Oct 15, 2010

District 2AAAA football update from Los Alamos ...

Los Alamos scored 19 unanswered points to beat Santa Fe High 19-14. Read Will Webber's story in Saturday's New Mexican for all the details.

Oct 12, 2010

The return of what I was supposed to do last week (AKA The week that will be)

So after a week hiatus - thanks Capital-Santa Fe High boys soccer!! - I return to tell whatever masses are still reading this what's happening this week. I won't waste your time - or my fingers - on a huge intro. Just read and enjoy:

Wednesday
I could have gone with St. Michael's-Monte del Sol boys soccer, but the Dragons are in free fall (good-bye sleeper status, MDS). How about Capital-Santa Fe High volleyball? It's the Demonettes' "Dig Pink" match and I encourage everyone who can go and support breast cancer awareness, please do. Besides, don't get overshadowed by Pojoaque Valley's performance the next day (read on, please).
So, because he is perhaps the most deserving coach of such space, here's my recommendation:

Volleyball
New Mexico School for the Deaf at Santa Fe Waldorf, 5 p.m.
The skinny - This is a key District 1B matchup - key in that it's the Lady Wolves one shot at making noise in the district. The Lady Roadrunners are one of the top teams in Class B and surely the team to beat in the district. Waldorf just ended a 25-match losing streak last week - and we salute you, Daniel Wendland, for never ducking a call when it would have been easy for you to do the last two years - and here's hoping the Lady Wolves make some noise (with apologies to NMSD). And, yes, it's because Wendland calls after every match, win or lose.

Thursday
Boys soccer
Santa Fe Preparatory at Capital, 6 p.m.
The skinny - The Santa Fe City Soccer Championship can be wrapped up with a Blue Griffins win. A loss throws everything into chaos - although I imagine the city teams aren't fretting over that. They're too busy thinking about district play - 2AAAA for Capital (second behind Los Alamos), 2A-AAA for Santa Fe Prep (tied for the lead with St. Michael's). So am I.

Volleyball
Santa Fe Indian School at Pojoaque Valley, 7 p.m.
The skinny - This isn't so much about what's happening on the volleyball court of Ben Lujan Gymnasium. It's more about the generosity of a few hundred fans. Last year, the Elkettes' "Dig Pink" game raised $7,600. What can the fine folks at Pojoaque Valley do this year? The event also hits home for both sides: Pojoaque assistant Melissa Ainsworth (wife of head coach Brian Ainsworth) is going through treatment for breast cancer. SFIS assistant Patrice Chavez also has battled the disease.
Give what you can (Or more), folks.

Friday
Girls soccer
St. Michael's at Bosque School, 4 p.m.
The skinny - The winner here should get the third seed for the Class A-AAA State Tournament in three weeks. The operative word is should. The Lady Horsemen still have a match against Santa Fe Prep that could decide the District 2A-AAA title (depending on what the Prepettes do at Portales). If the Lady Horsemen can't produce a district crown for their resume, then these 80 minutes are moot. Of course, if they don't win here, a top-four seed might in jeopardy, too.

Football
Santa Fe High at Los Alamos, 7 p.m.
The skinny - The one major stumbling block before an Oct. 29 battle royale with Bernalillo for the District 2AAAA title - it's in green-and-gold and hasn't lost to the Demons in ... Well, ages. How about 1997, to be exact? (Don't try and pass that forfeit in 1998 as a win). More history also can be made with a Demons win. How about the third non-losing season since 1986? And the chance for a district title, the first since ... Well, 1986! Get used to hearing about that date. Because if the Demons win and set up a battle with Bernalillo for the district title, you'll be hearing it a lot.

Capital at EspaƱola Valley, 7 p.m.
The skinny - What's the deal with two winless teams being in this section? Well, for Espanola Valley's Joe Jiron, it's his first game against players he coached last year as the Jaguars' offensive line coach. Oh, and it is the last chance both schools have for a win.

Saturday
Cross country
Rio Rancho Jamboree, 9 a.m.
The skinny - Everybody in the state will be at Rio Rancho High School for this event. And i mean EVERYBODY. This event serves as the appetizer for the cross country main course to come in three weeks ... at Rio Rancho. The runners want to get a sneak preview at what they will face at that time - although they should remember it from last year and the year before that and the year before that ... Still, it's the third biggest event outside of the state championship and the Lobos Invitational in September.