The Goddard High School football team opens its 2026 campaign against Lovington at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21, at Wildcat Stadium.
The game is a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal playoff matchup, when the Rockets fell 28-14 on the road. Both teams finished 7-5 last season, with Lovington losing to Artesia 35-30 at the Bulldog Bowl in the state tournament semifinals.
Bolaños expects resilience for season opener
Third-year Goddard head coach Art Bolaños said he expects his team to fight and remain resilient against Lovington.
The Wildcats dropped from Class 5A to Class 4A, but Bolaños said they have always been a competitive team. He said it is difficult to evaluate Lovington because there is no film available yet, but he expects his team to face a talented group.
“There’s no film right now, so you can’t really sit there and break down their roster,” Bolaños said. “They always produce really good athletes though, so that’s something we can expect.”
Vasquez to lead Goddard at quarterback
The Rockets are losing 19 seniors but will return several key players, including starting quarterback Nate Vasquez. Isaiah Montoya will serve as the backup quarterback and also start at running back alongside Ryan Romero.
Vasquez threw for 1,489 yards and 17 touchdowns last season, while Montoya rushed for 243 yards and 10 touchdowns, according to MaxPreps.
Bolaños said Romero is another player to watch because of his strong hands and ability to command the backfield.
Bolaños appreciates fan support
Although the game is on the road, Bolaños said the fans travel well and he is thankful for them.
“It feels like the fan base gets stronger every year,” Bolaños said. “We have supportive families, so I’m expecting them to travel pretty well with the team the first game and throughout the season.”
Marshall Mecham can be reached at (915) 232-1793 or on X @mecham_marshall. Mecham serves with the New Mexico Local News Fellowship, which places emerging journalists in newsrooms across the state. Learn more at www.newmexicolocalnewsfellowships.org.
