What: New Mexico High School Coaches Association Class 5A/6A All Star Football Game;
When: Tuesday, July 25, 7:00 p.m.;
Where: Nusenda Community Stadium, Albuquerque, NM;
TV: ProView Networks
With the premature conclusion of June’s Class 3A/4A All Star Game still engrained in the memories of coaches and administrators, an emphasis on sportsmanship and good behavior surrounds tonight’s Class 5A/6A All Star Football Game at Nusenda Community Stadium.
The message North coach Ron McMath of West Mesa delivered to his players following Tuesday morning’s final walk-through at the stadium was unmistakable and unambiguous – behave yourselves and have fun.
“There is an emphasis on playing with class out here and representing well the North as well as their school, their coaches and their family,” McMath told NMPreps. “I don’t expect to have any problems. They have been respectful all week and I don’t think we’re going to have any of the problems they had in the other game.”
McMath and South coach San Juan Mendoza worked out their teams and finalized details for about an hour each on Tuesday, the last of a half dozen or so practices for both teams over the last five days.
Not looking to run overly complicated schemes on either side of the ball, McMath was faithful to the K.I.S.S. system throughout the five days of preparations.
“We only got six practices, so you have to schedule your time really well,” McMath said. “The great thing is these kids learn fast. We try to keep it simple. We’re not running a lot of stuff so when we get out here in the game we can play fast and not worry about schemes.”
The week-long stint afforded Mendoza, who guided St. Pius X to the Class 5A state championship last fall before announcing his retirement, an opportunity to reunite with several of his graduated players, including dynamic quarterback Drew Ortiz.
“It’s been great being able to coach all these kids,” Mendoza told NMPreps. “All of them come from outstanding programs and they are great young men. It’s been a fun week. It’s tough (preparing for a game in five days), but these guys are great athletes and they know the game very well. They picked things up quick. Of course, we simplified things because you can’t get too fancy in these type of games or there will be a lot of missed assignments.”
Mendoza gladly accepted the assignment of coaching the South team in tonight’s all-star game when he was approached about it a few months ago.
“I was asked to do it and this is a special game,” Mendoza said. “I wanted to coach the (St. Pius X) players that were selected, but also coach these other great young men too. It was no-brainer. I definitely wanted to come back and do this and bring our staff along.”
Spurning offers from three in-state Division II schools (Eastern New Mexico, Western New Mexico, New Mexico Highlands), Ortiz will walk on at UTEP, but as a non-scholarship true freshman he is not listed on the school’s current 105-man roster and therefore ineligible to begin practicing with the Miners until the start of classes in a few weeks.
Regardless, Ortiz’s dream of someday earning the starting quarterback job at UTEP is alive and well even though he lacks the height (he is listed at 5-foot-10) most FBS coaches covet in their signal callers.
“I’m going there with nothing being given to me, so hopefully I can make something out of it,” Ortiz told NMPreps. “College is where the best of the best play. So, if I’m the best, then I would have proved everybody wrong. If I’m not the best, then maybe not getting any Division I offers was right. I can accept that because at least I tried to make my goal come true.”
Ortiz, who accounted for 60 touchdowns last season for the Sartans, originally signed with NAIA school Olivet Nazarene University in Chicago, but was granted his release when the opportunity to be a preferred walk-on at UTEP arose.
In the meantime, as a reward for being one of the best senior quarterbacks in the state of New Mexico last season, Ortiz has been given the chance to play one more game at the high school level and he intends to make the most of it.
“It’s crazy to think that this is my final high school game,” Ortiz said. “It’s very exciting. I’m happy to be playing with my team. I love these guys. They are super cool. It means a lot to me. We’re all super competitive and want to win the game, but we want to have fun too. I think both teams are ready to play.”
The North team will be quarterbacked by former Rio Rancho standout Nic Little, who joins the Eastern New Mexico program in early August in time for the start of preseason camp.”
“It hasn’t been easy running an entirely new offense, but at the same time this has been a lot of fun being out here with the team,” Little told NMPreps.
Little, one of five Rio Rancho players to sign with the Greyhounds in February, was given a scholarship by ENMU with the expectation he would play quarterback, and that is his preferred position at the outset of his career.
“They told me playing quarterback was why I got my scholarship,” Little said. “They want me to go there and try to do what I did last season (for Rio Rancho) and bring it to the college level. I believe I’m capable of doing that at the college level. All I need is a shot.”
Little is joined in the North backfield by former Rams running back Josh Foley, the 2016 Gatorade Player of the Year in New Mexico. He signed with New Mexico State in February.
Little and Foley helped lead Rio Rancho to the Class 6A state title last December, capping a perfect 13-0 season with a championship-clinching home victory over Las Cruces.
“It was great ending the season how we did,” Little said. “But now I’m moving on the next stage in life. Playing college football is the next hard grind. It’s the next step.”
McMath estimated about one-half of the players on his North team have signed to play at the college level, nine at Eastern New Mexico.
“Being able to coach that kind of talent has really been a joy for us,” McMath said. “The kids are very respectful and very coachable. They do what we ask them to do.”
