Rams draw sixth seed in Class 4A

Staff report

The Portales Rams will face a familiar foe to open the Class 4A playoffs.

The Rams (6-4) were awarded the No. 6 seed in the 12-team bracket, and will host Pojoaque this weekend.

The teams have already played each other this season, with the Rams taking a 52-13 victory.

Third-year coach Jaime Ramirez expects a more competitive game than the first matchup, which saw Portales take a 40-0 lead at the half.

“We’re going to have to be focused and ready to play,” Ramirez said. “The playoffs are a different animal so we can’t slack off. We have to keep playing hard and improving.”

The top four seeds each receive a first-round bye and a home game in the second round.

Top seed Robertson will host the winner of No. 8 Hatch Valley and No. 9 New Mexico Military Institute; Second-seed Ruidoso will face the winner of No. 7 St. Michael’s and No. 10 Kirtland Central; No. 3 Silver will face either Portales or Pojoaque; and No. 4 Bloomfield will take on the winner of No. 5 Cobre and 12th-seed Hot Springs.

“The guys are excited,” Ramirez said. “It’s nice to be at home for the playoffs.” The Rams have lost in the first round the last three years, with all three losses coming at the hand of Robertson. This year, the Cardinals would only face Portales in a state title matchup.

State football pairings

Class 6A (Seeds in parentheses) First round Friday, Saturday (9) Las Cruces High at (8) Atrisco Heritage (12) Cibola at (5) Rio Rancho Cleveland (11) Manzano at (6) Onate (10) Clovis at (7) Sandia First-round byes: (1) Rio Rancho, (4) Eldorado, (3) La Cueva, (2) Mayfield Class 5A First round Friday, Saturday (9) Piedra Vista at (8) Valencia (12) Del Norte at (5) Aztec (11) Los Lunas at (6) Miyamura (10) Farmington at (7) St. Pius First-round byes: (1) Artesia, (4) Roswell Goddard, (3) Centennial (2) Belen Class 4A First round Friday, Saturday (9) New Mexico Military at (8) Hatch Valley (12) Hot Springs at (5) Cobre (11) Pojoaque at (6) Portales (10) Kirtland Central at (7) St. Michael’s First-round byes: (1) LV Robertson, (4) Bloomfield, (3) Silver, (2) Ruidoso Class 3A First round Friday, Saturday (9) Santa Rosa at (8) Navajo Prep (12) Capitan at (5) Dexter (11) Crownpoint at (6) Estancia (10) Texico at (7) Tularosa First-round byes: (1) Clayton, (4) Eunice, (3) Laguna Acoma, (2) Lordsburg Class 2A Semifinals Friday (1) Escalante 26, (4) Questa 14 (2) Hagerman 36, (3) Fort Sumner 6 Championship Saturday Hagerman at Escalante, 1 p.m. 8-man Quarterfinals Friday (1) Logan 70, (8) Jemez Valley 0 (4) Gateway Christian 62, (5) Foothill 12 (3) Melrose 52, (6) Tatum 14 Saturday (2) Magdalena 62, Dora 0 Semifinals Nov. 14-15 Melrose vs. Magdalena Saturday Gateway Christian at Logan, 2 p.m. Championship Nov. 21-22 Semifinal winners 6-man Semifinals Friday (1) Hondo 59, (4) San Jon/Grady 6 Saturday (3) Lake Arthur 34, (2) Floyd 26 Championship Saturday Lake Arthnur at Hondo, 6 p.m.