New Mexico high school football players get local attention on 2016 National Signing Day

Video: Gabe Ortega's highlights vs. Eldorado High School

The University of New Mexico cleaned up on National Signing Day Wednesday by inking four in-state football players.

Two of the signees are from unbeaten Class 6A state champion Cleveland (Rio Rancho): Quarterback Gabe Ortega and wide receiver Marcus Williams. Ortega (6-foot-2, 195 pounds), who was named Gatorade State Player of the Year, completed 159 of 244 passes for 2,486 yards and 25 touchdowns with only five interceptions. He also ran 109 times for 912 yards (8.4 average) and nine touchdowns. In addition, he punted seven times for a 43.4 average. Williams (6-4, 215) caught 49 passes for 872 yards (17.8 average) and 13 touchdowns while making six interceptions on defense.

Cleveland coach Heath Ridenour called Ortega "Our beacon. They (his teammates) followed him. He led by example and held them to a higher standard. He averaged six carries before the (state) semis because we didn't want him to get hurt. He had 405 yards and five touchdowns in the last two games."

Ridenour pointed out that Williams, a strong safety, "had four interceptions in the last two games. He has the best hands of any kid I ever have coached - one-handed, two-handed, it didn't matter."

The Lobos also inked Las Cruces quarterback Kameron Miller (6-2, 190) and Valley (Albuquerque) defensive end Teton Saltes (6-6, 250).

Miller, son of head coach Jim Miller, had an outstanding career despite an injury which cut short his junior year. During his career he completed 352 of 566 passes for 6,303 yards and 61 touchdowns with 29 interceptions. He also rushed 326 times for 3,332 yards and 37 touchdowns. The team record was 26-8 for three years, including a state title his sophomore year.

"I'm very proud of him," coach Miler said. "He was with me since he was 4 years old, going to the field house. He just loved it. I thought he had a pretty phenomenal career. He got a lot faster as a senior. His 40-yard time was 4.7 seconds as a sophomore and 4.55 this year. When his knee got hurt, it was kind of a blessing in disguise. He had loose cartilage in his knee. (Surgery) made that knee more flexible."

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Another Las Cruces player, wide receiver/defensive back Isaiah McIntyre (5-11, 175), signed with hometown New Mexico State. McIntyre was a 2015 grad who took the college season off.

The biggest surprise of the week probably was Saltes staying at home to play for the Lobos. He had looked at schools from out of state and did not make a verbal commitment until very late. He finished his senior year with 7.5 sacks, 21 tackles for losses and 33 solos.

Valley coach Rico Marcelli, who now is offensive coordinator at La Cueva (Albuquerque), said Saltes "did a fantastic job for us. We weren't really very good around him."

Cleveland also led all other state schools with four Division I signees. Offensive tackle Henry Hattis (6-7, 270) chose Stanford and lineman Desmond Branch (6-4, 265) chose George Tech via Trinity Junior College.

Coach Ridenour noted that Hattis "definitely is the biggest kid ever to come through our program. It took a little time for him to catch up. The last two years he's been a strength for us. He's a very intelligent player. His favorite saying is that he likes to move people from point A to point B against their will."

Branch, who was a three-year starter for Cleveland, "was one of the most explosive players we ever had," according to Ridenour. "He was quick enough and smart enough to play defensive line."

Rio Rancho's outstanding offensive tackle, Grant Hermanns (6-6, 270), switched his early allegiance from Iowa State and signed with Purdue because of its great engineering program and the chance to play in the Big Ten Conference.

Coach Dave Howes noted that he blocked at an excellent 88 percent rate and made three assisted tackles, but unfortunately he was limited to six games due to surgery.

Clovis tight end Roland Chavez (6-4, 210) signed with FCS Northern Arizona after an outstanding senior year. He caught 18 passes for 377 yards (20.9 average) and six touchdowns. He also made five solo and six assisted tackles, plus 3.5 tackles for loss and three sacks for a minus-21 yards.

Coach Drew Hatley calls Chavez "such a weapon. He's very coachable, very competitive and a real driven kid. He blocks as much as anything. He's a winner in life as well as on the field and has a 3.7 GPA."