The Read Barron

And so we begin again ... The countdown to March Madness ...

2012-01-10T17:12:00.005-07:00

It's been a long-standing tradition on this blog, and I am to keep it going. So for the first time this year, I present my first crystal-ball gaze into the state basketball tournament.
Today, we'll look at the AAAA boys.
The rest can wait a day or two.
On with the show.

Class AAAA
1. Roswell (16-0). Way back in the Nov. 23 poll, when the Coyotes were relegated to No. 7 in the inaugural poll, someone had the foresight to vote them No. 1. Nine weeks later, whoever that that coach is a damn genius. They beat the then-No. 1 in Roswell Goddard in the Poe Corn title game, they beat Grants and Los Lunas. Then the Jan. 17 win over Hobbs cemented it.
2. Roswell Goddard (18-1). The Rockets' only blemish is to their city rivals, and they came into the season as the team to beat. Goddard has some good wins (over AA stalwart Mesilla Valley and another over Española Valley - though it looks worse as the Sundevils continue to lose). And 16-1 is still 16-1.
3. Albuquerque St. Pius X (14-4). The Sartans are rolling, and that's not a good sign for the rest of the state. They are on a nine-game streak after losing to Capital in the opening round of the Stu Clark Tournament. Their other losses are to good teams (Cibola, Sandia Prep and Grants). It helps that a certain team has a glaring splotch on its resume.
4. Capital (14-4). You see the good - wins over St' Pius, Bernalillo, Grants and Deming - and you want to seed the Jaguars higher. But one blemish shouts at you like a pimple on face.
Del Norte 61, Capital 55.
That puts you at four. Beat St. Pius again next week and we'll talk.
5. Grants (13-5). Sometimes, the Pirates look so good (beating St. Pius and Piedra Vista, a pair of one-point losses to Roswell, a four-point loss to Capital). And then they go and lose to Gallup and Sandia Prep at Gallup's tournament two weeks ago. If they can go on a run, they might regain lost ground.
6. Bernalillo (13-6). What we said about Grants. Looks good at times (an overtime loss to Capital, wins over Valencia, Taos and Las Vegas Robertson), but ... You lost to BELEN. In this Los Lunas grad's book, it's a sin you can't omit.

Now here's where things get a little tricky. The road to state is traffic-jammed with schools barely poking their heads at or above the .500 mark. So there will be a lot of fluidity to these seeds as the season goes along. Right now, though, it's a mess.

7. Gallup (8-8). The Bengals have a win over Grant on which to hang their hat. They can also boast wins over Valencia and two over Kirtland Central. Gallup's schedule also has a hint of toughness with games against Hope Christian (perhaps the best in the state), two losses to St. Pius, another to Rio Rancho. If the Bengals can grab second in 6AAAA, they can imagine a home game.
8. Deming (9-7). Much will hinge on what happens in the Wildcats' matchups against Santa Teresa, but they are the leader in the clubhouse, so to speak. They have no distingushing wins (but neither do the Desert Warriors), but a win over Los Lunas looks promising but a 2-1 mark against a nondescript Artesia team is a little bothersome.
9. Kirtland Central (10-9). Again, nothing exciting about the Broncos' resume, but beating a very good AAA Shiprock counts for something. Heck, Piedra Vista hasn't done that. But at least the Panthers beat Los Alamos, while Kirtland can't. Therefore, it's a wash.
10. Los Lunas (9-7). The Tigers are 9-4 after an 0-3 start, but those games were against AAAAA Eldorado and Manzano and then a hiccup against Atrisco Heritage. Los Lunas has good wins against Piedra Vista and Bernalillo, but that is offset with two losses to Atrisco and a loss to Deming.
11. Farmington (9-9). The Scorpions have a win over Kirtland Central and Friday's win over Piedra Vista bolted them up the ladder. They have played a strong nondistrict schedule, with two losses to Grants and St. Pius, another to the Broncos and another to Gallup.
12. Atrisco Heritage (7-9). The record doesn't look great, but they did lose twice to Albuquerque High and to Sandia Prep (the third best team in AAA). Two wins over Los Lunas look good as well and that 48-44 loss to St. Pius bodes well for 5AAAA play.
13. Santa Teresa (10-9). Yeah, the record is good, where's the beef? Their signature wins: Against a 7-8 Carlsbad? A 6-12 Rio Rancho Cleveland? A 7-12 Alamogordo? A 7-10 Artesia?
14. Valencia (8-8). Again, nothing distinguishing about the Jaguars. But they have seven wins over AAAA schools. They beat Santa Fe High twice, but don't forget, the Demons are 4-12.
15. Piedra Vista (8-11). You can't ignore those six victories that turned into forfeits for using an ineligible player. But the Panthers' most impressive win is two against 7-12 Los Alamos (which is just on the outside looking in). Then they lose to Farmington. At least they have that win over ...
16. Los Alamos (7-12). It came down to the Hilltoppers and the 10-7 Bloomfield Bobcats. It came down to this: Los Alamos beat Kirtland Central and a 7-10 Artesia team. Bloomfield has four wins over schools Class AA and lower. Granted, they all came in tournaments, but two were in the Bobcats' own invite. You can't stack the deck and figure no one will notice. I did. The NMAA better.

It's a family affair ... Only played out on live TV

2012-01-06T16:12:00.002-07:00

Poor Landon Collins. The five-star senior safety of Dutchtown High School in Geismar, La. spent two years in the middle of a good-ol' fashioned recruiting war between SEC schools Alabama and LSU. When he finally made his decision during the UnderArmour All-American Bowl ... Well, just watch this and read this to feel his pain.
And his mom's, too.

When Smalltown, USA meets Youtube

2012-01-05T21:49:00.002-07:00

Yakima, Washington's Michael Christenson was only trying to make a point about poor officiating in the state, but instead he created a media monster ... at the expense of Connell's Cole Vanderbilt and Kennan VanHollebeke. His facebook video of five fouls he believed were flagrant but weren't called moved to Youtube and suddenly the Connell pair were vilified for their aggressive behavior.
Here is the link to the Tri-City Herald story about it and you decide.

Happy New Year! And here are some Freeze ratings

2012-01-03T16:06:00.003-07:00

Here are the initial prep basketball ratings from one Geoff Freeze. Enjoy.

NM BOYS BBALL 2011-12 (BY CLASS)

In Class Overall

W L W L PF PA Rating

NM CLASS 5A

1 LA CUEVA 5 2 9 2 63.1 54.0 133.12

2 CIBOLA 3 3 7 3 56.7 49.3 132.85

3 LAS CRUCES 2 0 8 3 60.8 53.0 132.37

4 ALBUQUERQUE 5 1 8 1 63.7 55.0 132.03

5 ELDORADO 4 1 6 3 75.1 68.1 129.03

6 HOBBS 2 0 9 4 72.8 63.4 126.30

7 VALLEY 4 3 7 3 60.9 54.8 125.84

8 MAYFIELD 2 0 6 6 56.5 45.3 125.53

9 MANZANO 3 2 9 2 49.6 44.5 124.20

10 SANDIA 3 3 5 4 54.8 55.7 122.83

11 CLOVIS 4 0 8 3 56.7 46.1 122.30

12 RIO RANCHO 3 2 7 6 62.8 63.7 122.08

13 HIGHLAND 3 4 3 7 52.8 55.4 120.66

14 VOLCANO VISTA 2 5 6 5 50.9 51.4 119.70

15 WEST MESA 2 4 6 4 60.9 59.1 118.91

16 ONATE 1 6 4 8 51.8 53.6 118.10

17 RIO GRANDE 1 4 4 6 54.0 61.5 117.55

18 CLEVELAND 0 4 5 9 60.1 61.8 116.62

19 ALAMOGORDO 1 2 6 5 48.4 48.6 107.28

20 CARLSBAD 2 2 4 6 48.8 56.1 102.43

21 GADSDEN 0 4 1 10 34.4 44.9 100.49

NM CLASS 4A

1 ROSWELL 6 0 8 0 74.3 55.4 128.35

2 GRANTS 7 2 9 2 64.9 52.8 125.64

3 ST. PIUS 2 2 6 4 53.1 44.6 123.82

4 GODDARD 5 1 11 1 69.9 54.8 123.10

5 CAPITAL 5 0 10 3 55.6 46.8 117.88

6 SANTA TERESA 0 0 5 5 47.1 48.3 117.52

7 GALLUP 2 1 3 5 58.6 60.1 115.11

8 LOS LUNAS 3 4 6 6 62.6 52.7 114.86

9 FARMINGTON 4 4 6 5 58.1 55.2 112.23

10 PIEDRA VISTA 6 1 8 4 65.8 60.0 111.56

11 ATRISCO HERITAGE 2 0 4 5 51.7 51.9 110.70

12 BERNALILLO 4 3 10 5 66.0 63.5 110.47

13 VALENCIA 4 3 5 5 50.9 53.3 110.38

14 ABQ ACADEMY 1 2 1 5 51.5 61.8 109.46

15 ESPANOLA VALLEY 0 3 4 8 54.8 52.2 109.29

16 DEL NORTE 1 2 1 9 54.5 61.2 108.72

17 DEMING 1 4 7 5 55.2 51.2 108.68

18 LOS ALAMOS 4 4 4 8 43.8 51.3 108.64

19 ARTESIA 1 3 4 4 55.0 53.8 108.26

20 SANTA FE 1 3 2 7 57.1 60.1 108.15

21 KIRTLAND CENTRAL 2 3 6 4 66.4 57.9 107.82

22 MORIARTY 1 7 4 10 47.6 57.0 105.89

23 BELEN 2 2 3 4 53.3 56.0 103.91

24 CHAPARRAL 1 3 3 8 46.9 53.8 100.83

25 BLOOMFIELD 1 2 5 4 46.0 46.9 100.14

26 MIYAMURA 0 5 0 6 42.7 58.2 92.07

27 AZTEC 0 2 0 6 41.3 49.7 88.27

NM CLASS 3A

1 HOPE CHRISTIAN 0 0 11 1 73.8 59.2 135.23

2 ST. MICHAEL'S 0 0 8 3 50.7 46.0 123.41

3 SANDIA PREP 1 0 6 6 50.3 47.7 116.62

4 SHIPROCK 0 0 9 1 69.6 58.0 116.00

5 TAOS 1 0 8 4 60.3 55.4 109.19

6 ROBERTSON 1 0 5 3 57.1 50.5 106.90

7 PORTALES 1 1 3 5 46.6 47.4 102.94

8 LOVINGTON 0 0 4 4 58.0 59.0 102.33

9 POJOAQUE 2 1 3 8 49.1 57.7 101.91

10 SOCORRO 2 1 5 2 56.7 49.3 100.73

11 WEST LAS VEGAS 3 0 5 4 60.3 58.1 100.12

12 SILVER 0 2 3 7 45.7 44.3 96.12

13 HOT SPRINGS 1 0 3 4 52.7 46.1 95.62

14 THOREAU 1 0 5 5 54.6 54.5 92.24

15 WINGATE 0 3 2 7 48.4 59.7 90.06

16 SANTA FE INDIAN 0 4 1 13 42.3 70.0 89.10

17 ZUNI 0 0 1 5 60.5 67.8 87.84

18 CROWNPOINT 0 0 1 6 45.9 60.4 83.75

19 RUIDOSO 2 0 3 4 57.7 62.1 82.71

20 RATON 0 1 2 4 45.0 55.0 79.89

21 HATCH 0 1 0 6 38.5 71.5 65.38

22 COBRE 0 1 1 7 40.6 62.5 61.39

NM CLASS 2A

1 LAGUNA ACOMA 2 0 9 0 81.1 38.7 119.01

2 TEXICO 1 0 6 4 56.8 51.9 109.17

3 MORA 5 1 7 1 62.1 44.0 109.05

4 PECOS 4 0 7 1 56.9 43.5 108.92

5 MESILLA VALLEY 1 1 7 5 55.0 51.3 104.61

6 TULAROSA 4 2 8 3 60.7 48.3 104.10

7 SANTA FE PREP 5 2 8 2 60.7 44.8 101.68

8 BOSQUE SCHOOL 5 1 7 5 48.7 45.9 100.77

9 CLAYTON 0 1 7 2 63.0 52.8 97.41

10 NAVAJO PINE 1 1 7 4 68.8 66.9 97.13

11 NEWCOMB 1 1 5 1 54.8 46.7 97.04

12 TOHATCHI 2 2 5 5 59.5 64.1 95.36

13 MESA VISTA 1 2 4 6 50.5 54.8 94.86

14 MAGDALENA 0 2 7 3 53.1 40.7 93.97

15 DULCE 2 2 5 4 54.4 55.6 93.68

16 REHOBOTH 0 2 3 3 65.7 61.3 92.59

17 TUCUMCARI 1 2 3 3 54.5 55.3 92.09

18 DEXTER 0 2 6 4 45.3 43.4 91.99

19 PENASCO 2 4 4 8 52.4 58.8 87.67

20 CLOUDCROFT 0 0 4 3 46.6 46.1 87.57

21 SANTA ROSA 2 3 4 5 51.4 53.6 85.28

22 EUNICE 0 0 3 4 53.1 56.0 83.74

23 EAST MOUNTAIN 1 0 4 2 59.0 57.2 83.34

24 NMMI 0 0 2 6 42.4 51.5 82.09

25 MONTE DEL SOL 0 5 3 8 60.9 61.7 81.41

26 ESTANCIA 0 2 3 3 43.7 53.3 79.85

27 CUBA 0 0 2 2 50.0 44.0 75.08

28 LORDSBURG 0 1 4 6 53.4 58.4 74.55

29 LOVING 0 0 2 3 49.2 47.6 72.30

30 NAVAJO PREP 0 1 1 5 42.8 71.0 67.04

31 JEMEZ VALLEY 0 0 4 5 43.7 47.4 62.14

NM CLASS 1A

1 SPRINGER 4 0 7 0 64.3 45.0 109.55

2 CLIFF 2 0 9 0 73.1 40.8 109.38

3 LOGAN 2 0 6 2 68.5 49.0 105.75

4 FORT SUMNER 4 0 6 2 59.8 42.8 100.06

5 DORA 0 2 7 2 57.4 44.1 97.13

6 PINE HILL 0 0 1 2 31.7 69.7 94.27

7 CAPITAN 2 1 5 2 50.0 43.1 93.15

8 GALLUP CATHOLIC 0 0 4 4 65.4 69.3 90.74

9 RAMAH 1 0 4 2 60.0 59.3 87.41

10 ESCALANTE 2 0 4 6 53.9 65.2 87.39

11 MESCALERO 1 1 5 4 56.3 45.1 86.18

12 QUESTA 1 2 4 6 51.2 57.1 85.83

13 HAGERMAN 2 0 6 3 53.2 42.2 85.40

14 MENAUL 0 0 6 2 54.6 37.3 85.23

15 TATUM 0 1 3 6 41.1 50.2 84.62

16 DES MOINES 1 3 4 7 49.4 53.6 83.39

17 MCCURDY 1 0 3 6 37.9 40.9 82.35

18 TOHAJIILEE 2 1 6 3 55.3 52.2 80.45

19 MELROSE 3 1 4 5 52.2 55.3 77.41

20 ANIMAS 0 2 2 4 40.3 56.7 76.90

21 JAL 0 0 2 3 47.0 59.4 76.41

22 SHIPROCK NORTHWEST 0 0 0 3 40.3 78.0 68.85

23 FLOYD 0 3 1 10 31.7 47.5 66.73

24 CORONADO 3 0 4 4 55.3 49.1 66.59

25 CIMARRON 0 2 0 7 40.6 63.0 65.98

26 ALAMO NAVAJO 1 1 1 4 49.8 57.4 59.48

27 FOOTHILL 0 1 0 5 44.6 59.0 57.98

28 GATEWAY CHRISTIAN 0 4 0 6 32.3 61.8 57.50

29 MOUNTAINAIR 0 2 1 4 27.4 57.0 50.59

30 EVANGEL CHRISTIAN 1 0 2 2 51.5 63.0 43.46

31 DESERT ACADEMY 1 2 1 6 31.6 58.0 40.22

32 TSE YI GAI 0 2 0 3 36.7 64.0 36.44

33 TEMPLE BAPTIST ACAD 0 3 0 5 18.6 58.2 23.34

NM CLASS B

1 WAGON MOUND 2 0 6 4 64.1 54.2 99.39

2 QUEMADO 1 0 6 6 55.3 51.9 87.65

3 HONDO 2 0 4 2 51.8 43.3 83.21

4 VAUGHN 4 0 4 0 54.5 40.8 79.82

5 GRADY 3 1 5 3 36.1 35.5 77.16

6 SAN JON 2 1 3 4 47.4 52.4 75.88

7 MOSQUERO 3 4 3 5 49.6 53.3 75.38

8 ELIDA 2 2 5 4 43.8 39.6 73.73

9 RESERVE 1 0 4 3 53.4 48.7 72.89

10 CLOVIS CHRISTIAN 1 2 5 3 51.3 46.3 72.70

11 MAXWELL 0 1 3 4 49.1 52.1 70.23

12 WALDORF SCHOOL 1 1 4 3 48.7 43.4 66.92

13 NMSD 0 1 0 1 46.0 55.0 66.38

14 CARRIZOZO 0 1 0 3 26.3 48.0 65.50

15 WALATOWA CHARTER 0 2 2 5 54.9 66.0 60.57

16 LAKE ARTHUR 2 3 2 5 28.0 42.1 56.86

17 CORONA 0 5 0 9 34.8 57.2 53.56

NM GIRLS BBALL 2011-12 (BY CLASS)

In Class Overall

W L W L PF PA Rating

NM CLASS 5A

1 CLOVIS 2 1 11 1 60.9 37.9 142.40

2 VOLCANO VISTA 10 0 12 0 55.8 37.3 138.27

3 ELDORADO 5 1 9 1 57.7 35.1 137.20

4 HOBBS 2 2 9 6 54.8 45.5 133.73

5 MAYFIELD 2 2 8 3 47.5 37.3 130.15

6 SANDIA 5 1 8 2 52.0 39.2 127.43

7 CLEVELAND 4 0 6 2 50.8 37.1 126.43

8 LAS CRUCES 2 2 7 4 49.7 44.6 120.85

9 ONATE 2 4 7 6 46.8 46.0 119.72

10 CIBOLA 3 2 6 3 43.1 41.2 119.56

11 CARLSBAD 3 2 7 3 46.4 36.9 116.60

12 LA CUEVA 3 3 6 4 40.4 32.9 114.29

13 RIO RANCHO 0 5 1 9 31.5 44.3 113.90

14 RIO GRANDE 3 3 5 5 54.0 54.9 113.80

15 HIGHLAND 2 5 3 5 36.9 41.8 113.21

16 GADSDEN 1 1 8 6 49.9 42.9 107.81

17 VALLEY 0 4 3 5 37.9 43.0 106.77

18 MANZANO 1 2 7 4 46.3 44.9 105.46

19 ALBUQUERQUE 1 5 3 5 40.4 56.8 103.25

20 ALAMOGORDO 0 2 4 8 45.3 51.4 98.37

21 WEST MESA 0 4 3 6 39.3 53.4 98.35

NM CLASS 4A

1 GRANTS 4 0 9 0 67.9 44.2 135.22

2 KIRTLAND CENTRAL 1 0 8 1 63.1 41.6 133.35

3 ROSWELL 1 1 6 4 50.0 42.3 128.62

4 GALLUP 1 0 7 4 48.8 46.0 123.01

5 ESPANOLA VALLEY 3 0 12 1 55.0 36.5 122.79

6 PIEDRA VISTA 3 2 8 3 48.5 35.0 120.96

7 FARMINGTON 2 3 8 4 55.0 40.3 119.34

8 ARTESIA 5 0 6 2 62.8 40.8 117.99

9 SANTA FE 2 0 7 5 53.1 40.4 116.16

10 MIYAMURA 3 1 5 4 46.4 41.1 115.43

11 VALENCIA 5 2 10 2 48.8 29.7 113.08

12 ST. PIUS 1 1 3 6 42.3 42.3 112.55

13 LOS LUNAS 3 2 4 3 42.9 36.4 107.30

14 BERNALILLO 3 2 7 6 42.3 41.6 105.80

15 DEMING 2 1 5 5 52.3 50.4 104.30

16 DEL NORTE 0 1 2 7 38.1 43.3 102.45

17 LOS ALAMOS 3 3 5 7 41.6 45.8 101.61

18 GODDARD 0 3 4 9 46.3 50.2 101.09

19 ATRISCO HERITAGE 0 1 2 7 39.2 55.2 94.65

20 SANTA TERESA 0 1 3 9 34.2 42.0 92.59

21 AZTEC 1 4 3 8 36.5 52.0 92.37

22 BELEN 1 4 2 5 40.7 51.0 92.01

23 ABQ ACADEMY 1 3 3 6 34.4 41.8 91.65

24 CHAPARRAL 0 1 4 8 41.7 50.7 90.76

25 MORIARTY 0 5 1 10 30.3 42.5 90.41

26 CAPITAL 0 3 2 11 31.5 48.6 75.60

27 BLOOMFIELD 0 1 0 5 34.4 63.6 75.26

NM CLASS 3A

1 PORTALES 1 0 6 6 31.6 32.9 124.83

2 SANTA FE INDIAN 1 0 7 3 43.4 38.4 124.39

3 HOPE CHRISTIAN 1 0 8 2 50.1 38.0 123.45

4 LOVINGTON 0 0 3 4 43.6 49.6 115.92

5 SHIPROCK 0 1 5 6 47.5 45.2 114.42

6 ST. MICHAEL'S 4 0 10 4 45.5 34.6 111.46

7 ROBERTSON 3 2 6 3 52.8 51.7 110.16

8 POJOAQUE 5 1 6 3 46.4 47.0 109.87

9 RUIDOSO 1 0 7 3 56.9 59.7 109.37

10 WINGATE 1 1 5 5 50.1 51.3 107.80

11 TAOS 2 2 9 5 49.9 43.3 107.35

12 HATCH 0 0 4 1 53.0 45.0 107.34

13 RATON 0 0 4 1 55.8 42.0 106.50

14 HOT SPRINGS 0 0 4 3 42.9 49.9 100.79

15 THOREAU 0 1 5 4 45.7 57.1 97.80

16 ZUNI 1 0 4 4 54.1 46.6 96.29

17 WEST LAS VEGAS 0 4 3 7 41.5 50.0 95.67

18 SANDIA PREP 0 0 1 8 36.7 57.2 91.83

19 SOCORRO 0 5 0 9 41.3 54.4 90.30

20 SILVER 0 1 1 6 36.6 52.7 81.56

21 CROWNPOINT 0 1 1 8 35.3 60.3 78.84

22 COBRE 0 1 2 6 40.5 59.3 76.77

NM CLASS 2A

1 TEXICO 0 0 8 4 41.6 36.4 127.59

2 NAVAJO PREP 0 0 7 3 53.5 39.2 114.92

3 MORA 5 0 9 0 51.2 30.6 111.48

4 MAGDALENA 0 0 7 4 52.5 41.3 107.98

5 LAGUNA ACOMA 1 0 6 2 61.9 38.6 103.33

6 CLAYTON 0 1 4 3 40.7 44.7 102.27

7 DULCE 1 2 4 3 48.4 43.1 99.61

8 SANTA ROSA 2 2 3 6 41.3 51.1 98.21

9 PENASCO 2 3 6 5 48.5 41.9 97.18

10 NAVAJO PINE 0 0 4 5 58.7 50.1 96.86

11 LORDSBURG 0 0 5 2 54.3 47.1 96.59

12 PECOS 2 1 7 5 49.8 37.7 95.38

13 MESA VISTA 3 3 7 3 53.0 40.4 94.79

14 TOHATCHI 1 0 3 3 43.2 51.3 94.23

15 TULAROSA 2 0 5 3 41.3 34.5 93.14

16 NEWCOMB 1 0 2 1 51.0 44.0 92.94

17 CUBA 0 0 3 2 46.6 44.0 92.64

18 CLOUDCROFT 0 0 4 3 42.0 43.9 92.31

19 ESTANCIA 1 2 3 2 46.6 29.2 90.91

20 DEXTER 1 1 5 8 43.6 43.0 89.61

21 REHOBOTH 0 1 2 4 41.8 41.8 89.28

22 JEMEZ VALLEY 0 1 4 4 54.0 41.3 87.61

23 MESILLA VALLEY 1 1 2 6 39.3 56.6 85.03

24 EUNICE 0 0 0 8 32.3 60.6 83.69

25 MONTE DEL SOL 2 0 5 3 36.9 31.5 78.44

26 NMMI 0 0 5 2 44.6 36.0 75.49

27 TUCUMCARI 1 1 2 2 42.5 44.3 74.61

28 SANTA FE PREP 0 2 3 6 39.1 48.9 71.81

29 BOSQUE SCHOOL 1 4 5 6 32.8 45.8 71.46

30 LOVING 0 1 3 2 49.0 47.8 70.18

31 EAST MOUNTAIN 0 1 1 5 26.5 47.3 64.64

NM CLASS 1A

1 MELROSE 2 0 9 0 71.1 29.6 138.18

2 TATUM 1 0 7 2 55.3 30.2 125.31

3 LOGAN 1 2 6 2 58.9 43.9 108.84

4 CLIFF 1 0 9 1 51.3 35.1 108.75

5 FORT SUMNER 3 0 8 3 45.1 32.0 108.12

6 DES MOINES 2 0 9 2 49.4 35.7 102.87

7 DORA 1 0 7 1 60.8 37.1 99.24

8 SPRINGER 3 0 7 1 55.8 36.8 97.97

9 CAPITAN 1 0 4 2 41.2 29.7 93.85

10 MESCALERO 1 1 9 3 55.4 42.8 92.45

11 JAL 0 0 1 8 31.6 51.9 87.05

12 MCCURDY 2 0 7 6 41.4 42.8 82.88

13 FLOYD 0 3 3 8 36.5 55.0 82.59

14 CORONADO 2 0 5 5 45.6 48.8 82.13

15 RAMAH 1 0 4 2 52.7 46.0 79.45

16 QUESTA 0 2 2 3 39.2 49.6 78.65

17 ANIMAS 0 2 0 6 43.3 55.3 76.96

18 ESCALANTE 0 1 1 12 29.3 54.5 75.50

19 HAGERMAN 1 2 4 5 37.0 46.1 74.33

20 TOHAJIILEE 2 1 2 3 44.8 49.6 69.74

21 MENAUL 0 0 3 5 32.3 44.3 66.76

22 MOUNTAINAIR 0 1 1 3 26.5 47.3 65.27

23 CIMARRON 1 3 2 9 23.3 43.1 63.21

24 EVANGEL CHRISTIAN 1 1 3 7 41.7 49.4 63.05

25 SHIPROCK NORTHWEST 0 1 0 6 35.3 68.8 62.00

26 DESERT ACADEMY 0 1 0 9 35.6 55.6 58.10

27 TSE YI GAI 1 3 1 4 44.4 59.2 57.55

28 ALAMO NAVAJO 0 0 2 2 44.3 47.8 55.63

29 GATEWAY CHRISTIAN 0 2 1 9 26.7 43.0 53.35

30 PINE HILL 0 1 0 3 25.0 63.3 32.84

31 TEMPLE BAPTIST ACAD 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 30.00

32 FOOTHILL 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 30.00

33 GALLUP CATHOLIC 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 30.00

NM CLASS B

1 ELIDA 3 0 5 4 43.2 34.8 94.56

2 GRADY 2 0 6 1 53.3 35.0 82.79

3 CORONA 4 1 4 3 48.4 36.1 80.43

4 MOSQUERO 3 1 3 4 36.4 32.1 70.64

5 CLOVIS CHRISTIAN 3 2 5 3 32.5 34.1 68.54

6 WALATOWA CHARTER 0 0 1 4 43.6 56.2 67.65

7 RESERVE 0 0 3 4 46.7 46.7 67.62

8 HONDO 0 1 2 6 36.0 42.6 67.19

9 CARRIZOZO 0 0 0 2 19.5 37.0 61.77

10 WALDORF SCHOOL 1 0 5 3 40.0 37.4 60.79

11 SAN JON 1 2 2 7 30.8 46.2 58.28

12 QUEMADO 0 1 2 5 34.7 52.1 55.15

13 LAKE ARTHUR 0 3 1 6 23.6 38.0 53.75

14 NMSD 0 1 0 2 30.5 46.5 53.07

15 VAUGHN 0 5 0 5 30.0 53.2 48.68

16 WAGON MOUND 0 0 0 1 12.0 49.0 35.18

17 MAXWELL 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 30.00

Reality check

2011-12-19T16:59:00.004-07:00

So, yes, the updates on this blog have been (way too) far and (way too) few between each posts. For that I sincerely apologize. And I want to thank St. Michael's boys basketball assistant Rick Apodaca for the nice, swift kick in the butt for getting me to think about things. I used to be a bookmark on his Web page, but no longer with the lack of information emanating from this blog.
And I completely understand. It is hard to run a department, write and edit plus blog (live or otherwise). That shows in the few posts you have seen on here.
All I can do is try to be more diligent about that.
With that in mind, I'll add a link about breaking news on the prep basketball front. The Rivals site, run by Horseman grad Kyle Henderson, is breaking news that Piedra Vista has forfeited six wins from a 7-2 start for using an ineligible player.
Here is the link for that story.
Sorry to see that happen to the Panthers and their coach, Brian Shock. Much like his dad Pete at Cliff, he is one of the classiest coaches in the business and a straight shooter as well. Sorry to see this happen to him. Of course, they have two and a half months to make their mark, which they will. His team is one of the top five teams in Class AAAA this season.

Coach beaten by opposing players ..

2011-10-18T22:17:00.002-06:00

I understand the passion play that is high school football, but sometimes, you read a story like this and wonder how things can go so horribly awry. God speed to the coach and hopefully they can prosecute those responsible.

For those wondering ... (Thursday night football)

2011-08-26T16:53:00.003-06:00

The season started for a couple of area teams Thursday night - and they were all out of the city.
New Mexico School for the Deaf started its season with a trip to South Central New Mexico to play Hondo Valley, a team that reached the six-man division semifinals last year and the championship the year before.
It was not the start the Roadrunners were hoping for, falling behind 32-14 after 8 minutes and the Eagles waltzed to a 68-34 win. The loss muted an otherwise stellar evening for Michael Jendusa, who ran for 233 yards and recorded eight tackles to lead NMSD in both categories.
The Roadrunners outgained Hondo 481-367 on offense, but turnovers (two fumbles, two interceptions) prevented them from reaping the benefits of a strong offense.
Zachary Lee had a team-leading 122 receiving yards on eight catches and scored a touchdown.
Meanwhile, the Taos Tigers went to Los Lunas to play the Valencia Jaguars, who roughed them up for a 68-18 win.

You can read more about Taos' opener here:

This is what NOT to do for a team photo ...

2011-08-25T16:02:00.001-06:00

The Bethany College men's golf team was taking a team photo ... Then took a TEAM photo that was not for public consumption. Unfortunately, as 20-somethings are wont to do, they made it so.
And here is the result.
For the faint at heart, do NOT look at the photo.

http://www.kansas.com/2011/08/22/1983841/bethany-suspends-golfers-after.html

Five months? My God ... I'm a little late

2011-08-09T15:53:00.003-06:00

Well, for those who are wondering what the heck happened over the past four months, well so am I. A reporter is responsible for his work - or lack thereof - and that simply means I've been woefully irresponsible for this blog.
The only way to fix that is to ... blog! So I will try to update this block a few times a week, and try to keep you informed on the happenings in this state and across this country.

For starters, anyone who is a Little League baseball fan might have watch this afternoon's game between Albuquerque's Altamont Little League lost in the Southwest Regional semifinals to an all-star team from Lafayette, La., 14-6. Altamont led twice in the game - 2-0 in the second inning, and 6-4 in the fourth - but the home team Lafayette hammered away in the fourth and fifth with 10 runs combined.
So New Mexico's Little League World Series drought runs to 55 years. It was 1956 when Roswell won the World Series over Delaware Township, N.J. 3-1.
Here's to 2012.

Live blogging at the state basketball tournament

2011-03-08T09:18:00.002-07:00

Just a heads up to everyone following this blog, we are live blogging this event on our Santa Fe New Mexican web site or look for us on coveritlive.com (it will be titled "state tournament live blog").
You can follow the action with myself, Will Webber and Geoff Grammer as we cover today's action. We will also get updates from the Class AA quarterfinal between No. 10 Pecos and No. 2 Penasco from our free lance reporter Todd Bailey.
I'll even try to update my blog here if I can.

Hope to see you during the week.

Unfortunate news regarding a Las Cruces Oñate football player

2011-02-26T17:45:00.004-07:00

Las Cruces Oñate senior Jerry Zamarripa passes away earlier Saturday after being beaten at a party early Sunday morning in the Las Cruces area. The story has a few twists as well - including friends retaliating against the wrong person, and allegedly killing a 57-year-old Vietnam War veteran - but click the link here for more. Condolences to his family and friends

Updated AAA rankings

2011-02-25T15:07:00.004-07:00

Sorry it's taken so long for the update, but here it is:

1. Hope Christian (23-3). No loss big or small to Sandia Prep in the District 5AAA Tournament will affect this spot.

Now that we've got the easy part out of the way ... What to do with the next six spots. It's quite a group of teams that have beaten up on each other, have good wins that are offset by bad ones, and they each have unique characteristics to stake a claim to No. 2. But when all is said and done ...

2. Las Vegas Robertson (19-6). Yes, the Cardinals have losses to St. Michael's (5AAA's runner-up) and Socorro (3AAA champion) and a now-bad loss to Santa Fe Indian School, but they have two wins over 2AAA runner-up Taos plus one over 4AAA champion Portales and are 8-4 against AAA competition. Robertson also beat Bosque School, a 3AA champion that is ranked No. 2 in the final coaches poll and has played tough AAA competition. The Bobcats even have wins over Ruidoso, Taos and West Las Vegas and close losses to Wingate and St. Michael's. And there's this: the Cardinals are on a 12-game winning streak.
3. Taos (17-8). If the Tigers had been able to beat Robertson, they'd be a solid No. 2 right now. Their resume is impressive, with wins over Socorro, St. Michael's, Portales, Capital (2AAAA runner-up) and Roswell Goddard (3AAAA runner-up). The good losses are to 2AAAA champ Española Valley (twice), Hope Christian, the Cardinals twice and Bosque School. The bad? A loss to Los Alamos and a 54-52 loss to Navajo Pine. That's 16-11 AA Navajo Pine.
4. St. Michael's (17-11). The loss to Pojoaque is a gift that finally gives here. Otherwise, I'd have the Horsemen a seed lower, but I can't put Pojoaque above an 11 or below a 13. That said, it seems the Horsemen reputation precedes itself. The arguments I hear from everybody is that the Horsemen are the runners-up in the toughest district in AAA and they beat Robertson handily. Those points are great, but ... St. Michael's is 3-5 in its last eight games. The losses are to Pojoaque, Española, Hope twice and Sandia Prep, which are good losses but considering the stretch they are in, it's not that good. The Horsemen do have two wins over the third-place Albuquerque Sundevils, over Robertson, over Wingate, over AAAAA Valley (District 5AAAAA runner-up) and over St. Pius X (5AAAA champion). Offset that with losses to Taos, Socorro, Pojoaque Valley, Capital, and Santa Fe High twice. I've emphasized how you finish as a strong point, and St. Michael's enters the AAA tournament with a limp, not a sprint.
5. Socorro (17-8). The Warriors are 13-5 and have the second-most wins over AAA competition. They own wins over Robertson, St. Michael's and two against 3AAA runner-up Silver. Close losses to Wingate (87-86) and Sandia Prep (65-57) and Pojoaque Valley (67-60) hurt some, but all the teams after Hope have bad losses. What hurts, though is the bottom half of the bracket, otherwise, the Warriors are a 4 in my mind.
6. Sandia Prep (20-9). The Sundevils aren't a six seed. They are victims of finishing behind a struggling Horsemen team. This team owns wins over Volcano Vista (1AAAAA runner-up), St. Pius X, Eldorado (2AAAAA), Robertson, Grants (6AAAA runner-up) and Santa Fe High. Losses to West Mesa (5AAAAA champion), Gallup (6AAAA), St. Pius and Las Cruces (3AAAAA) look good, but those two losses in the 5AAA regular season to St. Michael's come back to bite them.
7. Wingate (24-3). The Bears are 14-3 against AAA competition, they own a win over Socorro, another over Bosque School and AA's Rehoboth (1AA champion). But ... two losses to Shiprock flooded the good ship Wingate. They lost to St. Michael's. They own a win over a Class A team (Gallup Catholic), three over AA schools (Navajo Pine and two to Laguna-Acoma), beat 6-20 West Las Vegas twice and play in the second-worst district in AAA. And seventh is what what you get.
8. Portales (17-8). The Rams beat Lovington two of three times (including a playoff game for the 4AAA top seed), and own wins over Roswell and St. Pius X. Close losses to AAAA Artesia, Robertson and Taos help, but Portales' overall resume kind of pales against the other seven - except for maybe Wingate. Still, they'll get a first-round home game at least.
9. Shiprock (15-12). Amazingly, the Chieftains are 11-1 against AAA competition, but 11 of those games were in 1AAAA and then there was a win over Raton. Shiprock had nothing to hang its hats on until beating Wingate twice. They beat AA Mesilla Valley early in the season when it didn't have its transfers, but that was it.
10. Silver (15-12). All eight wins in AAA for the Colts came in district play. At least one of them came against Socorro. And thank God people forgot that loss to West Las Vegas ... Wait a minute, one person didn't.
11. Pojoaque Valley (13-13). The Elks played a tough schedule, and thanks to wins over Socorro and St. Michael's - plus the fact that the Horsies are my five-seed - the Elks get a bump up in seeding as well. Two wins over Santa Fe High and another over Artesia solidify this spot.
12. Lovington (13-12). This is where wins matter. One win over Portales and one over Roswell Goddard means an 11 seed. Welcome to state.
13. Zuni (15-14). The Thunderbirds' 7-8 mark was mostly in district play - all the wins were, at least - but they played some tough teams (Rehoboth twice, Taos, Hatch Valley, Socorro) that was enough to get Zuni this high.
14. Hot Springs (12-15). With a 6-6 AAA mark and a win over Ruidoso, the Tigers get in. Thanks for playing.
15. Santa Fe Indian School (9-16). The first half of the season saved the Braves. Wins over Los Lunas, Robertson and Aztec were enough to overlook a 1-11 finish.
16. Ruidoso (10-15). The Warriors might have gone winless in 4AAA play, but two wins over Hot Springs helped the cause. Tell Jim Murphy hello for me after that first-round game.

Class AAAA (new and improved ... But still a mess)

2011-02-23T19:22:00.003-07:00

So, take four teams and have them lose games you didn't expect in the final week of the season. Now mix on one team that's on a roll but plays in a weak district. Add drama and include a dash of debate and what do you have?
Well, being that this is a family newspaper, I can't say it. But if I were play Charades, I'd say the term sounds like "dumspter truck."
Either way, I will endeavor to do my best to sift through the morass that is AAAA seeding.
Well, here goes nothing ...

1. Espanola Valley (19-8). Yes, the loss to the bottom team in 2AAAA was bad. But when you look at their overall resume, it is better than the other four in the running. The Sundevils have beaten the most district champions (Class AAA Las Vegas Robertson, Gallup, Santa Teresa, Class AAAAA Manzano) and have four wins over district runners-up (Capital twice, AAA Taos, AAA St. Michael's). The downside are the losses to Rio Rancho and bernalillo, but the other teams have blemishes as well. Their flaws stand out more than the Sundevils'.
3. Gallup (19-7). The Bengals were motoring right along - 10 straight wins - when the Jaguars of Valencia knocked them off their perch. And that, as much as anything, left them exposed to their overall work. Gallup beat 5AAAA champ St. Pius and 6AAAA runner-up Grants twice, but lost to Las Cruces Oñate by only two, Española in the season opener and Hope Christian. They also own a win over Sandia Prep, which was third in 5AAA, and a pair of losses to Rio Rancho Cleveland (third in 1AAAAA). Good, but not good enough.
2. Santa Teresa (17-8). The Desert Warriors are on a roll - a big one. Winners of 12 in a row, they are the hottest team in AAAA. Still, they have only beaten one district champion (Roswell of 3AAAA) and have a loss to the Sundevils, a Gadsden team that was 0-8 in 3AAAAA, a fourth-place Mayfield team twice, and a 6-18 Carlsbad team. To boot, Deming (11-14) and Chaparral (6-20) were district fodder. Santa Teresa might be able to move up a spot if Gallup loses, but but that's it.
4. Roswell (20-5). The Coyotes have a gaudy record, but don't let first appearances fool you. Roswell beat one district champion (4AAA's Portales, which also beat them), but also Carlsbad three times, plus Deming (1-3 in a weak 3AAAA) and Ruidoso (0-4 in 4AAAA) twice. That isn't championship caliber scheduling.
5. St. Pius X (17-8). A 1-7 start is never good, but consider: three of the losses were to district champions (Gallup, AAAAA's West Mesa and Cibola) and two runners-up (the Horsemen and Grants). Since then, the Sartans have gone 15-1. Still, their best win was over Albuquerque Academy and they missed a shot to play Capital because of the wacky weather.
6. Capital (16-7). Throw out the loss to Pueblo Central at the Capital City Invite, and the Jaguars are 16-6. Of the six losses, all but one were to district runners-up (Valley, Taos, Albuquerque Academy or district champions (Española twice). They beat St. Michael's and Grants, plus Del Norte. Now if they could have beaten St. Pius, they might have a claim to a 5-seed.
7. Grants (19-4). The Pirates have a win over St. Pius plus losses to Gallup and Capital. The loss to Sandia Prep doesn't look as bad either, considering how tough 5AAA is overall. Grants also avoided trap games against Los Lunas and Valencia to be ranked ahead of ...
8. Piedra Vista (22-3). Again, records can be decieving. The Panthers beat a grand total of three in-state teams with winning records - Aztec, AAA Shiprock and Kirtland Central. Two of them are district teams, the other just left last year. They also beat Albuquerque Academy, which was tied for second in 5AAAA, but they don't have much else to bank on other than a nice record.
9. Roswell Goddard (16-10). The Rockets are a victim of a rough start turned good. Despite beating Roswell, they started off 4-4 with losses to Taos (not bad), SFIS (started out good, then went REALLY bad) and Lovington (not bad, 4AAA runner-up). The win over Piedra Vista helps, but 10 losses is hard to overcome three, especially when there are no other ones to support it - other than Roswell.
10. Aztec (15-6). The seed might say 10, but the Tigers should be 11. The win over Piedra Vista is the highlight on a schedule that didn't have many. The biggest nondistrict win? Try Shiprock? Bad losses? How about Santa Fe Indian School and Deming and Kirtland Central. However you look at it, Aztec hasn't done much to warrant respect.
11. Valencia (14-13). The Jaguars made quite a leap with a win over Gallup, which allowed them to wrap up third place in perhaps the most competitive district in the state. Valencia was helped by a win over Del Norte (tied for runner-up in 5AAAA), Socorro (3AAA champion) and Hot Springs (3AAA runner up). The bad is a loss to Atrisco Heritage and to Bernalillo when it was healthy.
12. Los Lunas (13-13). The Tigers are the fourth - and last team - from 6AAAA to get in. They do it on the strength of wins over Roswell, Del Norte and Valencia and near misses against Grants and Gallup twice. The loss to SFIS wasn't good, neither did Los Lunas look good against AAAAA competition (signature win was over Valley). But the Tigers did enough.
13. Albuquerque Academy (10-15). The Chargers tied Del Norte for second in 5AAAA, but they have more style points over the Knights. Oh, and a win over Capital (which Del Norte failed to do) and Highland. Academy also improved as the season went along, losing by 10 to Manzano and by single digits to St. Pius X.
14. Del Norte (10-13). Yeah, the Knights split with Academy and also played two close games with the Sartans, but they failed to seal the deal on Capital. It's just enough to get them here.
15. Santa Fe High (10-15). Matt King called the Demons "the most dangerous 10-15 team in the state." Ain't that the truth. Santa Fe High has wins over Volcano Vista, Valencia and two over the hated Horsemen, and it's just enough to get this spot. The only way they miss out is if Kirtland Central makes a run ... Of course, if they win the 2AAAA Tournament, forget what I just said.
16. Artesia (12-13). The Bulldogs have no signature AAAA win, but they did a number on 3AAA, beating Lovington and Ruidoso twice, and Portales as well. Artesia also managed a win over Silver (runner-up, 3AAA) and came oh-so-close to beating Santa Teresa. Close is good in this case, so add close losses to Roswell (at home) and Goddard in district play.

The fine print ...

2011-02-23T16:58:00.003-07:00

So, even after seven years of being a sports reporter, sometimes it helps to read the fine print, and that was something I did not do when it came to seeding this year. Having been accustomed to the normal rules that the committee considers only in-class performance compared to the overall schedule, that has changed this year.
New Mexico Activities Association by law 7.11.2-B stipulates the following for seeding:

The remainder of the teams will be selected by the NMAA Staff using the following
criteria. There is neither order nor priority in the criteria listed below:
1. Finish in district play and/or district tournaments.
2. Head to Head
3. Performance against other teams including district champions or runner-ups from other
districts, regardless of class.
4. Input from NMAA staff members
5. Overall Records
6. Elimination – which teams from that particular class do not fit the format
due to their lack of success during the current year.
7. New Mexico High School Coaches Association Poll
8. Member School Input
**NOTE: One district team cannot be seeded or selected higher than another if they came out of district as a lower seed, with regular season taking precedence over tournament play. In the event of a tie in the regular season district standings, the NMAA Staff may use district tournament results or any other head to head competition to determine the selection/seeding order between the two teams that are tied.

So, with that said, I whiffed on the third criteria in that list. So with that said, I am adjusting my seeding and rationale. And not a moment too soon. Seems like some of you actually do follow what I write (on my blog, that is. I hear enough about the print stuff to know you do! not that I mind, hehehe ...).
I will have an updated AAAA bracket tonight and will work on a new and improved AAA bracket for tomorrow.
Until then ... Let the anticipation begin.

So from one bit of insanity to another ...

2011-02-21T17:28:00.005-07:00

After watching perhaps the most entertaining state wrestling tournament I've ever witness - and I never would have believed Robertson could lose with so much at stake - I catch up on the craziness of the last weekend of the regular season for basketball.
Capital needs a buzzer-beater to get past Santa Fe High?
Hope Christian does the same to St. Michael's?
Bernalillo can't save its season, but it beat Espanola Valley?
Valencia beat Gallup?
What to do, what to do ..

Well I gave the AAAA update - and I will again, but this time, it's AAA's turn for the update.
Let's get this ball rolling ...

AAA seedings
1. Hope Christian (23-3). Even with a loss to St. Michael's, the Huskies were going to be No. 1. They are undefeated against AAA teams and with the rest of the class feasting upon itself, the gap between 1 and 2 is far. So book them in this spot on Sunday.

And for the rest ...
This is the circular logic here. St. Michael's almost beat Hope, but they lost to Taos, who lost twice to Robertson, who lost to Socorro, who lost to Silver, who lost to West Las Vegas, who lost to Wingate, who lost to ... Yes, you guessed it, the Horsemen. So who goes where? well, I've talked about finishing strong being a good indicator, and the team finishing best is ...

2. Las Vegas Robertson (19-6). The Cardinals went undefeated in district play, and beat Taos twice in the process. They are on a 12-game winning streak - although four of those wins are against AA schools Tucumcari twice, Mora and Santa Rosa - and are the the hottest team outside of Hope. Because everyone else was busy losing their graps on his spot, Robertson quietly moved up.
3. Wingate (24-2). The Bears are in a one-game playoff with Shiprock, and the significance of that is that a win will solidify this spot. A loss could drop them a couple of spots. They rebounded well after the loss to Shiprock, but they need to show they can beat the Chieftains.
4. Socorro (16-8). The Warriors did their part by beating Silver in a one-game playoff Monday. They have a chance to move up with a Wingate loss tonight.
5. Taos (16-8). The Tigers went 7-2 over their final nine games, with wins over St. Michael's and Portales and two close losses to the Cardinals. That win over St. Michael's is key because ... .
6. St. Michael's (16-10). Everything was going fine until that loss to Pojoaque Valley, which started a 2-4 slide to end the year. If finishing strong is key to a high seed, a weak one can do the opposite. Welcome to Exhibit A.
7. Portales (16-8). The Rams dropped like a rock with a double-digit loss to Lovington. They are 6-3 against AAA competition, and finished 8-2 over the last 10 games of the season. Close losses to Taos and Robertson also help, but that loss to Lovington ... Yikes!
8. Sandia Prep (17-9). The Sundevils came into the district season as the likely challenger to Hope Christian in AAA, but they learned a thing or two about playing against former 2AAA schools St. Michael's, Pojoaque Valley and SFIS. They staggered to third place, unable to beat either the Huskies or the Horsemen.
9. Silver (14-11). The Colts are trending upward in the seedings because they are 9-3 over the last 12 games. Even with the loss to Socorro in the playoff game, they won't drop. In fact, they are a team that might be static as far as movement from here on out.
10. Shiprock (14-13). The Chieftains are 10-2 after a 4-11 start, and that includes a win over the Bears, which helped improve their resume. Another win could move them to a nine, but the top eight have done too much for Shiprock to move up any further.
11. Lovington (13-11). Their 3-1 mark in the district accounts for all of the Wildcats' AAA games. The win over Portales was huge, as was the November win over Goddard.
12. Pojoaque Valley (13-12). The Elks couldn't get much mileage out of finally beating the Horsemen. That is coupled with a 2-6 5AAA mark and a loss to a fast-fading SFIS.
13. Ruidoso (10-14). The Warriors might be 0-3 in 4AAA, but they are 3-3 against the rest of the class, with a win over ...
14. Hatch Valley (11-14). Of course, the Tigers have a win over Ruidoso, but they were 1-2 against the 4AAA team. They were 5-5 vs. the rest of AAAA, but no other impressive wins.
15. SFIS (9-14). The Braves are in, based on a split with Robertson. But that 1-10 finish and a 3-9 mark against AAA is bad. VERY bad.
16. Zuni (10-12). The Thunderbirds are in by virtue of a 6-8 record against AAA compettition and a 5-5 mark in 1AAA. But they haven't beaten any one of significance. They're just better than the rest.

Outside looking in:
Crownpoint (9-12). The Eagles have a nondistrict win over Zuni, but lost to them in 1AAA play. They are 4-7 in AAA overall, but they beat Class A Ramah twice, split with AA Laguna Acoma, and beat AA Cuba and Newcomb. Yeah, that'll impress the committee.
Raton (7-16). The Tigers have beaten one AAA team - West Las Vegas.
West Las Vegas (5-19). The Dons have two wins and a split over Raton. Enough said.

Churning out more of the Bracketology

2011-02-15T15:58:00.007-07:00

With the regular season entering its final week, the jockeying for position for the state tournament will be hectic. Today, I'll crank up a revised AAAA bracket and try to finish AAA. I also would like to get the girls done as well, so we'll see how that works this week.

Class AAAA
1. Española Valley (17-7). All the Sundevils have to do is win their last three games and the No. 1 seed is theirs. And yes, a loss to St. Michael's could hurt just from the standpoint that an eight-loss team trumping a six-loss team (in Gallup, assuming it wins out) with losses to a bad AAAAA (Rio Rancho) and a good AAA team (NOT named Hope) just doesn't sit well with me. Granted, Espanola will still be undefeated against AAAA competition and that just might be enough to keep them here.
2. Gallup (17-6). The Bengals are three wins away from a 20-win season, and that is quite an accomplishment. They also would have finished with an 11-game winning streak, which is equally impressive because, if you follow the NCAA Tournament standards, how you finish is as important as what you finish. Still, they lost to Española. The only way to rectify that is to ... Well, beat the Sundevils. Won't happen til State.
3. Santa Teresa (15-8). This is where head-to-head plays a role, and the Desert Warriors own a win over the Coyotes of Roswell. As long as they keep trucking along in 3AAAA (2-0 in district, 10-straight wins overall), they deserve to stay ahead of ...
4. Roswell (17-4). Yes, the Coyotes' record is very good, but their mark in AAAA competition (8-2) ulitmately hurts. That's because the losses are to Santa Teresa and to lowly Los Lunas. Good resume, just not good enough to stay ahead of the Desert Warriors.
5. St. Pius X (15-8). The "How you finish" axiom applies here as well. The Sartans have won 11 in a row, 13 of 14 and barring a meltdown - possibly against Albuquerque Academy? - they will finish with an 13-game run. This is a dangerous team because its young (only one senior) and is coached by the best in AAAA - Damian Segura.
6. Grants (17-3). The Pirates stay here and can solidify this spot with a win over Gallup tonight. A loss and they fall back behind ...
7. Capital (14-7). The Jaguars are doing what they need to do - win. If they continue this trend - and Grants loses, they slide up a spot. If Pius loses, maybe they slide up two spots. But a loss, and they might find themselves in that unwanted 8-9 game.
8. Piedra Vista ( 21-3). The Panthers might be 13-2 against AAAA competition, but when your signature nondistrict win is over 12-11 Artesia and your record is 2-2 against AAAA teams with winning records, it doesn't say much. They needed to go undefeated in district, but they lost to Aztec on Thursday. So much for top-five standing.
9. Roswell Goddard (14-9). The Rockets move up because they are a 4AAAA school and Aztec is a 1AAAA one. While the Tigers will be tied with PV for the top spot in the district (provide they don't flub this week), they will be the No. 2 seed in the district tournament and their overall AAAA record is 5-3, with all wins coming in district. Goddard, meanwhile, beat Piedra Vista by a wider margin and has three of its four AAAA losses to Roswell. Enough said.
10. Aztec (15-6). Congrats on the win Tigers, but the resume doesn't hold up. Plus, we are all aware of the rule of no playing district foes in the first round. Double whammy.
11. Artesia (12-12) The Bulldogs seem to be benefitting from the rest of the rest beating up on each other. But if one of them puts together a good week, they will surely drop down if they don't win a district game (0-3 with a matchup against Roswell looming).
12. Los Lunas (10-12). The bottom five teams are just eating each other, making it hard to figure out who goes where. After beating Valencia Saturday, the Tigers have a 2-1 edge on the Jaguars. It's enough to move up to here.
13. Valencia (10-13). The Jaguars missed opportunities to move up with losses to Grants and Los Lunas. That 6-9 AAAA mark is still troubling, and it still has work to do to keep a spot for state.
14. Albuquerque Academy (9-14). The Chargers are suddenly in second place in 5AAAA, and that has them ahead of Del Norte for the moment. Their 7-3 mark against AAAA competition is looking better all the time, as well.
15. Del Norte (9-13). A two-game stumble to Academy and St. Pius has the Knights reeling a little bit, but they finish with Moriarty. As long as they don't lose to anyone other than the Chargers or the Sartans in the district tournament, they are fine.
16. Santa Fe High (8-13). The Demons are hanging on right now. A loss to Los Alamos would have been devastating, while the near-miss against Capital is encouraging. Just don't lose to Bernalillo. Unless you turn around and beat Espanola and Capital. That would save the season.

Outside looking in:
Kirtland Central (10-11). Games against Bloomfield and Aztec are must-wins. It still might not be enough, but it would make a great conversation for the deserving 16th seed.
Bernalillo (10-13). Another longshot that needs to beat the Demons and Espanola to have a hope and prayer. My advice would be to pray. A lot.

AAA update circa Feb. 12

2011-02-11T17:38:00.007-07:00

No surprises at the top, but the rest is a jumbled mess. Why can't teams just win when they're supposed to? (I'm looking at you, Horsemen Nation). Makes seeding to much easier that way. Oh well, I'll give it a shot, even though it's likely to change by the time i end this posting. At least I was right when I wrote it.

1. Hope Christian (19-3). Go ahead, St. Michael's. Redeem yourselves Monday. Otherwise, the Huskies will have clear sailing to a three-peat.
2. Taos (15-6). Ah, Wingate, you were so close to this spot. Then the Bears lost to Shiprock last night. Meanwhile, the Tigers survived a scare at West Las Vegas, but their win over St. Michael's is the trump card. Oh, and a win over Socorro. Oh, and a win over Portales. Pretty impressive for a first-year AAA school.
3. St. Michael's (14-7). The Horsemen get this spot because it beat Sandia Prep, and the Sundevils have to stay behind them in accordance to NMAA bylaws. But St. Michael's has not looked good in losing its last two games. This weekend could make or break a good seed.
4. Sandia Prep (13-6). Tonight's the night for the Sundevils to take back what was lost at St. Michael's. A win and they jump ahead of the Horsemen. A loss? Well, watch who's No. 5 slide on by ...
5. Wingate (16-2). You lose to Shiprock, and you deserve to drop further. At least the Bears can boast about a split with the Chieftains. But you lost to 10-13 Shiprock!!! For shame.
6. Socorro (14-8). The Warriors are 5-0 in 3AAA play, but that 3-4 mark against the rest of AAA hurts. They can hope the rest of 5AAA (asise from Hope Christian) continues to beat each other up. Or that someone else comes along to tug on Wingate's cape.
7. Portales (13-7). The Rams opened 4AAA with a big win over Lovington, but tonight's matchup against Ruidoso is equally as crucial. This is a team that's gathering momentum and could move up.
8. Las Vegas Robertson (13-6). A lot is riding on Monday's matchup against Taos. The 2AAA lead, for sure. But the Cardinals could really cause a jumbled mess in the seedings with a win. They are on a six-game winning streak, which is the perfect time to do it.
9. Silver (12-11). The Colts are 6-1 in 3AAA, with only a loss to Socorro. This is a team that is turning it around at the right time, and a win over the Warriors could do even more for them.
10. Pojoaque Valley (13-11). Yay! The Horsemen Curse is broken! Booo!!! You lost to the Braves and Hope the next two games!
11. Shiprock (10-13). Look what one win can do to a program! The Chieftains are 5-1 in AAA, but the win over Wingate was the most impressive one. Trumps what the rest of the rest have done.
12. SFIS (9-11). The wheels have fallen off the Braves. They lost seven in a row before beating the Elks. Then they lost to the Horsemen. SFIS isn't out of the tournament, but they are falling further and further down the ladder.
13. Lovington (12-11). This is why the Wildcats need to play more AAA teams. A 1-1 mark - all in 4AAA - doesn't cut. Still, SFIS' losses are their gains.
14. Ruidoso (10-12). The Warriors' district struggles leave them 0-2 and dead last. At least they are ahead of the back pack.
15. Zuni (8-10). The Thunderbirds have three wins against AAA schools, which is enough to trump ...
16. West Las Vegas (5-14). The Dons almost secured their way into the dance with a win over Taos. They overall resume is better than 9-14 Hot Springs, but the Tigers' record looks better. Doesn't mean they are the better team. Chances are, they get in before West does.

Latest projections .... AAAA first

2011-02-10T15:48:00.004-07:00

It's getting hard to stay true to my No. 1 selection so far in my projections. Gallup and Española are very similar in almost every way, but that season-opening game in The Pit is becoming a larger factor as the season comes to a close. Do I keep Gallup ranked high for its continued excellence? Or have the Sundevils done enough to sway me that they are the new No. 1? After watching them dismantle Capital again ... Well, I knew it would come to something like this.

1. Española (16-7). Hey, the Sundevils still have scoreboard on the Bengals. That won't change unless someone loses unexpectedly. And if there's a team to do it, the Demons of Santa Fe High are the ones. You've earned this spot, Española. For now.
2. Gallup (16-6). The Bengals have won seven in a row - just like the Sundevils - and they have an impressive 71-60 District 6AAAA win over Grants on the road. It would be easier to call the top two seeds 1 and 1A, but for now, we'll settle for No. 2
3. Roswell (19-3). The Coyotes bested their toughest 4AAAA foe in Roswell Goddard, and followed that with a tough road win at Artesia. This is another spot I am struggling with. Coming up through the pack is Santa Teresa, and it has a win over these Coyotes. Their hold is precarious, and a loss - Hello, Clovis? - could tip the scales.
4. Santa Teresa (14-8). This is the second-hottest hottest team in AAAA (nine in a row), and there doesn't appear to be a team to stand in the Desert Warriors' way in 3AAAA. They are licking their chops at a chance to move up to No. 3.
5. Piedra Vista (20-2). It's hard to penalize the hottest team in the class (11 in a row), but this is where quality trumps quantity. And with struggles to beat Farmington and Bloomfield in 1AAAA play, the Panthers look good on paper, but their poor strength of schedule hurts them this time of year.
6. Albuquerque St. Pius X (12-8). Speaking of streaking teams, the Sartans are on an eight-game roll. Weather, though, cost them a crucial game that could have determined this spot head-to-head with Capital. Alas, the game is gone, but the Sartans benefit from the Jaguars' inability to beat Espanola Valley.
7. Grants (15-3). The Pirates also jump ahead of the Jaguars for one reason: Grants is 6-2 since the turn of the calendar, while Capital is 4-5. The Jaguars have a win over Grants, but that is weighed down by a loss to Albuquerque Academy and a pair to Española.
8. Capital (12-7). If a team needs to go on a run, it's the Jaguars. They keep losing spots as they continue their inconsistent play. Two intracity (and 2AAAA) games with Santa Fe High loom, and the Demons are hungry for a win.
9. Aztec (13-6). The Tigers are 3-1 in 1AAAA, but did struggle against Bloomfield and Farmington (The Scorpions seem to be the team that plays everyone tough, but can't win a big game. Like Santa Fe High). They can't afford slip-ups against the rest of the district outside of Piedra Vista, or else ...
10. Roswell Goddard (14-9). Again, more tough decisions. The Rockets lost to Roswell, but losses to Santa Teresa and Clovis bode well for them. As long as they take care of Artesia, they should move up to a nine or maybe an eight by Feb. 27.
11. Artesia (12-11). The Bulldogs are 0-2 in 4AAAA, but look at their recent losses: Santa Teresa, Clovis, Hobbs, Roswell and Goddard. Hard to penalize a team for good losses (all but the Wildcats and Eagles beat Artesia by more than seven points).
12. Albuquerque Del Norte (8-11). The Knights are 3-1 in 5AAAA with one more shot at beating the Sartans. If they can go at least 3-1 and finish 6-2 in the district, they'll stay right here.
13. Valencia (10-11). OK, Jaguars. Apologies here for misjudging your AAAA record. After a 3-2 start in 6AAAA got them to third, they are now 6-7 against AAAA competition. They can possibly move up with a win over Grants or Gallup and a split with Los Lunas. Otherwise, they are battling my Tigers for this spot.
14. Los Lunas (9-11). The Tigers are ready to break through that glass ceiling. But you have to win to make that happen. Tonight's home game against Gallup can go a long way toward solidifying a spot in the tournament.
15. Santa Fe High (8-12). Oh happy day for the city's signature public school! The Demons have responded in a big way (and they can thank teams like Los Alamos and Chaparral for knocking out Deming and Bernalillo off the list). A win over Capital or Espanola gets them in. A loss to Bernalillo ... Well, it will be district tournament or bust then.
16. Kirtland Central (10-10). Again, another team that benefits from the failures of Deming, Bernalillo ... Oh, and Albuquerque Academy. The Broncos have rebounded enough to get back in the think of things. But a bad loss will have them in the garbage pail with the other outsiders trying to claw their way out.

O-L-I (Outsiders Looking In)
Deming (10-13). Look what an 0-2 3AAAA start does to you. The Wildcats need help to get back in.
Albuquerque Academy (6-14). You can play as tough a schedule as you want, but you have to produce wins. A 4-3 AAAA mark with a win over Capital looks good, but 2-11 against the rest? Yikes. Beat Del Norte or St. Pius, then we'll talk.
Bernalillo (10-11). You have to wonder what fear the Spartans would strike if injuries didn't get them. And being swept by Los Alamos.
Los Alamos (6-17). This is the wildest of all wild cards, but the Hilltoppers are scaring 2AAAA coaches (well, maybe earning a great deal of respect). If they had beaten Santa Fe High on Tuesday, the Demons would be the desperate ones here. Alas, it is the Hilltoppers.

Snow update: Everything is a go IF ...

2011-02-08T14:59:00.002-07:00

For the city's big schools today.
That means the following games WIL be played today, regardless of the weather:

Boys
Santa Fe High at Los Alamos, 7 p.m.
Capital at Espanola Valley, 7 p.m.
Pojoaque Valley at St. Michael's, 7 p.m.
Girls
Sandia Prep at Santa Fe Indian School, 7 p.m.

However, a few cancellations occured because of the latest snow storm.
They are:
Boys
Las Vegas Robertson at Taos
Girls
Taos at West Las Vegas
Peñasco at Pecos

The Taos-West Las Vegas girls game has been rescheduled for Monday. The other two games have no make-up dates as of 3 p.m.

Snow and COLD

2011-02-01T17:13:00.002-07:00

The latest winter storm to hit the state produced a multitude of basketball game cancellations up north.
The only game not affected was the intracity District 2AAAA girls game between Santa Fe High and host Capital in Edward A. Ortiz Memorial Gymnasium.
Here is the list of games postponed for Tuesday.

Boys
Menaul-Desert Academy
New Mexico School for the Deaf-Temple Baptist
Las Vegas Robertson at Taos
Escalante-Coronado
Girls
St. Michael's-Hope Christian
Sandia Prep-Santa Fe Indian School
Menaul-Desert Academy
New Mexico School for the Deaf-Temple Baptist
Mora at Santa Fe Prep
Española Valley-Bernalillo
Ruidoso-Las Vegas Robertson

As of 5 p.m. Tuesday, the Española-Bernalillo and Sandia Prep-SFIS games have been postponed to today. Sandia Prep will play host to the Lady Braves as the schools agreed to switch home games. That is, if weather permits games Wednesday.

AAA projections update

2011-01-27T17:10:00.002-07:00

I'll make it short and sweet.

1. Hope Christian (17-3). Take note of the 57-54 win over Sandia Prep. Yes, the Huskies are a very good team. Maybe even the best in AAA. But this team is not the juggernaut of the last two years, and this team can be beat if it has an off day. Guess what team can do that?
2. St. Michael's (14-5). The diminutive Horsemen will drive their fans crazy because their margin for error is so slim. But the one thing they can do is play defense. And boy can they play it. Nine teams have scored fewer than 40 points this season, and expect that trend not to change this season. It's the calling card for the Horsemen.
3. Wingate (15-1). The Bears breezed through Tohatchi and Crownpoint in District 1AAA's first week. Don't expect Wingate to drop a game in district play, and if District 5AAA turns into a dogfight, it might find its way to a top two seed.
4. Taos (12-6). The Tigers get the jump on the Sundevils because of a 68-67 win over Santa Fe High, while the Sundevils are 0-2 to start the 5AAA season. This may be only temporary, but the Tigers are a team that is a dark horse in the AAA bracket
5. Sandia Prep (12-6). The Sundevils missed a chance to move past the Bears, but, as usual, they couldn't beat Hope. Their game against Pojoaque looms larger because thyey need to avoid an 0-3 start and a serious tumble down the standings.
6. Socorro (12-6). The Warriors are 2-0 in 3AAA, but a crucial matchup with Silver emerges on Friday.
7. Portales (12-5). The Rams didn't slip up against Mesilla Valley Christian and Tucumcari last week, and they move up with the Elks struggling to start the 5AAA season. A win over Roswell will keep them moving up.
8. Las Vegas Robertson (12-6). The Cardinals are on a five-game winning streak, and have a nine-day break before facing Taos in the District 2AAA opener. For a team starving for a signature win, this is it.
9. Pojoaque Valley (11-8). Speaking of signature wins, the Elks can look at their game against Sandia Prep as their moment to shine. That would make it two wins over top-six seeds.
10. Silver (9-9). The Colts' trot is turning into a gallop. A win over Socorro, and it's a full-on sprint from here on out.
11. SFIS (9-8). The Braves are in free-fall, having lost five in a row and six of their last seven. There is no relief in sight in 5AAA, though. Friday, the Huskies take aim. Can you say six in a row?
12. Ruidoso (9-9). The Warriors can solidify this spot with a win over Lovington on Friday. Their win over West Las Vegas was their first over a non-3AAA school, so maybe this is a trend.
13. Lovington (7-9). The Wildcats get their first taste of AAA action with the Warriors, and a win moves them up ... to 12. They need to finish second in 4AAA to stay away from the bottom two spots.
14. Hot Springs (7-11). The Tigers struggled against Socorro and Silver, but as long as they take care of business against Cobre and Hot Springs, everything should be all right.
15. Shiprock (6-12). If the Chieftains get past Thoreau tonight, it sets up a big showdown with Zuni. A win brings them that much closer to a runner-up finish to Wingate and in the playoffs.
16. West Las Vegas (4-13). The Dons were oh-so-close to a big win over Ruidoso on Friday. But it's good enough to keep them in the conversation. Last week's advice still applies: Beat Raton!

As for the rest: Raton, Hot Springs, Thoreau and Zuni need some help. A lot of help. Well, if Raton beats West ... the Tigers are probably on their way to the state tournament.

AAAA bracketology (Updated as of Tues.)

2011-01-26T19:09:00.003-07:00

It's another stirring rendition of bracketology, and the first week of district play helped make the picture a bit clearer. Here's what I have for the week.

1. Gallup (13-6). Ah, if only I could see the steam coming out of Richard Martinez's ears right now. The Bengals were sloppy in a 62-59 overtime win over District 6AAAA foe Los Lunas at home. Saturday's home matchup with Grants could be a make-or-break moment for Gallup. A win keeps them solidly in the top spot. A loss could drop them a few spots - and raise the Pirates' seeding as well.
2. Española Valley (12-7). The Sundevils are in the driver's seat at 3-0 in 2AAAA, and their next big test won't come until they head to Toby Roybal for a rematch with Santa Fe High. They are anxiously waiting for the Bengals to fall ... Just as long as they don't either.
3. Roswell (14-3). The Coyotes are 10 days away from its big District 4AAAA opener against Roswell Goddard. In between that are matchups with AAA Portales and Ruidoso, so don't mess it up, Roswell.
4. Piedra Vista (16-2). Yes, the Panthers' schedule is soft, but 16-2 is 16-2. Troubling sign, though, was a 65-59 win over a 5-12 Farmington team in the 1AAAA opener. For the Panthers to maintain their perch, they have to keep winning - and convincingly at that.
5. Santa Teresa (10-8). The Desert Warriors keep creeping up. They swept through 4AAAA - beating Roswell, Goddard and Artesia, and that will weigh stronger as the district season progresses. Any losses from the top four will surely move Santa Teresa up.
6. Capital (11-6). The Jaguars, as usual, missed their golden opportunity against Espanola, and their second-half comeback over Bernalillo wasn't inspiring either. However, they are 2-1 after a 2-3 slump, so they are slowly regaining their form. Capital needs to finish second to maintain a top six spot.
7. Grants (14-2). Here is the Pirates opportunity. The nondistrict schedule has been lambasted as not tough enough, so Saturday's game against the Bengals is huge to silence the critics. The return of 6-foot-3 Weston Zellers could prove crucial in their try to enhance their resume.
8. St. Pius X (10-8). Surprise, surprise! Looks who's moving up at the right time? Yes, those pesky Sartans seem to have a sixth sense about when it's time to shine. A 5AAAA win over Del Norte gives them the early leg up in the district, but beware the Chargers of Albuquerque Academy. Their hated rival comes to the West Side on Friday.
9. Aztec (11-6). The Tigers started off 1AAAA on a good note, walloping Kirtland Central by 20 points. Thursday presents the Bobcats of Bloomfield, then ... PV on Saturday. It's time to make some noise against your former head coach (Brian Shock), Aztec.
10. Roswell Goddard (11-6). After a tough loss to Santa Teresa, the Rockets split two games against AAAAA schools, losing to No. 3 Clovis while beating the Hobbs Eagles. Carlsbad comes to town on Friday, then it's on to District 4AAAA play.
11. Los Lunas (8-9). Two closes losses to Grants and Gallup to start 6AAAA play show how close the Tigers are to being an elite team. But close doesn't quite cut it. They'll have a second chance in the second half of the district season. So, go Tigers! (YES, I am a Tigers grad.)
12. Artesia (11-8). The Bulldogs are doing just enough to ... Well, not drop. A loss to Clovis Tuesday won't hurt, but a win over Hobbs on Thursday will do nothing but help.
13. Del Norte (8-11). The Knights jumped in when they beat Academy, and a 52-44 loss at St. Pius X isn't that bad. This might be a team few want to face come March because Del Norte is on a 7-3 run right now.
14. Albuquerque Academy (6-13). A 4-2 mark against AAAA competition is better than what anyone else has done, so the Chargers are still in the postseason. Anda win over St. Pius can go a long way toward solidifying it.
15. Deming (9-11). The Wildcats picked a good time for a week-long break. They don't move out, and they don't move up. And that's all that matters at this time of year.
16. Bernalillo (9-9). The Spartans need a big win like I need to lose (more) weight. And guess who's coming to town on Friday? How about those Demons of Santa Fe High ... Talk about a playoff-like game in January. That's what this game is.

Outside looking in:
Valencia (8-11). Yay! They beat Miyamura! Booooo! They lost to Grants. That adds up to 3-8 against AAAA schools. Just not good enough.
Santa Fe High (6-11). Even David Rodriguez knows the heat is on his team to do something - anything - in 2AAAA. A loss to Taos is bad, but a loss to Bernalillo? Start talking about the district tournament then, guys.
Kirtland Central (8-10). An 0-2 start knocked the Broncos into bubble land. Funny, if you asked me at the beginning of the year who would be a dark horse in AAAA this year, I'd have said KC. Way to prove me wrong!
Bloomfield (8-10). The bubble is about to burst The Bobcats have to do something, and fast.

AAA bracketology

2011-01-21T16:38:00.003-07:00

Here's where I see Class AAA heading into this weekend:

1. Albuquerque Hope Christian (15-3). The Huskies are as constant as the four seasons. They wouldn't just be the best team in AAA, but the best in AAAA and likely a top five seed in AAAAA. Their only losses are to the reigning AAAAA state champ (La Cueva), the current AAAAA No. 1 (Las Cruces Oñate) and an Arizona school. After building up on big school opponents, the Huskies came back down to the AAA level, beating Hatch Valley and Taos in its own tournament over the weekend.
2. St. Michael's (12-5). Here's another thing you can bank on: the Horsemen to be nipping at the Huskies' heels. Their stunning overtime win over Sandia Prep gives St. Michael's a leg up on the No. 2 seed and might get Hope Christian's attention. The win also takes some of the blight off a 49-46 loss to Socorro. A 4-1 AAA mark and a win over Wingate also adds luster.
3. Wingate (12-1). The tempting choice is to make it three-for-three with District 5AAA schools, but it's hard to discard a 12-1 record and a 4-1 mark in AAA. The lone loss was a mystifying 19-point loss to St. Michael's and two wins come against West Las Vegas, but an 87-86 win over Socorro lends credibility in my mind for a 3 spot.
4. Albuquerque Sandia Preparatory (12-5). The Sundevils closely follow the St. Michael's and Hope Christian route of scheduling, and four of their five losses are to bigger schools or to out-of-state programs. But that one loss to St. Michael's hurt, but the path to a top-three seed is filled with opportunities.
4. Taos (11-5). The logjam of teams with winning records and similar resumes begins here. Taos is the best of the rest based on a 3-1 mark against AAA teams and a 57-51 win over Socorro during the Ben Lujan Tournament. Granted, their best AAA win pales to Socorro, but head-to-head still counts for something. Also, the Tigers' lone AAA loss is to ... Hope Christian. So there.
5. Socorro (10-6). Socorro done its part to play as many AAA teams as possible, going 6-3 with a big win over the Horsemen. The Warriors also have losses to Sandia Prep, Wingate and Pojoaque, but the difference is that they beat the Horsemen.
6. Pojoaque Valley (11-6). The Elks have their chance to match Socorro's feat tomorrow when the Horsemen come to Jacona. They are 3-1 against AAA competition with a win over Socorro and SFIS, but that is weighed down by a loss to Portales. We won't go into The Streak, but a win over St. Michael's will move them up several spots.
7. Portales (8-5). The Rams can boast of a win over Pojoaque, although that can be tempered by losses to Las Vegas Robertson and Taos. However, they have an impressive win over Roswell and close losses to Albuquerque St. Pius X and Artesia. That makes their overall body of work stack up better.
8. Santa Fe Indian School (8-6). The Braves are a hard read. On one end, they have wins over schools AA and below, but three against AAAA teams. A 3-1 mark in-class looks good, but ... SFIS is hitting the skids right now, having lost four of its last five games. And a big matchup against St. Michael's looms next week. On the plus side, 5AAA has all of its teams in the top 8 ... for now.
9. Las Vegas Robertson (10-6). The Cardinals stumbled through a 2-2 stretch in late December, but rebounded with three straight wins, including one over the stumbling Braves. So why are they still behind SFIS? One reason - six wins over AA shools and one over an A team. Plus, Robertson is 2-4 against AAA competition with the losses coming to the Braves, St. Michael's (47-22), Sandia Prep (70-45) and Socorro (49-48).
10. Ruidoso (8-8). The Warriors should peitition to move to 3AAA because they would hold their own. They are 4-3 against 3AAA - which is also all of their AAA games. They were swept by Artesia and Goddard, two AAAA schools in good standing in that bracket. So here they are.
11. Silver (7-9). The Colts are undefeated in AAA. Too bad they've only played 4-12 West Las Vegas and winless Cobre. Silver has played 11 games against AAAA teams and Arizona schools, with close losses to Artesia (71-70) and a 67-65 verdict the first time it played Deming. Silver can also brag that it is the only 3AAA school Ruidoso hasn't played. That might not be a good thing right now, though.
12. Lovington (6-9). The Wildcats can boast about a 67-64 win over Goddard in early December, but they are an unknown quantity because they have yet to play a AAA team. Of course, the hard thing for southeastern school is to play nondistrict AAA schools because they are on the other side of the state. So the 4AAA season will say a lot about them.
13. Hot Springs (7-9). The pickings start slimming down here. The Tigers are 2-2 vs. AAA teams, but they've played only two teams (1-2 to Ruidoso). They're also an impressive 3-1 ... against A schools (one win was over McCurdy School). Given that Hot Springs' compeition is the rest of 3AAA and 1AAAA, it's enough to get them this high.
14. Shiprock (6-11). The Cheiftains have only one AAA matchup under their belt - a 55-35 win over Raton - but they have played a strong nondistrict schedule. By strong, we mean not playing more than two games against sub-AAA teams. Wins over Farmington and former district 'mate Bloomfield strengthen their position.
15. West Las Vegas (4-12). If you saw Zuni bringing up the rear and wonder why, where it is. West Las Vegas played just three AA schools and has a win over Silver. Oh, and over Deming. Oh, and the Dons have a stronger nondistrict schedule. Oh, and they play in a tougher district than 3AAA and 1AAA. But they better beat Raton. Just saying.
14. Zuni (5-7). If it were up to me, Zuni would only get to compete for a spot in the Class A Tournament - and not make it in that one either because of a 3-5 mark. Luckily, wins over Hatch Valley and Raton give the Thunderbirds a 2-2 mark against AAA teams, but they'll need to finish at least second in 1AAA to solidify a spot.

As for the outsiders, only one need apply:
Hatch Valley (3-11). Because 1AAA ... Well, for lack of a better term, it sucks. And it already has three teams in. What does that say about the Bears? Well, better to give somebody hope.

Bracketology 2011 (AAAA version)

2011-01-20T16:02:00.003-07:00

So after the start of the district season in 2AAAA boys, it seems like a good time to start thinking about ... SEEDINGS! It's five weeks away, and you know coaches/athletic directors/players are all thinking it. Without further ado ...

1. Gallup (11-6). If not for Espanola's struggles (granted, it has played the toughest schedule in AAAA), the Sundevils would be sitting pretty at this spot. Still, Gallup has done very well against AAAA competition (5-1). However, if Espanola runs the table in 2AAAA, it won't be hard for me to knock the Bengals to No. 2 because of one thing: Espanola 69, Gallup 57. That season opening game in The Pit could be the tipping point. Emphasis on could.
2. Espanola Valley (10-7). The Sundevils are 3-0 against AAAA competition, but they have some blemishes. The 0-3 mark against Hope Christian, the top team in AAA, doesn't help, and that 42-41 loss to Rio Rancho doesn't sit well, either. All can be forgiven if the Sundevils can run the table in the district. Last night's 62-61 squeaker over Santa Fe High, however, indicates that might be a hard feat to accomplish.
3. Roswell (11-3). The reigning AAAA champion is prowling under the radar, although a 53-48 loss to Santa Teresa makes the Coyotes a shaky 3. They benefit from the fellow shakiness of Capital, Grants and the unknown quantity that Piedra Vista is. Roswell has a 5-2 mark in the class, but the losses are to the Desert Warriors and to Los Lunas. Also hindering the Coyotes is a nondistrict schedule that pit them against 4AAAA foes Roswell Goddard (twice) and Artesia plus two games against a pedestrian Deming squad. The upside is a 73-72 win over Hobbs (although this might be the weakest Eagles team in years).
4. Piedra Vista (15-2). The Panthers stocked up on AAAA schools and enjoy an 8-1 mark against them. The one loss is to a surging Goddard team, but they have beaten only one school (District 1AAAA foe Aztec in Aztec's tournament) with a winning record. Still, their resume looks better than any other team. At the moment.
5. Capital (10-5). Yes, I fought the urge to stick the Jaguars higher, but reason came to me. They are 5-1 against AAAA competition, but the one loss is to Albuquerque Academy in a game that they had to rally from a 46-29 deficit. The 2-3 stumble to start January is troublesome, too, although the 62-47 win over Grants helps. Capital will reveal a lot on Saturday when it plays host to Espanola. A win would help them shatter the glass ceiling they appear to be struggling to break.
6. Grants (12-2). The Pirates' 8-1 mark in AAAA is pretty impressive, but it could have been better with a win over Capital. The knock on Grants is its subpar nondistrict schedule, and there is some merit to it. Only Capital and Bloomfield are at least. 500, and the Pirates own two wins over Miyamura (3-10) and 1-17 Moriarty. Granted, Capital has a win over Moriarty as well, but the Jaguars also have a win over the Pirates.
7. Santa Teresa (8-7). The Desert Warriors pulled off a couple of good wins over Roswell and Goddard, which raises their stock and may prove beneficial come February. The positive is that of their eight losses, seven are to AAAAA teams or Texas schools. A 4-1 mark against AAAA schools can only help, especially with the one loss coming to Española. This is a team to watch over the coming weeks.
8. Los Lunas (8-7). The Tigers are a conundrum. They have a 6-2 AAAA record, but two of their losses (to Albuquerque Atrisco Heritage and Albuquerque del Norte) came to teams they beat earlier in the year. That's not a good sign going into District 6AAAA play (where you play teams twice) .The positive is the win over Roswell. Thank God they don't have to play them again.
9. Goddard (10-6). The Rockets' signature win over Piedra Vista is muted by a 3-3 in-class mark. Losses to Roswell (twice) and Santa Teresa are not bad losses, but it's enough to take the edge off a good start. A win over the Coyotes could push them into a home game.
10. Albuquerque St. Pius X (8-8). Yes, the Sartans might be a .500 team, but their work so far merits a 10 seed. They are 4-2 against AAAA schools and have two competitive losses to Gallup and Grants. Their win over Bernalillo, which is a tournament team at this moment (see later), is their brightest spot.
11. Aztec (10-6). The Tigers' problem is that they have three wins over AA schools and four over AAA schools. They do not own a significant over a AAAA school, unless Miyamura counts. A 70-44 loss to Piedra Vista in Aztec's own tournament doesn't help the cause either.
12. Artesia (10-6). If the Bulldogs were in Class AAA, they'd be a high seed. Seven of their wins come against that class. Against AAAA, the record is 2-4 and the wins are against Deming (9-11) and a one-win Belen team. Yikes.
13. Albuquerque Academy (6-10). Yes, a 6-10 team is in before some other schools with better records. Why? Try a 4-1 mark in AAAA, with a win over Capital and a 76-60 loss to Piedra Vista. Also, all but one loss has come against AAAAA teams or schools out of the state. The wins over Farmington (5-11), Belen and Moriarty might not count for much, but that win over Capital sure does.
14. Bernalillo (9-8). Welcome to AAAA's bi-polar team. The Sartans started off 1-4, then won seven of eight. They find themselves in a 1-3 slump and a 57-44 District 2AAAA-opening loss at Los Alamos might be the albatross that they can't lose. Wins over Valencia and Atrisco Heritage are good, but Bernalillo is a team that's one more bad loss (hello, Santa Fe High) from fighting for its playoff life.
16. Deming (9-11). The Wildcats are in the inside looking out because of a 3-4 mark in AAAA and a win over Artesia. But a 6-1 mark against AAA teams does not bode well.
15. Kirtland Central (8-8). This is the best out of a bad bunch. They have wins over five-win teams (Los Alamos and Farmington) and are 3-4 against AAAA competition. It's a better reume than the rest of the teams. But not by much.

Close but no ..

Bloomfield (8-8). The Bobcats have played just three AAAA schools and have only a win over Miyamura. Add two wins over AA schools and a win over Class A Magdalena, and Bloomfield has some work to do in district play.
Albuquerque Del Norte (6-10). The Knights are a team on the rise. After a 1-8 start, they have gone 5-2 and almost beat Capital at home. Wins over Bernalillo and Kirtland Central are attractice, but it's hard to wipe away a 1-8 start. But they are doing it.
Valencia (7-10). The Jaguars barely make it on this list. A 2-7 mark in-class makes them a hard sell. But there are wins to be had in a district that has Gallup, Grants and Los Lunas. Get to work.
Santa Fe High (5-10). The Demons are two made free throws from making a compelling argument for the state tournament. IF they had beaten Española Wednesday night, they would have a win that trumps a lot of other school. The task then would be to continue to build on that. As it stands now, Saturday's game against Los Alamos is a make-or-break game. A win keeps their playoff hopes alive. A loss will take a huge winning streak for the committee to forget it. Oh, and wins over Espanola and Capital would help.

The REAL season begins ...

2011-01-18T18:45:00.006-07:00

Tuesday, the girls started off the district basketball season as 5AAA, 2AAA, and 2AAAA begin play today.
Today, 2AAAA boys take center stage with Santa Fe High facing Espanola Valley in a big 2AAAA game to start the district season.
Here's a look at what to expect this week in district play, bypassing Tuesday's action (although not ignoring it):
Today
Santa Fe High at Espanola Valley, 7 p.m. - What a way for the Demons to begin their district play as a AAAA school. While Espanola is still one of the best teams in AAAA, the Sundevils have shown and surprising inability to kickstart their offense. Outside of Rodney Coles, the rest of the team looks tentative attacking the basket and not good enough from the perimeter to overcome that. If anything, the Sundevils HAVE to attack the basket to be successful.
As for the Demons, they have yet to put together a complete effort. They fall behind too often, then expend energy coming back. Usually, that means Santa Fe High is gassed when it matters the most (see Grants, Sandia Prep games). It's a team that shows it can compete with the best teams in the state. What's missing is a big win.
There's no time like the present.

Thursday
Albuquerque Sandia Prep at St. Michael's, 7 p.m. - Welcome to the toughest district in Class AAA. This opener will be key in determining who is the primary challenger to two-time reigning AAA champion Albuquerque Hope Christian. The Sundevils have size in Harry Hampden-Smith (6-foot-5) and the Fort Lewis-bound Kody Salcido (6-6), but the Horsemen are accustomed to facing big teams. Their schedule has been filled with them. But just because you've faced big teams doesn't mean you can beat them.
St. Michael's is small in every way possible. Its bigs are small (none are taller than 6-1), and its guards are small, which seems to be a problem when bigger teams press the Horsemen. Still, if they can control the tempo, that can play into their favor.

Friday
St. Michael's at Pojoaque Valley, 7 p.m. - The Elkettes likely come in 0-1 in 5AAA play, and will be desperate to avoid an 0-2 start. And what better team to do it against than the Lady Horsemen, a team they already beat (the Capital City Invitational in December)? The key will be to force the tempo. St. Michael's goal is to hold teams to less than 30 points, because it struggles to score much more than that.

Saturday
Two streaks are on the line this night:
Capital at Espanola Valley, 7 p.m. - The last time Capital beat the Sundevils, seniors Jonathon Rodriguez and Estevan Martinez were still in middle school. That was 13 games ago. The Jaguars always circle this game as their proving ground in Class AAAA, and often they have come away wanting. This might be their best chance, however. Espanola is 8-6, but has struggled at times to score and its six losses almost equals the number of losses in the past two seasons combined. But the Sundevils are the better tested team, having not lost to a AAAA school yet this season.

St. Michael's at Pojoaque Valley, 7 p.m. - Remember this date: Feb. 9, 2005. David Jaramillo and Josh Harris were Elks seniors, and Ryan Gonzalez was a precocious eighth grade. The coach for St. Michael's was Ron Mayberry, and Ron Geyer was still coaching girls basketball at Los Lunas. My, how time flies. Geyer has not lost in 16 matchups against Joey Trujillo and the Elks. Gonzalez won a state title, but the New Mexico Highlands junior never could boast beating the Horsemen. But ...
The Horsemen look as vulnerable as ever, but the Elks aren't much better. That makes for an intriguing matchup, especially if St. Michael's enter the district 0-1. An 0-2 start would be a death knell for a District 5AAA top seed.

The best billboard money can buy ...

2011-01-07T17:18:00.002-07:00

First of all, thank you, THE Ohio State University president E. Gordon Gee.
His comment about the BCS schools not playing "the sisters of the poor" continues to bite him in the posterior. After Texas Christian's 21-19 win over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day, digital ads were bought in Columbus, Ohio, that flash a congratulatory note for all Buckeye fans and Gee to see.
Check it out here.

Change is a-brewing at Santa Fe High ...

2011-01-06T16:54:00.002-07:00

We learned earlier today from Kyle Henderson at nmpreps.rivals.com that Demons junior quarterback Jason Fitzpatrick withdrew from Santa Fe High and will go to Rio Rancho High School.
We will have more on the story in Friday's New Mexican.
This shouldn't come as a surprise, and look for a lot more transfers to occur before July 1, when a new rule by the New Mexico Activities Association takes effect that all transfers will sit out for 180 days (which is in effect a full season for an athlete). But that comes on July 1. For now, paperwork will be flying across the state.

Rescheduling of Santa Fe High-St. Michael's boys basketball

2011-01-04T16:37:00.001-07:00

The game is scheduled for Jan. 11 in Toby Roybal Memorial Gymnasium at Santa Fe High at 7 p.m.

Santa Fe High athletic trainer held ....

2010-12-30T17:20:00.002-07:00

David Romero Jr., who has been the athletic trainer at Santa Fe High for the past four years, was arrested Wednesday and charged with one felony count of child solicitation using an electronic communication device.
You can read more at the New Mexican home site and at former sports reporter Geoff Grammer's cops blog, Santa Fe Crime.

If you haven't heard ...

2010-12-30T17:17:00.003-07:00

We reported earlier today that the Lady Horsemen Christmas Tournament has been postponed until New Year's Eve.
The schedule also will change for the final day.
Here is the schedule:
*Seventh place, Moriarty vs. Santa Rosa, 10 a.m.
*Fifth place, Silver vs. Albuquerque Rio Grande, 11:30 a.m.
*Third place, Capital vs. Espanola Valley, 1 p.m.
*Championship, St. Michael's vs. Taos, 2:30 p.m.

Even with the snow falling in the North ,,,,

2010-12-29T15:53:00.003-07:00

The games for tonight will continue.
That means all games for the Lady Horsemen Christmas Tournament at St. Michael's High School and the Tri-Cities Invitational at Pecos are on schedule.

The games for the semifinals tonight for go like this:
Lady Horsemen Christmas Tournament
Española Valley vs. Taos, 4:30 p.m.
Capital vs. St. Michael's, 6 p.m.

Tri-Cities Invitational
Peñasco vs. Mora, 4:30 p.m.
McCurdy School vs. Pecos, 6 p.m.

Basketball games postponements for Friday ...

2010-12-17T16:31:00.003-07:00

Yes, the St. Michael's-Santa Fe High boys basketball game is postponed after snow pounded the city for the past two days. It is just one of a series of postponements for the day.
Also not playing:

Boys
Santa Fe Indian School at Española Valley
Desert Academy vs. Albuquerque Menaul (Bugg Light Invite)
Santa Fe Waldorf at Bugg Light Invite
Kirtland Central at Pojoaque Valley
Pecos at Springer
Girls
Miyamura at SFIS
Desert Academy at Albuquerque Menaul (Bugg Light Invite)
Monte del Sol at Bugg Light Invite
Pojoaque Valley at Socorro

Florida High School Athletic Association brings hammer down on private school

2010-12-16T16:45:00.003-07:00

Mandarin Christian School of Jacksonville, Fla., was hit hard by sanctions from the FHSAA after a series of violations, mostly regarding recruiting prospective student athletes to the schools. And people in New Mexico want to complain about the private school issues here ...
Just check this out.

First prep basketball poll of the 2010-11 season

2010-12-15T17:06:00.001-07:00

For those basketball addicts, here are the coaches polls for this week.
Enjoy.

Boys
Class AAAAA
1. Albuquerque Eldorado(4) 123
2. Albuquerque La Cueva (4) 122
3. Clovis (6) 121
4. Las Cruces Oñate 71
5. Rio Rancho Cleveland 68
6. Albuquerque West Mesa 62
7. Albuquerque Manzano 48
8. Albuquerque High 40
9. Albuquerque Highland 28
10. Albuquerque Volcano Vista 26
Also receiving votes: Las Cruces Mayfield 25, Las Cruces High 16, Albuquerque Valley 7, Albuquerque Cibola 4, Hobbs 3, Gadsden 3, Albuquerque Sandia 2, Alamogordo 1.
Class AAAA
1. Española Valley (9) 133
2. Roswell (3) 113
3. Capital (1) 101
4. Gallup (1) 80
5. Grants 76
6. Piedra Vista 74
7. Valencia 53
8. Santa Teresa 46
9. Kirtland Central 28
10. Albuquerque St. Pius X 23
Also receiving votes: Albuquerque Academy 20, Los Lunas 18, Santa Fe High 18, Roswell Goddard 12, Belen 12, Los Alamos 10, Artesia 5, Farmington 2, Deming 1.
Class AAA
1. Albuquerque Hope Christian (7)88
2. Albuquerque Sandia Prep (2) 83
3. St. Michael's 68
4. Lovington 57
5. Portales 46
6. Pojoaque Valley 45
7. Las Vegas Robertson 26
8. Wingate 20
9. Santa Fe Indian School 19
10. Taos 16
Also receiving votes: Silver 13, Socorro 7, Hot Springs 5, Ruidoso 2.
Class AA
1. Bosque School (5) 105
2. Tularosa (5) 102
3. Mesilla Valley Christian (1) 91
4. Texico (1) 62
5. Santa Rosa 55
6. Mesa Vista 52
7. Mora 32
8. Peñasco 27
9. Pecos 25
10. Rehoboth 24
Also receiving votes: Estancia 21, Clayton High School 21, Santa Fe Prep 14, Dexter 9, Monte del Sol 5, Navajo Pine 5, Tucumcari 4, Loving 3, Cuba 2, Laguna Acoma 1.
Class A
1. Hagerman (4) 65
2. Cliff (2) 59
3. Springer (1) 47
4. Fort Sumner 42
5. Floyd 33
6. (tie) Logan 27
6. (tie) Dora 27
8. Des Moines 20
9. (tie) Questa 13
9. (tie) McCurdy School 13
Also receiving votes: Jal 12, Gallup Catholic 10, Albuquerque Menaul 8, Ramah 3, Coronado 2, Melrose 2, Escalante 2.
Class B
1. Quemado (3) 30
2. Elida 24
3. Reserve 21
4. (tie) San Jon 19
4. (tie) Carrizozo 19
6. (tie) Wagon Mound 14
6. (tie) Valley Christian Academy 14
8. Hondo Valley 10
9. Grady 6
10. Clovis Christian 4
Also receiving votes: Maxwell 2, Roy 1, Walatowa 1.
Girls
Class AAAAA
1. Albuquerque Eldorado (8) 125
2. Albuquerque La Cueva (4) 114
3. Las Cruces Mayfield (2) 91
4. Albuquerque Cibola 90
5. Albuquerque Sandia 78
6. Clovis 54
7. Rio Rancho Cleveland 49
8. Hobbs 48
9. Albuquerque Volcano Vista 46
10. Albuquerque Valley 27
Also receiving votes: Las Cruces 19, Carlsbad 12, Las Cruces Oñate 8, Albuquerque Manzano 6, Rio Rancho 2, Albuquerque High 1.
Class AAAA
1. Kirtland Central (7) 88
2. Roswell (2) 74
3. Gallup 68
4. Piedra Vista 63
5. Albuquerque Del Norte 45
6. Española Valley 32
7. Grants 31
8. Albuquerque Academy 29
9. (tie) Miyamura 14
9. (tie) Valencia 14
Also receiving votes: Artesia 13, Albuquerque St. Pius X 10, Deming 5, Chaparral 4, Los Alamos 4, Bernalillo 1.
Class AAA
1. Lovington (4) 75
2. Santa Fe Indian School (3) 73
3. Albuquerque Hope Christian (1) 65
4. Portales 43
5. Shiprock 41
6. West Las Vegas 35
7. Ruidoso 26
8. Pojoaque Valley 23
9. St. Michael's 22
10. Hot Springs 13
Also receiving votes: Las Vegas Robertson 8, Taos 8, Socorro 2, Hatch Valley 2, Wingate 2, Thoreau 1, Silver 1.
Class AA
1. Texico (6) 69
2. Tularosa 49
3. Navajo Pine (1) 43
4. Navajo Prep 37
5. (tie) Estancia 28
5. (tie) Peñasco 28
7. Clayton 23
8. Lordsburg 16
9. Santa Rosa 15
10. (tie) Mora 13
10. (tie) Magdalena 13
Also receiving votes: Tucumcari 10, Rehoboth 9, Mesilla Valley Christian 9, Mesa Vista 6, Pecos 4, Dulce 3, Newcomb 3, Laguna Acoma 3, Bosque School 3, Cloudcroft 1.
Class A
1. (tie) Des Moines (4) 88
1. (tie) Cliff High School (4) 88
3. Fort Sumner (2) 82
4. Tatum (1) 79
5. Dora 56
6. Animas 49
7. Floyd 34
8. Jal 33
9. Cimarron 27
10. Melrose 24
Also receiving votes: Springer 16, Escalante 13, Ramah 13, Logan 10, Mescalero Apache 9, Coronado 9, Gallup Catholic 7, Desert Academy 7, McCurdy School 6, Tse Yi Gai 5, Questa 5.
Class B
1. Elida (2) 50
2. (tie) Grady (4) 48
2. (tie) Carrizozo 48
4. Hondo Valley 40
5. Reserve 31
6. Roy 29
7. Corona 27
8. San Jon 21
9. Quemado 15
10. Walatowa 9
Also receiving votes: Clovis Christian 6. Lake Arthur 2, Vaughn 2, Santa Fe Waldorf 1, Valley Christian Academy 1.

After (ANOTHER) long respite, I return with a bang ... literally

2010-12-14T18:29:00.004-07:00

Well, I don't, but Arcadia DeSoto County (Fla.) basketball player Mason Holland sure will. Monday, he announced his presence with ... Ummm .. Authority??
Thanks to the Palm Beach Post's blog, here's a story about when anger management goes wrong ...

Go to 1:23 of the video to see the incident.

District 2AAAA football update from Los Alamos ...

2010-10-15T21:39:00.002-06:00

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.

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

2010-10-12T19:46:00.003-06:00

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 Española 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.

Help the homeless, get suspended ...

2010-09-30T21:28:00.002-06:00

St. Cloud's head football coach Bill Buldini learned what happens when he reached out to a homeless player that he took in. The gesture was in good faith, too bad it violated Florida High School Athletics Association bylaws. After a mea culpa, he was reinstated.
There's the story from the Osceola newspaper

The week that will be: Sept. 28-Oct. 2

2010-09-28T16:51:00.002-06:00

The intensity ratchet ups a few notches as the district season begins for those teams that haven't started yet - specifically District 2AAAA/5AAA/2AAA/2AA volleyball; 2AAAA soccer - and the opening week brings some big events.
Let's start with tonight District 5AAA volleyball begins - Yes, folks, get used to saying 5AAA instead of 2AAA if you haven't already. Tonight Pojoaque Valley, losers of its last three matches against Class AAAAA's No. 3 (Rio Rancho Cleveland) and No. 2 (Rio Rancho) plus AAAA's No. 3 (Artesia) team, play Santa Fe Indian School in a big match right off the bat.
The Elkettes are the No. 1 team in AAA; the Lady Braves are No. 2. But SFIS is hurting badly- it lost hitter Lakeshia Padilla to a knee injury that appears season-ending (that goes for basketball too). SFIS at less than 100 percent isn't a match for battle-tested Pojoaque.
Can the Lady Braves win a game? That might what they hinge their hopes on.

About a mile away - in Perez-Shelley Gymnasium at St. Michael's - the No. 3 Lady Horsemen entertain No. 5 Albuquerque Sandia Prep in another 5AAA opener. The Lady Sundevils have wins over AAAA Moriarty (twice) and Roswell Goddard plus AAAAA Highland (warning here, though: Capital owns a win over the Lady Hornets, too). St. Michael's struggled for a weekend without hitter Alexa Chavez, but the team's most vital offensive piece returned last week. St. Michael's has been tested time and again, which will only bode well in this district. This will be the more exciting match of the two, but give the nod to the hosts.

Thursday
District 2AAAA volleyball
Santa Fe High at Española Valley, 7 p.m.
The skinny: Welcome to District 2AAAA volleyball, Demonettes. They bring one of the best hitters in the North in Shivaughn Hatt, but Española has a bit more depth in the hitting department. While Los Alamos is the favorite in the district, the gap between the rest and the Lady Hilltoppers is not as great. So a good start is essential for both teams.

Nondistrict football
St. Michael's at Albuquerque St. Pius X, 7 p.m.
The skinny: The state's largest Catholic schools battle to see who prays better to the same God. Seriously, This will be another tough game for the Horsemen, as the Sartans are battle tested as well. Don't let a 1-4 mark fool you. St. Pius has played tough in all of its games. Even a 63-28 loss to Aztec was a 42-28 score to start the fourth quarter. St. Michael's comes off an in credible rushing performance as it collected more than 500 yards on the ground. If the offensive line keeps up its dominating push, the Horsemen should be able to run crazy again.

Friday
District 2AA volleyball
Peñasco at Santa Fe Prep, 6:30 p.m.
The skinny: In past years, the Blue Griffins had to concern themselves with getting by Mora in the district. In a newly formed 2AA, add the Panthers to that list. Peñasco comes in with an 11-1 record and a lot of momentum, having won two regular season tournaments in the process. Santa Fe Prep comes in at 8-2 and with one of its stronger teams in years. The winner gains the upper hand in the quest to dethrone the Rangerettes.

Note to Demons fans: Yes, Santa Fe High plays Friday. But it's Taos. In fact, the Demons should be 4-3 heading into the meat of its district schedule in mid October: a finish of Los Alamos, Bernalillo and Capital.

Saturday
District 2AAAA soccer
Capital at Los Alamos, 1 p.m.
Skinny: The Jaguars proved its one of the top teams in AAAA after beating Piedra Vista and Farmington on back-to-back days 10 days ago. But these are the Hilltoppers, the kings of this district. Beat them, and Capital just might be a dark horse for next month's state tournament. If you don't, the pretender tag stays.
Your move, Capital.

The weekend that will be Sept. 17-18

2010-09-16T22:03:00.003-06:00

I'm trying a new idea for my blog by giving you the heads up on what is coming this weekend around the area. I might - or might not - provide my predictions (if it strikes me, so sue me. Seriously, I'd like to know the grounds so that I know where I can and can't tread. It's not a threat. just a challenge.)
The next two days has plenty for a high school sports fan to chew on - and get heartburn. And just about every sport will be represented (but shouldn't they always?). So without further ado, let's go to the highlights:

Football
St. Michael's at Las Vegas Robertson, Friday, 7 p.m.
The skinny: The former district rivals meet for the first .... blah, blah, blah. You've read enough about that. This game really will determine who is the best in the North. Thanks to Socorro's win over Raton, the margin between the Ponies, the Cards and the Tigers is paper thin. Maybe even smaller.
This game features two teams that love to do two things: run and play defense. If this game is over in an hour, I wouldn't be shocked. What I will be shocked about is if either quarterback Robertson's Daniel Martinez or St. Michael's Michael Wiegel pass for more than 100 yards. If they do, it's not a good sign.
So I will say the winner will be the team that passes for the least amount of yards.
The loser? West Las Vegas, which plays Ruidoso at home - the newly renovated Frank Herrera Complex. I hear it's a nice place. But just like a tree in a forest, if nobody is around to look at it, does any one care?
Bold prediction: St. Michael's 24, Robertson 20. (To avoid last-second field goal drama for newbie Will Webber).

Note to the Santa Fe High and Capital football fans. Yes your teams play Friday, but it's ROBERTSON-ST. MICHAEL'S!!!! Just like next week it will be ST. MICHAEL'S-SANTA FE HIGH!!!!

Fort Sumner at McCurdy School, Saturday, 1 p.m.
The skinny: Remember the whole Charlie Brown-kicking-the-football comic strips? Well, Lucy (Fort Sumner) insists that this time she won't pull the ball away. Good luck with that, Charlie (Bobcats.)

Volleyball
Tournament of Champions, Friday and Saturday
The skinny: Are you bored of watching Pojoaque Valley dominate? I'm sure the rest of the North is, too. So here's your chance (Santa Fe High, Robertson, Capital, St. Michael's, West Las Vegas, Española Valley, Santa Fe Indian School, this means you!) to stop the carousel. Chances are you won't. Wait, make that you won't.

Boys soccer
Santa Fe Preparatory at Albuquerque Hope Christian, Friday, 3 p.m.
The skinny: Read the following statements on Saturday:
- The Blue Griffins are 7-0.
- They are Class A-AAA contenders.
- They avenged themselves against the Huskies, who beat them in a monsoon-soaked shootout 3-2 last year.
- They just beat the No. 3 team in A-AAA.
You know what you want to read, Santa Fe Prep.
So do it.

Monte del Sol at St. Michael's, Saturday, 1 p.m.
The skinny: Desert Academy is a distance fourth - maybe fifth? - in District 2A-AAA. Monte del Sol has a chance to make this a three-team race. The Horsemen, on the other hand, can turn this into what this district has been prior to 2009: An exclusive club that only Santa Fe Prep is a member of. Besides, the new guy usually fumbles his way around the room at your parties any way. Why bother of letting him in?

Cross country
Valdez Memorial Invitational, Pecos High School, Saturday, 9 a.m.
The skinny: Watch Antonio Varela run. Nothing more needs to be said.

Live blog: Atrisco Heritage-Santa Fe High

2010-09-10T19:20:00.002-06:00

I am using coveritlive.com to live blog tonight's football game. Go to coveritlive.com and look for "Atrisco Heritage-Santa Fe High football" under live events.

Soccer rankings, as of Friday

2010-09-10T16:17:00.008-06:00

Here are this week's soccer rankings, thanks to the coaches poll with www.nmsoccer.com. First place votes are in parentheses.
Forgive the uncoordinated fonts (stupid cut-and-paste!).
Still, enjoy.

Boys
Class AAAAA
1. La Cueva (7) 89
2. Las Cruces Mayfield (3) 84
3. Eldorado 66
4. Las Cruces 62
5. Cibola 41
6. Gadsden 31
7. Sandia 34
8. Rio Rancho Cleveland 28
9. West Mesa 25
10. Volcano Vista 23

Class AAAA
1. St. Pius X (8) 79
2. Belen 59
3. Los Alamos 58
4. Roswell 56
5. Alb. Academy (1) 55
6. Los Lunas 29
7. Roswell Goddard 25
8. Farmington 22
9. Piedra Vista 20
10. Santa Teresa 17

Class A-AAA
1. Bosque School (7) 70
2. Sandia Prep 63
3. Rehoboth 51
4. St. Michael's 44
5. Hope Christian 43
6. Santa Fe Prep 36
7. Taos 22
8. Ruidoso 15
9. Monte del Sol 11
10. Desert Academy 9

Girls
Class AAAAA
1. Sandia (4) 66
2. Cleveland (2) 58
3. Eldorado 47
4. (tie) Volcano Vista (1) 46
4. (tie) La Cueva 46
6. Las Cruces 35
7. Cibola 24
8. Rio Rancho 22
9. Mayfield 13
10. Carlsbad 8

Class AAAA
1. Alb. Academy (4) 40
2. St. Pius X 32
3. Farmington 30
4. Del Norte 29
5. Los Alamos 27
6. Piedra Vista 20
7. Aztec 18
8. Los Lunas 8
9. Moriarty 5
10. Belen 4

Class A-AAA
1. Sandia Prep (4) 40
2. Hope Christian 33
3. St. Michael's 32
4. Bosque School 25
5. Portales 20
6. Socorro 19
7. Robertson 14
8. Santa Fe Prep 10
9. East Mountain 8
10. Rehoboth 7

ESPN: The World Wide Leader just might invade your town like this ...

2010-08-31T15:36:00.003-06:00

ESPN certainly loves to hype sports, and its love - or should I say, its need - to expand its vast empire has reached the high school levels. What's also extended to the prep scene is the WWL's obsessive-compulsive disorder. The network tried to shove its square pegs into the round hole that is the Folsom-Grant rivalry in Northern California. Think the coaches enjoyed the experience?
Check it out right here.

Prep scores for Friday night

2010-08-27T22:32:00.000-06:00

Here are scores for tonight's action, as provided by the Rival's New Mexico Preps site. Thanks to Kyle Henderson for all that he does. We wouldn't know a tenth of goings-on around the state without his passion and commitment. If you have a chance, visit his site. Even better if you sign up for it. It's a great way to keep in touch with the prep scene. Now that I am done shilling for a good man, one with the scores:

Artesia 63, Lovington 49
Aztec 42, Los Lunas 0
Blanding, Utah 19, Kirtland Central 7
Cibola 28, Highland 25
Cleveland 47, Bel Air 10
Clovis 40, Alamogordo 0
Eunice 50, Jal 6
Farmington 53, Gallup 13
Goddard 35, Rio Rancho 3
Hatch 35, Tucumcari 18
Hobbs 53, Gadsden 3
Las Cruces 23, EP El Dorado 20
La Cueva 42, Volcano Vista 0
Manzano 61, Rio Grade 13
Mayfield 51, Chapin 8
Moriarty 33, Bernalillo 8
Piedra Vista 28, Santa Fe 27
Raton 46, Clayton 20
Robertson 41, Portales 6
Santa Rosa 56, Estancia 22
Silver 32, Santa Teresa 22
Socorro 41, West Las Vegas 0
Tularosa 47, Hot Springs 19

And the complaints keep coming ...

2010-08-22T14:10:00.003-06:00

Albuquerque Public Schools is fixing its soccer complex, adjusting the field width and length on the supposedly "small" fields that many APS coaches whined (and whined ... and whined ... and whined) about the small dimensions of the field (it was 100-by-57 and within the minimum standards for a field).
The fields are being redone to the size of 110-by-68 (which will make the ABQ teams much happier, since play will be more spread out and favorable to faster, quicker teams) but those coaches are now upset because two of the fields will not be ready for the Metro Championships, which start in early September. The two western fields are not done yet, and so coaches ... Well, just read the Journal story and see what they have to say.

Handicapping the city football teams.

2010-08-10T20:56:00.001-06:00

OK, so maybe a little bit of Geoff Grammer, our dearly departed sports reporter (only to news, though. He lives, if you haven't been reading our paper), is rubbing off on me. But for some reason, I'm liking these two subjects:
Santa Fe High.
State playoffs.
Now that you've picked yourself off the ground and FINALLY stopped laughing, hear me out.
Yes, the Demons just completed an 0-10 season - but in Class AAAAA. The move to AAAA no doubt will help. In fact, I venture to say if Santa Fe High was in AAAAA, it would win three games and position itself as a contender in (likely) 2AAAAA.
But the powers that be at the New Mexico Activities Association saw fit to put the school in AAAA, and the football team will benefit.
How much so? I'm calling them the co-favorites with Bernalillo for the district title. I say this because head coach Ray Holladay is in his second year, and he has 70 kids out for the team. He has plenty of skill players returning, even with the departure of Bobby Chavez to Las Cruces Mayfield (allegedly).
Jason Fitzpatrick looks like an All-District quarterback. But one thing Holladay said after Monday's first practice is that he doesn't know if his junior can make the reads and the throws when it matters the most. Why? Well, last year, he was running for his life behind a pourous offensive line that was no match for the likes of Albuquerque La Cueva, Sandia and Valley.
It's hard to tell what kind of a quarterback you have when he's trying to simply survive.
But Fitzpatrick can move (as last year's test proved) and he's got a good arm - good enough to make almost any throw he needs to.
The other thing is that 2AAAA has no giants. No La Cuevas, no Sandias. Heck, maybe not even an Albuquerque High.
Add to that the departure of coaches at Los Alamos (Hello, Garrett Williams), Capital (welcome to New Mexico, Josh Wallace) and Española Valley (Does Joe Jiron really look good in red and gold as opposed to Capital's turquoise and black?), the Demons are in a ripe position to reverse two trends:
No playoff appearances since 1986.
A second winning record in the same span.
They have experience, they have depth (something sorely lacking from last year's team), and they have an offense that could be potent.
As far Capital, measuring this team will be better in October than in August or September. Wallace has a lot of work to do to get the program where he needs it, but he can and probably will if he's given time. The numbers for the first day of practice are not much lower than when Steve Castille was there. The question is will those players stay as they struggle through the first half of the season (and make no doubts, they will struggle because they are learning a new offensive and defensive game plan on the fly)?
If Wallace keeps his nose to the grindstone, he will. Another piece of advice (which I am sure he already knows): If the upperclassmen show any kind of resistance, go young. Holladay had to do it last year at Santa Fe High. Castille had to do it his first year at Capital.
It might mean those sophomores and freshmen will take their lumps, but what they will do is listen and work hard. Upperclassmen - and especially seniors - seem to shirk at the idea of slugging their way through a season, especially as the losses mount. However, this group is accustomed to success and might try to fight it out to the end. Besides, talent-wise, there is no real difference between Capital and Santa Fe High.
The measuring stick is in where the Jaguars are under Wallace in Year 1 as opposed to the Demons under Holladay in Year 2. Patience is the word.
St. Michael's will be ... Well, St. Michael's. Russell Disch is a potent 1,000-yard rusher with George Dominguez as a capable - and speedy - No. 2 guy. Michael Lamb, who is getting looks at some Division I schools, is a beast of a linebacker and faster than he looks. The key is in the hands of Michael Weigel and the receivers. Fernandez likes his receivers and he feels that Weigel  can inject some oomph into a passing game that has been sorely lacking for the last two years. If they can make opponents pay for stacking up the line of scrimmage, the Horsemen will go far.
Like state championship game far.
They're that good.

Another of prep basketball greats calls it a career

2010-06-24T15:30:00.005-06:00

When the discussion of the great prep boys basketball coaches comes up, the names are quite distinguished.
You immediately mention Hobb's Ralph Tasker, and Jim Hulsman from Albuquerque High. Then there's Marv Sanders, who made his name while coaching at Farmington, and Pete Shock, who is still going after 34 year years at Cliff and maintain the Shock legacy that has gone on since 1932.
And there's Albuquerque Academy's Mike Brown.
But here's the thing about great coaches: Their legends live forever, but they do not.
Brown, who has spent the last 26 years guiding the Chargers program, called it a career Wednesday, and what a career it was. He led Academy to six straight Class AAA titles and played in nine straight title games. While he never won another title after 1994, he still got the Chargers there from 1995-97, then in 2001 and 2008.
But above all that, Brown was one of the most gracious coaches I have ever come across. I've had opportunities to talk to him several times during the season, and he's always been amiable, funny and open with his time.
You hate to see guys like him leave, because he's a shining example as to why coaches are involved in high school athletics - to help mold and shape kids. I have yet to hear a bad word uttered by any one about Brown. His teams were always lauded by opposing coaches for their effort, talent and intelligence, and a lot of that is a reflection of Brown.
Those same qualities are exhibited by the coaching tree he leaves behind - his sons Danny and Greg Brown, Valley head coach Joe Coleman and Manzano head coach Travis Julian. Those schools have top-notch programs that are run the right way.
If anything, that might be the most important legacy Brown leaves on the state - how to win and lose with class.
That alone ranks him high among the coaching greats in this state