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One of the biggest fish on the state’s prep football recruiting board is staying home.
St. Pius running back Hershul Olloway Jr., coming off a monster junior season with the Sartans, on Friday verbally committed to the hometown University of New Mexico Lobos.
“It just felt special,” Olloway said. “The whole recruitment process, showing love and being there for me.”
The 5-foot-7, 170-pound speed merchant had offers from New Mexico State and UTEP, but the Lobos had his heart.
“I’ve always been a fan of UNM,” he said. “Perfect opportunity.”
Olloway rushed for 1,930 yards and 28 touchdowns for St. Pius last fall as the Sartans reached the Class 4A state championship game.
UNM had offered Olloway last summer.
The Lobos gain what is probably the fastest, most elusive back in the state; Olloway is fresh off victories in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash finals at last weekend’s Class 4A state track and field meet.
“We talk about keeping our local kids local. Stay here, stay home,” Sartans coach Curtis Flakes II said. Olloway is his nephew.
Olloway, 17, is one of two St. Pius seniors from the Class of 2027 who have made verbal commitments to a Division I program just this week. Olloway’s quarterback, Isaiah Carpenter, earlier this week committed to New Mexico State.
Both would be expected to sign during the D-1 signing window in December.
Olloway is a marvel in open space, and he figures the Lobos will want to capitalize on that when the time comes.
“Give me the ball in space and make things happen,” he said. He also does some kick returning for St. Pius.
“This is great,” he said of getting to play for UNM. “I’ve always grown up being a UNM fan and going to games. Blessed to become a Lobo.”
Meanwhile, Carpenter, the rifle-armed 6-5, 220-pound veteran QB for St. Pius will be an Aggie, the only D-1 program that offered him.
“I could have waited (for other offers), but New Mexico State was where I wanted to be and where I belong,” Carpenter, 18, said.
Carpenter threw for 2,467 yards and 28 TDs last season; his completion percentage (54.1%) is one area he said he needs to sharpen this summer. He said he is planning to do mega camps at both TCU and Northern Arizona this summer.
Both he and Olloway are focused on getting St. Pius a state championship later this year. The Sartans have been the 4A runner-up to Bloomfield in each of the last two seasons.
ST. PIUS SCHEDULING: The Sartans have made a significant change to their 2026 schedule. They were supposed to meet El Paso Cathedral on Aug. 28, but Cathedral, Flakes said, chose to schedule a game with another team that day instead.
So St. Pius, which already has two bye weeks built into its season — it will be only a nine-game schedule — had to scramble to find a replacement.
They found a new dance partner in Holtville, California, about a two-hour drive east of San Diego. The Sartans’ volleyball team and the football team will take a chartered flight to San Diego that Friday; the volleyball team will play at 5 p.m. that day, with the football team kicking off at 7 p.m.
“We want to get St. Pius on a national level,” Flakes said. “Get St. Pius athletes at the forefront.”
James Yodice covers prep sports for the Journal. You can reach him at [email protected] or via X at @JamesDYodice.
Continue reading...
St. Pius running back Hershul Olloway Jr., coming off a monster junior season with the Sartans, on Friday verbally committed to the hometown University of New Mexico Lobos.
“It just felt special,” Olloway said. “The whole recruitment process, showing love and being there for me.”
The 5-foot-7, 170-pound speed merchant had offers from New Mexico State and UTEP, but the Lobos had his heart.
“I’ve always been a fan of UNM,” he said. “Perfect opportunity.”
Olloway rushed for 1,930 yards and 28 touchdowns for St. Pius last fall as the Sartans reached the Class 4A state championship game.
UNM had offered Olloway last summer.
The Lobos gain what is probably the fastest, most elusive back in the state; Olloway is fresh off victories in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash finals at last weekend’s Class 4A state track and field meet.
“We talk about keeping our local kids local. Stay here, stay home,” Sartans coach Curtis Flakes II said. Olloway is his nephew.
Olloway, 17, is one of two St. Pius seniors from the Class of 2027 who have made verbal commitments to a Division I program just this week. Olloway’s quarterback, Isaiah Carpenter, earlier this week committed to New Mexico State.
Both would be expected to sign during the D-1 signing window in December.
Olloway is a marvel in open space, and he figures the Lobos will want to capitalize on that when the time comes.
“Give me the ball in space and make things happen,” he said. He also does some kick returning for St. Pius.
“This is great,” he said of getting to play for UNM. “I’ve always grown up being a UNM fan and going to games. Blessed to become a Lobo.”
Meanwhile, Carpenter, the rifle-armed 6-5, 220-pound veteran QB for St. Pius will be an Aggie, the only D-1 program that offered him.
“I could have waited (for other offers), but New Mexico State was where I wanted to be and where I belong,” Carpenter, 18, said.
Carpenter threw for 2,467 yards and 28 TDs last season; his completion percentage (54.1%) is one area he said he needs to sharpen this summer. He said he is planning to do mega camps at both TCU and Northern Arizona this summer.
Both he and Olloway are focused on getting St. Pius a state championship later this year. The Sartans have been the 4A runner-up to Bloomfield in each of the last two seasons.
ST. PIUS SCHEDULING: The Sartans have made a significant change to their 2026 schedule. They were supposed to meet El Paso Cathedral on Aug. 28, but Cathedral, Flakes said, chose to schedule a game with another team that day instead.
So St. Pius, which already has two bye weeks built into its season — it will be only a nine-game schedule — had to scramble to find a replacement.
They found a new dance partner in Holtville, California, about a two-hour drive east of San Diego. The Sartans’ volleyball team and the football team will take a chartered flight to San Diego that Friday; the volleyball team will play at 5 p.m. that day, with the football team kicking off at 7 p.m.
“We want to get St. Pius on a national level,” Flakes said. “Get St. Pius athletes at the forefront.”
James Yodice covers prep sports for the Journal. You can reach him at [email protected] or via X at @JamesDYodice.
Continue reading...
