A second game would not detract from rivalry – Las Cruces Sun-News

Las Cruces Sun-News Published 7:33 a.m. MT June 18, 2017 | Updated 9 hours ago

Centennial tight end Brent Rigtrup goes up for a catch Saturday afternoon as the Hawks took the Manzano Monarchs in a quarterfinal Class 6A state playoff game.(Photo: Jaime Guzman/For the Sun-News)Buy Photo

A second game would not detract from rivalry

Yes, the annual Las Cruces vs. Mayfield game is a special event. No one is challenging that fact.

Many of the LCHS and MHS faithful in our community believe that the idea of a Centennial vs Oate game scheduled prior to the Las Cruces vs. Mayfield contest would detract from the grandeur of the traditional rivalry matchup.

This is not a proposal meant to devalue what is truly a storied contest; however, it is a unique opportunity for the city of Las Cruces to come together and embrace all four of the citys comprehensive high schools while giving student-athletes from Centennial and Oate the unique opportunity to compete in a Division 1 college football stadium.

Also, if it is truly a necessity to hold the Las Cruces vs. Mayfield game at Aggie Memorial Stadium for attendance reasons (which was challenged by last years free matchup that failed to fill up the Field of Dreams), what is the harm in having our other two major high schools compete in that stadium earlier in the evening?

Personally, it has been disappointing to see many of my fellow Las Crucens take aim at a wonderful opportunity for the students and supporters of Centennial and Oate. Being a native of this town, I feel as if we live in a very tight-knit community built on values of trust and support for one-another. However, attempting to halt an event that would be a wonderful spectacle for the people of Las Cruces, especially for our students, contradicts the perception that I have of my hometown.

Superintendent Ewing does not have it wrong. This proposal embraces the fantastic spirit of competition that defines high school football in Las Cruces.

Yes, we have one great rivalry, but we also have four great schools.

Cameron Castillo

Student body president at Centennial High School and chairman of the LCPS Student Advisory Council.

A lacking workforce plagues our area

This month I attended a lunch meeting in which three commercial real estate brokers discussed activity in the Doa Ana County area. The information provided was an update of recent additions of opening businesses and those in the pipeline into the future. Information also included not only Las Cruces but the Santa Teresa Industrial Park.

Those of us who keep track of the boom at Santa Teresa can see the development of Union Pacific and supplier businesses, which have located to that area, have brought many jobs. What I didnt hear during the presentation was activity at the West Mesa Industrial Park (WMIP). I posed the question as to why the WMIP is not a location that new business is interested in.

On the positive side, the response was that the WMIP has all the infrastructure in place, is well located with easy on and off traffic to the interstate, a Free Trade Zone for manufacturing and the land is fairly priced. The unfortunate answer for no activity at the WMIP is the lack of a trained workforce to accommodate a manufacturer looking to invest a few million dollars into a property.

The investment can only be possible with the ability to fill the needed employees. So when are we going to open our eyes understanding the key to commercial growth and new jobs is at our fingertips. We need the willingness to track down the business and the investment of a trained and employable workforce. It has always been the time and continues to be the answer to our job creation at the WMIP and in this city.

Dolores Connor

Las Cruces

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A second game would not detract from rivalry - Las Cruces Sun-News