2025 football schedules are out: Storm visit Rams on Halloween

RIO RANCHO — It’s a question that’s been asked annually since the Rio Rancho High School football team won its second state championship in three seasons, back in 2016: Can the Rams beat the Cleveland Storm this season?

Since the Rams’ 42-28 victory over the Storm in their perfect “Sweet 16” season (42-28 at CHS on Oct. 7), the Storm have won the last 11 meetings — including twice (regular season and postseason) in 2019, ’21 and ’23.

That annual City of Vision Championship Game is set for 7 p.m. on Halloween at Rio Rancho Stadium.

Cleveland will again be favored; after all, the Storm won the state championship again last season with a 12-1 record, including a 6-0 record to win District 1-6A title, after their 26-8 decimation of defending champ La Cueva. The Bears had relegated the Storm to runners-up in 2023 on a snowy field at Thunder Bolt Stadium.

The Rams were 7-5 last season, and 3-2 in 1-6A, and ended their title hopes after a 43-17 quarterfinals loss to Centennial at the Field of Dreams. (The Storm avenged their city rival’s loss, knocking visiting Centennial out of the postseason with a 56-20 victory in a semifinal meeting.)

The season is four months away, and the 2025 season slates were recently released.

Here they are, with District 1-6A games in bold, home games in CAPS:

Cleveland High SchoolDate Opponent Kickoff

Aug. 23 Centennial 1 p.m.

Aug. 29 Los Lunas 7 p.m.

Sept. 5 CLOVIS 7 p.m.

Sept. 12 LAS CRUCES 7 p.m.

Sept. 19 PEBBLE HILLS/El Paso 7 p.m.

Oct. 3 Farmington 7 p.m.

Oct. 10 CIBOLA 7 p.m.

Oct. 17 PIEDRA VISTA 7 p.m.

Oct. 25 Volcano Vista (Community Stadium) 11 a.m.

Oct. 31 Rio Rancho 6 p.m.

Nov. 7-8 First round of Class 6A playoffs TBD

Rio Rancho High SchoolDate Opponent Kickoff

Aug. 22 ATRISCO HERITAGE 7 p.m.

Aug. 29 CLOVIS 7 p.m.

Sept. 4 Las Cruces (Field of Dreams) 7 pm.

Sept. 12 CENTENNIAL 7 p.m.

Sept. 19 East Lake HS/El Paso 7 p.m.

Oct. 3 Cibola (Community Stadium) 7 p.m.

Oct. 9 Piedra Vista 6 p.m.

Oct. 18 Volcano Vista (Community Stadium) 3 p.m.

Oct. 24 FARMINGTON 7 p.m.

Oct. 31 CLEVELAND 6 p.m.

Nov. 7-8 First round of Class 6A playoffs TBD

(Date and time of the game with East Lake hadn’t been confirmed as of press time.)