Last year was a transitional one for the Onate High football program. The squad changed its offense from a run-oriented offense to more of a passing game. The results were as expected. The team struggled early on and had its ups and downs throughout the year.
But a late-season win against Alamogordo got the team into the playoffs and the Knights hope to build off of that.
Plus, the team just won 7-on-7 passing camp against very good competition up north.The Knights should be improved. Quarterback Eric Flores had his moments last year, he does need to cut back on forcing passes, but that comes with experience.
Aaron Sandoval, Jason Sandoval, Zach Hernandez and Zach Daugherty are young players that will provide leadership for the Knights.
Onate has a decent schedule that should allow them to be 6-0 entering district. The Knights' biggest challenges in non-district play will be at Sandia on Sept. 26 and at Hobbs the week before.
The Knights have a year of experience under their new offense and those sophomores are now juniors, so expect a better outfit this year.
Onate must cutdown on turnovers, be more aggressive on defense and must win the games it should in non-district play.
- Felix
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26 comments:
Onate is still young as they showed playing against Cruces in the 7 on 7. They let Cruces get in their head and that proved to be their downfall. They need to control their emotions if they are going to have any shot at district.
Onate should not be considered young anymore. The juniors have varsity experience from last year, and there should not be anymore excuses. They talked a big game at the 7 on 7 but when the game started Cruces punched them in the mouth and they had no answer. They need to play hard and keep their mouth shut to have any chance in this district.
Funny how you forget Cruces was just as guilty of running their mouth and in the end it bit them in the ass. Both teams did way to much talking. So your Dawgs aren't no saints either. Just ask Mayfield. Who's done their fair share of punching Cruces in the face lately.
They had no answer?
Seems to me I read that they won the tournament.
They're young like Las Cruces was young last year.
Junior heavy. 16 is 16 no matter how you slice it, and it showed for 'Cruces last year vs. Mayfield.
BTW, not all Onate's juniors played varsity last year.
you know when mayfields team that won three state titles when they were juniors i didnt hear anyone saying oh there young they cant win. i say alot of teams in las cruces use that line way to much to cover there you know whats.
yes, Cruces did run their mouth too, but that wasn't why they beat onate. They match up well with onate's skill people, and that is what Onate had no answer for. Leave Mayfield out of the Cruces vs Onate rivalry unless, of course someone else beating Cruces is all you can hope for.
onate has nothing to worry about they have the secret weapon on there staff now, they have the guru of football now running the freshman show.
Again... Onate won the tournament, which is pretty good for being "young".
No excuse necessary.
'Cruces came in third.
The Knights will be alright, even with their freshman coach.
He's a dyed in the wool mayfield guy, don't know what must have happened over there for him to leave.
I personally don't see how that will affect anything anyway.
Also, what excuse will Mayfield use when they aren't district champs this year?
I think 'Cruces will beat them down, and Onate might surprise them as well.
Heck I bet Mayfield starts off 0-2 with losses to Chapin and Montwood.
it seems like alot of people want to see mayfield lose why is this? If you like them or not the one thing you have to do is give them credit they are 3-peat champs and they do take on the toughest schedule year in and year out, and its not like the staff there is going to lay down for anyone.
You're right, Mayfield is the best right now. The way I see it is everything goes in cycles, and Mayfields winning has bred arrogance it seems.
I didn't grow up here, and am sometimes amused by the 50 year olds still ready to fight about their high school, but whatever.
Anyway, Mayfield's arrogance will eventually be their downfall. 'Cruces, and even Onate are looking pretty good this year.
Mayfield will do just fine this year, but I do see a dropoff coming.
Heck La Cueva and Clovis might have something to say about who wins it all this year.
your right everything does go in cycles mayfield cant win it every year if that was the case why play the game? I dont think mayfield is any arrogant than either las cruces high or onate. The fact is there are alot of good teams in the state of new mexico that could win it all.
It will be an interesting year of football in the city of crosses, but when it is all said and done Cruces will win state. They are to talented not to. Mayfield will be good but not great like in years past, and Onate will surprise the whole state of New Mexico with their young talent. Don't be surprised to see them undefeated going into district. If this is the case Cruces does not have a bye week to get extra preperation time like they have had the last three years. Onate will not be good enough to stop the running attack of Cruces, but will make a good run at it. Onate can get past Mayfield and the aura they have held over them for so long, and Mayfield might be really banged up by that time because of a tough pre-district schedule. Mayfield fans don't get to riled because I feel that Onate will start the season undefeated and Mayfield will start the season 0-2 because of Chapin, and Montwood.
onate should be undefeated entering district look at there schedule it is very weak. I dont think cruces needs an extra week to prepare for the knights. But yes cruces should win state.
If you read the post right I did not say Cruces needed an extra week to prepare.I said that the last three years they had the bye week before playing Onate. If you know anything about football that extra week can be crucial for game preperations.I do feel as though Cruces will win state but it will not be an easy road. They better get better on the defensive side of the ball before they start sizing their rings. Also Cruces people don't get to excited an injury here and there can crush some dreams. Also I don't know were this cockiness has come from. Last year was The first time In about three or four years they have been solid. You would think by the way Cruces fans speak they were the three time state champs.
if you were to ask coach miller or coach bradley they would tell you that they dont need a bye week to prepare for onate. Never had and never will.
Again read the post or do you not understand what I am saying. Having a bye week before playing a team can be instrumental to winning or losing a game. If you had any knowledge of coaching you would understand this. What you say about Coach Miller and Bradley saying that they wouldn't benefit from a bye week is a lie. I have heard it from past coaches on the Cruces staff that being able to work an extra week on Onate's old triple option benefited greatly.
and all i am saying is when onate was running the triple option the other two schools didnt worry much about it, they used the bye week to heal up hurt players. If the triple option was so great how come the onate coaches, when they had the all star team couldnt get the ball past the 50 yard line? There had to be a reason he went to a spread offense and alot had to do with his qb he has now. Onate had one of the best qb's in ray diaz and what did he run? he has had better qb's than flores!
When they had the all-star team???
You mean 2005?
When they beat Las Cruces and narrowly lost to Mayfield?
When they made the semi-finals?
Ask the Mayfield kids any given year how many of them went to Camino Real middle school. You'll find the numbers to be high, this year is no different.
Onate has to do more with less year in and year out.
As for the bye week not helping 'Cruces or Mayfield... this year will be telling.
'Cruces should win state this year with all the returning talent, but that's why they play the game.
I think that is what is lost year in and year out about how good of a job McKee does with the talent he has. In 2005 Onate had a great team that beat Cruces and barely lost to Mayfield on a busted coverage. They lost in the semis to a talented Clovis team who they were beating until three fumbles did them in. When they have equal talent they have been able to compete and win. The last three years not including last year when Cruces has been down what has coach miller done with that talent. Coach miller is a good coach, but if he had to deal with the same issues as McKee would he have as many titles? I wouldn't know the answer to that but when you have the numbers and the talent I know it is easier to win.
I have looked at alot of of these comments on all different subjects from coaches to teams to everything in between. It sounds like alot of people think they are coaches which is easy to call from the stands. Alot of things on these sites are taking the truth and twisting it so much to go into something else. The bottom line is you all need to let these coaches do there job and stay out of there business.
I think this is part of what coaches sign up for. The spotlight which comes with the job. For your information I have coached at all different levels.I spent seven years at the varsity level. I have A lot of respect for the coaches here in Cruces. Between them all how many state titles do they have? I think McKee-1, Miller-3, and Bradley-2. This says a lot about the quality of coaching we have in this city. Especially when you compare them to Albuerque coaches which I think only Fred Romero has any state titles. Remember this is a blog site were people like to hear what is going on in the world of sports.You can take these blogs for what they are worth. You can either believe or don't read.
oh your right we do have the best coaches in the state. The only one i would say that gives them a run for there money is henderson from artesia or the clovis coach.
But you said people want to know what is going on in the world of sports, then read the paper and quit bashing all the coaches at all three high schools.
There has been no bashing give me a statement were there was bashing. Just stating some facts.
All this talk about Cruces winning state because of their talent. All I have to say is you can't win state with only two players. It seems that is what everyone is talking about. Those two particular player are going to make the team. It does not work that way. There are 9 other players on the team and if they don't work together they won't get anywhere. My pick to win state this year is anyone.
Yes LC has some good coaches bye the way Jim Bradley led Mayfield to five state titles before retiring after the 2005 season, his son Michael has 2 since his father retired. Also Jim Bradley had 2 more state titles while coaching at Roswell, NM and has the most wins of any coach in NM highschool coach with 310 victories.
If you think Cruces only has two players, you don't know much about the team at all. Two players get most of the press, and that's allright because those two players have worked themselves to that status. The rest of the team has been quietly preparing, and improving and the defense will be much improved over last year. Hopefully all three teams will be in the playoffs, and a Las Cruces team will hoist the blue trophy once again.
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