As the countdown to kickoff begins, NMPreps.com launches its annual New Mexico High School Football Preseason Rankings, unveiling every team in the state from No. 89 to No. 1. All summer long, we’ll deliver the most in-depth team previews, player spotlights, and district breakdowns across Classes 6A to 2A, setting the stage for the 2025 season.
No. 78 Laguna-Acoma Hawks
Head Coach: Alfred Herrera
2024 Record: 4-6 overall, 2-3 District 1-2A
Classification: 2A (District 1-2A)
Points For: 269
Points Against: 283
2024 Final Ranking: No. 79 overall (6A–2A), No. 12 in 2A
2025 Preseason Ranking: No. 78 overall, No. 13 in 2A
Playoff Result: 2A First Round – Lost to No. 5 seed Eunice 56-6
2024 Review
The Laguna-Acoma Hawks took another step forward in 2024, snapping a run of back-to-back 3-7 seasons and reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2016. After finishing 4-6 overall and 2-3 in District 1-2A, the Hawks earned the No. 12 seed in the Class 2A playoffs but were eliminated in the first round by a dominant Eunice squad. Still, the season marked progress for a program that had not finished at or above .500 since its 6-5 campaign in 2016. The 2024 wins came against Zuni (48-18), Santa Fe Indian (52-0), Newcomb (30-14), and Hozho Academy (53-13). The losses were more competitive than in past years, though they included lopsided setbacks to Legacy Academy, Bayfield (CO), and Eunice. District losses to Navajo Prep, McCurdy, and Cuba revealed that the Hawks are still chasing the elite tier in 2A, but they remain in the mix.
2025 Overview
The 2025 season presents a chance for head coach Alfred Herrera and his program to build on last year’s playoff appearance. The schedule remains the same as part of the two-year block, and it begins with a challenge against Legacy Academy, followed by winnable games against Zuni and Santa Fe Indian (3A), just as in 2024. A matchup with Hatch Valley will test their depth before the district grind begins. The Hawks open district play with Navajo Prep and McCurdy, both of whom defeated them last season, followed by a home game against Newcomb and road trips to Hozho Academy and Cuba. If Laguna-Acoma can stay competitive in the early district matchups, they could position themselves to earn another postseason bid and potentially reach the .500 mark for the first time in nearly a decade.
