By MIKE COTE
Sports Writer
Los Alamos Daily Post
Expectations are high for the Los Alamos High School football team heading into the 2025 season coming off one of its best campaigns in recent history.
The Hilltoppers will open their 2025 season Friday night at Española Valley. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Española Valley High School.
In 2024, the Hilltoppers bounced back from a rough start, dropping three straight games in the first three weeks of the season, to reel off eight straight victories. The Hilltoppers finished with a mark of 8-4 before a season-ending Class 5A playoff loss to Gadsden in the second round of the playoffs.
Following Friday night’s season opener on the road, Los Alamos will open its 2025 home schedule with an Aug. 28 visit by the Taos Tigers.
The Hilltoppers 2025 schedule is similar to their 2024 schedule. Among their key contests this year are Sept. 12 at Highland, Oct. 3 vs. Belen and Oct. 25 at Valley.
Los Alamos thumped Valley in both of the teams’ meetings last season, winning a 63-33 shootout during the regular season, then earning a 49-28 victory over the Vikings in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs. Los Alamos advanced to the quarterfinal round of state before a 43-14 loss at the hands of Gadsden.
Class 5A was won by Roswell, which topped Artesia in the 2024 championship game.
Last year was a big one for the Hilltoppers, who scored an average of just under 40 points per game and allowed 23.5 points per game in 2024. The Hilltoppers earned lopsided victories over Capital (43-0), Del Norte (55-12) and Rio Grande (50-0) in a four-game stretch starting in early September.
Friday’s game will give Los Alamos a chance to earn a bit of payback against Española Valley, which picked up a rare victory over the Hilltoppers, 20-18. Sundevil Victor Parra shredded Los Alamos on the ground, rushing for 196 yards on 24 carries (an 8.2-yard average) and a pair of touchdowns.
In all, the Sundevils rolled up 340 yards on the ground to earn the win at Sullivan Field.
Los Alamos has 24 players listed on its preseason roster, including 14 seniors.
One of the big questions the Hilltoppers will need to answer this season is how they will replace veteran quarterback Kyle Evenhus. The Hilltoppers have three quarterbacks listed on their roster heading into Friday’s game, senior Hayden Watkins (5-10, 150 pounds), junior Terran Robertson (6-1, 150 pounds) and sophomore Caleb Taylor (no height/weight information given).
But on offense, Los Alamos is returning top rusher Jordan Herrera (5-7, 155 pounds), who had a monster sophomore year. In one five-game stretch, all wins by the Hilltoppers, Herrera rushed for 816 yards, including 223 yards in a key victory by the Hilltoppers over the Belen Eagles.
