Photo by Craig FritzTribune

Tribune

Sandia High's A.J. Pacheco (right) and teammates cheer after a scrimmage against Rio Grande. A goal line stand put Mayfield in the state title game last December instead of Sandia, and the Matadors are hoping that heartbreaking loss will inspire a successful 2007-08 campaign. "It's a mental thing," Pacheco said.

Photo by Craig FritzTribune

Tribune

Andrew Neidhart picks up some yards for Sandia against Rio Grande during their scrimmage at Milne Stadium. The running back position will be one of Sandia's strengths this season, with Neidhart and fellow seniors A.J. Pacheco and Josh Willey getting carries, along with sophomore Marcus Washington.

Photo by Craig FritzTribune

Tribune

Senior running back A.J. Pacheco walks to the locker room after Sandia's scrimmage against Rio Grande. Each team scored a touchdown in the matchup on Wednesday at Milne Stadium.

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Pain can create confidence.

The last time you saw them, Sandia Matadors football players were leaving the Field of Dreams in Las Cruces, slowly, with emotion reddening their eyes and dripping from their cheeks.

Inches separated Sandia from winning state playoff games at Mayfield and Clovis in consecutive weeks, perhaps the most difficult places to win in Class 5A. A goal line stand sprung Mayfield to the state title game last December instead of Sandia, the No. 6 team in The Tribune's annual Tour of Camps.

Last year's senior- and talent-laden Matadors didn't return to Albuquerque with championship hardware, but they left the younger players - this year's players - with quite a gift.

Confidence.

"Going down to Mayfield, man, they were no bigger than our team last year," said Sandia senior linebacker/running back A.J. Pacheco. "Just looking at that . . . If they can do it, we can too. It's a mental thing."

Ask coaches: attitude is a major component in why schools from the southern part of the state dominate the northern schools. Kids in Artesia, Clovis and Las Cruces grow up expecting to win tough playoff games and championships. They've seen other players, older siblings, do it. They've heard older teammates talk about it and pass it down like an heirloom.

"We've been through a lot," Sandia running back Andrew Neidhart said, referring to the 11 Matadors seniors. "We're trying to bring that to this team. We've just got to get these kids more confident. We can do anything."

Seniors can give a jolt of self-esteem. But there's nothing Sandia's veterans can do to bestow much-needed experience on their young teammates.

Twenty-three players graduated from last year's memorable Matadors, including UNM freshman Michael Scarlett and Derris Jackson, The Tribune's Football Player of the Year. At this point, it's likely that 18 of Sandia's 22 starters will be underclassmen.

"Bottom line is if we face an experienced team early, it could be tough for us," longtime Matadors coach Kevin Barker said. "Until we get that varsity experience, the speed of varsity . . . that's where we'll grow as a team. We've got the talent. They work hard, I can't fault the effort. But all the mental mistakes. Turnovers. Sloppy tackling."

Barker's critique fit the Matadors like a mouthpiece in Wednesday's scrimmage versus Rio Grande at Milne Stadium.

In the scripted portion of the scrimmage, Sandia seemed to dominate but failed to score. When the teams later played a more recognizable form of the game, the Matadors lost their edge.

Sandia's players must adapt to the intensity and speed of varsity football and Barker must learn to deal with a shrunken arsenal of plays.

"We don't have 50 percent of the stuff we had in (the playbook) last year at this time," Barker said. "We don't have all the seniors."

What Barker does have is a solid quartet of running backs - besides Neidhart and Pacheco, senior Josh Willey and sophomore Marcus Washington should get carries - an athletic defense and an offensive line with potential.

"By the third game, they should mold into a good line and their all underclassmen," Barker said.

He's hoping the rest of the team won't be far behind.