Roswell’s offense made plenty of noise in its season opener. Now, the Coyotes will turn their attention to a Randall Raiders team that has yet to take the field this season.
The Coyotes (1-0) will face Randall High School at 7 p.m. CDT Friday, Aug. 28, in Amarillo, Texas, just one week after surviving a 64-60 shootout against Hobbs at the Wool Bowl.
Randall, meanwhile, will open its season against Roswell after going 10-3 in 2025. The Raiders’ season ended with a 51-6 loss to Stephenville in the third round of the Texas state playoffs.
Coach Lynn pushes for continued offense and improved defense
Roswell head coach Jeff Lynn said his philosophy is straightforward: keep the offense rolling but improve defense.
“Defensively, we’ve got to get a lot better,” Lynn said. “We missed a bunch of tackles and lost some assignments against Hobbs, and that’s on me. We’ll get better.”
The Albuquerque Journal recognized quarterback Andruw Fuentez and wide receiver Izaic Gonzales among the top 10 players in the state through Week 1, largely due to the numbers they put up in the high-scoring game. Fuentez orchestrated the attack, completing 25 of 29 passes for 437 yards and seven touchdowns. Gonzales hauled in 12 passes for 174 yards and three touchdowns.
Danny Castro provided another explosive option for Fuentez, catching six passes for 145 yards and three touchdowns. And when Roswell needed points after touchdowns, Benjamin Vera was there to deliver. Vera converted all eight of his extra-point attempts, showing why he is the No. 2 ranked kicker in the state.
An early test
Randall is the only team Roswell will face outside New Mexico this season, making Friday’s trip across the state line an early test. Lynn said playing a tough schedule will prepare them for district play and the state playoffs.
“Randall went three rounds deep in the Texas state playoffs last year, so it’ll be a good test for us,” Lynn said.
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.
