Interest from Western New Mexico wins over Red Mountain OL Matthews
This is No. 12 in a month-long series of profiles of Arizona high school seniors that signed with four-year colleges. Here's the full list (currently totaling 262) of players from within the state moving on to the next level.
SPOTLIGHT: 2/21/22
A year following a 3-4 record in a COVID-shortened season, Red Mountain was one of the most consistent teams in the state. The Mountain Lions started the year with four straight wins, dropped one to Open-bound Liberty, then reeled off another four-game winning streak. Following a late-season loss to Williams Field, RMHS won three straight to reach the 6A semifinals.
Red Mountain averaged 26 points per game for the season and broke the 40-point mark four times. To do that, you need solid play in the trenches. One of the guys in there was offensive guard Houston Matthews.
Matthews was born in Montana and then grew up in New Mexico until the beginning of his high school years, when his family moved west to seek a place to play basketball. He first attended Hamilton, but then transferred to Red Mountain. Matthews is now 6-5, and 345 pounds. Though he was probably smaller at the time, his size stood out.
"I was greeted by the football coaching staff before I could talk to the basketball coach," Matthews said. "The football coaches wanted me to try out and see what I could do on the field. After my first practice, I fell in love with the game and knew I belonged in football."
Matthews had a few schools that showed interest, but Western New Mexico was the one that really stood out.
"WNMU is very family-oriented and that is very important to me," Matthews said in an e-mail interview. "The coaching staff is amazing and hands-on, so that is a plus to me. (Head) Coach (Philip) Vigil and the rest of the coaches are building a powerhouse for the upcoming seasons and I am very proud to become a part of what's to come in the future for the Mustangs."
He was offered in January, visited the campus in Silver City the upcoming weekend, and then, shortly after the end of the trip, committed to the Mustangs. Matthews then signed on National Signing Day the first week of February.
As anyone who follows football knows, life on the O-Line is nasty and hard. The chances for individual glory aren't there, but what you do (or don't do) can make the difference on Game Day. It's a feeling Matthews likes.
"Once I step foot onto the field, I know I have a job to do and plan and produce to give 100 percent into what I do," Matthews said. "As my coach always says 'it starts up in the front'. As long as we keep that ball moving to our receiver or running the ball, it's all golden from there!"
The trip to the semifinals in 2021 for Red Mountain was the fourth time the Lions have gotten that far in the past six years. After the loss to Liberty, RMHS defeated three playoff teams in its second four-game streak of the year (Mountain View, Desert Ridge, and Queen Creek). There was a focus from week to week and it brought a lot of satisfaction along the way.
"The coaching staff and the players were locked in for those weeks," Matthews said. "Put all of our heart and effort into our practices and showed out on the field during our four-game winning streak. That was the best feeling ever as a member of the Red Mountain football team."
To get ready for his senior year, Matthews took part in team workouts and also trained on his own time to get the body to where it needed to be. In particular, he worked on speed, strength, and agility.
He also took part in a camp at Desert Ridge in June.
Western New Mexico has recruited Arizona very well over the last several years. In all, 12 players from State 48 will be headed over the Mustangs, the most to any single out-of-state college for this class. Included in that dozen is a teammate of Matthews, Javier Aranda (another offensive lineman). What's the secret formula?
"The coaches (at WNMU) went over what they expect from all their players on and off the field," Matthews said. "They stressed on education and in making one-on-one relationships with each player, which really made me feel at home. They know what I am capable of bringing on the field as an O-Lineman. That means a lot to me."
The 12 players from Arizona represent almost a third of the 39 signees that Western New Mexico had. One of the team's focuses was to sign as many big offensive linemen as they could. Eleven of the 19 players signed on offense for the Mustangs are linemen. WNMU is a member of the Lone Star Conference (Div. II). The Mustangs finished 1-10 last season.
Matthews is grateful to many that have played a role in his success along the way.
"I would like to thank my mom, who is always there for my sister and me," Matthews said. "She is my No. 1 fan, never missed a game, and always pushes me to be a better man on and off the field. She is always reminding me that I can achieve anything in life as long as I keep my feet on the ground. And a big thank you to Coach Leo (Aviles), who introduced me to the football program, and is always believing in me, and encouraging me when times got tough. And for Coach Vigil, for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to play at the next level in my football career."
Support our sponsors:
Make sure to follow ArizonaVarsity.com on social platforms for more daily content!
Twitter (Arizona Varsity Podcast Network)
