for the national championship,” said Taufa’asau. “I told the guys in our first team meeting that their goals have been set from last year’s team and we’ll either meet or exceed those goals and anything short of that is considered not up to our standard.”

Maintaining excellence in junior college football isn’t easy. More than half the team must be replaced each season and with success comes more four-year schools wanting your players, but also more interest from high school recruits.

A handful of players from the 2021 team have moved on to major Division 1 programs, including running back Anthony Grant (Nebraska) and offensive lineman Tyrone Webber (Oklahoma State), but the Broncos will bring back a number of experienced men to help bridge the gap.

Among the returning players are wide receivers Terrance Moore and Malik Phillips, which should be a big help for the new quarterback yet to be determined. On the defensive side, defensive linemen Charlie Leota and Tyger Faavi are back, as well as linebacker Champ Jenkins, who had strong interest from Central Florida.

“We have a young, inexperienced team overall, but I think we also have

the pieces in place to make a run,” said Taufa’asau. “I think we’ve done a good job replacing the guys we lost up front on the offensive line. We’ve recruited well.”

Among the new recruits is former Volcano Vista linebacker Tyler Martinez, who chose NMMI over preferred walk-on spots at the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State.

“Martinez is a freshman to keep an eye on,” said Taufa’asau. “I think he can turn into something special.”

As usual, the competition will be stiff in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference, made up of mostly east Texas schools and one in the furthest corner of Oklahoma.

“This conference is real,” said Taufa’asau. “There are no weeks off. You can get beat by anyone. And we have to bring our A-game each and

every week. We have a target on our backs now. Every game is like the national championship for the other teams playing us. They want to beat a champion.”

When asked what he thinks the toughest game on the schedule will be, Taufa’asau responded with the same strategy he employed going into his first season as a head coach; one day at a time.

“Our focus is the Papago Pumas from Arizona and then we’ll think about the next team,” he said. “We have to stay locked in and focused on the mission, and the mission is to be 1-0 everyday, whether it’s a workout, practice, in the classroom or on game day. Be 1-0. Win that day.”

The Broncos recently finished a grueling two-week camp and have held an intra-squad scrimmage, but the first

live action against an opposing squad comes Aug. 20 when the team travels to El Paso for the unique opportunity to scrimmage against a school from Mexico, Monterrey Tech, a storied program in its home country.

The regular season begins Aug. 27 when the Broncos host the Pumas at the Wool Bowl. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m.

NMMI Sports Press note:

Last year’s title team featured 21 players from New Mexico, including four from Roswell. The 2022 squad boasts 18 from the Land of Enchantment, including two-time state champion Dominic Nava (Roswell High) and former Goddard stand-out Diego Nunez.

NMMI Sports Press

NMMI wide receiver Terrance Moore (25) looks for an open running lane during a SWJCFC game against Trinity Valley at the Wool Bowl last year.

David Rocha

Photo

NMMI’s Diego Pavia (2) rolls out of the pocket against Northwest Mississippi Community College in their postseason semifinal contest, Dec. 5, 2021.

David Rocha Photo

NMMI’s Terrance Moore (25) runs with the ball during the Broncos’ postseason semifinal contest against Northwest Mississippi Community College at the Wool Bowl, Dec. 5, 2021.

NMMI Sports Press Photo

NMMI sophomore quarterback Diego Pavia (2) scrambles to get away from the pass rush against Trinity Valley Community College at the Wool Bowl, Nov. 6, 2021.

Senior-laden roster has Artesia Bulldogs poised for strong 2022

By Blynn Beltran Roswell Daily Record

Artesia High School’s football program is no stranger to winning.

Last season, Artesia had the best record in the 5A District 4 and came in as the runner-up in the 2021 5A New Mexico Activities Association Football Championships, losing to the 13-0 Los Lunas program.

The Bulldogs, in the 2021-2022 season, had 107 completions in 200 attempts, rushed for 988 yards and 1,440 receiving yards.

Artesia Bulldog football coach Jeremy Maupin is working hard to get his boys reps before the season. Maupin had signed up his Artesia varsity and junior varsity players in tournaments around their area.

“It’s been a fast summer, a good summer, but a fast one,” Maupin said. “We like what we saw. Our linemen competed well in the NMMI tournament. A lot of our younger groups did well. Our varsity ended up losing in the championship game. The next Friday, we went to Portales and were excited about how we played there. More teams were there than at the NMMI tournament, but our varsity won the 7-on-7. Our linemen won the linemen challenge. Our junior varsity won the

JV tournament and our first-year students lost in the semifinals.”

The Bulldogs attended two 7-on-7 programs, including a tournament held in Ruidoso, where they faced Centennial High School and Ruidoso High School. Artesia participated in summer workout programs at the end of July.

“We just focused on ourselves,” Maupin said. “Every day we had practice. We just really wanted to get bet-

ter, and the kids did that. I’m excited about where we are, and I believe we got a lot of work to do to be the team we want to be. We’ll be playing Carlsbad here in Artesia in a few weeks, so we’ve got a lot to do.”

If there is any time that Artesia will take the blue trophy, it is now. With a roster of 36 seniors and “a heavy junior presence,” Artesia is poised to take the state championship home this season.

“We are unique in that we don’t play guys both ways, and so we try to find positions for everybody to play,” Maupin said. “We will have a full sideline and over a hundred guys from 10th through 12th grade. So we are excited about where we are with our numbers.”

Sports reporter Blynn Juliano Beltran can be reached at 575-622-7710, ext. 304, or sports@rdrnews.com.

David Rocha Photo

Artesia quarterback Nate Taylor (17) puts a stiff arm on a Los Lunas defender, Nov. 27, 2021.

David Rocha

Photo Artesia receiver Peyton Greathouse (80) attempts to get open between two Los Lunas defenders during the Class 5A state title game, Nov. 27, 2021.

David Rocha Photo

Artesia’s Jesse Armendariz (86) makes a one-handed interception during a Class 5A quarterfinal game against Mayfield, Nov. 13, 2021.

David Rocha Photo Artesia’s Jake Barrera (24) looks for a hole during a playoff game against Mayfield, Nov. 13, 2021.

David Rocha Photo

Artesia teammates Julian Rodriguez (14) and Nate Taylor (17) celebrate after a second half touchdown against Farmington, Nov. 20, 2021.

James McClelland, AAMS®

Financial Advisor

2602 N Main Roswell, NM 88201

Bus. 575-627-2123 TF 866-627-2123

Fax 877-437-0179

www.edwardjones.com/james-mcclelland

California Insurance License OC24309

Good Luck to all area teams.

NMMI Sports Press Photo

NMMI quarterback Juan Badillo looks for an open receiver against Hope Christian, Oct. 22, 2021.

David Rocha Photo

NMMI defensive lineman Christian Sunu’i (98) recovers a loose ball in the end zone for a touchdown against Papago Junior College, Sept. 4, 2021.

Wigley emphasizes work, preparation as keys to success

By Blynn Beltran Roswell Daily Record

Gateway Christian School is no stranger to winning ballgames and the hard work that goes into that is something Warriors Football Head Coach Shaun Wigley emphasizes.

“Every season is different and every team is different because the pieces always change in high school,” Wigley said. “Some years you have more talent but you got to have something in place. The process has to be the same for everyone. There is no recipe for every player but there has to be an overall structure on how to go from A to Z. Obviously, if you start with a win that’s always nice, but we can come out some years and lose a couple of games. Some years we’d come out strong and fall short at the end.”

Wigley believes that winning is just a byproduct of work and preparation.

“If you blink at any point in the process, you typically don’t finish where your goal is. That’s for everyone. We are all going for state,” Wigley said. “I just believe in the continuation of the process.”

Gateway was first in their district last year with a 10-0 record. The Warriors had a great offensive season with 77 total touchdowns with 98 completions and 1,826 rushing yards.

Defensively, the Warriors had 386 total tackles, 3.4 sacks a game, and eight interceptions.

“I do believe that you can continue to prepare the same way you did the previous season,” Wigley said. “The same process that those kids went through last year is the same process that these kids are gonna go through this year. They got to answer ‘yes’ when the going is hard, they got to show up, they got to be coachable. They’ve got to do the stuff that nobody wants to do,

and they got to be there when nobody is watching.

“If you prepare the same way, more often than not, the winning is the byproduct of the preparation, not just something you hope to continue.”

A few seniors are making their return to the lineup and coach Wigley said their experience and leadership are essential to what they are trying to accomplish next season.

“This class is looking good so far,” Wigley said. “I think our leadership is sound. We are definitely more seasoned and more mature last season. This year, we have a sprinkling of seniors, one junior, two or three sophomores, a few freshmen, and some eighth-graders. The disparity in mentality between a senior and eighthgrader is quite a bit, so you have to learn how to coach where they are at and see how far you can get them in the season.”

Sports reporter Blynn Juliano Beltran can be reached at 575-622-7710, ext. 304, or sports@rdrnews.com.

David Rocha Photo

The Gateway defense goes after a loose ball during the 6-man state championship game against Ramah, Nov. 6, 2021.

Steve Notz Photo

Gateway quarterback Hurley Breedyk (1) runs the ball against Clovis Christian, Oct. 8, 2021.

David Rocha Photo

Gateway’s Hayden Wigley (5) scores a touchdown during the state championship game against Ramah, Nov. 6, 2021

Shawn Naranjo Photo Gateway’s Ethaniel Wigley (21) runs the ball in open space against Ramah during homecoming, Oct. 1, 2021.

Steve Notz Photo Gateway’s Barton Pieratt (30) chases after a Clovis Christian player, Oct. 8, 2021.

New coach Lopez plans to build on Bobcats’ tradition

By Blynn Beltran Roswell Daily Record

Hagerman High School is going through a transition period in its football program. Due to the departure of former coach Guy Rivers, Hagerman hired Clovis High School graduate Paul Lopez.

Lopez is a family man with four children and has been married to his wife Nichole for 19 years. Lopez was part of the 1994 Clovis High School team that won the state football championship against Goddard.

“I played two state championships there, both against Goddard. We lost my junior year,” Lopez said. “My senior year, we came to the Wool Bowl and beat Goddard in 1994.”

In college, Lopez went to New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas on a scholarship where he helped win the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championship in his senior year in 1999, according to a press release by the Hagerman Municipal Schools.

Lopez coached football in West Last Vegas in 2001 while finishing his degree at Highlands. After college, Lopez went from high school to high school throughout New Mexico, teaching the game of football.

“In 2002, I got my teachers’ license and got hired over at Hatch High School,” Lopez said. “I stayed there one year. My brother got the coaching job at Rio Rancho High School, so from 2003 to 2007 I stayed at Rio Rancho coaching the wide receivers as the passing coordinator. From there, I went to Carlsbad High School as the running-back coach starting 2007 until 2010. Then I went to Clovis from 2010 to 2012. I moved around a lot.”

Besides high school, coach Lopez coached and managed semi-pro football teams the Curry County Cats in

Clovis, from 2013 to 2016, and New Mexico Rush in Carlsbad, all while living in Artesia.

Lopez and his family moved back to Clovis during the COVID era in 2020 to 2021. He coached football and track in the spring.

“Things started opening up and my wife’s business is booming in Artesia. She was driving back and forth from Clovis to Artesia,” Lopez said. “We prayed about it and decided to come back to Artesia. My kids went to school there for six years. So, my son finished out his senior year there, broke some records. He led the team in receptions, touchdowns and yards. He got a scholarship to go play at New Mexico Military Institute.”

During the time of the interview, Lopez was still getting acclimated to his new position at Hagerman. He said that he is not trying to re-invent the foundation that is already built in the program.

“Offensively, I want to get the ball into other people’s hands more than just one guy. We want to really spread it out and just have fun, throw the ball around, and score some touchdowns. We are going to bring some excitement, bring that Friday night lights, and get the crowd involved,” Lopez said. “Defensively, we are going to keep it about the same as coach Rivers. I don’t know him personally but he

played some football with my brother in Clovis. We know the same Clovis defense, we got a lot of the same calls, so a lot of that is going to be pretty similar. We’ll do some different things for sure, but mostly it’s going to look the same.”

Sports reporter Blynn Juliano Beltran can be reached at 575-622-7710, ext. 304, or sports@rdrnews.com.

Shawn Naranjo Photo Hagerman’s Jonah Bejarano (19) runs in for a touchdown against Loving, Oct. 8, 2021.

Shawn Naranjo

Photo Hagerman’s Abel Alvidrez (20) fields a kickoff against Jal, Oct. 22, 2021.

Shawn Naranjo Photo Hagerman’s Eric Vargas (12) looks for open field against NMMI, Sept. 10, 2021.

Shawn Naranjo Photo Hagerman’s Dorian Galvan (22) returns a punt against Loving, Oct. 8, 2021.

Aug 19 at Santa Teresa, 7 p.m.

Aug 26 vs Carlsbad, 7 p.m.

Sep 2 at Deming, 7 p.m.

Sep 9 vs Miyamura, 7 p.m.

Sep 16 at Piedra Vista, 7 p.m.

Sep 23 vs Gadsden, 7 p.m.

Sep 30 at Belen, 7 p.m.

Oct 14 vs Mayfield, 7 p.m.

Oct 21 vs Artesia, 7 p.m.

Oct 28 at Roswell, 7 p.m.

Aug 19 vs Lovington, 7 p.m.

Aug 26 at Santa Fe, 7 p.m.

Sep 2 vs Hobbs, 7 p.m.

Sep 9 at Los Lunas, 7 p.m.

Sep 16 vs Carlsbad, 7 p.m.

Sep 23 at Clovis, 7 p.m.

Sep 30 vs Piedra Vista, 7 p.m.

Oct 14 at Artesia, 7 p.m.

Oct 21 at Mayfield, 7 p.m.

Oct 28 vs Goddard, 7 p.m.

Aug 19 vs Carlsbad, 7 p.m.

Aug 26 at Hobbs, 7 p.m.

Sep 2 vs Belen, 7 p.m.

Sep 9 vs Deming, 7 p.m.

Sep 16 at Cleveland, 7 p.m.

Sep 23 at Lovington, 7 p.m.

Sep 30 vs Santa Teresa, 7 p.m.

Oct 14 vs Roswell, 7 p.m.

Oct 21 at Goddard, 7 p.m.

Oct 29 at Mayfield, 1 p.m.

Aug 19 at Santa Rosa, 7 p.m.

Aug 25 at West Las Vegas, 6 p.m.

Sep 2 vs Hagerman, 7 p.m.

Sep 9 vs Jal, 7 p.m.

Sep 16 vs Eunice, 7 p.m.

Sep 24 vs Cobre, 1 p.m.

Oct 7 at Hope Christian, 7 p.m.

Oct 14 at NMMI, 7 p.m.

Oct 21 vs Tucumcari, 7 p.m.

Oct 28 vs Ruidoso, 7 p.m.

Aug 19 vs Capitan, 7 p.m.

Aug 26 vs Mescalero Apache, 7 p.m.

Sep 2 at Dexter, 7 p.m.

Sep 9 vs NMMI, 7 p.m.

Sep 16 vs Estancia, 7 p.m.

Sep 23 at Santa Rosa, 7 p.m.

Sep 30 at Eunice, 7 p.m.

Oct 7 vs Texico, 7 p.m.

Oct 21 at Jal, 7 p.m.

Oct 28 vs Loving, 7 p.m.

Aug 19 vs Ramah, 7 p.m.

Aug 26 vs Carrizozo, 7 p.m.

Sep 2 at Ramah, 7 p.m.

Sep 9 vs Grady, 7 p.m.

Sep 16 vs Elida, 7 p.m.

Sep 30 vs Floyd, 7 p.m.

Oct 14 at Roy/Mosquero, 7 p.m.

Oct 21 at Dora, 7 p.m.

McWilliams Agent Stephanie Amaro Hablo Español

Aug 19 vs Mescalero Apache, 7 p.m.

Aug 27 at McCurdy, 1 p.m.

Sep 2 at Texico, 7 p.m.

Sep 9 at Hagerman, 7 p.m.

Sep 16 vs Hot Springs, 7 p.m.

Sep 23 at Loving, 7 p.m.

Oct 1 at Hope Christian, 1 p.m.

Oct 7 vs Ruidoso, 7 p.m.

Oct 14 vs Dexter, 7 p.m.

Oct 28 at Tucumcari, 7 p.m.

Aug 27 vs Papago JC, 4 p.m.

Sept 3 vs Snow College, 4 p.m.

Sept 10 vs Navarro College, 4 p.m.

Sept 17 at Kilgore College, 2 p.m.

Sept 24 vs Blinn College, 4 p.m.

Oct 8 at Tyler JC, 1 p.m.

Oct 15 at Cisco College, 1 p.m.

Oct 22 vs Northeastern Oklahoma

A&M, 2 p.m.

Oct 29 at Trinity Valley CC, 12 p.m.

Nov 5 vs RPA College, 2 p.m.

Chaves County Prep Football Schedule

Lake Arthur (incomplete schedule)

Oct 14 vs Jemez Valley, 4 p.m., at Vaughn

Information courtesy of MaxPreps, RISD and NMMI | Schedule is subject to change without notice | All times local

Lic# 389799