Peerman's Power Rankings: 10 best things in New Mexico sports this week (Nov. 26)
Nov. 26—Welcome to Peerman's Power Rankings (PPR), the 10 athletes, teams and story lines that have Journal sports editor Lucas Peerman's attention. Look for a new power rankings list every Sunday.
Have a suggestion, complaint or compliment? Email lpeerman@abqjournal.com or contact me on X @LucasPeerman.
10. Jalin Holland and Bella Hines
High school basketball season starts this week, so let's start this list with the state's best in that arena. Jalin Holland, the 6-foot-4 do-everything junior for Los Lunas High is the top boys basketball player in the state. He's being recruited by Texas, Arizona State and Oklahoma (to name just a few of the schools interested) and projects as a top 50 player in the nation by season's end. Eldorado junior Bella Hines, a 5-foot-10 junior combo guard, has evolved into New Mexico's most recruited girls basketball player — probably ever. Iowa, the national runner-up in women's college basketball, is among the dozens of schools recruiting Hines. Get a front row seat at their games now because watching Holland and Hines courtside at a college blue-blood program will be pricy.
9. JT Toppin
The UNM men's basketball team is 5-1 despite floor general Jaelen House being out for all but one of those games. Leading scorer Jamal Mashburn Jr. is banged up, too. Lobos fans can thank sophomore guard Donovan Dent (see honorable mention) and freshman forward JT Toppin for the team's hot start while the stars are on the mend. The 6-foot-9 Toppin hit his first 11 baskets and all five free throws (his only miss being a 3-pointer near the end of the game) to score 27 points in a 92-84 win over Toledo last week. He also pulled down 11 rebounds, dished out 3 assists and recorded a block and an assist in what Journal writer Geoff Grammer called the best freshman performance he'd seen in the Mountain West era (beginning with the 1999-2000 season).
8. Lucas Gurule
St. Michael's receiver Lucas Gurule might have made the most impressive catch of the 2023 high school season in the 3A title game against Robertson. The 17-yard scoring strike with a few minutes to go in the game was essentially the winning play for the champion Horsemen. And the tumble into the snow bank after the reception? Money!
7. Wyatt 'Gunslinger' Gomez
Lovington won its 20th state football title, second most in state history (more on this later). The biggest reason for the Wildcats' success this year might be quarterback Wyatt Gomez, who threw five touchdowns in the 4A semifinals and five more in the 4A finals. In true gunslinger fashion, this Wyatt is firing bullets all over the field; just take a look at the highlights from the title game win over rival Portales.
6. Dolla Dolla Bill y'all
Let's talk about UNM's running back room. First Andrew Henry, the backup, who goes by the nickname "Dolla." He lived up to his nickname with this epic catch and run out of the backfield during Friday's 44-41 double overtime loss at home to Utah State. The commentator says of the 64-yard score: "This should've been a loss. Instead, Henry all the way, touchdown!"
Starting running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who goes by the nickname "Bill," was a rock for the Lobos all season long and by year's end was putting up numbers rivalling the best backs in the country. He became the first Lobo running back to go for over 200 yards in back-to-back games (204 yards in a win over Fresno State and then 236 yards in the Utah State loss). Also, his final tally of 1,190 rushing yards this season was the seventh-most in program history.
UNM will have a new head coach next season (Danny Gonzales was fired a day after the team finished 4-8 and out of bowl contention), and whoever that coach is, their first calls should be to Bill and Dolla.
5. New Mexico United
The brass for New Mexico's USLC soccer squad have for years been trying to find space for a soccer-specific stadium in Albuquerque. On Monday, that quest became somewhat final when the Albuquerque City Council OK'd plans for a mostly privately funded stadium project at Balloon Fiesta Park. New Mexico United won't be playing in the new stadium until 2026 at the earliest, which gives the state's residents plenty of time to grouse and complain (specifically about the location), but on the surface this is a win for a community that's thrown its support behind the soccer franchise.
4. Jerry Kill
The New Mexico State football program won its 10th game (and 8th straight) on Saturday, and will play in the Conference USA title game and a bowl game before the season's done. The New Mexico State football program won its 10th game (and 8th straight) on Saturday, and will play in the Conference USA title game and a bowl game before the season's done. The New Mexico State football program won its 10th game (and 8th straight) on Saturday, and will play in the Conference USA title game and a bowl game before the season's done. No matter how many times you repeat it, it's still unbelievable what head coach Jerry Kill, in just his second year, has meant for this program, the doormat of DI college football for many of the 60 years prior to his arrival. Heck, let's say it one more time, but this time in bold: The New Mexico State football program won its 10th game (and 8th straight) on Saturday, and will play in the Conference USA title game and a bowl game before the season's done.
Speaking of the NMSU football program, an interesting dynamic emerged over the weekend. By and large, Aggie fans root against UNM and UTEP no matter what team they are playing. But I don't think the fan bases at UNM and UTEP have the same level of vitriol toward NMSU. But with NMSU having the most successful football program of the three over the past couple years, those tables have turned. The Aggies, now the big brothers, have become somewhat protective of the Rio Grande region. Case in point: Liberty celebrated its win Saturday at UTEP by bringing mariachis and piñatas into the locker room. Former Aggie linebacker Terrill Hanks, now playing pro football, chimed in on X, alluding that NMSU might use Liberty's appropriation of Borderland culture as motivation for their upcoming battle in the CUSA title game:
3. Alexis Dotson
Alexis Dotson, former star softball player on the 2013 champion Las Cruces Bulldawgs softball team and now a player development assistant for the Washington Commanders, gets on this list for helping to save a life. The life she saved was that of her father Donald Dotson, a former New Mexico State basketball player. Alexis donated one of her kidneys and after successful surgery in July, Donald should have an extra decade or two to spend with family and friends. Bravo, Alexis!
2. Artesia Bulldogs
No gridiron in New Mexico is more hallowed than the Bulldog Bowl in Artesia, the site of a another crowning achievement by its home tenant on Saturday. In the Class 5A title game, the Artesia Bulldogs thoroughly dismantled the Roswell Coyotes, a team I would have gone on record as saying was the best in the state. Artesia corrected the record in a game that wasn't very close, the Bulldogs winning 35-21 and in the process capturing their 32nd state football title (a record).
One of the more interesting stats from the game: Artesia senior quarterback Nye Estrada threw for 295 yards on just 14 completions, including five touchdowns, which covered 35, 45, 91, 25 and 29 yards. Big plays from a big-time program.
1. La Cueva Bears
Though Artesia's win over Roswell surprised me, I didn't find it as stunning as the outcome in the 6A final. No. 3 La Cueva looked like the far superior team in its 35-14 take-down of powerhouse, and top-seeded, Cleveland. I, and others, underestimated the ceiling for this Cam Dyer-led offense and the Mason Posa-backed defense. Kudos to the Bears for proving the prognosticators wrong. I'd love to see a matchup between La Cueva and Artesia for state superiority, and frankly, I wouldn't bet against either team.
Also, this was fun: La Cueva running back Cheeto Lumbrera III posted a clip from the Journal's Midweek Blitz show, proving moving legs > talking heads. Well done, Cheeto, well done.
Honorable mentions
UNM forward Viané Cumber hit eight (8!) threes against Montana State in a game on Thanksgiving Day. Unfortunately, the rest of the Lobos weren't so hot in a 75-57 loss.
Lobos guard Donovan Dent continues to impress as he takes over starting point guard duties in lieu of injured Jaelen House. Even when House comes back, expect Dent to retain starter's minutes in what will be an extremely small — House (6-0), Dent (6-2) and Jamal Mashburn Jr. (6-2) — but potent backcourt.
The New Mexico Suncats softball program on Tuesday honored 26 seniors who have committed to play softball at the next level or who are attending university on an academic scholarship. That's a grand slam in my book!
End of the bench
Fairweather fans. UNM football beat reporter Sean Reider posted a video of the second-half crowd (or lack thereof) at Friday's home game vs. Utah State. Reporter James Yodice, a UNM graduate, felt it was an embarrassingly low number of people in the stadium to cheer on the Lobos on Senior Day.
Some people stated in response to James' tweet that weather was a factor in why they weren't in the stands. True, it was unseasonably cold and did began snowing by end the of late November game — but I'd like to point out that these commenters are by definition fairweather fans. No one likes to root for a losing program (and UNM football fits that bill), but the team did play hard this year. It would have been easy for this previously 3-7 team without a chance to make a bowl to give up on their final two games, but instead the Lobos became the only squad to win at previously ranked Fresno State and then came back from double-digits to force overtime against a bowl-bound Utah State program. They deserved more than a middling round of applause this year. UNM football fans deserve more than the fairweather fan label, but they earned it this week.Previous power rankings
Nov. 19
