Football Recap: Friday's Defeat Ends Manzano's Winning Streak

Monarchs

Previous 5 Games

09/26/25 @ Chaparral	16-27
09/19/25 @ Portales	40-14
09/13/25 vs Hope Christian	29-14
09/05/25 vs Del Norte	22-0
08/29/25 @ Rio Grande	35-0

Manzano dropped down to 4-2 on Friday, ending the team's four-game streak of wins. They took a 27-16 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Chaparral Lobos. The Monarchs were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Lobos apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in September of 2024.

When it comes to explaining why Manzano lost, don't look at Broden Price. Despite the final result, he rushed for 156 yards and two touchdowns on only 15 carries, and also picked up 74 receiving yards. Price's longest rush was for an impressive 53 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per carry total.

Even if they lost, Manzano's defense still kept up the pressure with three sacks. Vince Varela refused to say out of the backfield, picking up 1.5 sacks all by himself. He was another major factor on D, picking up 1.5 sacks and making six total tackles (2.5 for loss).

As for Chaparral, the victory was the fifth in a row for them, bringing their record up to 5-1. Those wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 38.6 points over those games.

A big part of Chaparral's victory came down to the chemistry between Israel Nieto and his top target Raul Lopez. Nieto rushed for 62 yards and one TD on only eight carries while Lopez gained 149 total yards and a touchdown.

Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Manzano will have a little extra prep time after the loss as they won't be playing again for a while. They'll take on Albuquerque Academy at 11:00 a.m. on October 11. As for Chaparral, they will look to defend their home field on Friday against Valencia at 7:00 p.m.