High school football rankings: Cleveland finishes No. 1 in final New Mexico MaxPreps Top 25

The high school football season in New Mexico came to a close over the weekend with Cleveland (Rio Rancho) beating Rio Rancho 35-14 in the Class 6A state championship game. That three touchdown victory helped propel the Storm to the No. 1 ranking in the final New Mexico MaxPreps Top 25.

Cleveland was led all year by MaxPreps New Mexico Player of the Year Evan Wysong, who passed and ran for 2,774 yards and accounted for 34 touchdowns — including one score in the state title game triumph. While Wysong accumulated 159 yards between the run and pass, junior running back Josh Perry ran the ball 28 times for 173 yards and four scores in the state title game.

Under head coach Heath Ridenour, Cleveland has won the past two Class 6A state championships (2019, 2021). The Storm are the proud owners of four state football titles since 1954. Due to a pandemic shortened season in 2020, the New Mexico Activities Association did not hold state football championships a year ago.

Having scored 600 points this fall, the Storm averaged more than 46 points per game after scoring 45 points or more six times. Defensively, Cleveland gave up 213 points and just north of 16 points an outing after holding its opposition to 14 points or fewer seven times. Ridenour's stop unit shut out three foes during its latest state championship season.

Class 6A runner-up Rio Rancho compiled a 9-2 record and finishes just behind the Storm while Class 6A semifinalist La Cueva (Albuquerque) ends the season No. 3. Class 5A state champion Los Lunas claims the No. 4 spot after finishing the season with a 13-0 record.

2021 NMAA STATE CHAMPIONS

Class 6A — Cleveland (Rio Rancho)
Class 5A — Los Lunas
Class 4A — Lovington
Class 3A — Robertson (Las Vegas)
Class 2A — Eunice
8-Man — Tatum