Peerman's Power Rankings: 5 best things in New Mexico sports this week (Sept. 22)

Sep. 23—Welcome to Peerman's Power Rankings (PPR), the five athletes, teams and story lines that have Journal sports editor Lucas Peerman's attention this week. Have a suggestion, complaint or compliment? Email lpeerman@abqjournal.com or find me on X, @LucasPeerman.

5. Devon Dampier

How can the quarterback of an 0-4 team be on a power rankings list? Because this quarterback is the primary reason why the winless UNM football team is a 10-point favorite this coming Saturday at rival New Mexico State.

Bettors have been watching Dampier slice through cover-two schemes in leading UNM to cover the point spread in three of its four losses. And in the game the Lobos didn't cover, Saturday's 38-21 loss to Fresno State, Dampier completed 33 passes for a career-best 338 yards and led the team with 67 yards rushing. His ledger would've been even higher had UNM not tied a team record with 17 penalties.

Dampier (PPR likes to call him The Prestige) is special. Las Vegas know this. Southern New Mexico is about to find this out. And this likely will be the first of three consecutive weeks the Lobos are favored to win.

4. Centennial boys soccer

The Hawks, ranked third in the New Mexico coaches poll, came to Albuquerque to play No. 2 Eldorado on Saturday and left with a 3-1 victory. Now 10-0, Centennial is the only boys program in the state without a tie or loss, and the Hawks have been winning big, too. Centennial has outscored its opponents 54-5 on the season.

Centennial seniors Evan Kraenzel and Santiago Magana are pacing their side, each with more than 25 points (goals plus assists) on the season. Both are among the top 10 point-scorers in Class 5A. Goalkeeper Nick Raitt, a sophomore, has the lowest goals-against average among the big schools.

3. UNM volleyball

In the fall of 1990, "Ghost" was tops at the box office, Bon Jovi's "Blaze of Glory" was No. 1 on the music charts and the UNM volleyball team beat New Mexico State twice in one season. The latter wouldn't happen again for a long time. This past week, the Lobos beat the Aggies 3-1 in Albuquerque and two days later won 3-0 in Las Cruces, marking the first time in more than three decades that UNM swept NMSU in volleyball.

Now that the team's largest mental hurdle is out of the way (proving it's the best team in New Mexico), the Lobos (7-3) can focus on winning their first Mountain West title since 2014. Conference play begins this week, with home matches against UNLV (on Thursday) and San Diego State (Saturday).

2. Rio Rancho boys cross country

The Rams' Cody Sullivan is one of the three best cross country runners in the state, having won one race and finished second three other times this season. But Sullivan may not win again this year, unless of course teammate Charlie Vause — who along with Organ Mountain's Corbin Coombs are 1-2 in the state — chooses to take a break, as he's done twice already this season. In those two races, Sullivan won one and lost to Coombs by 1 second in the other.

Having two of the three best distance runners on one team, Rio Rancho has cruised to team titles in the Super Cinco, UNM Invitational and Rio Rancho Jamboree. Add in Mateo Herrera, also a top 10 runner statewide, and the Rams are a lock to win the team title in any cross country race those three are competing in.

1. New Mexico United

The Black and Yellow beat Sacramento Republic FC and Loudoun United at home this past week to clinch a playoff berth in the USL Championship and strengthen its hold on the Western Conference's best record. It would be a surprise if United doesn't end up hosting a first-round playoff match for the first time in team history.

United is a formidable, fun squad and can absolutely challenge for a league title this year. But it's also a side that has scored only eight more goals than it's given up. Six USL teams have a better goal differential on the season. All those one-goal matches make for exciting nights at the park, however. Catch United in their final regular-season home matches — Oct. 9 against Phoenix Rising FC and Oct. 26 against Memphis Rising FC.

Honorable mention

Lobo golfer Alvaro Portillo defeated teammate Carson Herron on the third playoff hole Saturday to win UNM's William H. Tucker Intercollegiate. Kudos to Portillo and Herron for finishing 1-2 on the scoreboard, but the Lobos did give up a 10-hole lead to Colorado on the final day of competition to finish the tournament in second place. Ouch. ... Organ Mountain football beat Alamogordo 18-10 on Friday for its second straight victory. That's big news for a program that went 0-10 last season. ... Chaparral is another long-suffering football program with two wins on the season after beating Albuquerque Academy 44-20 on Friday. The Lobos entered the season on a 41-game losing streak. ... Hope Christian quarterback RJ Montoya had maybe the prep game of the year, scoring nine touchdowns (seven of them rushing) in the Huskies' 62-12 victory over Estancia on Friday. ... The movie "Rez Ball," which was filmed in part at the Pit and focuses on a fictional high school basketball team based on the Navajo Nation in New Mexico, premieres this coming Friday on Netflix.

Meet the sports editor

Albuquerque Journal Assistant Managing Editor for Sports and Features (Sports Editor) Lucas Peerman will be visiting a different coffee house the last Wednesday of every month to meet with community members. This is an opportunity to discuss in person what you'd like to see in a sports section, or to just talk sports.

This month, Journal sports writer Ken Sickenger, who covers New Mexico United and a host of UNM sports (volleyball, women's basketball and baseball), will be at the coffee meet-up as well.

Meet Lucas and Ken at La Luz Coffee, 1115 Griegos Road, from 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25. Look for the little guy (Lucas) or the tall guy (Ken).