Cibola's Chavez regains eligiblity, will play next week
Aug. 19—Aden Chavez has officially been declared eligible and will return as Cibola High School's quarterback in Week 2, the Journal confirmed Friday afternoon.
Chavez, a senior, last week transferred back to Cibola — where he had played his first three seasons — from south Florida, where he had moved in June.
The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Chavez had transferred to Holy Trinity High in Melbourne, Florida, in an effort to improve his chances of earning scholarship offers to Division I programs. He has no D-1 offers as of yet.
He returned to New Mexico on Friday, Aug. 12, and practiced with Cibola that afternoon. But he had to apply for eligibility approval with the New Mexico Activities Association as a transfer.
Aden's father, John, told the Journal on Friday that the NMAA declined the original transfer request. His son's eligibility was gained through the NMAA's appeals committee on Friday.
NMAA executive director Sally Marquez declined comment on Chavez's case when reached Friday.
Cibola coach Chris Howe said Friday that Chavez would not play in the team's 2022 season opener against Eldorado, which was scheduled for Friday night at Wilson Stadium. Junior Daniel Benham was to start at QB, and he probably will become a receiver for Cibola after Chavez takes over at QB.
The Cougars face Valley next week, and Howe said Chavez would start against the Vikings. That game is Friday, Aug. 26, at Milne Stadium, at 7 p.m.
Chavez will certainly enhance Cibola's playoff prospects as he threw for 3,075 yards and 32 touchdowns as a junior and has several of his top receivers returning from last year.
