Las Cruces, New Mexico - In his first year as Head Coach of Las Cruces High School, Mark Lopez is taking the Bulldawgs (11-1) to the State Football Championship Game next weekend. Lopez was named the Head Football Coach before the 2016 season after longtime Head Coach Jim Miller announced his retirement.

Read: Las Cruces blows out Cleveland 45-7 in Semifinals | Playoff Scores

Friday Night the Bulldawgs rolled past Cleveland 45-7 to advance to the 2016 6A State Championship game where they will play the winner of Manzano and Rio Rancho, that game takes place today at 1PM. Lopez was an assistant at Las Cruces under former Head Coach Jim Miller for 18 seasons, in those 18 seasons, the Bulldawgs won 6 state football titles in 1999, 2000, 2002, 2008, 2012, and in 2013.

Prior to the 2016 season former Las Cruces Head Football Coach Jim Miller had this to say about Lopez, "Mark will do an outstanding job. He's been with me 18-years and now it is his time. He brings a lot to the table as a Head Coach and loyalty heads that list. Expect Las Cruces High to continue to be a power house football program under Lopez."

Las Cruces enters the 6A state title game riding a 9 game winning streak and has outscored opponents in 12 games by a combined score of 464-215. The Bulldawgs last reached the state championship game in 2013 when they defeated the Mayfield Trojans 27-26.