The St. Michael”s football team is sticking to its Thanksgiving practice tradition as they prepare for the state championship game. For the fifth consecutive year and the ninth time under head coach Joey Fernandez, the team returned to the practice field on Thanksgiving Day, a testament to their postseason success.
“The kids have gotten used to it and, like I say over and over again, it means you”re still alive instead of out of the playoffs and sitting at home,” Fernandez remarked after his team triumphed over the New Mexico Military Institute in last weekend”s Class 3A semifinals. The Horsemen, boasting a perfect 12-0 record, are set to face Dexter in the state title game on Saturday.
As the top-ranked and top-seeded team, St. Michael”s is on a quest for their third consecutive blue trophy and sixth under Fernandez since the 2003 season. While Thanksgiving usually revolves around family gatherings and relaxing with a big meal, for some high school teams, it serves as a bridge between fall sports and the upcoming winter months. Few teams embrace this holiday spirit quite like the Horsemen.
Last year, the team practiced in several inches of snow, but this Thanksgiving brought a noticeable chill with otherwise ideal conditions for a final workout with teammates on their familiar field. “There”s nothing else I”d rather be doing,” said senior Isaiah Dominguez. “You”re out there with your brothers playing football. I think we all wanted to play football on Thanksgiving with our friends when we were little kids, but now we”re doing it for real.”
Each player has their favorite holiday dish, embodying various family traditions. Some families host large gatherings that include friends and neighbors, while others prefer a quieter setting with close relatives. The University of New Mexico football team also celebrated Thanksgiving, gathering for a team dinner at The Pit, where coach Eric Olen anticipated hosting around 40 people, including his staff and players.
Olen mentioned, “Yeah, we”ll be catering that. We do like to cook, and maybe someone will bring their own dish, but that”s too much food for us to put together. We”ll just have someone else do it.” For Fernandez and the Horsemen, the highlight of the day is seeing everyone show up for practice while most are still waking up.
On some mornings, the grass is still frosty, symbolizing that the team is diligently working towards their goal while others are relaxing and watching football. Coach Sonny Duran of Dexter and St. Michael”s seniors Dominguez and Kamal Stith appeared on The New Mexican”s Sports Den Podcast, discussing their upcoming game, a rematch of last year”s championship that was decided in the final moments.
Duran, adhering to coachspeak, emphasized the matchup as a clash between two skilled teams deserving of their spot. However, Dominguez and Stith were less reserved, confidently predicting a blowout victory for the Horsemen. Their straightforwardness is commendable in an environment where many prefer to play it safe.
