Raptors de Naucalpan

Raptors de Naucalpan (English: Naucalpan Raptors) are an American football team based in Naucalpan, Mexico. The Raptors compete in the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional, the top American football league in Mexico. The team plays its home games at the Estadio José Ortega Martínez.

Raptors de Naucalpan
Team logo
Established2015 (2015)
Based inNaucalpan, State of Mexico, Mexico
Home fieldEstadio José Ortega Martínez
Head coachGuillermo Gutiérrez
Owner(s)Armando Zúñiga
LeagueLiga de Fútbol Americano Profesional
ColoursGreen, gold and white
     
Nickname(s)La Furia Verde (The Green Fury)
Mascot(s)Rolo
Division Championships3 (2018, 2019, 2020)

Despite never winning an LFA title, the Raptors have the most playoff appearances with five.

History

The team was founded on 4 November 2015 and is one of the four charter members of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional.[1]

Rafael Duk era (2016–2017)

In their first season, the Raptors finished second in the league with a 4–2 regular season record, qualifying for the Tazón México I. The team, though, lost the league's championship 13–29 to the Mayas.[2]

The Raptors led the North Division on the 2017 season, qualifying for playoffs with a 5–2 regular season record, led by League MVP, QB Bruno Márquez. In the divisional game, the team lost to the newcomers Dinos, despite their opponent having a losing record.[3]

Guillermo Gutiérrez era (2018–present)

In 2018, Guillermo Gutiérrez replaced Rafael Duk as head coach. Also, the team switched from the Estadio Jesús Martínez "Palillo" to the Estadio José Ortega Martínez, in Naucalpan, State of Mexico. The Raptors qualified to the playoffs as second in the North Division with a 3–4 record. In a rematch of the 2017 game, Raptors defeated 21–6 Dinos in the divisional game, earning a spot in the Tazón México III.[4] The team lost its second Tazón Mexico game, 0–17 to the Mexicas.[5]

In 2019, the team dominated the North Division, finishing with a 6–2 (5–1 in the division) regular season record.[6] After defeating the Fundidores in over time at the divisional game, Raptors qualified for their third Tazón México, and the second in a row. Raptors lost the championship against the Condors 16–20. This was the third Tazón Mexico loss for the team and the second in a row.[7]

The 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Raptors had a 4–1 record at the moment of the suspension of the season.[8] The 2021 season was also cancelled.[9]

In 2022 the Raptors finished the regular season as the fourth ranked team with a 4–2 record, qualifying to the playoffs, where they were eliminated by the Fundidores on the semifinal 27–30 with a touchdown pass from Shelton Eppler to Tavarious Battiste on the last play of the game.[10]

Rivals

Dinos de Saltillo

The Dinos de Saltillo and the Raptors play each season the so-called Jurassic Duel (Spanish: Duelo Jurásico). Due to these teams being two of the strongest in the league in recent years, this rivalry is considered amongst LFA's most important rivalries.[11]

Dinos de Saltillo vs. Raptors de Naucalpan season-by-season results
Season Results Location Overall series
2017 Raptors
34–27		 Estadio Jesús Martínez "Palillo" Raptors
1–0
Raptors
19–6		 Estadio Olímpico de Saltillo Raptors
2–0
Dinos
13–10		 Estadio Jesús Martínez "Palillo" Raptors
2–1
2018 Dinos
29–27		 Estadio José Ortega Martínez Tie
2–2
Dinos
23–20		 Estadio Olímpico de Saltillo Dinos
3–2
Raptors
21–6		 Estadio Olímpico de Saltillo Tie
3–3
2019 Raptors
21–7		 Estadio Olímpico de Saltillo Raptors
4–3
Raptors
19–7		 Estadio FES Acatlán Raptors
5–3
2020 Dinos
30–29		 Estadio Olímpico de Saltillo Raptors
5–4
2022 Raptors
28–27		 Estadio FES Acatlán Raptors
6–4
2023 Dinos
24–14		 Estadio Francisco I. Madero Raptors
6–5

Stadiums
Estadio José Ortega Martínez, hosted the Raptors during the 2018 and 2020 seasons.
Raptors de Naucalpan stadiums
Stadium Tenure
Estadio Jesús Martínez "Palillo"2016–2017
Estadio José Ortega Martínez2018
Estadio FES Acatlán2019
Estadio José Ortega Martínez2020–2021
Estadio FES Acatlán2022
Estadio José Ortega Martínez2023–present

In 2016, for the inaugural season of the LFA, all of the four founding teams (Condors, Eagles, Mayas and Raptors) played all their matches at the Estadio Jesús Martínez "Palillo", in the Magdalena Mixhuca Sports City.[12]

For the 2018 season, Raptors moved from "Palillo" Martínez stadium to the Estadio José Ortega Martínez in Naucalpan, State of Mexico, the stadium has a capacity of 3,700 spectators and it is located inside the Universidad del Valle de México Lomas Verdes campus and it is regularly used by the university's college football team, the Linces.[13]

In 2019, the team moved from the Estadio José Ortega Martínez to the field of the National Autonomous University of Mexico Acatlán campus, also located in Naucalpan and used by FES Acatlán's college football team: Pumas Acatlán. The cause of the movement has not been disclosed nor by the team or the league.[14]

Raptors returned to the Estadio José Ortega Martínez for the 2020 season.[15]

Despite the fact that the team is branded as being from Naucalpan, Raptors played their home matches for the two first seasons in Mexico City and they only moved to Naucalpan for the 2018 season.

Roster
Raptors de Naucalpan roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

  • 33 Edgar Arroyo
  •  3 Dan Ávila
  • 26 Brian Correa
  •  4 Luis Humberto López

Wide receivers

  • 86 Enrique Barraza
  • 19 Manuel Barrios
  • 16 Iván García
  •  6 Humberto Noriega
  • 11 Gustavo Pecechea
  • 81 Jorge Retana
  • 10 Alexis Rodríguez
  •  2 Andrés Salgado
  • 14 Alberto Villegas
  •  1 Diego Yáñez
 Offensive linemen
  • 65 Terrence Ames Jr.
  • 57 Iván Castro
  • 59 Marco Antonio Cortés
  • 74 Julio García
  • 52 Enrique González
  • 71 Ernesto Landa
  • 51 Diego Morales
  • 58 Julio Nava
  • 54 Josué Torres
  • 72 Saúl Zanatta

Defensive linemen

  • 15 Anthony Baldovinos
  • 91 David Casarrubias
  •  8 Salvador Casillas
  • 99 Isaac Gil
  • 95 Alejandro Miranda
  • 97 Antonio Ramírez
  • 69 Diego Ruiz
  • 90 Julio Villarreal
 Linebackers
  • 29 Sebastián Baig
  • 40 Jovanni Carrillo
  • 25 Jordan Cry
  • 22 Daniel González
  • 36 Cristian Treviño
  • 44 Desmond Veals
  • 50 Edgar White

Defensive backs

  •  0 Fernando Espinoza
  • 24 César Mandujano FS
  • 18 Raúl Mateos
  • 21 Jean Retaud
  • 37 Manuel Hernández S
  • 30 David Rico CB
  • 32 DeJohn Rodgers
  •  7 Saúl Valencia CB

Special teams

  •  9 Alfredo Gachuz K/P

Italics indicate International player
Roster updated 19-04-2023

Staff
Raptors de Naucalpan staff
Head coach
  • Head coach – Guillermo Gutiérrez

Offensive coaches

  • Running backs – Iván Escobar
  • Wide receivers – Mario Martínez
  • Offensive line – Julio Nava
   Defensive coaches
  • Defensive line – Enrique Soto
  • Defensive backs – Iván Zárate

Strength and conditioning

  • Strength and conditioning – Mauricio Silva

Season-by-season
Season Head coach Regular season Postseason
Won Lost Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
2016 Rafael Duk 4 2 .666 2nd (League) 0 1 .000 Lost Tazón México I vs (Mayas) 13–29
2017 Rafael Duk 5 2 .714 1st (North) 0 1 .000 Lost North Division Championship (Dinos) 10–13
2018 Guillermo Gutiérrez 3 4 .429 2nd (North) 1 1 .500 Won North Division Championship at (Dinos) 21–6
Lost Tazón México III (vs Mexicas) 0–17
2019 Guillermo Gutiérrez 5 2 .714 1st (North) 1 1 .500 Won North Division Championship (Fundidores) 53–47 (OT)
Lost Tazón México IV (vs Condors) 16–20
2020 Guillermo Gutiérrez 4 1 .800 1st (North) Postseason cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2022 Guillermo Gutiérrez 4 2 .600 4th (League) 1 1 .500 Won Wild Card round (Reyes) 26-6
Lost Semifinal at (Fundidores) 27–30
2023 Guillermo Gutiérrez 4 6 .400 7th (League)
Total 29 19 .604 3 5 .375

Awards
  • North Division
    • Champions (2): (2018, 2019)

References
  1. "Presentaron la Liga de Futbol Americano Profesional en México". ADN Deportivo (in Spanish). 12 January 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
  2. "Mayas, campeón del Tazón México". Milenio (in Spanish). 10 April 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  3. "Dinos consigue el pase a la final y mucho más" (in Spanish). LFA. 23 April 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  4. "Raptors, primer finalista de la LFA al derrotan a Dinos". Máximo Avance (in Spanish). 14 April 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  5. "Mexicas blanquea a Raptors y gana el Tazón México III". Milenio (in Spanish). 22 April 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  6. "Los Raptors regresan a playoffs". LFA.mx (in Spanish). LFA. 23 April 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  7. "Condors vence a Raptors y se lleva el Tazón México IV". Milenio (in Spanish). 12 May 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  8. "Coronavirus obliga a cancelar temporada 2020 de la LFA". ESPN.com.mx (in Spanish). 30 April 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  9. Pacheco, Gabriel (8 April 2021). "Nos vemos en el 2022; LFA cancela de nuevo su temporada". Máximo Avance (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  10. "Semifinal: Fundidores vs Raptors". LFA.mx (in Spanish). 8 May 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  11. "El duelo jurásico, una batalla de millones de años". LFA.mx (in Spanish). 20 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  12. "Estadio "Palillo" Martínez, el adiós al inmueble que vio nacer a la LFA" (in Spanish). Máximo Avance. 17 February 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  13. "Datos que no conocías del JOM, la nueva casa de los Raptors LFA" (in Spanish). Máximo Avance. 8 February 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  14. "El futbol americano en México se alista con la LFA". Milenio (in Spanish). 21 February 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  15. "Del Palillo Martínez al estadio Borregos: 21 diferentes inmuebles ha tenido la LFA". Máximo Avance (in Spanish). 28 January 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
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