You can feel the air change in Curry County when August rolls around. It’s a specific kind of heat—dry, relentless, and smelling faintly of the cattle feedlots—but for anyone living in Clovis, New Mexico, that heat just means one thing: the Wildcats are back.
Honestly, if you aren’t from around here, it’s hard to explain. High school sports in some places are a hobby. In Clovis, it’s closer to a civic religion. Clovis NM Wildcat football isn't just a schedule of games; it’s the connective tissue of the whole town. When Friday night lights hit Leon Williams Stadium, the rest of the world basically stops existing for a few hours.
The Weight of the Eric Roanhaus Era
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. Or rather, the legend on the sidelines. For 39 years, Eric Roanhaus was the face of this program. You don’t just win 343 games and 10 state championships by accident. He retired back in 2016, but his shadow is still long.
People around here remember the "glory days" like they happened yesterday. The 1980s and 90s were a blur of purple and white dominance. You had teams that didn't just win; they physically overwhelmed opponents. It was old-school, smash-mouth football that made other 6A schools in the state dread the long drive out to the eastern plains.
But things are different now.
Kinda tough to admit, but the last few seasons haven't been the cakewalk they used to be. Transitioning away from a four-decade coaching tenure is a monster of a task. We've seen a few different faces at the helm recently. Cal Fullerton took over for a while, and more recently, the program has been navigating a really competitive District 6A.
What’s Happening Right Now?
If you looked at the 2025 season stats, you’d see a record that doesn’t necessarily scream "dynasty." The Wildcats went 3-7 overall. They struggled in district play, finishing 2-4.
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The losses to teams like Hobbs (51-29) and Centennial (48-26) hurt. They really did. There’s no sugarcoating a 22-point loss to your biggest rival. But if you actually watched the games, you saw glimpses of that old Wildcat DNA.
Look at that season finale against Alamogordo. A 48-43 win.
That game was a wild ride. High scoring, physical, and it showed that the kids on this roster haven't lost the "Clovis Tough" mentality. Sandro Cordova, playing that hybrid DB/WR role, was basically trying to carry the team on his back at times. Then you’ve got Ethan Gutierrez hauling in passes and showing that the future isn't as bleak as the win-loss column might suggest.
The Leon Williams Stadium Experience
Let’s talk about the venue. Leon Williams Stadium is a beast. It holds about 8,000 people, which, for a town of roughly 38,000, is a massive chunk of the population. It opened back in 1970, and while it’s seen some upgrades—like the overhauled track surface they finished in late 2023—it still feels like a classic football cathedral.
There is no "quiet" section.
The band, the cheerleaders, the Catpack... it’s loud. It’s intimidating. If you’re a visiting team from Albuquerque or Las Cruces, you know you’re in for a long night the second you walk through those gates. Even in a "down" year, the atmosphere is better than most college games.
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The Rivalry That Defines Everything
You can’t mention Clovis NM Wildcat football without talking about the Hobbs Eagles.
This isn't just a game; it's the "Oil Bowl" or the "Plains Rivalry," depending on who you ask and how old they are. It’s one of the oldest and most intense feuds in New Mexico. Lately, Hobbs has had the upper hand—winning six straight against Clovis as of late 2025.
That sits heavy with the fans.
Historically, these two have traded blows for decades. It’s more than just football; it’s about who owns the southeastern part of the state. When Clovis loses to Hobbs, the mood in the coffee shops the next morning is... let's just say, somber. But that’s the beauty of it. The stakes actually matter.
Why the "Wildcat Way" Still Matters in 2026
Modern high school football has changed. You’ve got private schools with massive budgets and "super-teams" forming in the bigger cities. Clovis is a bit of an island out there on the Llano Estacado. They don't get the same influx of transfers that the Albuquerque schools do.
They have to build from within.
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That’s why the youth programs in Clovis are so vital. If you want to see the future of the Wildcats, you don't look at the high school roster; you look at the middle school games and the pee-wee leagues. The goal is to get those kids dreaming of wearing the purple helmet before they even hit puberty.
Realities and Challenges
Let's be real for a second. The 6A landscape in New Mexico is brutal right now. Teams like Cleveland and La Cueva have set a massive bar for success. For Clovis to get back to those double-digit win seasons, they’ve got to figure out the defensive side of the ball. Giving up 40+ points in multiple games isn't going to win championships in this era of spread offenses.
The community knows this. The coaches know this.
But there’s a resilience here. You see it in the way the town supports the team even when the record is 0-10, like it was a couple of seasons back. Most towns would give up. Clovis just buys more season tickets and shows up earlier for the tailgate.
Actionable Insights for the Wildcat Faithful
If you’re a parent, a player, or just a die-hard fan looking to support the next chapter of Clovis football, here is the ground-level truth on what needs to happen:
- Focus on the Trenches: The Wildcats have always been at their best when they owned the offensive and defensive lines. Recruiting and developing big, mobile linemen from within the district is the only way to compete with the Albuquerque powerhouses.
- Support the Junior High Programs: The "Wildcat Way" starts at Marshall and Yucca. If those programs are strong, the high school takes care of itself.
- Show Up Early: Home-field advantage only works if Leon Williams Stadium is a sea of purple. Even in rebuilding years, that intimidation factor matters for the kids on the field.
- Check the NMAA Rankings Regularly: Don't just look at the win-loss record. The New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA) uses a complex seeding system. A "tough loss" against a top-ranked team can actually help your playoff seeding more than a blowout win against a weak opponent.
The road back to the state championship isn't going to be a straight line. It’s going to be a grind. But if history has taught us anything about Clovis, it’s that they don’t stay down for long. The wind might blow hard on the plains, but it’s the Wildcats who usually make the most noise.
Keep an eye on the 2026 spring practices. That’s where the next turnaround begins.