League overview: The Southern Peaks added one new team to its ranks heading into the 2022 season in Trinidad, which comes from the former Santa Fe League. The SPL is headlined by a Centauri program that ended Limon’s run a year ago, denying the Badgers the four-peat in the championship with a 24-21 triumph. Monte Vista was the only other member of the league to make the postseason in 2021.
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Centauri
Head coach: Kyle Forster
2021 Record: 12-0 (3-0 Southern Peaks)
Returning All-State Players: Deven Brady (Second Team)
Centauri ran the table last fall, reaching the title game for the first time since 2017. The Falcons move forward without a number of key seniors that included four first-team all-state selections and the Player of the Year in Mason Claunch. Deven Brady was a second-team selection though as a sophomore after rushing for nearly 500 yards, recording 66 tackles on defense and intercepting three passes. Linebackers Keegan Huffaker and Leighton Curtis, lineman Blade Absmeier and cornerback Chaz Holman also played big roles on defense in 2021.
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Center
Head coach: Rodney Mondragon
2021 Record: 3-6 (2-2 Southern Peaks)
Returning All-State Players: None
An up-and-down showing in 2021 that included a 2-2 league mark has the Vikings looking for more this fall. Among the key returns for Center include junior quarterback Jesus Valadez, along with running back/free safety Ricardo Maldonado, who had 546 all-purpose yards as a junior. Seniors Alexis Villagomez and Joaquin Moreno combined for five sacks as juniors.
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Del Norte
Head coach: Henry Castillo
2021 Record: 1-7
Returning All-State Players: None
Del Norte’s lone victory last fall came in non-league play against Trinidad. The Tigers return a few key pieces, including junior quarterback Jace Pacheco and running back/wide receiver/cornerback Cody Worz, who rushed for 386 yards and four touchdowns as a junior and also had 64 tackles. Linebacker Michael Laymon is another key returner on defense.
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Ignacio
Head Coach: Alfonso Garcia
2021 Record: 5-3
Returning All-State Players: None
After a 5-0 start in 2021, the Bobcats faltered down the stretch and dropped each of their three league contests. The team’s offense was prolific during the winning streak, scoring at least 50 points in four games.
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Monte Vista
Head coach: Manny Wasinger
2021 Record: 6-4 (3-1 Southern Peaks)
Returning All-State Players: Alejandro Felix (Honorable Mention)
The Pirates won five of their final six regular-season games in 2021 to reach the playoffs, but were shut out by Florence in the first round. While Monte Vista will need to develop at quarterback and linebacker, according to coach Manny Wasinger, it does return a number of key standouts. Alex Felix was all-state as a junior as a lineman, and Khegan Gunter and DeAngelo Archuleta combined for more than 1,300 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns between them. Archuleta was also the team’s leading tackler, while Jack Noonan, Addan Heredia and Jonah Waggoner were key cogs on defense. Jacob Pacheco, Kevin Cisneros and Ismael Medina are among the underclassmen to watch.
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Trinidad
Head coach: Jeff Roybal
2021 Record: 0-7
Returning All-State Players: None
It was tough sledding for the Miners in 2021, and the team now finds itself in the Southern Peaks League needing to replace a handful of key departed seniors. Trinidad did have some younger players up front a year ago, which could provide some needed experience this fall.
