Navajo Prep Eagles Football: Hungry for More in 2025
Story by Walter Dorman
Photos By Chuck Cook
Farmington, N.M. – The Navajo Prep Eagles enter the 2025 football season with momentum, experience, and a clear goal: go further than ever before in the state playoffs.
Last fall, under first-year head coach Roderick Denetso, the Eagles finished 8-3 overall, tied for the District 1-2A title, and earned the program’s first playoff win in 11 years with a 54-30 victory over McCurdy. Their run ended in the second round to eventual state champion Texico, but the foundation was set.
“We were really young last year, but those kids grew up fast,” Denetso said. “We started a lot of freshmen at the skill positions, and now they’re sophomores and juniors with real game experience. That makes a big difference.”
Building on Experience
Key returners include:
Nigerelle Denetso and Grayson Vigil, both dynamic sophomores
Levon Jim, a versatile junior
Cole Johnson, a senior who returns after an early-season injury in 2024
Aiden Claw, who played wideout and free safety but will step in at quarterback this year
Dallas Wilson, a big, physical runner built for downhill football
Denetso believes the balance of talent across the roster makes them tough to defend.
“I feel like all our guys can be number ones,” he said. “They’re fast, they’re shifty, and you can’t just double-cover one of them. Teams won’t be able to play man-to-man against us. If we get our athletes in space, they can take it the distance.”
The Eagles will again run a spread offense, mixing in the downhill rushing attack of Wilson to keep defenses honest.
“We want to throw the ball as much as we can and get our basketball kids out there making plays,” Denetso explained. “At the same time, we’ve got Dallas, and he’s that north-and-south runner who can wear people down.”
Culture and Growth
Navajo Prep remains one of the smallest schools in its district, with just under 300 students compared to 500–600 at schools like Wingate and Shiprock. Still, the Eagles have built a winning culture.
“For us, it’s about creating a positive culture here,” Denetso said. “Our kids are very smart, very coachable. They live on campus, so we have access to them, and they can absorb a lot. That’s one of our biggest strengths.”
The private school’s selective enrollment process means not everyone can suit up in an Eagles uniform, but Denetso says the interest is growing.
“We’re still a basketball school, but more kids are coming out for football. We’re getting dual athletes, and that makes us stronger,” he noted.
2025 Goals
Last year’s breakthrough raised expectations. Denetso made it clear: this year’s team wants to break through the second-round barrier.
“We love to win district — that’s always the first goal,” he said. “But for us, if we don’t get past the second round, it won’t feel like a successful season. The kids have set that goal: we want to go deeper, and we believe we have the players to do it.”
Family on the Sidelines
For Denetso, this season is even more special. He coaches alongside his brother and now his son, who recently graduated from Adams State University and joined the staff to help lead the defense.
“It’s a dream come true,” Denetso said with a smile. “To have my brother and my son on the sideline with me — people I trust, people who are in it for the kids — that’s everything. At the dinner table, all we talk about is football and how to take care of these kids. He calls me an old head sometimes, and he’s teaching me things. But the kids relate to him because he just got out of college. That’s been huge for us.”
2025 Schedule at a Glance
Aug. 28 – vs Wingate
Aug. 29 – vs Tuba City
Sept. 5 – @ Zuni
Sept. 11 – vs Crownpoint
Sept. 18 – vs Santa Fe Indian
Sept. 26 – @ Laguna-Acoma (District)
Oct. 10 – @ Cuba (District)
Oct. 16 – vs Hozho Academy (District)
Oct. 24 – vs McCurdy (District)
Oct. 31 – @ Newcomb (District)
The Bottom Line
The Navajo Prep Eagles are older, faster, and hungrier in 2025. With experience at the skill positions, a physical run game, and a coaching staff deeply invested in the kids, the Eagles aren’t just aiming to repeat last year’s success — they’re chasing something bigger.
“We’ve done the first round,” Denetso said. “Now it’s time to get over that hump.”
