By Josh Franklin — Roswell enters the annual football rivalry chasing the top playoff seed, while Goddard looks to secure a first-round home game. The Coyotes are 8-1 overall and unbeaten in district play at 6-0. Goddard is 4-5 overall and 3-3 in district play.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at the Wool Bowl, with the Coyotes holding the home-team designation in this edition of the cross-town rivalry.
Recent history
Roswell has dominated the rivalry for over a decade, dropping just one game to the Rockets since 2015. The Rockets’ lone win came in the 2021 playoffs, when Goddard avenged a 16-14 loss from two weeks prior.
The last 20 meetings, dating back to 2004, still favor Roswell, but only by two games at 11-9.
What to look out for
Look for the Coyotes to make an impact play early. Last week against Mayfield, they forced a turnover on the Trojans’ first drive. The Coyotes stopped Mayfield on fourth-and-two, then marched down the field for a score. The week before, against Artesia, Zeke Barrientos hawked down an interception on the opening play. The offense cashed in the turnover for a touchdown in 90 seconds. You get the point. This is a big-play, momentum-driven team that likes to put opponents in uncomfortable situations early, and don’t think for a second it’s any different this week.
Watch out for Goddard’s run game. The Rockets are coming off their third straight week with over 240 rushing yards, and running back Isaiah Montoya had a season-high 184 rushing yards against the Bulldogs last week. Oh yeah, and he did it in only three quarters. Quarterback Nate Vazquez has also been involved in the run game, posting at least 40 yards rushing and a rushing touchdown in each of the last three games. If Vazquez gets pressured and finds an open lane, watch out for the speedy junior; he has shown a strong ability to extend plays with his legs.
Playoff standing
Roswell held the No. 1 spot in the NMAA’s Oct. 25 Class 5A rankings, ahead of No. 2 Piedra Vista, who held an identical record at 8-1 overall and 6-0 district play. The Coyotes enter the rivalry looking to protect that position and secure the top playoff seed.
Goddard remained No. 5 following its one-point loss to Artesia. The Rockets enter the matchup looking to secure a first-round home game, with seeds five through eight hosting. An upset of Roswell could help Goddard climb the seedings, while a loss could put its hosting position at risk.
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