Prep football schedules released

The three big-school football teams — Mayfield, Las Cruces High and Oñate — unveiled their 2011 schedules this weekend.
How do things shape up for the defending state champion Trojans? Can the Bulldawgs top Artesia? How will the Caleb Hull era begin at Oñate?
We take a look at the respective schedules and break them down.

Mayfield Trojans
The rundown: A tough schedule and one that supplies intrigue for Mayfield.
Three games highlight the pre-district slate — hosting Montwood Week 2 followed by a road game against Eldorado and another road affair at La Cueva.
Montwood is one of El Paso’s top teams while Eldorado has emerged as one of New Mexico’s most established programs.
La Cueva enters the season surrounded by question marks without stud running back Ronnie Daniels and a new coach, Ed Lucero, taking over for the departed Fred Romero.
Another mid-season opponent, Sandia, is a Jekyll and Hyde team — an upstart playoff club two years ago, only to disappoint last season.
Either way, nothing will come easy for Mayfield considering the Trojans are carrying another state championship banner.
Early test: The Mayfield-Montwood rivalry series rolls on with the Rams coming north to the Field of Dreams this year on Sept. 2.
Last year’s game was an instant classic — a 34-31 Montwood win in overtime which saw Mayfield tie the score late on a two-point conversion and a Rams go-ahead touchdown being the difference on the game’s final play.
Expect more fireworks this time around between two of the region’s best.
District showdown: This is obvious — Mayfield squaring off against Las Cruces High in the final regular-season game on the schedule on Nov. 4.
Last year the Bulldawgs beat the Trojans 14-9 for the District 3-5A title and have won four-straight in the rivalry series.

The docket
Aug. 25 Chapin (El Paso)& 7 p.m.
Sept. 2 Montwood (El Paso) 7 p.m.
Sept. 9 @ Carlsbad 7 p.m.
Sept. 16 @ Eldorado 7 p.m.
Sept. 24 Sandia! 1 p.m.
Sept. 30 @ La Cueva 7 p.m.
Oct. 7 Alamogordo* 7 p.m.
Oct. 14 BYE
Oct. 20 Gadsden&* 7 p.m.
Oct. 28 @ Oñate* 7 p.m.
Nov. 4 @ Las Cruces* 7 p.m.
& Thursday game
! Saturday game
* District game

Las Cruces Bulldawgs
The rundown: The Bulldawgs seem to have some winnable games — albeit tricky ones — early in the schedule.
El Dorado is one of El Paso’s top programs, although has lost some talent during this past offseason.
Volcano Vista is talented and Hobbs is led by venerable coach Bruce Dollar, although both games should be in LCHS’s favor at the Field of Dreams.
It’s not a bad scenario for the Bulldawgs, who will have a talented team with a new starting quarterback in Devin Perez — who went 4-0 last year filling in for injured Jeremy Buurma.
The latter half of the schedule sees Class 4A power Artesia come to town before the district season begins with a road tilt at Gadsden, followed by a showdown with Oñate.
And, of course, the season finale against Mayfield.
Early test: The pre-district schedule culminates with a home game against Artesia on Sept. 30, one of the state’s most storied programs.
Last year the two teams squared off in Artesia with everything going against Las Cruces High.
An injury to quarterback Jeremy Buurma, a lopsided penalty differential and a 42-21 loss left a bad taste in the Bulldawgs’ mouth.
The two teams continue their annual matchup this year at the Field of Dreams, in a game where LCHS will look to rebound.
District showdown: We hate to be redundant, but how can you not take the Trojans game?
Las Cruces High has had Mayfield’s number in recent seasons. Can they keep it going in 2011?
It promises to be heated affair, as always.

The docket
Aug. 25 @ El Dorado (El Paso)& 7 p.m.
Sept. 3 @ Cibola! 1 p.m.
Sept. 9 Volcano Vista 7 p.m.
Sept. 16 Hobbs 7 p.m.
Sept. 24 @ Rio Grande! 1 p.m.
Sept. 30 Artesia 7 p.m.
Oct. 7 @ Gadsden* 7 p.m.
Oct. 14 Oñate* 7 p.m.
Oct. 21 BYE
Oct. 28 @ Alamogordo* 7 p.m.
Nov. 4 Mayfield* 7 p.m.
& Thursday game
! Saturday game
* District game

Oñate Knights
The rundown: First-year coach Caleb Hull will have his work cut out for him as the Knights face a tough stretch of games.
El Paso Franklin should be a good team and Americas looks to be one of El Paso’s better clubs in 2011 led by Division I-bound running back Jack Fields.
Traveling north to Cleveland High School also promises to be a difficult task.
Hull has brought a hard-charging style to the Knights since his hiring in January.
We’ll see how it translates over into the fall, as OHS doesn’t have many gimmes on its schedule.
Early test: Last year the Knights got drubbed by Franklin 49-2 in the season’s opening game.
They have the Cougars again Week 1, this time at the Field of Dreams on Aug. 26.
Who knows how the Knights will fair this time around, although it will be a game to watch simply because it’s the first of the Caleb Hull era.
Hull is looking to bring a new attitude to the Knights program. A good showing against Franklin would be a good place to start.
District showdown: Hull was a surprise hire this past offseason, a young coach coming to Oñate from Las Cruces High, where he was special teams coordinator and an assistant coach on the offensive and defensive lines.
He will see his old team in the Knights District 3-5A opener on Oct. 14, a game which comes after the Knights’ bye.

The docket
Aug. 26 Franklin (El Paso) 7 p.m.
Sept. 1 @ Americas (El Paso)& 7 p.m.
Sept. 9 @ Cleveland 7 p.m.
Sept. 17 Rio Rancho! 1 p.m.
Sept. 23 West Mesa 7 p.m.
Oct. 1 @ Volcano Vista! 1 p.m.
Oct. 7 BYE
Oct. 14 @ Las Cruces* 7 p.m.
Oct. 21 Alamogordo* 7 p.m.
Oct. 28 Mayfield* 7 p.m.
Nov. 4 @ Gadsden* 7 p.m.
& Thursday game
! Saturday game
* District game