Las Cruces felt some déjà vu last year.

The Bulldawgs ended the 2024 season almost exactly as they did in 2023. They improved their record by two wins, but they finished second in their district after a regular-season finale loss to Centennial and lost to La Cueva in the 6A semifinals.

Las Cruces still had a good season and was one of New Mexico's best teams. But the Bulldawgs want more this season.

"I feel like that's not the standard," said quarterback Gunnar Guardiola. "Semifinals is great, but our goal this year is to win the state championship. Not to make the state championship, it's to win that state championship, and I feel like we have the guys to do it."

There's a reason why the senior signal caller is so confident. Las Cruces returns 14 starters on both sides of the ball,

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