Las Cruces (12-1) fell just short of a 6A state championship on Saturday, Nov. 29, falling 35-28 to Cleveland (12-1) in Rio Rancho .

The game was tightly contested, and both teams played efficiently. Neither team turned the ball over, and both the Bulldawgs and Storm scored points on a majority of their possessions.

Cleveland's stop on Las Cruces' first drive of the second half gave the 2025 champions the extra stop it was searching for. A holding penalty put the Bulldawgs behind the chains at first-and-20, and the Storm sacked Las Cruces quarterback Gunnar Guardiola on consecutive third and fourth-down plays. Cleveland running back Samuel Bustillos scored an eight-yard rushing touchdown to give his team a 28-14 lead late in the third quarter on the following drive.

Las Cruces fought

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