It seems like the 2022 high school football season just kicked off, and now we’re already hit the midway mark.
Both teams were on the road Friday night, and the press deadline couldn’t be met, so you’ll have to read about the Rams’ game in Farmington and the Storm’s game in Texas elsewhere.
That said, after each team had five games under its belt, does it look like the City of Vision’s teams will meet for all the marbles for the third season in a row?
You be the judge …
Cleveland High (4-1) faltered in its opener against visiting Centennial High School, seeing its 22-game winning streak and 15-game home field winning streak end in a 38-35 loss to the Hawks – a game not decided until the final minute.
The Storm responded by beating La Cueva, which then beat Centennial – and those three teams have been ranked 1-2-3 (Storm-Bears-Hawks) the past three weeks by MaxPreps.
: Like their earlier game in the Lone Star State, this is the first gridiron meeting between the Storm and the Tigers, who were 5-5 overall and 2-4 in the district in 2021. They are led by sixth-year head coach Jay Northcutt, and are a Class 6A team.
After their game vs. Frenship, a 6A Lone Star State school, the Storm’s final four regular-season games are District 1-5A contests: visiting Volcano Vista (Sept. 30), at Atrisco Heritage Academy (Oct. 14), at Cibola (Oct. 21) and home to meet Rio Rancho (Oct. 28).
Rio Rancho (3-2) is ranked sixth for the second week in a row; the Rams opened the season at 4, but the 30-7 loss to visiting La Cueva in their home opener cost them that spot.
Losing their top receiver, Mikey Wood, to a broken collarbone in the victory over Eastlake didn’t help, nor did a leg injury to starting QB Noah nelson, who not only was a threat to run with the ball but also handled punting chores.
It had been 13 years since Hobbs faced the Rams, a 56-43 Hobbs win at RRHS in the 2009 quarterfinals. The Rams won their first meeting with the Eagles, 28-21, in a first-round playoff game in Hobbs in 2007, and then beat Hobbs in its next game, 24-20, at RRHS in 2008.
As for the Rams’ Sept. 23 opponent, Farmington, it was to be their first meeting with the Scorpions – new to the Class 6A field this season — on the football field. Head coach Jeff Dalton is in his eighth season, and he got the Scorpions as far as the 5A semis last year, when they were knocked out by Artesia.
Idle this coming weekend (Sept. 30-Oct. 1), the Rams conclude their three game “road trip” Oct. 8 in their 1-5A opener vs. Atrisco Heritage Academy at Nusenda Community Stadium.
The Rams won’t leave the city the rest of the regular season: home vs. Cibola (Oct. 14), home vs. Volcano Vista (Oct. 21) and at Cleveland (Oct. 28).
Mikey Wood was hopeful of returning to action for the Rams’ game at Cleveland on Oct. 28. (Herron photo)
RAMifications: Former Rams standout and Purdue University offensive lineman Grant Hermanns made his NFL debut Sunday in the New York Jets’ upset win at Cleveland. Hermanns did some special teams work and blocking on points-after; he was there keeping the Browns away when his kicker booted the game-winning PAT. Hermanns, who wears jersey 63, is the second Ram to play in the NFL, following Chris Williams. He’s the third Rio Ranchoan to make it into the league; Alan Branch, who played at Cibola but grew up here, was the first.
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