New Mexico Crush

The New Mexico Crush are a football team out of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, USA, which started playing in 2006. They play their games in Rio Rancho Stadium and are locally owned and operated. They are the two time defending Southwest Football Conference league champions, the 2006 Far West Football Association National Champions, and 2007 Far West Football Association National Runner-ups. They have an accumulative record of 31-1 with the only loss coming on December 8, 2007 to the Foothill Firehawks of California and the Lebelle County Football League.1

HISTORY: The New Mexico Crush were founded in 2005 by Tony Bleus and Raul Anaya. It was a dream for both of them to start their own team and hoped they would be at .500 for the 2006 season. They prided their team on respect for the game and sportsmanship. They put their own money out to advertise in the local paper of tryouts to be held in Rio Rancho. AbOUT 12 guys showed up, but they were determined to get their team going. They hit the road and poured their sweat and time into it as they went to local flag football fields to try to get people out to the team.

They then approached the Rio Rancho High School Athletic Director to help secure the stadium and possibly have him as the first head football coach of the semi-pro team. They were able to secure the field, but were not able to secure him as a coach, but he led them to the man that really helped them build the team. His name was Jim Smelcer. Coach Smelcer eats, breathes, bleeds football. He has led teams to state championships and has players go onto the NFL. Although he turned down the offer the first time, he was impressed with Tony and Raul's professionalism and dedication; he decided to join the team as the first head coach of the New Mexico Crush Semi-Pro football team.

The three of them set out to build their team. The 12 players soon fell to 11 when one of the leaders decided to go back to his original team as he felt the team was not ready to compete for the 2006 season. Although they were very disappointed, they were soon happy to find that they had another coach they respected and valued join the coaching staff as the defensive co-ordinator. He is now the head coach and his name is Justin Witosch.

With those 11 players, they soon built a staff of 7 coaches, and a roster of 45 players which included: Former UNM Lobos: Sidney Wiley, Curtis Flakes, Josh Bazinet, Landrick Brody, Adam Wysong, and Ben Wysong...Former NMSU Aggies: Pat Dyer,Denvis Manns, and Raul Anaya... former NM Highlands player Joe Stidham... former ENMU Greyhounds: Bobby Rodriquez and Dwayne Davis.

To their surprise, they finished the season undefeated and went on to win the Far West National Championship. During the transition of winning the New Mexico League and going into the National Playoffs, the team was transitioning ownership to Dan Serrano and the retirement of Jim Smelcer due to family commitment. Tony Bleus left the team and Pat Dyer stepped in to help manage the team to a National Championship.

The 2007 season welcomed a new coach with Bernard Rogers and was very much the same as they went on to another undefeated season in both the NM League and the National Playoffs; except the end result was different. They unfortunately lost to Los Angelas for the Far West National Championship; but they were still proud of their 31-1 record. But it was the end of a Dynasty as the NM Wildcats indoor football team came into town and took some of the NM Crush members. Along with these players came the retirement of key defensive players.

The 2008 season had only a fraction of the players they originally had and came away with a losing season.

2009 brings in a new head coach, Justin Witosch, and some of the former NM Crush National Champions. They are excited as ever and they are now looking like the talented team of 2006 and 2007.