Latest Slidescroller coverage mentioning James Yodice across Baseball, Basketball, Football.
After an extended offseason, the 2026 prep football season in New Mexico kicks off with sweeping reforms, from a faster transfer rule to a revamped NMAA realignment, altering class structures, rivalries, and playoff pathways across the state.
Jeff Kiraly, the longtime baseball coach at Piedra Vista High School in Farmington, New Mexico, was killed on July 31 in a motorcycle crash in southwest Colorado. He had led his team to a Class 5A state championship earlier that year and is survived by his wife and two children.
Starting in 2028, the National Federation of State High School Associations and USA Baseball will permit drop‑4, drop‑5 and drop‑6 bats, a move intended to increase scoring and retain younger players, while coaches voice mixed views on safety and skill development.
Three‑time state champion David Lunn is leaving Volcano Vista High School to finish his senior season at CATS Academy in Boston, aiming to raise his profile and prepare for college competition.
The New Mexico Activities Association is weighing sweeping reforms to basketball postseason mechanics, including a shift to MaxPreps rankings for seeding, while survey data shows limited support for the current mandatory playoff tiebreaker.
La Cueva's baseball team boasts three standout pitchers headed to top colleges, positioning them as strong contenders for the state championship.