Rio Rancho Powers Collide This Friday Night, No. 1 vs. No. 2

Friday Night at Cleveland High School in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, No. 1 Rio Rancho will take on No. 2 ranked Cleveland. Each high school football team is 6-0 on the season, the game is hands down the biggest high school football game between the two programs, ever.

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Game Details

No. 1 Rio Rancho 6-0 @ No. 2 Cleveland 6-0

Friday Night, October 7th, 7PM

Venue: Lightning Rod Stadium, Rio Rancho, New Mexico (Cleveland High School)

Subscriber Poll Prediction: 68% believe Rio Rancho will win

Cleveland led by Head Coach Heath Ridenour a Lovington graduate has his team riding an impressive 19 game winning streak after winning the 2015 6A title going 13-0.

Cleveland's last loss was against Cibola in 2014 during the first round of the 6A playoffs with the Storm losing to Cibola 42-28.

That same year, Rio Rancho won the 6A state football championship going a perfect 13-0 beating Mayfield 33-31 in the finals. New Mexico has had two 6A state football champions, both come from Rio Rancho, New Mexico.

The Rio Rancho Rams under Head Coach Davis Howes a Cibola grad are 6-0 and ranked No. 1 in the latest NMPreps.com Fab 50 Rankings Powered by the Tate Branch Auto Group. They have outscored their first six opponents 262-58, last Friday Night they beat Sandia 49-0.

Other marquee victories of note: They beat Mayfield 34-7 in week 1, beat Americas who is 4-1 this year 31-7, beat Clovis 46-7, beat Onate 38-10, and beat Manzano 64-27.

The Rams have an outstanding defense this year allowing just 9.6 points per game and their offense is explosive scoring 43.6 points per game. NMPreps.com Mr. Football Candidate Josh Foley who is a senior running back at Rio Rancho has rushed fro 82 carries for 896-yards and scored 11-touchdowns.

For The Cleveland Storm big offense has been a key to their success. Under first year Quarterback Angelo Trujillo The Storm are averaging 41.9 points per game, their defense however is allowing 29.0 points per game and the team has been in several close games already this year.

They beat Onate 24-14 in a game that was close throughout, beat La Cueva 38-37, beat Las Cruces 49-41, beat Centennial 49-33, beat Artesia in the Bulldog Bowl 42-28, and beat up on Atrisco Heritage last week 49-21. Trujillo is 54 of 84 passing for 818-yards with 5 touchdowns and has also rushed for 383-yards and 3 additional touchdowns.

Nic Little - QB - 68 of 109 passing (62%) for 926-yards and 13 touchdowns, also rushed for 369-yards

Josh Foley - RB - 82 carries for 896-yards and 11 touchdowns, 12 receptions for 210-yards and 3 scores, 1 interception for 101-yard touchdown, Offers from: West Texas A&M, New Mexico Highlands, Western, Eastern New Mexico, and CSU Pueblo

Derrick Reyes - WR - 31 receptions for 366-yards and 4 touchdowns

Austin Hise - WR - 17 receptions for 285-yards and 4 touchdowns

Dakota Carrasco - WR - Offered by Colorado Mesa

Cailon Bailon - LB - 44 total tackles, 2.5 sacks

Vicent Palmeri - LB - 40 total tackles

Ashton Klovenas - LB - 37 total tackles, 5 quarterback sacks

Elijah Goodwin - DL - 27 total tackles, Offer from CSU Pueblo

Kevin McCracken -DL - 31 total tackles

Zach Dodd - DB - 3 interceptions

Haven Corsey - DB - Offer from Colorado School of Mines

Logan Hertz - OL - 6-6, 260, Offers from: Montana, Western State Colorado University, Colorado Mesa, and Eastern New Mexico

Evan Tafoya - OL - 6-4, 285 pounds

Corey Perez - OL - 5-8, 245 pounds

Angelo Trujillo - QB - 54 of 84 passing (64%) for 818-yards and 5 touchdowns, also rushed for 383-yards and 2 scores

Niko Papadopoulos - RB - 91 carries for 514-yards and 11 touchdowns

Shawn Nieto - RB - 49 carries for 320-yards and 8 touchdowns

Adam Cook - TE - 16 receptions for 305-yards and 1 touchdown, Offers from: Eastern New Mexico, NAU

Daniel Johnson - WR - 8 receptions for 221-yards and 4 touchdowns

Tyrique Weaver - WR - 10 receptions for 103-yards

Isaac Jaramillo - LB - 44 total tackles, 4.0 sacks

Caleb Kester - S - 34 total tackles

Isaac Torres - LB - 31 total tackles

Brenden Armstead - DL - 27 total tackles

Sean Davis - DL - 22 total tackles

Ben Selph - DB - 2 interceptions

Hayden Wilson - OL - 6-6, 271, Offers from UTEP, Eastern, and West Texas A&M

Daimon Altamirano - OL - 6-5, 285, Offer from Eastern New Mexico

Cleveland leads series 5-3

2015 - Cleveland 44, Rio Rancho 14

2014 - Rio Rancho 24, Cleveland 22

2013 - Cleveland 28, Rio Rancho 14

2012 - Rio Rancho 35, Cleveland 0

2011 - Cleveland 34, Rio Rancho 32

2011 - Cleveland 42, Rio Rancho 28 (5A Semifinals)

2010 - Cleveland 27, Rio Rancho 7

2009 - Rio Rancho 50, Cleveland 19

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By @clevfootball101

If Cleveland wins where does that put Rio in the state rankings? If Rio wins does that drop Cleveland or would they remain at 2?

By Hoopsta44

After Cleveland wins they will be #1 and Rio Rancho will be #2 as it should be as of now. Not sure why everyone felt Rio Rancho should be ahead of Cleveland since no one has beaten the Storm since '14! If I remember right last time Cleveland played Rio they chewed them up and spit them out! I've always felt if a team is #1 someone needs to beat them to knock them off the top spot and regardless of all the experts out there, NOBODY HAS!

By Amontoya8811

Rio is #1 because what they are doing to teams THIS YEAR. Teams can talk about last year and the last time all they want. All that matters is this year. Rio is beating teams handedly. Their schedule hasn't been easy either. I think all but 1 maybe 2 of the teams they played were top 10 at the time they played them. The defense has only allowed 45 points. They have held great rushing teams to negative rushing yards... they are clearly the number 1 team this year!

By Lebron Gallegos

Still a bunch of football to be played. There are some schools from Las Cruces that are capable of beating anyone on a given night. I also think Volcano Vista is capable of beating anyone on a given night. I think the Rams are a clear # 1 this season until someone beats them. Too much roster turnover to automatically say that the state champ from last year should be number 1 just because they have not lost this year. Doesn't really matter who's number 1 until the last game is played.

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