Top 5 high school mascots in New Mexico: Vote for the best

From Cavemen to Desert Warriors, meet the best high school mascots in New Mexico

Dual-language Tierra Encantada Charter School in New Mexico would call this both a scorpion and an Alacrane. / Megan Mendoza/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Scorpions rocked us like a hurricane in 1984, and the Alacranes rock the campus of Tierra Encantada Charter School in New Mexico.

High school mascot fans outside Santa Fe might not know what we mean by that.

Over the next couple of months, SBLive/SI will be featuring the best high school mascots in every state, giving readers a chance to vote for No. 1 in all 50.

The winners and highest vote-getters will make up the field for our NCAA Tournament-style March Mascot Madness bracket in 2025. The Coalinga Horned Toads (California) are the defending national champions.

Here are High School on SI's top 5 high school mascots in New Mexico (vote in the poll below to pick your favorite):

The poll will close at 11:59 p.m. ET Friday, Jan. 17.

1. Alacranes (Tierra Encantada)

If Tierra Encantada Charter School called its teams the Scorpions, it would be the 25th high school in the U.S. with that mascot. But TECS is the Alacranes, Spanish for "scorpions," and the Santa Fe school boasts the only Alacranes in the country.

2. Cavemen (Carlsbad HS)

Similar to the Salem Witches in Massachusetts, Carlsbad's Cavemen score extra points over the other Cavemen in the country thanks to historical authenticity. Carlsbad Caverns National Park features more than 100 caves. 

3. Desert Warriors (Santa Teresa HS)

Santa Teresa High School, located right across the border from both Texas and Mexico, boasts the only Desert Warriors in the country among U.S. high schools. Their mascot is a black warrior horsewith some serious dance moves.

4. Pintos (Moriarty HS)

The high school mascot is the equine variety of the pinto, but the city of Moriarty also hosts an annual Pinto Bean Fiesta, which finishes every year with the coronation of a Pinto Bean Queen.

5. Silverbacks (Legacy Academy)

Legacy Academy is connected to Legacy Church, which has locations throughout New Mexico. But the Silverbacks are in Albuquerque, and their football team made the playoffs last fall for the second consecutive year, and in just their third year of existence. Their gorilla-head helmets are undoubtedly among the best in the country.

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-- Mike Swanson | swanson@scorebooklive.com | @sblivesports