PREP FOOTBALL: ALBUQUERQUE ACADEMY AT A GLANCE
(Another in a continuing series of previews heading to Opening Day.)
Coach: Kevin Carroll (29th year; 157-130)
Last season: 2-8 Returning starters: 5 offense, 5 defense
Key players: Tomas Lujan, sr. (5-10, 160, QB/S); Gary Larmour, sr. (6-1, 205, TE/LB); Ben Sullivan, sr. (6-1, 195, OT/ DT); Zane Horton sr. (5-10, 165, RB); Nathaniel Holloway, sr. (6-1, 220, OT/DT); Marques Larranaga, soph. (6-1, 205, OT/ DT); Christian Lague, sr. (5-6, 160, OG); Tatsuo Good, jr. (5-9, 150, HB); Emiliano Rivas, jr. (5-9, 165, DE); Liam Nguyen-Spiers, jr. (5-8, 168, LB/FB); Sean Maez, sr. (6-1, 160, HB).
Outlook: After two consecutive losing seasons, Carroll has a plan in place that he hopes will help the Chargers be more competitive. “We want to become better students of the game by having more skull sessions and to develop a little more grit to our team,” he said. “We were a little soft last year. I think a lot of our guys have taken a step forward.” Player health will play a key role, as some games last year Academy only dressed 18 players, eight of them freshmen, and five of them were starting. This group has seven seniors, led by team captain Lujan, a two-way starter. “I would be very disappointed if we didn’t at least break even and put up a good fight,” said Lujan, who played tailback on offense last season and had a few snaps as a QB. Carroll said lack of numbers in the program remains the biggest concern. Lujan and junior Zach Jaramillo are battling for the QB position this season. But whoever the starter is will have a big offensive line (three 200-pounders) in front of them. 2017 SCHEDULE (x-District 2-5A games) Aug. 26 Hope Christian 11 a.m. Sept. 2 Tucumcari noon Sept. 8 at Bernalillo 7 p.m. Sept. 15 at West Las Vegas 6 p.m. Sept. 23 Escalante 1 p.m. Sept. 30 Raton 1 p.m. x-Oct. 6 at Española Valley 7 p.m. x-Oct. 14 Los Alamos noon x-Oct. 21at Del Norte (M) 1 p.m.
x-Oct. 28Capital noon Nov. 3 OPEN
Circle the date: The midseason visit by a perennial small-school power, Escalante, is the most attractive of all the Academy home games in 2017.