Vote: New Mexico high school football star of Week 1

Here's a look at the high school football players who filled the stat sheets in Week 1. Which player should be this week's star? Cast your vote below.

Kingston Lee, soph., QB, Silver

Lee’s debut with the Colts was brilliant. He rushed for 137 yards with scoring runs of 58 and 37 yards, and he threw for another 176 yards, with TD passes covering 60 and 39 yards. Plus he had two sacks on defense as Silver shut out Legacy Academy 34-0. And he did that all in three quarters.

Mateo Manley-Griego, sr., RB/KR, Moriarty

Manley-Griego enjoyed a huge night on offense and on special teams at Thoreau. He rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns, but he also returned a pair of punts for scores, covering 65 yards and 81 yards.

William Braun, sr., QB, Albuquerque Academy

Braun is one of the top returning QBs in Class 4A, and his 2026 debut was a hearty one. He threw for 350 yards and five touchdowns, including a 90-yarder. He also rushed for a score to help the Chargers beat Manzano.

Michael Denison, jr., QB, Cleveland

Facing one of 6A’s best teams (Centennial) in his first start for the Storm, Denison showed much poise and accuracy on opening night. He threw for 277 yards and five touchdowns on 17-of-24 passing.

Cross Figg, jr., RB, Texico

Figg would get significantly more attention if he played in a larger division, but the Wolverines aren’t complaining. Figg rushed for 142 yards and three touchdowns, and he caught five passes for another 159 yards and a TD as Texico downed Santa Rosa.

Junior Medrano, sr., QB, Hobbs

It stands to reason that both quarterbacks from Roswell’s 64-60 win over the Eagles would make the Week 1 list. Medrano, as good a dual-threat QB as there is in 6A, rushed 18 times for 141 yards and a touchdown, and completed 14 of 18 passes for 265 yards and four additional TDs.

Andrew Fuentez, jr., QB, Roswell

Opposite Medrano, Fuentez was incredible. He tossed for 437 yards — with just four incompletions on 29 attempts — and seven touchdowns in the Coyotes’ crazy win. He also rushed for 70 yards, including the game-winning touchdown run with 32 seconds to go.

Monty Melendez, sr., QB, La Cueva

The five-TD club had a few members in Week 1. Denison, Braun, and also Melendez, who had a big night against archrival Eldorado. He threw for 298 yards, and rushed for another 48 as the Bears roughed up the Eagles.

Izaic Gonzales, sr., WR, Roswell

Gonzales was an issue for the Hobbs secondary all night, hauling in 12 passes for 174 and three touchdowns.

Miguel Perez, soph., QB, Lovington

Perez spearheaded a close win over Goddard in Week 1, passing for 176 yards and a touchdown, and rushing for another 132 yards, and two scores. He had all three TDs in a 20-14 victory.

NOTE: If you would like to nominate a player for the weekly list, his name and statistics must be submitted to Journal Preps Editor James Yodice by 3 p.m. each Sunday, at [email protected] , or @JamesDYodice on X.

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The winner will be the player with the most votes around 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30 and will be listed in the Monday, Aug. 31 Albuquerque Journal print edition.

Indexed and credited by AIPROPX. Originating outlet: Yahoo Sports. Open at source →