The Alamogordo Tigers will face off against the Carlsbad Cavemen/Cavegirls at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.
Alamogordo is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of New Mexico's top teams: Centennial, who was ranked fourth at the time (Alamogordo was ranked 14th). The Tigers took a 42-32 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Hawks on Thursday. The loss continues a trend for the Tigers in their meetings with the Hawks: they've now lost four in a row.
Despite the defeat, Alamogordo got top-tier performance from Bryson Bloom, who rushed for 159 yards and two scores on only 13 carries, and also threw for 25 yards and one TD. Bloom's longest rush was for an incredible 79 yards. Nathanael Cereceres got in on the action too, returning a kick for a touchdown.
Carlsbad not only won on Saturday, but they posted their biggest win since September 27, 2024 (when they won 56-8). They claimed a resounding 35-7 win over Organ Mountain. The game was pretty much decided by the half, when the score had already reached 28-0.
A big part of Carlsbad's victory came down to the chemistry between MARLEY MUNOZ and his top target ROBERT CASTANEDA. MUNOZ rushed for 149 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only 12 carries while CASTANEDA picked up 142 receiving yards and three scores. Carlsbad is 3-1 when CASTANEDA posts 80 or more receiving yards, but 1-2 otherwise.
Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something Carlsbad proved: they limited Organ Mountain to a paltry 2.4 yards per carry. The team can thank COLTON MCKIBBEN for the heroic effort on defense: he. Carlsbad's run defense has been on the up-and-up: they allowed 3.98 yards per carry earlier this season, but they've only allowed 6.23 on average over their last five games.
Carlsbad didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as RIO SANCHEZ, TY YOUNG, and LENNON ANANINS picked up one apiece. SANCHEZ is also on a roll when it comes to total tackles, as he's now made five or more in each of the last four games he's played.
Alamogordo's loss dropped their record down to 4-3. As for Carlsbad, they now also have a winning record of 4-3.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Alamogordo has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 262.1 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Carlsbad struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 168.3 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Alamogordo came up short against Carlsbad when the teams last played back in October of 2024, falling 26-21. Will the Tigers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other football content.
