2019 Albuquerque High Schools Football Yearbook 25
LA CUEVA BEARS
Unfortunately for the rest of New Mexico’s state championship contenders, the La Cueva Bears
are heavily stocked for a repeat run after an undefeated season last year. To think: La Cueva won
only three games just four years ago, and now they’re perhaps the best team in the state.
Granted, the Bears lose star running back D’Andre Williams, who torched rival Cleveland for
367 yards and two scores in a championship-game 33-14 win. And steady two-year starter Dylan
Summers leaves a hole at quarterback after throwing for 2,400 yards and 20 touchdowns. But
with a wide receiver corps that remains mostly intact—led by coveted 6-4 target Connor O’Toole
and Prince Robertson—and reliable backup Austin Smith ready to take the reins in the passing
game, the Bears should barely miss a step.
La Cueva gets its toughness up front from three-year starting center/defensive tackle Barrett
Haemker, a state champion wrestler, and Donyell Silverhatband should thrive as he takes over a
starting role on both offense an defense. Jay’shun Lowery and Caleb Marra will be impact players
on both sides at tight end and defensive end, but the Bears lose two vital second-level leaders in
graduated linebackers Fred Mady and Lawrence Bussey. They’ll count on Noah Woisin to take a
leap after moving from outside to inside linebacker, and Grant Harter and Jacob Carbajal will lend
leadership to the defensive backfield.
Manzano Monarchs
Before last season, which followed an undefeated state championship season for Manzano in
2017, Monarchs’ new head coach Phil Martinez told the Albuquerque Journal, “I do expect some
growing pains.” And there were some in a 7-5 2018 campaign, which ended with a 41-22 loss to
Cleveland in the second round of the state playoffs, a defeat that followed five straight wins. To get
back to their winning ways, the Monarchs will look to Jace Melfi, who is expected to take over for
Dakota Powell at quarterback. An even bigger hole will be found at running back, where Xavier
Ivey-saud left a 1,677-yard and 14-touchdown-sized imprint. Martinez, the youngest coach in 6A at
just 30 years old, will have to rely on a rising senior group that includes lineman Chris Valdez, wide
receiver Austin Erickson and linebacker Stone Davis. Erickson should help ease the QB transition
after hauling in 46 receptions for 730 yards and 10 touchdowns last season.