Grubbs makes All-State first team

Portales senior defensive lineman Erett Grubbs made life difficult for opposing offensive linemen and quarterbacks all season.

Earlier this month, Grubbs was honored as the only Ram player named to the first team of the Associated Press’ Class 3A all-state squad.

According to the Portales coaching staff, opponents routinely had to adjust their blocking schemes to handle the 6-foot-3, 255-pound Ram senior.

“He really started picking up and became a sore for everybody that we played. They were having to double- and some times triple-team him and they still weren’t getting the job done,” Rams head coach Andy Correll said.

Portales defensive coordinator and assistant coach Mark McAfee also praised Grubbs’ work ethic and natural ability.

“As far as being a coachable kid, I couldn’t ask for anybody that was more coachable than he was,” McAfee said. “He played good for Portales last year in the defensive scheme that they had. And I came in with a totally different scheme, and he was able to step up and play as good or better, and I think that’s a tribute to the kind of kid that he is.”

Late in the season, the Rams defensive end broke his collarbone and wasn’t available for the state playoffs.

“When he got injured, there were a couple of coaches who told us, ‘I’m glad he’s not in there with you’ because they knew they couldn’t handle him,” Correll said. “He’s just one of those players that really came on about the time district started.”

Despite suffering his injury late in the season, Grubbs helped put Portales in position to play in the state playoffs, and he’s proud that his effort was noticed.

“I’m glad that people did see how hard I worked.”

Portales (7-7) won the District 4-3A championship before losing in the state championship game to Las Vegas Robertson.