Allcorn has Bloomfield on unbeaten roll
Looking back, maybe it will be pinpointed as truly the day the Bob Allcorn era began at Bloomfield High School. Yes, he’s been the Bobcats football coach for almost six full seasons, and yes, Bloomfield had some early playoff success when he took over the program before the 2014 season.
But it was the results of last fall, when the Bobcats got all the way to the Class 4A state final before losing 14-7 at Taos, that perhaps allowed this school to turn the corner under Allcorn.
“I know,” Allcorn said, “a lot of people didn’t think we’d give Taos a great challenge. But that was one of the best games I’ve seen a group of kids play.”
The Tigers had two special-teams touchdowns in that victory and less than 100 yards of total offense.
A young Bloomfield roster then went back to work. The Bobcats are one of only five undefeated teams this season in New Mexico. They improved to 9-0 after a win Friday night against Kirtland Central.
“Most of these kids came back from last year and came back with a real purpose and work ethic,” said Allcorn, who was Moriarty’s head coach before he left for the Four Corners. “And we had a very good offseason.”
In a solid field of 4A challengers — a list that is headed by Portales and Lovington — the Bobcats, who are ranked second in 4A between the top-ranked Rams and third-ranked Wildcats, are chasing their first state football title since 1966.
Bloomfield’s success has centered around a terrific defense, which was largely the reason the Bobcats advanced so deep in last year’s bracket, and the arm of senior quarterback Vincent Marquez.
Marquez has thrown for nearly 2,400 yards and 34 touchdowns and has rushed for another seven scores this season. Bloomfield has the highest-scoring offense in 4A through nine games, averaging almost 50 points a game. Last year, Bloomfield’s offense averaged 27.5 a game.
This air raid attack is one Allcorn switched to a couple of years ago. Marquez, the backup QB a year ago and a running back, “has really matured as a person and as a player,” the coach said. “It’s been fun to watch how he’s taking command of the offense. … He’s playing at a very high level right now. If we can keep playing solid defense, with him it’ll give us a great chance against anybody.”
LET’S PROJECT: I will have my final top 12 in Class 6A next Saturday, but here’s my first playoff bracket projection:
My top four as we head into the final week are Volcano Vista, Rio Rancho, La Cueva and Clovis.
I have Las Cruces at No. 5, then Centennial, then Cleveland and Mayfield to round out the top eight. My final four are Carlsbad, Eldorado, Cibola and Sandia.
Very quickly, looking ahead to Week 11, there are obviously several swing games that could impact the order of the top eight (La Cueva-Clovis, Rio Rancho-Cleveland, Las Cruces-Mayfield). The HobbsCarlsbad game has intrigue, too. If Hobbs wins, then the Eagles get in, along with Carlsbad, I think, with Sandia or Eldorado in peril of being the first team out. If Carlsbad wins, Sandia and Eldorado both will be safe, with Carlsbad also in and Hobbs missing the postseason. So it says from this keyboard, anyway.
ADEN CHAVEZ UPDATE: Cibola’s outstanding freshman quarterback has missed the last several games. He injured his knee in the second half of the La Cueva game in mid-September, but played through the first half of the Rio Rancho game on Oct. 4.
Cougars coach Rod Williams said Chavez could be available for the first week of the playoffs. Cibola closes next week against Volcano Vista.
THIS AND THAT: Shout out to Oñate head coach and former Eldorado offensive coordinator Steve Castille for getting his first win with the Knights, 21-12 on Thursday against Gadsden.