Raptors de Naucalpan

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

Raptors de Naucalpan
Established2015 (2015)
Based inNaucalpan, State of Mexico, Mexico
Home fieldEstadio FES Acatlán
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 Championships2 (2018, 2019)
Current uniform

Despite never winning an LFA title, the Raptors are the only team to have reached playoffs every season.

History

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

Rafael Duk era (2016–2017)

On 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]

Stadiums
Estadio José Ortega Martínez, hosted the Raptors during the 2018 and 2020 seasons.
Raptors de Naucalpan stadiums
Stadium Tenure
Estadio Jesús Martínez "Palillo"2016–2018
Estadio José Ortega Martínez2018
FES Acatlán2019
Estadio José Ortega Martínez2020–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.[9]

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.[10]

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.[11]

Raptors returned to the Estadio José Ortega Martínez for the 2020 season.[12]

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
  • 28 Germán Maldonado

Wide receivers

  • 86 Enrique Barraza
  • 19 Manuel Barrios
  • 29 Brian Brunett Jr.
  • 15 Marco Camacho
  • 16 Iván García
  •  4 Humberto Noriega
  • 84 Kento Suzuki
  • 14 Alberto Villegas
  • 80 Diego Yáñez

Tight ends

  • 22 Arturo Miranda
 Offensive linemen
  • 53 Abraham Assenato
  • 76 José Corona
  • 51 Leonardo Galindo
  • 52 Enrique González
  • 78 Darío Martínez
  • 58 Julio Nava
  • 61 Mario Rodríguez
  • 54 Josué Torres

Defensive linemen

  • 43 Raúl Arnaiz
  • 55 César Canabal
  • 91 David Casarrubias
  • 93 Pablo Casas
  • 17 Francisco Espinoza
  • 94 Juan González DE
  •  7 Óscar Meza
  • 95 Alan Retaud
  • 99 Carlos Velarde
 Linebackers
  • 40 Jovanni Carrillo
  •  6 Gonzalo de la Rosa III
  • 34 Andrés Espinosa
  • 26 Daniel González
  •  1 José Luis Meza
  • 27 Michelle Pasillas
  •  2 Francisco Ramírez
  • 50 Edgar White

Defensive backs

  • 11 Erick Arzate
  •  8 Karrheem Darrington S
  • 37 Manuel Hernández S
  • 18 Raúl Mateos
  • 23 Gustavo Oróstico CB
  • 21 Jean Retaud CB
  • 30 David Rico CB
  • 10 Jordi Saldaña
  • 25 Saúl Valencia CB

Special teams

  • 83 Eduardo Retana K

Italics indicate International player
Roster updated 03-04-2022

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

Offensive coaches

  • Offensive coordinator – Juan Carlos Martínez
  • Running backs – Michel Esquivel
  • Wide receivers – Jorge Martínez
  • Offensive line – Alfredo Flores
  

Defensive coaches

  • Defensive coordinator – Víctor Saspe
  • Defensive line – Guillermo Guerra
  • Linebackers – Ramón Ruiz
  • Defensive backs – Israel Olmos

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) 29–13
2017 Rafael Duk 5 2 .714 1st (North) 0 1 .000 Lost North Division Championship (Dinos) 13–10
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) 17–0
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) 20–16
2020 Guillermo Gutiérrez 4 1 .800 1st (North) Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2022 Guillermo Gutiérrez 4 2 .600 4th (League) - – – Won Wild Card round (Reyes) 26-6
TBD Semifinal at (Fundidores)
Total 23 13 .638 2 4 .333

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

References
  1. "Presentaron la Liga de Futbol Americano Profesional en México". ADN Deportivo (in Spanish). January 12, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  2. "Mayas, campeón del Tazón México". Milenio (in Spanish). April 10, 2016. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  3. "Dinos consigue el pase a la final y mucho más" (in Spanish). LFA. April 23, 2017. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  4. "Raptors, primer finalista de la LFA al derrotan a Dinos". Máximo Avance (in Spanish). April 14, 2018. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  5. "Mexicas blanquea a Raptors y gana el Tazón México III". Milenio (in Spanish). April 22, 2018. Retrieved November 21, 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. "Estadio "Palillo" Martínez, el adiós al inmueble que vio nacer a la LFA" (in Spanish). Máximo Avance. 17 February 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  10. "Datos que no conocías del JOM, la nueva casa de los Raptors LFA" (in Spanish). Máximo Avance. 8 February 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  11. "El futbol americano en México se alista con la LFA". Milenio (in Spanish). 21 February 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  12. "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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