Another interesting look at team scoring.  It is no surprise that St. Mikes beat Hope Christian last weekend, 8-7.  They are the two best scoring defenses in New Mexico this season.  After 13 games Hope gave up 97 points (7.46ppg).  St. Mikes has played only 12 games and has given up 86 points (7.16ppg). 

Of course Hope’s season is now over.  They will sit back and "hope" that St. Mikes gives up 12 points or more to the Lovington Wildcats.  Lovington is averaging 27ppg but had only the 5-0 win last week. 

No other team has a change to capture the defensive scoring title.  It will all boil down to whether the stingy Horseman defense can shut down Lovington.

I keep a list of the scoring leaders for defense and offense going back to 1953.  The leader is Cuba who, in 1980, played 10 games and gave up only 12 points (1.2ppg).  Unfortunately for the Rams, their 10th game was a semi-final tie with Estancia, 6-6.  Estancia won the game on penetrations (ball possessions inside the red zone) which was the tie breaker at the time.  Cuba  finished the season 9-0-1.

Unscored-upon teams were not that unusual prior to 1945 or so.  Menaul was the last known team to do so in 1941.  Every two or three years before that, a school would have such success in years where eight games were plenty and a 14-0 score was a blowout. 

In recent years the best scoring defense has given up double digits points.  Belen won the honor in 2010 but gave up 11.6ppg.  Can you imagine?  That was the best in the state.  The usual winner gives up less than 6ppg.