Top 50 Countdown: Rankings 6-10
About The Tour: During the months of June, July, and August NMPreps.com's Publisher Kyle Henderson will travel the state to preview over 40 high school football programs on their home campus. Hendo's Summer Tour Home Here
Over the next few weeks we'll be releasing our summer New Mexico High School Football Rankings. The Rankings are based off incoming seniors, rising juniors and sophomores, and losses to graduation.
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Really like what I saw at La Cueva today and in my early assessment of Sandia, Eldorado, and now La Cueva the Bears have the most complete team of the three. The second year under Brandon Back should be a good one, but they will be tested early with a monster game against Atrisco Heritage followed by a match up against Las Cruces in week two. They have plenty of depth at the skill positions, but like their district 2-6A rivals they don't have too many big men in the trenches if guys are to get banged up along the way. Winning 6-7 games this year is not out of the question, I think we'll start to see this team's true colors on September 18th against Cibola. Click Here For A Complete Team Preview of the La Cueva Bears
8
6A
Head Coach: Eric Roanhaus
Clovis started out the 2013 season 1-4, then turned it up as they always do reaching the playoffs with a 5-5 record after splitting with Carlsbad and Hobbs in district. In the playoffs they topped Volcano Vista 47-21 before losing to Valley in the quarterfinals 55-28. Graduating guys like Kamal Cass, Dakota Yandell, Peyton Lott, and Pedro Acuna will create big voids, but it's not like Clovis has not graduated big time talent before. This year, the Wildcats will be led by three year starter Kaine Bender in the secondary, Roland Chavez at TE who is a 6-foot-3, 190 prospect, and Tucker Dobbs at 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds. New quarterback for this season is Daulton Hatley. As usual the Wildcats have an A+ schedule kicking off the season Saturday night at the Wool Bowl against Goddard. Expect the Wildcats to do what they do.
9
6A
Head Coach: Ron Arrington
This is the group that Carlsbad has been waiting for. Over the last two seasons most of these incoming seniors have seen PT and are impact players with a great level of experience. Last the Cavemen went 6-5 losing to Rio Rancho 41-38 in a thrilling playoffs shootout. This year, Carlsbad returns some big time talent on both sides of the football. Kaleb Stevens will take over at quarterback and he'll have some A+ targets to get the ball too with guys like Shakur Smith, Travis Kessler, and Trevin Ramirez returning. On the defensive side, watch for Fernando Gonzalez to step it up along with Tim Gonzales at the backer positions. Aaron Kirkes and Jared Valdez will anchor the trenches. The Cavemen certainly have enough talent to win the district this year.
10
6A
Head Coach: Kevin Barker
I think they'll take a step back from last season when they won 9-games, but they will still have enough talent to make a run for another district title. Sandia has not won back to back district titles since the 80's. What they lack in talent they'll make up for with weight room effort as they go hard year round and it shows. A lot of thier offensive success will depend on new linemen and they'll be tested early against Volcano and Atrisco Heritage. I don't think they'll score too many points and I don't think they'll allow too many either as their defense should be good with their quality of backers they have returning. In the end Sandia is still a top program in the Metro and in my prediction will be playoff bound. Click Here For A Complete Team Preview of the La Cueva Bears
Kyle Henderson is the New Mexico recruiting director for NMPreps.com. You can click here to follow him on Twitter.