Bernalillo to play Manzano in first round of playoffs

BERNALILLO — It's playoff time!

The Bernalillo Spartans (6-4) will face the Manzano Monarchs (5-5) in the first round of the playoffs Nov. 7 at Spartan Stadium with kickoff set for 7 p.m.

Bernalillo has been nothing short of dominant the last few years and have made the playoffs three years in a row. They have also hosted a playoff game in that three-year run, and Spartan head coach John Cobos has elevated the program to new heights.

However, the last three games haven't been ideal as the Spartans are on a three-game skid. Their latest loss came at home against Taos (6-4) Oct. 31. The final in that game: Taos 21, Bernalillo 7.

In that game, the Spartan rushing attack was roaring with 224 yards. However, it was a no-fly zone as the Taos Tigers squad picked off two Ulisses Castro throws. The Tigers offense leaned on quarterback Evan Salazar to sling the rock, and Salazar did not blink. The senior signal caller threw for two touchdowns and added 52 rushing yards on the ground.

The 4A district matchup also had huge implications as Bernalillo ended up losing the four-seed spot, which would have given them a first-round bye.

Nonetheless, the Goon Squad is as confident as ever to steer back in the right direction.

We have battled through adversity all season, and even though we ended the season a little shaky, it doesn’t mean we are still out of the championship run," star two-way player Mario Molinar said.

So far on the season, Molinar has racked up 447 scrimmage yards, six total touchdowns, 117 total tackles, 21 tackles for loss, five sacks and five quarterback hurries. The senior running back and linebacker is also one of the team captains.

"We’ve added new formations and new calls that we truly believe will benefit us moving forward," Molinar said.

The Spartans have plenty of talent in each position to make a run. Some of the core players include Joseph Duran, Kenneth Saiz, Ivan Ruiz and Castro, to name a few.

"This team is special, and we are gonna show that for these next few weeks," Molinar said.

On the defensive side, this team has been one of the best at creating turnovers, and defensive back RJ Fleets has five interceptions to his name while players like Saiz, Ruiz and Anthony Willie have multiple interceptions as well.

However, don't count out the feisty Monarchs team that has shown the ability to light up the scoreboard at any moment. During the regular season, Manzano upset 4A juggernaut Silver City (6-4).

"Leave no doubt," Manzano Swiss Army knife Broden Price said.

Price is one of the blue chip players in the state of New Mexico who has racked up 686 rushing yards, 600 receiving yards, 37 catches, 12 total touchdowns and 1494 all-purpose yards. The sophomore player plays on defense, too, logging two interceptions as a robber-type defensive chess piece.

"Everyone can expect a better version of last week; we may have lost, but if we clean up three mistakes, it’s a different game. We’re gonna clean those mistakes up," Price said of what people can expect from Manzano.

Other key players for Manzano include Aiden Erickson, one of the team's leading receivers, and Vince Varela, one of the state leaders in tackles for loss, sacks, and quarterback hurries.

The winner at Spartan Stadium will hit the road for a matchup against No. 1 seed Bloomfield (9-1).