Roswell Is Ready For Another Run
For the past three seasons, the road to the Class 5A state football championship has run through Roswell and Artesia. The two rivals have met in the state final each year, with Artesia claiming the championship in 2023, Roswell answering with a title of its own in 2024, and the Bulldogs reclaiming the crown last season.
Now, the Coyotes are hoping it’s their turn again.
Roswell head coach Jeff Lynn knows this year’s team may look a little different from some of his recent championship-caliber squads. With just 17 seniors on the roster, the Coyotes will rely heavily on their junior class. “I think we’re a little younger than we’ve normally been,” Lynn said. “We only have 17 seniors. We’re going to start a bunch of juniors.”
That youth, however, has Lynn feeling optimistic. In fact, the Coyotes’ head coach sees some similarities between this group and two of his most successful teams. “This kind of takes me back to our 2018 and 2019 teams,” Lynn said. “We’ve got a defense that’s really fast and flies to the football. I’m excited about this group.”
One of the biggest reasons for that excitement is running back Luis Rodriguez. The junior emerged during the second half of his sophomore season and finished with 734 rushing yards. Now, Lynn expects the explosive back to play an even bigger role in the Coyotes’ offense. “I think you’re hard-pressed to find a better running back than Luis,” Lynn said.
And what makes Rodriguez so difficult to defend? “He’s slippery,” Lynn said. “He’s a little guy, but the dude can run. He can shake you out of your socks.”
Roswell will also turn to junior quarterback Andruw Fuentez, who takes over the starting job. Fuentez has some family history with the program, as his older brother also started for the Coyotes for several seasons.
On the other side of the ball, All-State linebacker Jonathan Ellis returns to lead a defense that Lynn believes could be one of the team’s biggest strengths. Ellis is one of the few returning starters on defense who is a senior.
The Class 5A landscape will look a little different this season with Piedra Vista, Los Lunas and Cibola joining the classification, creating two eight-team districts. Lynn likes what he sees.
“I really like what the NMAA did with two districts of eight teams,” he said. “I think we’ve got two quality districts in Class 5A. If you win that district, you’re a quality football team.”
The Coyotes have become accustomed to playing deep into November. After three consecutive trips to the state championship game, they know exactly what it takes to make a run. This year, they’ll try to turn that experience into another opportunity to play for a blue trophy — and perhaps reclaim the crown from their biggest rival.
Roswell opens the 2026 season at home against Hobbs on August 21.
Photography by Gavin Gallegos/G2 Studios
