The 2022 LFA season was the seventh season of operation (sixth season of play) of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA), the top American football league in Mexico. The regular season began on 4 March and concluded on 24 April, with the playoffs beginning on April 30 and ending with the Tazón México V, on 21 May. The league returned after a two-season hiatus.
Fundidores won their first LFA championship after defeating Gallos Negros 18–14 in the Tazón México V, played in Tijuana.
Preseason events
Expansion Two new teams joined the league for the 2022 season: Galgos de Tijuana, based in Tijuana, and Reyes de Jalisco, based in Zapopan, Jalisco. The league also lost one team, Osos de Toluca, that folded in January 2021. With these changes, the 2022 season will be contested by seven teams and, unlike the previous seasons, the league will not be divided into two divisions. As a result, the league decided to expand the playoff field from four teams to six teams. The top two teams will have a bye in the quarterfinals and will host home field in the semifinals.
Condors originally relocated to Querétaro City, and changed its name to Condors de Querétaro, after their acquisition to the ownership group that owned Querétaro F.C. On 3 February 2022, the team officially were rebranded as Gallos Negros de Querétaro. Following the rebrand, the league considers Gallos Negros as a new franchise that began competing in the 2022 season.
Stadium changes Dinos moved to the Estadio Francisco I. Madero after an agreement with the owners of the stadium, the baseball club Saraperos de Saltillo of the Mexican League. Mexicas moved from the Estadio Perros Negros to the Estadio Jesús Martínez "Palillo". Raptors returned to play their home games in the Estadio FES Acatlán, after playing in the Estadio José Ortega Martínez for the previous two seasons.
Draft 2022 LFA Draft Rnd. Pick No. LFA Team Player Pos. School Notes 1 1 Reyes Salvador Cabrera DB FES Acatlán 1 2 Fundidores Emilio Pérez OL FES Acatlán 1 3 Raptors Jean Renaud DB FES Acatlán 1 4 Reyes Alberto García OL FES Acatlán 1 5 Fundidores Saúl Sauceda OL UANL 1 6 Mexicas Adrián Cuadra DB UNAM 1 7 Mexicas Luis Ceniceros DL Anáhuac Norte 2 8 Reyes Rodrigo Jurado OL UVM 2 9 Gallos Negros Gerson Sánchez OL IPN 2 10 Raptors Alfredo Gachuz K ITESM CEM 2 11 Fundidores Joan Lara DL UANL 2 12 Gallos Negros Maximiliano Hernández WR ITESM Toluca 2 13 Gallos Negros Luis Enríquez OL IPN 2 14 Reyes César Baeza LB IPN 3 15 Reyes Jorge Licea DL UNAM 3 16 Galgos Isaac Pulido LB UABC 3 17 Raptors Luis Villegas WR ITESM Toluca 3 18 Gallos Negros Anthony Baldovinos DL IPN 3 19 Dinos Marco González LB UANL 3 20 Gallos Negros Joan Pérez Durán DB/LB ITESM Toluca 3 21 Mexicas Oliver González OL Anáhuac Norte 4 22 Reyes Carlos Farías QB ITESM Guadalajara 4 23 Gallos Negros Marco Cisneros RB UNAM 4 24 Raptors Ulises Colín RB IPN 4 25 Fundidores Daniel Peña WR UANL 4 26 Dinos Enrique López OL UAC 4 27 Gallos Negros José Ruiz WR UNAM 4 28 Mexicas Chrisstopher González DB ITESM Puebla 5 29 Reyes Óscar Villagrán WR UNAM 5 30 Galgos René López DB UACH 5 31 Raptors Francisco Ornelas RB FES Acatlán 5 32 Fundidores Juan Garza LB ITESM Puebla 5 33 Dinos Alan Centeno OL ITESM Monterrey 5 34 Gallos Negros Alberto Rodríguez TE UVM 5 35 Mexicas Alejandro Márquez QB Anáhuac Norte
Teams Team City Stadium Capacity Head coach Dinos Saltillo, Coahuila Estadio Francisco I. Madero 16,000 Javier Adame Fundidores Monterrey, Nuevo León Estadio Banorte10,057 Carlos Strevel Galgos Tijuana, Baja California Estadio Caliente 27,333 Guillermo Ruiz Burguete Gallos Negros Querétaro City, Querétaro Estadio Olímpico de Querétaro 4,600 Félix Buendía Mexicas Iztacalco, Mexico City Estadio Jesús Martínez "Palillo" 6,000 Héctor Toxqui Raptors Naucalpan, State of Mexico FES Acatlán 2,000 Guillermo Gutiérrez Reyes Zapopan, Jalisco Estadio Tres de Marzo 18,779 Ernesto Alfaro
Regular season Standings Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, PF = Points For, PA = Points against
Schedule Week 1 Away Score Home Venue Date Time TV Gallos Negros 33–9 Galgos Estadio Caliente March 4 19:00 Claro Sports Dinos 10–7 Mexicas Estadio Jesús Martínez "Palillo" March 5 15:00 Claro Sports Raptors 13–10 Reyes Estadio Tres de Marzo March 5 18:00 Claro Sports Week 2 Away Score Home Venue Date Time TV Fundidores 17–24 Dinos Estadio Francisco I. Madero March 12 19:00 Claro Sports Mexicas 10–8 Raptors Estadio FES Acatlán March 13 15:00 Claro Sports Reyes 19–12 Gallos Negros Estadio Olímpico de Querétaro April 16 20:00 Claro Sports Week 3 Away Score Home Venue Date Time TV Mexicas 13–27 Fundidores Estadio Banorte March 18 20:00 Claro Sports Gallos Negros 10–24 Dinos Estadio Francisco I. Madero March 19 19:00 Claro Sports Galgos 0–10 Reyes Estadio Tres de Marzo March 19 19:00 Claro Sports Week 4 Away Score Home Venue Date Time TV Raptors 20–23 Fundidores Estadio Banorte March 25 20:00 Claro Sports Reyes 12–46 Mexicas Estadio MCA Jaime Labastida March 26 15:00 Claro Sports Dinos 14–6 Galgos Estadio Caliente March 26 19:00 Claro Sports Week 5 Away Score Home Venue Date Time TV Reyes 6–34 Dinos Estadio Francisco I. Madero April 2 19:00 Claro Sports Galgos 0–40 Raptors Estadio FES Acatlán April 3 12:00 Claro Sports Fundidores 13–10 Gallos Negros Estadio Olímpico de Querétaro April 3 15:00 Week 6 Away Score Home Venue Date Time TV Galgos 9–28 Fundidores Estadio Banorte April 8 20:00 Claro Sports Gallos Negros 11–16 Mexicas Estadio Jesús Martínez "Palillo" April 9 15:00 Claro Sports Dinos 27–28 Raptors Estadio FES Acatlán April 10 12:00 Claro Sports Week 7 Away Score Home Venue Date Time TV Mexicas 30–22 Galgos Estadio Caliente April 22 19:00 Claro Sports Raptors 28–19 Gallos Negros Estadio Olímpico de Querétaro April 23 20:00 Claro Sports Fundidores 24–35 Reyes Estadio Tres de Marzo April 24 12:00 Marca Claro
Results
Regular-season statistical leaders IndividualScoring leader Torin Justice Fundidores 42 Rubén Zendejas Mexicas Most Field Goals Made Enrique Yenny Dinos 29 Rushing yards Jordon Shippy Reyes 457Passing yards Shelton Eppler Fundidores 1,677Passing touchdowns 15Interceptions Thrown Bruno Márquez Raptors 8Pass receptions Rodnell Cruell Reyes 34Pass receiving yards 504Combined yards Tavarious Battiste Fundidores 715Combined tackles Anthony Patrick Reyes 50Interceptions Enrique Altamirano Galgos 5Sacks Luis Ceniceros Mexicas 7 Demetrius Harris Reyes
Playoffs Playoff bracket
Results
Wild Card Away Score Home Venue Date Time TV Gallos Negros 14–7 Mexicas Estadio Jesús Martínez "Palillo" April 30 12:00 Claro Sports Reyes 6–26 Raptors Estadio FES Acatlán May 1 16:00 Claro Sports Semifinals Away Score Home Venue Date Time TV Gallos Negros 27–20 Dinos Estadio Francisco I. Madero May 7 19:00 Claro Sports Raptors 27–30 Fundidores Estadio Banorte May 8 18:00 Claro Sports Tazón México V Away Score Home Venue Date Time TV Gallos Negros 14–18 Fundidores Estadio Caliente May 21 19:00 Claro Sports
Tazón México V Tazón México VGallos NegrosvsFundidores (1–5) (4–2) 14 18Head Coach:Head Coach:Felix BuendiaCarlos Strevel Teams 1C 2C 3C 4C Gallos Negros 0 7 0 7 Fundidores 6 3 0 9Date: 21, May 2022Kickoff time: 7 p.m.Stadium: Estadio CalienteAttendance: 14,000MVP: Martín Maldonado, DLReferee: Mario MatosTV: Half time show: Nortec:Bostich+Fussible, Pato Machete ← IV • Tazón México • VI → The Tazón México V was held on 21 May 2022 at the Estadio Caliente in Tijuana. It was the first time the Tazón México was held outside of Mexico City. Fundidores became LFA champions after beating Gallos Negros by a score of 14–18.
Awards On 22 February 2023, the league announced the winners of the 2022 season awards. AwardWinner(Position)TeamMost Valuable PlayerShelton EpplerQBFundidoresOffensive Player of the YearTavarious BattisteWRFundidoresDefensive Player of the YearDemetrius HarrisDLReyesOffensive Rookie of the YearRubén ZendejasRBMexicasDefensive Rookie of the YearLuis CenicerosDLMexicasCoach of the YearCarlos StrevelHead CoachFundidoresPlay of the YearShelton Eppler, Tavarious BattisteWalk off touchdown on the final play of the Raptors @ Fundidores semifinalFundidores
Notes
References