Earlier this week we brought you a great defensive player from Artesia HS in LB Dallas Bollema. With every great football team you are going to have great players on both sides of the ball. Today we take a look at the offensive side of the ball and we bring you an interview with Artesia WR/RB Derek Montoya. Montoya had a very good 2007 season rushing for more than 500 yards and more than 800 yards receiving for the 4A state champs. Montoya is also a standout basketball player and is one of the top overall athletes in the state of New Mexico. Here’s what he had to say.
PrepNewMexico.com: What is your height, weight, 40 times, bench and squat?
Montoya: 6’4, 190, 4.67, 250, 340
PrepNewMexico.com: What honors did you receive this past season?
Montoya: Football wise, I was voted 2nd team all state as a RB and 1st team as a KR. Last year as a sophomore in basketball I was all district, district MVP and honorable mention all state.
PrepNewMexico.com: What were your stats from last season?
Montoya: Football wise I rushed 700 yards or so, I averaged 5 yards a rush and 850 total yards receiving I also scored 13 rushing touchdowns, 4 touchdowns receiving and one as a returner.
PrepNewMexico.com: What was your best memory from this past season?
Montoya: There is a ton of them, lots of them were because we had Landry, like playing on ESPN, but winning a state title is by far the best memory.
PrepNewMexico.com: What are you doing to prepare for next season?
Montoya: Well I play basketball, that really helps me stay in shape and it gets me faster and quicker, I run track in the spring for speed and endurance. At that time we also start working out for football in the morning.
PrepNewMexico.com: What are your strengths as a football player?
Montoya: I run the ball really hard and I think I have pretty good vision. I also catch the ball with my hands and away from my body.
PrepNewMexico.com: What are your weaknesses as a football player?
Montoya: I’m trying to get faster and quicker. I need to be able to break in and out of routes so right now those are the two main things I’m working on.
PrepNewMexico.com: What do you like most about the game of football?
Montoya: That’s hard, I really like having the ball in my hands and trying to make a big play to help my team and give us momentum. It’s cool to have the ball in your hands, like when we played Clovis we had a 4th and 17 in the 4th quarter, my job was to get open and get a first down, Landry hit me perfectly. That’s what I love making big plays.
PrepNewMexico.com: Who is the best player you have ever played against?
Montoya: It’s really hard to just say one, I can’t remember his name but the middle linebacker from Goddard was good. Also that middle backer from Clovis Lane Ward was real tough he was good.
PrepNewMexico.com: What are your aspirations as far as playing football in college?
Montoya: I’ve always kind of leaned a little more towards playing basketball in college, but if football presented the opportunity to play at that level that’s what I would do. Right now my top schools would be Arizona, New Mexico, New Mexico State, Texas Tech or Arizona State would be my top schools.
PrepNewMexico.com: Name some teammate’s people need to look out for next season?
Montoya: Jacob Olivas RB, he’ll only be a junior but he’s really explosive, defensively probably Chris Bever one of our DE’s.
PrepNewMexico.com: What can we expect from your team next year?
Montoya: Once we get our QB situation figured out we are going to be a good team. Defensively we are going to be really good, offensively if our offensive line steps up I think we will be just fine.
Derek Montoya is one of the top pure athletes that will lace them up next season in the state of New Mexico. With great size and good speed this prospect might be a sleeper D1 type kid.
We would like to thank Derek for his time and once again thank Randall Hamilton for his help with this interview.
If you have a player we should feature in an interview, or if you have a highlight video we should post, email us: newmexicoinsider@yahoo.com