Monster Backfield: Pintos Bring Relentless Ground Game to Class 3A Realignment

MORIARTY — The high school football realignment in New Mexico delivered a major plot twist for 2026: the Moriarty Pintos were reclassified down from Class 4A to Class 3A. For head coach Gabriel Romero’s squad, the move brings a fresh set of opponents, a grueling new district, and an immediate target on their backs as legitimate contenders for a state championship.

Moriarty steps into Class 3A District 2—a stacked nine-team division featuring Hatch Valley, Hope Christian, Hot Springs, New Mexico Military Institute, Ruidoso, Silver, Socorro, and Wingate.

While Class 3A District 1 boasts traditional powers like St. Michael’s and Robertson, Moriarty enters the 3A field armed with an offense uniquely suited for deep postseason football: a punishing, disciplined Wing-T attack that functioned as an absolute three-headed monster in 2025.

The Three-Headed & Sometimes Four-Headed Monster

In an era dominated by spread offenses and high-flying pass concepts, Coach Romero’s classic Wing-T grounded out 3,221 rushing yards and 42 touchdowns last season, averaging nearly 300 yards per game on the ground. Returning for 2026 are three prolific ballcarriers who form a terrifying backfield trio:

• Mario Romero (Sr. / RB, ILB): The engine of the ground attack, Romero was sensational as a junior, racking up 1,420 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns while averaging 8.3 yards per carry and posting seven 100-yard games. On defense, he pulled double duty by leading the team in total tackles with 92 stops.
• Royce Dennisson (Sr. / RB, FS): The ultimate slash-and-dash threat, Dennisson picked up 592 rushing yards and five touchdowns (6.4 YPC) while proving invaluable on defense with 66 tackles from his safety spot.
• Mateo Manley-Griego (Sr. / RB, OLB): A dynamic perimeter weapon, Manley-Griego delivered 562 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 99 carries. He added 105 receiving yards out of the backfield and posted 35 tackles on defense despite missing two games.
• Devin Ortiz (Jr. QB / DB) As a quarterback in a run-dominated offense Ortiz’s ability to access situations and make sound decisions is more important than passing the ball. He ground out 435 yards (9 TDs) as a sophomore while spreading the ball around in Moriarty’s multidirectional ground game.

Together, the four returners racked up over 3,221 yards and 39 of Moriarty’s 42 rushing touchdowns last fall. Defending the Wing-T is difficult enough against one premier back, but facing four proven playmakers simultaneously creates a scheme nightmare for 3A defensive coordinators.

Key Returning Leaders

Beyond the backfield, Moriarty’s championship outlook is bolstered by several key upperclassmen returning to core roles:

• Jonas Cordova (Sr. TE /OLB): A crucial edge setter for the Wing-T who chipped in 51 tackles on the defensive side.
• Judah Sloan (Jr. G /ILB): Returns to anchor the interior offensive line pulling schemes while anchoring the defense linebacking corps.
• Adrian Ramirez (Jr. G /DL) & Vicente Holguin (Sr. / OL, DL): Experienced trench veterans tasked with replacing lost senior linemen to open gaps for the triple-headed rushing attack.
• Ryan Dennisson (So. / ) As a freshman, Dennisson was second on the team with 22 pancake blocks

The Road to a Title

Dropping from Class 4A gives Moriarty a distinct advantage in depth, size, and battle-tested experience. However, winning Class 3A will not be a victory lap. Navigating a heavy district slate against physical units like Silver, Hope Christian, and NMMI will test Moriarty’s week-to-week endurance before potentially crossing paths with District 1 giants in November.

If Coach Romero’s offensive line can establish the line of scrimmage early and the three-headed monster of Romero, Dennisson, and Manley-Griego stays healthy, the Pintos have all the ingredients necessary to run through Class 3A and hoist a state championship trophy.