By Eric Butler
MaxPreps.com
Las Cruces High School entered the 2008 season as a consensus top pick for the No. 1 spot in New Mexico’s Class 5A. The Bulldawgs have not disappointed.
Led by senior quarterback Dante Caro and fellow senior James Hall at running back, an experienced Las Cruces offense has piled up 236 points over the first five games of the schedule – for an average of 47.2 per contest.
But who might be the roadblock to a perfect season for the 'Dawgs? None other than their perpetual nemesis from across town.
Not only is Las Cruces Mayfield (5-0) also unbeaten, but the Trojans have all of the recent experience of winning championships behind them. Mayfield has won the last three 5A state titles and quickly emerged as a contender for another by beating El Paso Montwood 35-13 in the second week of the season. Last season, Montwood dealt the Trojans their only loss of the year.
"They were the No. 1-ranked team in El Paso at the time and, of course, they went down in ranking after we beat 'em," said Michael Bradley, Mayfield's second-year head coach. "In my opinion, they're still the number one team in El Paso.
"Every year surprises me," Bradley added. "We lost a ton. We were loaded with ton last year, especially at all the skill positions and we lost our whole offensive line except for one person."
The Trojans did have a key skill position starter who returned in tailback Jacob Ceniceros. Last year, however, Ceniceros was more of a role-player in an offense led by the playmaking ability of quarterback Matt Sandoval.
Ceniceros averaged 201 rushing yards a game in Mayfield's first four and was pulled early (with 54 yards) in a 38-7 rout over Rio Grande in the fifth.
But Ceniceros has gotten help from newcomers in the backfield as junior quarterback Austin Hooker and junior running back Michael Hallock have stepped directly into prominent roles.
Senior J.D. Ordunez, who also plays offensively as a fullback, is called the heart of the Mayfield defense by Bradley when he lines up at his nose tackle position. Junior Wyatt Tharp at linebacker, meanwhile, is a leading part of a new crop of solid defensive players for the Trojans.
"The way we practice with our varsity is that we go up against our JV all the time. So, just doing that, with our junior varsity guys it's either fight or flight. They've got to get with it or they're not going to make it," Bradley said. "These are the ones that went up against last year's group."
Other than the annual clash to determine bragging rights in Las Cruces set for Nov. 7 – generally in front of a capacity crowd at the New Mexico State University football stadium – the next biggest challenge for either Las Cruces or Mayfield will be battles this weekend.
Las Cruces will take on annual Class 4A power Artesia on Oct. 3 while, on the same Friday night, Mayfield will host unbeaten Eldorado in Las Cruces.
