Ever since they abandoned the “North/South” format, the All-Star games have done nothing but make answering the official question of the State of New Mexico that much more difficult. [Las Cruces Digest picks… (see answer, below)]
Source: New Mexico High School Coaches Association
Cover Photo Courtesy Artesia Public Schools
In case you didn’t know, Artesia is ground zero for New Mexico high school football. The Artesia Bulldogs finished this season runners-up in Class 5A, falling to perennial rival Roswell in the championship game just down the road. Fortunately for a handful of Artesia players, they will have one more opportunity to step onto field at the Bulldog Bowl for the New Mexico High School Coaches Association (NMHSCA) All-Star Game… Red vs. Green.
Joining them will be 17 local student athletes from five different schools.
Centennial High School Hawks
Las Cruces High School Bulldawgs
Gadsden High School Panthers
Mayfield High School Trojans
[Please Note: The NMHCA website still lists 3 pm on December 7th for the start time for the Large School game.]
We are so proud to announce that Luke has been selected as an All-Star athlete to play on the Green Team in the Red vs. Green All-Star Game this Saturday, December 7th, at the Bulldog Bowl in Artesia! (Courtesy Mayfield Trojan Football via Facebook)
Mesilla Valley Christian School SonBlazers
- Davis Coyle (DE/Outside Linebacker), Red (Small School)
- Jude Herrera (At Large Defense), Red (Small School)
How do the locals match up?
The coaches have managed to spread our local talent among the two teams, making it particularly difficult to pick a color. The picks made below are simply observations that Las Cruces Digest is excited to see played out on the field, and while there will be a score at the end of the game, we would like to acknowledge that all of these student athletes have proven themselves winners merely by their selection. Congratulations!
Red Offense versus Green Defense
(Large School)
Red Offense
- Rudy Rios (Runningback), Centennial
- Sultan Arenas (Center), Centennial
- Rylee Mendez (Offensive Line), Las Cruces
- Nathan Libby (Receiver), Las Cruces
Green Defense
- Abel Gonzalez (Defensive Line), Centennial
- Omar Terrones (Secondary), Centennial
Focusing on local talent, the Red Offense is more stacked with local talent than the Green Defense; however, the Centennial defensive line has been the most underestimated factor in high school football all season. It is rare for those in the trenches to be recognized, but if you have the opportunity to re-watch Centennial’s games on LCPS TV, you will be a clinic on how defensive lines can create havoc on the opposition. Abel Gonzalez is the only member of the Hawk defensive front selected for this year’s All-Star game, and Las Cruces Digest has a hard time looking over what we’ve witnessed all season. To boot, added to the Green Defense is a smattering of players from Roswell and Artesia. Las Cruces Digest Picks: Green Defense
Green Offense versus Red Defense
(Large School)
Green Offense
- Zaiden Davis (Quarterback), Centennial
- Alfredo Andrade (Runningback), Gadsden
- Josh Quintero (Center), Las Cruces
- Cruz Seguro (Offensive Line), Centennial
- Joaquin Wofford (Offensive Line), Las Cruces
- Jordan Lucas (Slot), Centennial
- Luke Linnan (At-Large), Mayfield
Red Defense
- Brenden Franco (Defensive Line), Las Cruces
- Dalin Walker (Inside Linebacker), Las Cruces
The Green Offense is the closest thing to a “South Team” we’ve seen in a very long time. Centennial QB Zaiden Davis has fellow Hawk at Slot Receiver (Jordan Lucas); this is dangerous to defenses. Add Gadsden RB Andrade to the backfield and two Bulldawg offensive linemen (including Center Josh Quintero), and the Green Team is looking more like a “Dream Team” . Las Cruces High School has built a strong tradition of having and exceptional O-line, and having two of them on the line with this backfield will be something worth the drive to Artesia to watch. Las Cruces Digest Picks: Green Offense
Red vs. Green
(Small School)
The Red Team is stacked with SonBlazers Coyle and Herrera. While they hail from an 8-Man league, they play true “iron man” football, and unleashing them on defense only is going to be something worth seeing. Las Cruces Digest Picks: Red Team (Small School)
Complete List of Large School Selections
Red Offense (Large School)
| Position | First | Last | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quarterback | Blake | Spencer | Bloomfield |
| Quarterback | Jacob | Palomino | Roswell |
| Runningback | Frankie | Galindo | Artesia |
| Runningback | Rudy | Rios | Centennial |
| Runningback | Juan | Munoz | Cleveland |
| Center | Sultan | Arenas | Centennial |
| Center | Robert | Sabado | Cleveland |
| Offensive Line | Ezra | Hensley | Deming |
| Offensive Line | Estevan | Baca | ABQ High |
| Offensive Line | Gabriel | Marquez | Cleveland |
| Offensive Line | Rylee | Mendez | Las Cruces |
| Offensive Line | Kyler | Pickering | Hobbs |
| Receiver | Nathan | Libby | Las Cruces |
| Receiver | Jace | Vigil | Farmington |
| Receiver | Christopher | Melendez | Valley |
| Receiver | Jaden | Parsons | La Cueva |
| Tight end | John | Baca | Cleveland |
| Slot | Ethan | Conn | Artesia |
| Punter | Jaxon | Smith | La Cueva |
| At Large | Michael | Deller | St. Pius |
Red Defense (Large School)
| Position | First | Last | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Def. Line | Psalmon | Kegler | Cleveland |
| Def. Line | Noah | Lynn | Roswell |
| Def. Line | Juan | Vigil | Valley |
| Def. Line | Brenden | Franco | Las Cruces |
| Inside Linebacker | Dalin | Walter | Las Cruces |
| Inside Linebacker | Daniel | Rios | Volcano Vista |
| Inside Linebacker | Logan | Gosnell | Bloomfield |
| Inside Linebacker | Sebastian | Ocuna | Deming |
| DE/Outside Linebacker | Mckell | Colbert | Bloomfield |
| DE/Outside Linebacker | Thomas | Pettus | Volcano Vista |
| DE/Outside Linebacker | Mason | Greathouse | Roswell |
| DE/Outside Linebacker | Micah | Hoffman | Cleveland |
| Secondary | Eli | Meador | Bloomfield |
| Secondary | Isaiah | Pizarro | Deming |
| Secondary | AJ | Manning | Cleveland |
| Secondary | Camon | Ochoa | Lovington |
| Secondary | Nikki | Torres | Miyamura |
| Secondary | Alex | Serrano | Farmington |
| Kicker | Andres | Valenzuela | Espanola |
| At Large | Kevin | Cumo | Eldorado |
Green Offense (Large School)
| Position | First | Last | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quarterback | Zaiden | Davis | Centennial |
| Quarterback | Uriel | Castro | Bernalillo |
| Runningback | Amiri | Mumba | Highland |
| Runningback | Cheeto | Lumbrera | La Cueva |
| Runningback | Alfredo | Andrade | Gadsden |
| Center | Ron | Thomas | Rio Rancho |
| Center | Josh | Quintero | Las Cruces |
| Offensive Line | Cruz | Segura | Centennial |
| Offensive Line | Joaquin | Wofford | Las Cruces |
| Offensive Line | Xander | Orquiz | Piedra Vista |
| Offensive Line | Abraham | Santana | Bloomfield |
| Offensive Line | Kyle | Valdez | Los Lunas |
| Receiver | Akim | Leija | Los Alamos |
| Receiver | Bryan | Thomas | St. Pius |
| Receiver | Dejuan | Howard | Los Lunas |
| Receiver | Jace | Pitt | Rio Rancho |
| Tight end | David | Butler | Rio Rancho |
| Slot | Jordan | Lucas | Centennial |
| Punter | Xai | Carrasco | Roswell |
| At Large | Luke | Linnan | Mayfield |
Green Defense (Large School)
| Position | First | Last | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Def. Line | Abel | Gonzalez | Centennial |
| Def. Line | Aidan | Martinez | Los Lunas |
| Def. Line | Ricky | Scroggins | Manzano |
| Def. Line | Kaden | Granthem | Artesia |
| Inside Linebacker | Nick | Mertz | La Cueva |
| Inside Linebacker | Brendan | Cochrane | Cleveland |
| Inside Linebacker | Gabriel | Trujillo | Bernalillo |
| Inside Linebacker | Grant | Johnson | Artesia |
| DE/Outside Linebacker | Tristan | Davis | Hobbs |
| DE/Outside Linebacker | Kiegan | Nichols | Roswell |
| DE/Outside Linebacker | Carlos | Barela | La Cueva |
| DE/Outside Linebacker | Aidan | Rutley | Roswell |
| Secondary | Omar | Terrones | Centennial |
| Secondary | Tommy | Lopez | Portales |
| Secondary | Caden | Armijo | La Cueva |
| Secondary | Jacob | Diaz | Hobbs |
| Secondary | Kaeden | Vigil | Manzano |
| Secondary | Sojan | Thompson | West Mesa |
| Kicker | Nathan | Reed | Goddard |
| At Large | Alex | Lopez | Highland |
Las Cruces Digest wanted to be sure to acknowledge those students who work the sidelines–the sports medicine students. Our broader community had four selections to a field of 8 student sports medicine students. We have a long tradition of success in sports medicine; this year is not exception. Congratulations, students! (Thank you for taking care of our players as they travel to Artesia for this All-Star game.)
Sports Medicine Selections
| First | Last | School |
|---|---|---|
| Mia | Sanchez | Las Cruces |
| Sofia | Sanchez | Las Cruces |
| Naive | Guerra | Mayfield |
| Jordan | Rivera | Mayfield |
| Brianna | Work | Aztec |
| Alejandra | Amaya | Alamogordo |
| Mackenzie | Stitt | Alamogordo |
| Toni | Wilder | Alamogordo |
RED VS. GREEN ALL-STAR GAMES
Football All-Star Games
Date: Saturday, December 7, 2024
Location: Bulldog Bowl, Artesia, NM
- 12:00 pm: Small School Red vs. Green Game
- 3:00 pm: Large School Red vs. Green Game
Tickets: $12.00-Online Sales Only. No Cash.
PLEASE PRE-PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS AS ON-SITE SALES WILL NOT BE AVALIABLE.
Large School Head Coaches:
- RED TEAM: Richard Perales- Deming
- GREEN TEAM: Philip Lovato- Highland
Small School Head Coaches:
- GREEN TEAM: Drew Hatley- Melrose
- RED TEAM: Sonny Duran- Dexter
Ticket Prices are $12.00 ALL AGES (Credit Card Only – 5 & UNDER ARE FREE)
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS
