Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Senior Isaac Harris (86) turns to hand off the ball to junior Ky Coats (68) during a scrimmage with Fort Thomas on Aug. 16. The Duncan duo was named all-region honorable mention in 2023. Duncan opens the 2024 season in “the Land of Enchantment” against Lordsburg on Friday, Aug. 23.

By Raymundo Frasquillo

DUNCAN – The Dan Coats-coached Duncan Wildkats open their 2024 football season in the “Land of Enchantment” on Friday, Aug. 23. It is against the Dale Hooper-coached Lordsburg Mavericks.

Lordsburg is 8-1 with an average score per game of 21-12 (192-107) or a 9-point margin over Duncan for those nine games. The scores favored the Mavericks 38-14 in 2022 and 64-36 in 2023 for an average of 51-25 (102-50) or a 26-point margin in the two 8-man games.

The schools met for the season opener during the final seven seasons (1996-2002) before Duncan switched to the 8-man format in 2003.

Lordsburg Mavericks

The 2022 season was the Mavericks’ initial one in the 8-man format. Lordsburg finished 10-1 overall and 3-0 in the district, averaging a score of 52-17 (570-183) per game or a 35-point margin. Fort Sumner/House handed the Mavericks a 34-44 state championship game loss, the only one of the season for a state runners-up finish.

Last season, the Mavericks went 3-5 overall and 2-1 in District 2, averaging a score of 35-43 (276-340) per game or an 8-point deficit.

Lordsburg visits Cloudcroft (Aug. 30), hosts Navajo Pine (Sept. 6), visits Roswell Gateway Christian (Sept. 13), hosts Tatum (Sept. 20), visits Mescalero Apache (Oct. 4) and Melrose (Oct. 18), and hosts Las Cruces Mesilla Valley Christian (Oct. 25).

Hooper (30-28 overall, 13-5 district, 2-5 state) is in his eighth season as the Mavericks’ head coach, the third in the 8-man format.

Duncan Wildkats

Duncan went 5-3 overall, 4-2 for 3rd of seven in the 1A South Region, and averaged a 37-28 (298-226) score per game or a 9-point margin in 2022.

Last season, the first under Coats, the Wildkats finished 1-7 overall, 1-5 for 6th of seven in the region, and averaged an 18-41 (142-331) score per game or a 23-point deficit.

The Wildkats visit Fort Thomas (Aug. 30), host San Manuel (Sept. 6) and Saint David (Sept. 13), visit Sells Baboquivari (Sept. 27), host Kearny Ray (Oct. 4) and Elfrida Valley Union (Oct. 11), and visit Chandler Lincoln Prep (Oct. 18).

A total of 20 Wildkats are privileged to be wearing the Scarlet and Gray colors as football players, with an equal number of returning lettermen as newcomers.

The returning lettermen include senior Isaac Harris; juniors Ky Coats, Josh Free, Evalynn Roberts, Pablo Ruiz, and Isaiah Sumner; and sophomores Conner Free, Billy Johnson, Joe Nandino, and Lloyd Weinreich.

Coats and Harris were listed as 1A South Region Honorable Mention in 2023. Harris also earned all-region honors in 2022, as a first-team kick returner and second-team running back.

Newcomers include juniors Joseph Contreras and Lucas Soohy; sophomores Jarren Butler, Parker Griffin, Dayton Penry, and Aaron Zamora; and freshmen Mark Bejarano, Karren Lacey, Lariet Pate, and Gus Pope.

Duncan is competing in the seven-team 1A South Region with Baboquivari, Fort Thomas, Ray, Saint David, San Manuel, and Valley Union.

Joey Bejarano and Joseph Garcia are joining Dan Coats as assistant coaches. Coats (1-7 overall) follows 5-year (2018-22) Eric Bejarano (22-17), 9-year (2009-17) Eldon Merrell (36-43), 2-year (2007-08) Joseph Sesate (8-8), and 4-year Feliciano ‘Chano’ Talavera (19-14).

The Wildkats are 86-89 overall, 14-13 section, 43-35 region, 1-10 in state playoffs, 45-42 on Packer Field, and 16-5 for homecoming during 21 seasons (2003-23) of playing in the 8-man format.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A ridge of high pressure has shifted into west Texas which means we are forecast to get the showers and cooler temperatures from that flow.

When that ridge of high pressure was over New Mexico, we had warm temperatures hovering around the upper-90s to the 100s. Now that it’s away from us, we may see more of a classic monsoon pattern over the next few days.

Meteorologist Kira Miner shares all the details in her full forecast in the video above.

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – We’re getting a better idea of how children are getting guns from Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman. He says it’s further proof our state’s Children’s Code needs an overhaul.

Bregman says his policy is to not even consider negotiating a plea deal with children unless they divulge how they got their gun. Because of that, his office learned that out of 37 cases this year involving children with guns, most of them got their gun through the messaging app “Telegram.” It’s an app used to send text messages and join chat groups. 

Parental controls company “Bark” calls Telegram potentially one of the most dangerous apps they’ve come across. It allows kids to send messages that self delete, browse the web directly in the app, and talk to and meet up with strangers. 

“It’s far too easy for them to go on social media and two hours later, meet up with someone in Albuquerque and buy a gun from them,” said Bregman. 

Bregman says a concerning increase in gun violence among teens, and changing technology are reasons the Children Code needs an update.

19 teens have been charged with first-degree murder since Bregman first took office 18 months ago. But the last time the Children’s Code got an overhaul was around 30 years ago.

“So all of social media, all of the way children are communicating, all the time now when they post a picture of themselves holding a gun and get a bunch of likes, that didn’t even exist back then,” Bregman said. 

Right now, under the law, children can only be charged as adults in first-degree murder cases. Bregman would like to open that up to second-degree murder, armed robbery, and rape cases. 

He also wants to change the law so people sentenced as juveniles can be held in custody until they’re 25. 

“We believe that that extension will give courts more time to work with these young people to get them on the straight and narrow,” said Bregman. 

In the meantime, Bregman says he will continue taking his message of gun violence prevention to our schools. 

He says he’s working with the attorney general’s office to figure out how to hold Telegram, and other social media apps, accountable for contributing to crime.