TEN SECONDS IN ...
Joe Alvarez takes opening kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown. Giovanni Coppola's extra point makes it 7-0, Horsemen
Aug 28, 2009
From days to hours to ....
Yes, we are less than an hour away from the excitement of the 2009 football season to being. I will be trying a new mobile blogging element for the St. Michael's-Bloomfield game tonight and hope that it works well. So, if you see a test posting, just know it is the product of me fixing the bugs out of the system.
And the clock says 6:13 p.m., so we are that much closer to kickoff.
Stay tuned.
And the clock says 6:13 p.m., so we are that much closer to kickoff.
Stay tuned.
Aug 25, 2009
The countdown to kickoff
Yes, soccer is on the pitch and the volleyball nets have been hoisted all across the high school scene in New Mexico, but the fall season doesn't really begin until football kicks off. We stand just a day away from the start of the 2009 season, and with that in mind, here are five important questions in Northern New Mexico that we will enthusiastically wait for the answers.
1. St. Michael's was just 24.6 seconds away from making the Class AAA state championship for the second year in a row before fate - and a Lovington touchdown - changed the course of the 2008 season. The young Horsemen will be among the favorites again, but who will emerge to challenge them?
Let's start with the season-opening opponent, Bloomfield. The Rams reached the AAA semifinals before losing to eventual AAA champion Portales. They finally broke the hex that District 1AAA has in the playoffs (only one postseason win), but can they take that next step to the championship game? A win over the Horsemen vaults them to favorite status.
Speaking of Portales, the Rams travel to Brother Abdon Field on Oct. 10. That in all likelihood will determine who the top seed is for the AAA state playoffs.
2. Can Bernalillo live up to the hype?
The Spartans made a dramatic upswing in District 2AAAA, coming only seven points away from an undefeated district season and its first ever district title be it at the AAA or AAAA level. Most of the players return from that squad, including Division I-A prospect Ivan Luna. But Bernalillo has to replace its quarterback, and the question remains about how well Alan Favela will do in place of Josh Galindo. Favela is a converted tight end who can run with the ball, but his passing skills are still suspect. That might limit the touches Luna gets as a split end and speedy wideout James Roy get. If the Spartans can throw the ball, look for them to make history.
3. How will the first year of the Ray Holladay Era - and the last year of Santa Fe High in Class AAAAA - be ?
Sadly, it will not be a triumphant arrival or departure for either subject. Holladay is slowing remolding the program in the image he wants, but it could be a good one in the years to come. That rationale comes from the Demons imminent reclassification to AAAA, and going into a district with Capital, Los Alamos and Bernalillo as the top teams. Still, those three programs have flourished for the most part over the last four seasons. Jumping into AAAA won't automatically guarantee that Santa Fe High will be contenders, but they will automatically jump ahead of Española Valley and Taos in the pecking order.
As for the Demons' final year in AAAAA? Look forward to that Oct. 24 matchup at Albuquerque High. It could be their last - and best - chance at a win against a AAAAA school.
4. Can McCurdy School exceed last year's Class A state semifinal appearance?
Since only nine schools occupy Class A, there aren't many teams the Bobcats have to contend with to achieve a similar finish this year. But, two teams that always are a factor are Clayton and Fort Sumner. Clayton has size and the four-time reigning A champion Foxes have the tradition. One knock against the Bobcats is their youth. It was great when the expectations weren't there and the Bobcats played better than some might have anticipated. It might prove to be a hindrance because of the trappings of success (an overinflated sense of one's ability, a lackadaisical attitude toward the work needed to improve). McCurdy has the tools to be a very good football team, but it has to match that skill with hard work and determination.
5. Who will be a surprise team in the North?
When Las Vegas Robertson regained defensive coordinator Leroy Gonzales from New Mexico Highlands University, it certainly raised the specter of a Cardinal return to glory. Then Estevan Vigil, the erstwhile No. 1 running back, decided he was a track athlete rather than a football player. There went the Cardinals' foundation on offense. Still, District 2AAA has two teams that could make a surprising run - The Dons of West Las Vegas and the Pojoaque Elks. The Elks returned their entire 16-man roster from last year, plus added as many players to the squad. Added depth means an easier load for everyone involved. West Las Vegas was on the way to rebuilding the football program under Mike Maldonado, but now the task belongs to former Dons defensive coordinator Mike Ulibarri. He has a track record of being able to build a program - which he did at Santa Fe High before leaving in the summer of 2008. Had he stayed, there is no doubt the Demons make the playoffs. At West Las Vegas, there is no doubt that he will get the Dons back to their winning ways of earlier in this decade.
It could be as soon as this season.
The next 11 weeks will tell that story.
1. St. Michael's was just 24.6 seconds away from making the Class AAA state championship for the second year in a row before fate - and a Lovington touchdown - changed the course of the 2008 season. The young Horsemen will be among the favorites again, but who will emerge to challenge them?
Let's start with the season-opening opponent, Bloomfield. The Rams reached the AAA semifinals before losing to eventual AAA champion Portales. They finally broke the hex that District 1AAA has in the playoffs (only one postseason win), but can they take that next step to the championship game? A win over the Horsemen vaults them to favorite status.
Speaking of Portales, the Rams travel to Brother Abdon Field on Oct. 10. That in all likelihood will determine who the top seed is for the AAA state playoffs.
2. Can Bernalillo live up to the hype?
The Spartans made a dramatic upswing in District 2AAAA, coming only seven points away from an undefeated district season and its first ever district title be it at the AAA or AAAA level. Most of the players return from that squad, including Division I-A prospect Ivan Luna. But Bernalillo has to replace its quarterback, and the question remains about how well Alan Favela will do in place of Josh Galindo. Favela is a converted tight end who can run with the ball, but his passing skills are still suspect. That might limit the touches Luna gets as a split end and speedy wideout James Roy get. If the Spartans can throw the ball, look for them to make history.
3. How will the first year of the Ray Holladay Era - and the last year of Santa Fe High in Class AAAAA - be ?
Sadly, it will not be a triumphant arrival or departure for either subject. Holladay is slowing remolding the program in the image he wants, but it could be a good one in the years to come. That rationale comes from the Demons imminent reclassification to AAAA, and going into a district with Capital, Los Alamos and Bernalillo as the top teams. Still, those three programs have flourished for the most part over the last four seasons. Jumping into AAAA won't automatically guarantee that Santa Fe High will be contenders, but they will automatically jump ahead of Española Valley and Taos in the pecking order.
As for the Demons' final year in AAAAA? Look forward to that Oct. 24 matchup at Albuquerque High. It could be their last - and best - chance at a win against a AAAAA school.
4. Can McCurdy School exceed last year's Class A state semifinal appearance?
Since only nine schools occupy Class A, there aren't many teams the Bobcats have to contend with to achieve a similar finish this year. But, two teams that always are a factor are Clayton and Fort Sumner. Clayton has size and the four-time reigning A champion Foxes have the tradition. One knock against the Bobcats is their youth. It was great when the expectations weren't there and the Bobcats played better than some might have anticipated. It might prove to be a hindrance because of the trappings of success (an overinflated sense of one's ability, a lackadaisical attitude toward the work needed to improve). McCurdy has the tools to be a very good football team, but it has to match that skill with hard work and determination.
5. Who will be a surprise team in the North?
When Las Vegas Robertson regained defensive coordinator Leroy Gonzales from New Mexico Highlands University, it certainly raised the specter of a Cardinal return to glory. Then Estevan Vigil, the erstwhile No. 1 running back, decided he was a track athlete rather than a football player. There went the Cardinals' foundation on offense. Still, District 2AAA has two teams that could make a surprising run - The Dons of West Las Vegas and the Pojoaque Elks. The Elks returned their entire 16-man roster from last year, plus added as many players to the squad. Added depth means an easier load for everyone involved. West Las Vegas was on the way to rebuilding the football program under Mike Maldonado, but now the task belongs to former Dons defensive coordinator Mike Ulibarri. He has a track record of being able to build a program - which he did at Santa Fe High before leaving in the summer of 2008. Had he stayed, there is no doubt the Demons make the playoffs. At West Las Vegas, there is no doubt that he will get the Dons back to their winning ways of earlier in this decade.
It could be as soon as this season.
The next 11 weeks will tell that story.
Aug 13, 2009
Hot in the City ,,,
Rare is the opportunity when I can combine my two passions - sports and the weather - but today I will indulge myself.
The afternoon rumble of thunderstorms in Santa Fe is a welcome sight for the football teams practicing in the North today, especially since they all start strapping on the shoulder pads. For three straight days, the temperature gauge has cross into the 90-degree range early in the afternoon, which means the days are sweltering for the players.
But the thunderstorm today will ease the heat and the concerns of coaches paying attention to their players water intake.
The National Weather Service at the Santa Fe Municipal Airport read 90 at 3 p.m. today, but the coming storm no doubt dropped the reading a few degrees.
Even better is the news that thunderstorms are expected in the area for the rest of the afternoon and into the evening.
The afternoon rumble of thunderstorms in Santa Fe is a welcome sight for the football teams practicing in the North today, especially since they all start strapping on the shoulder pads. For three straight days, the temperature gauge has cross into the 90-degree range early in the afternoon, which means the days are sweltering for the players.
But the thunderstorm today will ease the heat and the concerns of coaches paying attention to their players water intake.
The National Weather Service at the Santa Fe Municipal Airport read 90 at 3 p.m. today, but the coming storm no doubt dropped the reading a few degrees.
Even better is the news that thunderstorms are expected in the area for the rest of the afternoon and into the evening.
Aug 7, 2009
The past vs. the present vs. the future
Friday was one of the more difficult phone calls I've had in a while. It had been more than a year since I talked with Diana Ronquillo, the new head volleyball coach at Santa Fe Preparatory. The circumstances of that discussion were less than pleasant.
Ronquillo, then running the program at Santa Fe High, was facing drunken driving charges and I was the one to write about that incident. We fumbled through three calls that day, and the last one left her in tears as she hung up. It was a punch in the gut for me, because of the kind of person Ronquillo is.
Friday's phone call re-affirmed a lot of those qualities about her. Again, she cried when we talked about the incident off the record. We talked about how the incident impacted her and the reasons for her departure at Santa Fe High. I hold her in high regard because of the actions she took subsequent to the story that ran in late May, which led to her voluntary resignation in June.
No one demanded that action.
She took it herself.
You see so many times nowadays where coaches, players and administrators fight unseemly incidents tooth and nail, and in many cases to their successful (on their part) conclusion. Ronquillo could have held firm and done the same.
Given that the case was ultimately dismissed, she would have moved on with her life and career with the incident but a blip on her radar screen.
Instead, she took a stand for what she felt was the right thing to do, and not just for her. It was her last act of grace toward the players at Santa Fe High. It was a stance that accountability is more important than saving face.
That as a role model, we have a higher standard to live by for those who are watching us.
It's a wake-up call to me.
And maybe for the rest of us in this crazy world.
I can't count the number of times I've gone behind the wheel after a few alcoholic beverages in my lifetime as a legal consumer of alcohol. That I haven't met the same fate as Ronquillo is merely luck. All it takes is the right set of circumstances for that to happen. And I get to meet my moment of truth.
Then I get to choose which path I take. I hope I have the courage to take the highway of accountability and humility that Ronquillo paved. Sometimes, it appears to be a deserted one.
I hope Ronquillo's two children, who both go to Prep, realize what a special mother they have. Doing the right thing is never easy. Nor is it fair.
But those are the moments that reveal the true nature of our character. Never let doubt linger about the character of Diana Ronquillo.
And I have no doubt the phone calls to - and from - her will be much easier to digest after this one.
Ronquillo, then running the program at Santa Fe High, was facing drunken driving charges and I was the one to write about that incident. We fumbled through three calls that day, and the last one left her in tears as she hung up. It was a punch in the gut for me, because of the kind of person Ronquillo is.
Friday's phone call re-affirmed a lot of those qualities about her. Again, she cried when we talked about the incident off the record. We talked about how the incident impacted her and the reasons for her departure at Santa Fe High. I hold her in high regard because of the actions she took subsequent to the story that ran in late May, which led to her voluntary resignation in June.
No one demanded that action.
She took it herself.
You see so many times nowadays where coaches, players and administrators fight unseemly incidents tooth and nail, and in many cases to their successful (on their part) conclusion. Ronquillo could have held firm and done the same.
Given that the case was ultimately dismissed, she would have moved on with her life and career with the incident but a blip on her radar screen.
Instead, she took a stand for what she felt was the right thing to do, and not just for her. It was her last act of grace toward the players at Santa Fe High. It was a stance that accountability is more important than saving face.
That as a role model, we have a higher standard to live by for those who are watching us.
It's a wake-up call to me.
And maybe for the rest of us in this crazy world.
I can't count the number of times I've gone behind the wheel after a few alcoholic beverages in my lifetime as a legal consumer of alcohol. That I haven't met the same fate as Ronquillo is merely luck. All it takes is the right set of circumstances for that to happen. And I get to meet my moment of truth.
Then I get to choose which path I take. I hope I have the courage to take the highway of accountability and humility that Ronquillo paved. Sometimes, it appears to be a deserted one.
I hope Ronquillo's two children, who both go to Prep, realize what a special mother they have. Doing the right thing is never easy. Nor is it fair.
But those are the moments that reveal the true nature of our character. Never let doubt linger about the character of Diana Ronquillo.
And I have no doubt the phone calls to - and from - her will be much easier to digest after this one.
Aug 6, 2009
So much for the summer vacation ...
Greetings, Northern New Mexico!
I am sure some of you have been wondering where I've been and why I've been so quiet. Well, even the best of us need a break ... so I took one from blogging (work is another matter altogether).
But now that we find ourselves just four days away from the first day of fall practice, it's time to get things in gear.
At Capital High on Tuesday, the Jaguars put an end to their summer with their "Night of Champions" weight lifting event. About 25 players took part in the action, with a crowd of about 40 bystanders.
These events are custom-made for grunts, primal screams, extreme feats of team bonding (mostly howls of encouragement) and in the end, trophy presentations.
And without further ado, here is how the evening went:
Bench press
Under 155 pounds division - Jesse Sanders, 225 pounds
155-185 pounds - Kevin Munks - 235 pounds
185 and above division - Brendon Bentz - 225 pounds
Squat
Under 155 - Sanders, 300 pounds
155-185 - Quinton Windham - 335 pounds
185 and above - To be determined
Power clean
Under 155 - Sanders - 185
155-185 Adrian Olivas - 200
185 and above - Bentz - 205
Pound for pound award - Windham
I am sure some of you have been wondering where I've been and why I've been so quiet. Well, even the best of us need a break ... so I took one from blogging (work is another matter altogether).
But now that we find ourselves just four days away from the first day of fall practice, it's time to get things in gear.
At Capital High on Tuesday, the Jaguars put an end to their summer with their "Night of Champions" weight lifting event. About 25 players took part in the action, with a crowd of about 40 bystanders.
These events are custom-made for grunts, primal screams, extreme feats of team bonding (mostly howls of encouragement) and in the end, trophy presentations.
And without further ado, here is how the evening went:
Bench press
Under 155 pounds division - Jesse Sanders, 225 pounds
155-185 pounds - Kevin Munks - 235 pounds
185 and above division - Brendon Bentz - 225 pounds
Squat
Under 155 - Sanders, 300 pounds
155-185 - Quinton Windham - 335 pounds
185 and above - To be determined
Power clean
Under 155 - Sanders - 185
155-185 Adrian Olivas - 200
185 and above - Bentz - 205
Pound for pound award - Windham
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