Sun Sports Central is Hobbs News-Sun sports editor Clayton Jones' blog where you'll find his thoughts on local, regional and national sports happenings. To keep track of all your favorite local teams, subscribe to the News-Sun's print or online edition by calling 575-393-2123.
A trio of area teams finished off their regular-season schedule Friday on a solid note as Eunice and Seminole capped stellar regular seasons with easy victories and Jal showed it can play with the big boys in Class 1A in a loss.
Eunice capped its first perfect regular season since 1958 with a convincing 44-14 win over Dexter. The Cardinals led 30-0 at the half and cruised from there. It's the way championship-caliber teams win – come out, play hard and assert dominance from the opening whistle. Eunice's offense is now averaging 49 points a game this season while the defense has improved – allowing just 9.3 points per game in its last three contests.
Eunice has a week off then finds out its seed for the Class 2A state playoffs on Nov. 5 (which will likely be the No. 1 seed).
Seminole also capped its season with a convincing victory, a 52-6 beatdown of Fort Stockton at Wig Wam Stadium.
A Seminole player runs on the field against Andrews.
In the second-to-last games for Hobbs and Lovington and the last game of the regular season for Eunice, Jal, Tatum and Seminole, there is plenty of meaning to tonight's football action.
Hobbs: The Eagles need a win Friday at home against Clovis and next week against Carlsbad to claim their first outright district title since 1974 or their postseason chances are probably squashed. A loss will drop Hobbs to 2-7, and even if the Eagles beat Carlsbad the following week, it will be tough to put the Eagles in. Though if Hobbs doesn't get in if it loses to Clovis then beats Carlsbad, that would mean Carlsbad (which is a top 10 team in the state) can't get in because Hobbs would have finished above the Cavemen in the district standings and a team can't make the playoffs if a team above it in the district standings doesn't make it. Got that? It's going to be an uphill battle at Watson on Friday for Hobbs as Clovis is big, strong, fast and has defeated the Eagles 10 straight times. Lovington: A win tonight over Ruidoso and the Wildcats are district champs and likely get the top seed in the Class 3A playoffs. Like I said in my last blog, it's been amazing the way this team has changed its image from an offensive juggernaut to a defensive steel curtain in just a season. With Lovington's QB David Robles getting more comfortable, the Wildcats are just going to be tougher and tougher to beat as they improve offensively.
With just two weeks left until the end of the New Mexico prep football season (one for Class 2A and below), it's time to see where the football teams from Lea County will likely be seeded for the state playoffs – if at all.
Hobbs Record: 2-6 (0-0 district) Projection: Missing the cut in 5A (12 teams make playoffs) Outlook: The Eagles are in trouble unless they can win their two district games against Clovis (home this Friday) and Carlsbad (on the road next Friday) to claim their first outright district title since 1974 (Hobbs last shared the district title in 1982). Losses to Alamogordo and Lovington have squashed Hobbs' chances at an at-large berth. While anything is possible, Hobbs hasn't put together a strong game for four quarters all season and it's going to have to in each of the next two games if it wants to beat Clovis and Carlsbad. Lovington Record: 5-3 (1-0 district) Projection: Top seed in Class 3A (12 teams make playoffs) Outlook: Despite losing so much talent from a season ago, the Lovington football team just keeps on rolling behind defense and key special teams plays. Spanking Portales 37-7 in their district opener gives the top-ranked Wildcats a leg up on the top seed if they can take care of business Friday against Ruidoso. If Lovington wins there, they'll be the top seed no matter what happens in the final week of the season against Class 4A top-ranked Goddard. The two-time defending champ Wildcats have the look of a team that can possibly bring home its third straight title despite most people not being able to name one person on the team.
It was senior night for the top-ranked Eunice football team last Friday and the Cardinals thumped NMMI 48-8.
While the seniors who've helped the Cardinals to a perfect 8-0 start were honored, Eunice gave a student who would never get to sprint through the tunnel, through the smoke and down the victory line with pads and a Cardinals helmet on a chance to have that feeling.
Michael Lanvost, a Eunice junior and dedicated supporter of his Cardinals, was helped out the tunnel by the Eunice captains and Eunice special education teacher Anita Owings down the victory line. While I wasn't at the game, just looking at the photos (which are in the opening minute of the video I've attached) it's hard not to get goose bumps and feel your heart swell as Michael beams from ear to ear as he walks through the tunnel and down the victory line in front of the Eunice faithful at Cardinal Stadium this warm October evening.
Sometimes we all can lose perspective when it comes to our sports. This gesture by Eunice to one of its students reminds all of us just reaching out and doing something like this can make a memory forever for someone and their family – much more than any victory or defeat can.
I applaud you, Eunice. Well played.
While the Hobbs boys soccer team already had clinched a spot by winning district and the Hobbs girls had to wait to see if it was in, both the Eagles and the Lady Eagles were seeded in their respective Class 5A state tournaments when the NMAA released the brackets today.
The District 4-5A champion Eagles were seeded No. 8 and will host Rio Rancho (likely Saturday) at Watson Stadium in the first round. The winner will face top-seeded Eldorado on Nov. 3.
Here is a link to the Class 5A boys state tournament bracket: Class 5A Bracket
As for the Lady Eagles, they had to patiently wait for the seedings to be released as Hobbs took second in the district to Carlsbad (who got a No. 6 seed and will host No. 11 Mayfield). After the wait, Hobbs got the No. 9 seed and will travel to play No. 8 Cibola (again, likely Saturday) in Albuquerque. The winner of this game will then face No. 1 Sandia.
Here is a link to the girls state tournament brackets: NMAA State Girls Tournament Bracket
Read more in Tuesday's sports section of the News-Sun on reaction from each coach on their state seeding.
Another week and more to learn about the prep football teams in the area. Here are some quick thoughts.
– Lovington made a HUGE statement Friday. Pounding Portales 37-7 in Blackwater Draw told the rest of Class 3A that the two-time defending state champion and top-ranked Wildcats are for real.
What I really enjoy about this team is it has been a complete makeover from the last two teams that won state titles. The Wildcats aren't going to put up 60-plus points like the team's guided by quarterback Jacob Jameson over the last few seasons. This team is going to win with defense. It says a lot about the coaching staff in Lovington for them to be able to adjust to their team's identity and personnel. A win this week against Ruidoso at home and the Wildcats once again will be district champs and will likely be a top seed in the Class 3A state playoffs.
As I stopped to grab a pop (or soda or Coke or whatever it's called out here) at a Seminole market before heading back to Hobbs after doing interviews following the Seminole football team's practice Thursday, two gentlemen started chatting about the team's game in Andrews on Friday as I waited in line.
"Should be a good one tomorrow night," the older of the two men said.
"Yep, we have some really good players at the varsity level. I really like that Burtch too," the other man said speaking about Seminole head coach Chris Burtch.
"Me too," the older gentlemen said before I paid and left and stopped eavesdropping on the conversation.
Spending an hour watching Seminole practice Thursday, I can see why those gentlemen like this team, the coaching staff and why the Indians are 7-1 with a chance to clinch a playoff berth tonight at the Mustang Bowl in Andrews.
As is usual for most teams the day before a game, Seminole, which pounded a Monahans team last week 41-7 ranked in the Class 3A top 10 in one Texas high school publication, practiced with no pads but went through the hour workout with precision in the Indians' indoor facility. After spending time on defense, the real show began as the Indians went through their spread offense.
I don't think Seminole, which is receiving votes in the AP Texas High School Class 3A poll, huddled or really stopped once as it went through a myriad of formations and passing plays. Quarterback Jacob Burtch (just a junior, see video highlights of his sophomore season) slung the ball around with precision to a slew of receivers, including the game-breaking Jarod Adams (who happens to be the cousin of former Hobbs running back P.J. Smith. I attached his highlight video from a year ago as well).
