State bound Cavemen battle Volcano Vista Despite all the ups and downs incurred by this year's Cavemen football team, they'll be heading into state tournament play Friday, in Albuquerque, where they'll face off with the Volcano Vista Hawks in first round action of this year's Big Dance. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. in the Duke City . The Cavemen will enter tonight's game at 3-6 on the year and seeded eleventh. Volcano Vista comes in at 6-4 and seeded sixth. While this year's New Mexico Activities Association selection committee may not have been impressed by the Cavemen's overall 3-6 record, they probably did take notice of their strength of schedule. The Cavemen have battled their way through a schedule filled with New Mexico heavyweights, which includes the Class 6A's 2nd ranked Rio Rancho Rams (7-1), 4th ranked Centennial Hawks (8-1), 5th ranked Las Cruces Bulldogs (5-4), 8th ranked Hobbs Eagles (5-5) and the Class 5A's 3rd ranked Artesia Bulldogs (7-3), 4th ranked Goddard Rockets (5-4) and 5th ranked Roswell High Coyotes (5-4). Tale of the tape Although sitting at 3-6 the Cavemen have had a few big moments during the 2021 prep season. The first and most noticeable one, a 34-6 victory over the Class 5A third ranked Artesia Bulldogs. They've also defeated El Paso Coronado 19-0 and Organ Mt. 34-20.Although the sixth ranked Hawks have posted six wins in 2021, only one of those victories was registered over a team bearing better than a .500 record. All told, the overall record of the six teams Volcano Vista has beaten is 18-38.Interesting though is the fact that the Hawk's most impressive outing of the year might be found, not in the win column, but in its losses. On Oct. 14 Volcano Vista fell to the top ranked and number one seed in this year's playoffs, Cleveland Storm 44-33. Volcano Vista has registered wins over: Manzano (1-8) 43-20, Albuquerque High (2-8) 28-0, Sandia (5-4) 47-28, West Mesa (3-6) 42-10, Atrisco Heritage (2-7) 61-9 and Cibola (5-5) 21-14.The Cavemen and Hawks have shared two common opponents this season, Las Cruces and Rio Rancho. The results of those games were: (CHS 13, Las Cruces 42 -Volcano Vista 20, Las Cruces 27) and (CHS 0, Rio Rancho 50 -Volcano Vista 7, Rio Rancho 57).
The Hawks will enter tonight's game coming in off a 21-14 victory over the seventh ranked Cibola Cougars. Carlsbad comes into the game following a 48-7 loss to the eighth ranked Hobbs Eagles .Although dropping their final game of the regular season to Hobbs the Cavemen picked up 358 total yards of offense, 178 yards rushing and 180 passing, against the Eagles. While the Cavemen do own a 3-6 record they have had their opportunities. With a few breaks they could easily be sitting at 5-4.The oddsmakers are picking Volcano Vista to win tonight's game and move on to next week's quarter-finals -Carlsbad and the Cavemen think otherwise. From the Carlsbad Local-Go Cavemen!2021 State Seeds:1. Cleveland10-0, 2. Rio Rancho 7-1, 3. La Cueva 9-1, 4. Centennial 8-1, 5. Las Cruces 5-4, 6. Volcano Vista 6-4, 7. Cibola 5-5, 8. Hobbs 5-5, 9. Eldorado 7-3, 10. Sandia 5-4, 11. Carlsbad 3-6 and 12. Clovis 3-6.