NMAA. From the Director s Desk. Football Wrap Up. Fall 2004 Wrap Up. New Mexico Activities Association. What s Inside...

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1 Fall 2004 Wrap Up What s Inside... Cross Country Wrap up...4 Volleyball Wrap up...6 Soccer Wrap up...7 Upcoming Events...8 New Mexico Activities Association Encouraging maximum student participation in activities throughout the state of New Mexico All photos courtesy of Dulany Photo From the Director s Desk It is a pleasure to serve the students and the State of New Mexico as the New Mexico Activities Association's Executive Director. After completing my first fall semester as the Executive Director, I would like to take the opportunity to thank all of the communities, volunteers, spectators and administrators who helped make our fall tournaments a success. The will begin wrapping up each season with a publication detailing each State Championship Event. In the pages that follow, you will read about those teams that competed in the State Tournaments. Hard work, commitment and dedication all played a vital role in each team's success. While we focus on those teams that had the honor of taking home the coveted Blue Trophy, let's not forget all of those students that participated in activities throughout the fall season. The is proud of all students who participate in all activities. I encourage you to log onto our website for the most up- todate information pertaining to the New Mexico Activities Association. The site is filled with state championship information, stats and records from previous years, individual school directories and useful information dealing with high school activities in our state. The staff at the is working hard everyday to improve activities for our young people. If you ever have any questions concerning the, please contact an staff member at (505) We look forward to seeing you at the 2005 winter championships. Football Wrap Up By Ken Sickenger Artesia Quarterback Jeremy Maupin (12) threw three touchdowns, while completing 17 of 28 passes for 239 yards to lead the Bulldogs to their record setting 24th State Championship. New Mexico high school football fans might best remember 2004 as the Year of the Bear. After all, both the La Cueva and Hatch Valley Bears posted phenomenal seasons, amassing 13-0 records and simply outclassing one opponent after another. La Cueva won its second straight Class AAAAA championship, while Hatch Valley made it two straight in Class AA. But an entertaining round of New Mexico Activities Association football championships had other intriguing storylines, too. Texico's Wolverines steamrolled to their second consecutive Class A title. Melrose surprised previously unbeaten Floyd in the sixman championship game. Artesia added to its tradition of football excellence with a state-record 24th championship in Class AAAA. Lovington prevailed in one of the most unusual championship games in New Mexico history, defeating replacement-team St. Michael's for the Class AAA crown. One thing the 2004 football championship games won't be remembered for is down-to-the-wire finishes. Melrose topped Floyd by 14 points in the six-man title contest, while all five of the

2 larger school games were decided by 28 points or more. Still, 2004 did generate some of the most dominant teams in recent memory, and all six championship games produced stories and moments to remember. combined margin of and increased its overall winning streak to 26 games. CLASS AAAA Silver vs. Artesia CLASS AAAAA La Cueva vs. Clovis Clovis' Leon Williams Stadium provided a festive, colorful setting for a championship battle between the hometown Wildcats and No. 1 ranked La Cueva. The game was a rematch of a regular-season meeting, won by the Bears in convincing 40-0 fashion. La Cueva came into the final on an unprecedented roll, having defeated Eldorado 61-0 and Las Cruces 35-0 in its previous playoff games. Clovis, however, had given its fans reason for hope, winning eight straight games to qualify for the championship contest. The Wildcats' playoff wins included a victory over Mayfield -- a team which had trounced them 35-0 during the regular season. There would be no reversal of fortunes this time. La Cueva immediately set the tone for the afternoon, taking the opening kickoff and marching 78 yards on 17 consecutive rushing plays. A penalty and an incomplete pass ultimately stalled the drive, but it merely delayed the inevitable. The Wildcats couldn't move against a Bears defense that had allowed only seven points all season. La Cueva's Zach Arnett broke through to block the ensuing Clovis punt and his teammate Aaron Lewis recovered the ball in the end zone for a Bears touchdown. It was only the beginning of a huge day for Arnett, who rushed for Clovis Quarterback John Props (14) avoids the sack from La Cueva s Defensive End Aaron Lewis (66) and Linebacker Joe Gherardi (6). Lewis ended his high school career with 48.5 career sacks. 186 yards. He scored on runs of 7 and 64 yards before halftime, giving La Cueva a comfortable 21-0 lead and silencing the large home crowd. "It was the quietest state championship I've ever been to," said La Cueva coach Fred Romero. Three touchdowns proved more than enough for Romero's team, as the Wildcats (9-4) could scratch out only 19 yards of total offense and two first downs all day. The Bears, meanwhile, racked up 385 total yards, including 325 on the ground. University of New Mexico-bound Frankie Baca complemented Arnett with 120 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while La Cueva quarterback Tyler Davis was an efficient 5-for-6 passing for 60 yards and a TD. Remarkably, the championship game ended with a 40-0 score -- identical to the outcome of the Bears' regularseason victory in Clovis. La Cueva became the first Albuquerque school to win back-toback large-school football titles, outscored its 2004 opponents by a Page 2 La Cueva senior Zachary Arnett (9) scrambles for extra yards during La Cueva s second straight Class 5A Championship. Tradition and a fired-up home crowd helped Artesia add another blue championship trophy to its impressive collection. Most observers expected the Class AAAA final to be a war, as the Silver Colts came to town with a 13-0 record and an impressive semifinal win over St. Pius to their credit. Artesia, on the other hand, had to come from behind to squeak out a semifinal win over visiting Aztec. But there's no substitute for big-game experience, and the orangeclad Bulldogs quickly turned the championship game into another Bulldog Bowl coronation. Neither team scored in the first quarter, but a lost fumble at Artesia's 43 would end up spelling trouble for the Colts. Quarterback Jeremy Maupin, who passed for more than 2,000 yards on the season, started the Bulldogs on an eight-play drive by completing several short passes. Joe Duerksen provided the capper with a 2-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter. Silver's previously productive offense, had no answers against Artesia. As a result, Maupin and Bulldog offense stayed on the field long enough to find a rhythm. Alex Cardenas' 5-yard scoring run gave the home team a 14-0 lead with 9:24 left in the first half -- plenty of time for Artesia to inflict more damage. Maupin twice connected with Scott Poe on short touchdown passes in the closing minutes of the second quarter, the last of which gave the Bulldogs a 28-0 lead. The Colts, trying to capture their first state title, had excelled in previous games by using a power rushing attack to dominate time of possession. But 1,700-yard rusher Dakota Woodard picked up just 29 against Artesia, and Silver's offense was ill-equipped for a shootout. Under veteran coach Cooper Henderson, Artesia has specialized in wide-open offense and high-scoring games. The 2004 final was no exception. Maupin completed 17-of-29 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns, including a 36-yard, third-quarter strike to David Adams that helped the Bulldogs invoke the 35-point mercy rule. Duerksen's second TD run of the game accounted for the final points in a 42-0 demolition. CLASS AAA Lovington vs. St. Michaels Lovington ended a bizarre week of controversy by avenging a 2003 championship-game loss to St. Michael's. The Wildcats (8-5)

3 delighted their home fans by rolling up six straight touchdowns en route to a triumph, a spectacular finish for a team that started the 2004 season 1-5. But this wasn't the Class AAA final anyone expected to see. That matchup was to have pitted Lovington against New Mexico Military Institute, which soundly defeated St. Michael's in the previous week's semifinals. NMMI officials, however, opted to forfeit their team's spot in the championship game. As a result, the ruled New Mexico Military's victory over St. Michael's a forfeit and allowed the Horsemen to compete in the championship game. The St. Michael's players, who had been scheduled to turn in their football equipment, instead returned to practice. For a time it seemed the Horsemen (6-6) would make the most of their unexpected playoff reprieve. Doug Pitel broke loose for a 27-yard touchdown run, then scored again on a 70-yard fumble recovery to give the visitors a 14-0 lead. But Reggie Hargrove turned things around for the Wildcats. Hargrove took a shovel pass and raced 60 yards for a touchdown with just 53 Lovington fights for extra yards during the Wildcats second consecutive Class 3A title. seconds left in the first half to trim St. Michael's lead to The play ignited the home team, which thoroughly dominated the second half. Lovington scored on its first five possessions after intermission, with Hargrove and Alonso Navarro doing most of the damage. Hargrove finished a magnificent performance with 160 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries, five pass receptions for 115 yards and two more scores -- and a completed TD pass on an option play. Navarro chipped in 176 rushing yards and one touchdown, as the Wildcats secured their 15th football championship, second only to Artesia in New Mexico history. CLASS AA Santa Rosa vs. Hatch Valley St. Michael s sophomore Lucas Otero (24) brings down a Lovington receiver. Hatch Valley's aerial circus put on a spectacular final act to conclude the school's first-ever perfect football season. The passhappy Bears proved too much for visiting Santa Rosa in a 46-7 championship-game romp. The title game pitted Hatch's high-tech offense against the Lions' old-school single-wing attack. But Santa Rosa couldn't get its rushing game into gear, nor could it stop Bears quarterback Brett Henson and his bevy of talented receivers. Henson connected on 22 of 32 pass attempts for 389 yards and three touchdowns. Hatch Valley's first score came gift-wrapped after a Lions fumble. Taking over at Santa Rosa's 5-yard line, the Bears cashed in with a 5- yard touchdown run by Chon Pallares. Henson later capped a long drive with a 3-yard TD pass to Edgar Acosta, and Pallares added a 3- yard scoring run to give the home team a 19-0 lead. The Lions (10-2) threatened to make a game of it, driving 80 yards to pull within 19-7 on Daniel Zamora's 7-yard run. But it proved to be Santa Rosa's only sustained drive of the day. Frank Angel's 11-yard touchdown run gave Hatch Valley a 25-7 lead at halftime, and the Bears put things on ice with two TDs in an 11-second span in the third quarter. Henson hit Alex Alaniz with a 27-yard touchdown strike, and after the Lions fumbled away the ensuing kickoff, Henson connected with Ryan Franzoy on a 39-yard pass to the end zone. Franzoy finished with seven receptions for 147 yards for the Bears, who mercy-ruled all 13 of their opponents in Henson, who passed for more than 10,000 yards in his high school career, triggered an offense that totaled 699 points in his senior season. The victory was the Bears' 20th straight. Joaquin Gonzales paced Santa Rosa's offense with 60 rushing yards, but the runbased Lions finished with only 89 yards overall. CLASS A Texico vs. Cloudcroft Despite losing the core of its line to graduation after winning a 2003 state championship, Texico didn't miss a beat and proved every bit as dominant in The Wolverines pummeled their first two playoff opponents, Capitan and Fort Sumner, by a combined score, but they figured to face a stiffer test in the final, traveling to Cloudcroft to meet the fired-up Bears. Texico found itself in a rare position early in the game, as Cloudcroft quarterback Logan Capps hooked up with Brent Wells on a 70-yard touchdown pass on the first play from scrimmage. The Wolverines, who outscored foes on the season, hadn't often been behind. But Cloudcroft's long touchdown strike never repeated itself, and Texico's superior size gradually wore down the home team. A 70-yard scoring drive capped by Chris Phillips' 6-yard run tied the game at 7-7. Texico defeated Cloudcroft 35-7 to claim the Wolverines second straight Class A Championship. Frank Angel (22) looks for the open gapcduring the Bears 46-7 victory over the Santa Rosa Lions. Wolverines quarterback Braden Vaughn put his team ahead to stay with a 4-yard touchdown run late in the first half. Even the bounces went Texico's way in the second half. The Bears (10-2) knocked the ball away from Vaughn as he tried to reach the goal line on a thirdand-1 play in the third quarter. Instead of a turnover, the fumble produced a touchdown as running back Johnny Serrano grabbed the ball and scored from 5 yards out. When all was said and done, the Wolverines outgained Cloudcroft 402 yards to 171 and won going away by a 35-7 score. Serrano rushed for 109 yards, while Vaughn rushed for 65 yards, passed for another 90 and intercepted a pass. Texico completed its second straight Page 3

4 undefeated season, stretching its winning streak to 24 games. Page 4 SIX-MAN Melrose vs. Floyd Carlos Ruiz capped an amazing two-game stretch, scoring eight touchdowns to help Melrose (11-1) avenge its only loss of the season with a road victory at Floyd (11-1). Ruiz, a junior, had set a national record by scoring 13 touchdowns in the Buffaloes' semifinal victory over Animas. Despite that, things didn't look particularly rosy for Melrose coming into the final. A snowstorm forced the championship game to be postponed four days, and Buffaloes quarterback Brock Graham broke his leg in practice two days before the rescheduled contest. But Ruiz made sure Graham's injury wasn't decisive. The speedy back scored six times on rushes and added punt-return and kickoffreturn touchdowns. Melrose led early in the second half, but the Broncos battled back to tie things at 52 on a safety, catching Ruiz for one of the few times in his own end zone. But Ruiz got even. After Floyd's next possession stalled, Ruiz returned a punt 70 yards to put the Buffaloes ahead for good. He later added a 27-yard scoring run to make the score and chipped in a pair of clinching sacks on defense. It was the fourth six-man championship for Melrose, which had lost to Tatum in the 2003 final. Floyd, which got 128 rushing yards and three touchdown passes from quarterback Jerrod Long, was trying for its second state title. The Buffaloes finished the season with 766 points scored, an average of almost 64 per game. Cross Country Wrap Up by Jason W. Brooks A lot of familiar faces showed up at the State Cross Country Championships in Gallup on Nov. 6. Fortunately for those who like a little drama, some surprises decided to make appearances as well. Some surprises took the form of those who capitalized on the faltering of perennial favorites, while other unexpected events involved circumstances rather than the races at Red Rock State Park. Two things that came as no surprise were the first-place finishes by Carlsbad's Jocelyn Calderon and Los Alamos' Kristen Hemphill. Calderon, a junior, won her second straight Class 5A race while Hemphill finished her high school career with three straight years of winning the 4A competition. Other things which probably shocked very few included the A-AA boys team title going Jocelyn Calderon (802) of Carlsbad won the girls Class 5A individual title with a time of 19:02. to Zuni, the Thunderbirds first team title since 2000 but 12th overall. In 5A girls, Gallup marched to its 13th team title, the last ten all being consecutive. The Bengals beat their nearest competitor, La Cueva, by a margin of 64 to 89. Now for the unexpected, such as the showing by the Gallup boys, who were unable to capture a third straight Class 5A team title. The Bengals, frequently able to have five strong runners, only placed three runners in the top 30 and finished a disappointing third. Eldorado s Matt Tebo won the 5A race, but it was the battle for second and third in the teams standings that took on a life of its own. The top four teams (La Cueva, Highland, Gallup and Rio Rancho) all finished within 20 points of one another, with La Cueva edging Highland by a single point, 74 to 75. The Bears won after their coach, Eddy Hellebuyck, had told the Albuquerque Journal earlier in the week that some teams at the state meet were overrated. We were motivated by the comments from the La Cueva coach," said Highland coach Andy Murray of the Hornets' bitter District 2-5A rival. "Our strategy was to try to match La Cueva, and we knew if we could do that, we could be some of other big rivals." "That was a little too close for comfort, but we're very happy," said Hellebuyck, whose son Dennis paced the Bears by finishing fifth in the race. "Highland really stepped up." The other close call in 5A was between third and fourth place on the girls side. Eldorado took the third-place trophy for a second straight year, barely surpassing Rio Rancho, 93 to 97. Only the top three teams at the state meet receive trophies. The boys Class 4A race was likely to be a barnburner, what with Albuquerque Academy having won five straight team titles from before Los Alamos squeaked past the Chargers for the 2003 Amanda Martin, Gallup (11) 16th overall - 20:20 4th on Team Gallup first Team crown. Including various regular season meets, the Hilltoppers had finished ahead of Academy six straight times prior to the state meet. Both teams have also been nationally ranked this season. Though Academy senior Ben Harper was expected to be the one to challenge top Los Alamos runner Simon Gilna, that wasn t the case. Senior Mitch Bible became the fourth straight Charger to win the 4A race, and Academy prevailed, 29 to 37, to reclaim their spot atop of the class 4A heap. Bible beat Gilna by more than eight seconds. The Chargers won even without Harper s help, as he finished 23rd overall and was not one of Academy s top five runners whose scores affect the team points total. Bible was joined in the top seven by teammates Dustin Martin, a sophomore who finished third, and Ben Johnson, a freshman. All the credit in the world goes to Academy, said an exasperated Los Alamos coach Ron Hipwood. They ran a great race, and they were ready. We re disappointed, but we re not making any excuses. An up-and-coming Capital squad took the last of three 4A boys trophies with a distant 95 points. The girls side of 4A held no surprise, as Los Alamos rode Hemphill s win to help cruise to its fifth straight team title. The Toppers outlasted Academy, 25 to 60, and third-place finisher St. Pius, which had 105. The Class 3A boys race had its developments occur a day before the race and nearly 200 miles from Red Rock State Park. In Pojoaque, the Elks had won three of the last four team titles and were just about to board the bus to head to the state meet. That s when top runner Robert Roybal was told he wouldn t be making the trip for disciplinary reasons. Pojoaque coach Allan Lockridge wouldn t discuss the details involved in barring the District 2-3A champion senior from attending. Five minutes before we got on the bus, said a frustrated Lockridge. And I ve got three freshman and a sophomore.

5 Not having Roybal meant the way was paved for a new state champion, as the rest of the mostly-inexperienced Elks finished fourth and didn t take home a trophy. The benefactor of Pojoaque s circumstances was Wingate, as the Bears captured their first state crown since 1996 with the help of three runners in the top ten. Second place in boys 3A team points was Santa Fe Indian School, another eyeopening story of the season. In only their first year since moving up from Class 2A, the rising program of coach John Grimley outdid Grants to be runner-up. The Braves top runner, senior Jerome Tafoya, won the 2004 individual title but leaves behind a developing young squad. We ve got a solid junior varsity Laguna-Acoma finished second in the Class A-AA division. Eric Vallo (58) was the 4th runner for the Hawks with a time of 18:03. program, and we ll have a good crew coming back, said Grimley after the meet. I think now we can start thinking of ourselves as a cross country school and safely put our name in there with Los Alamos, Academy and Zuni. Other notable achievements at the meet included Marvis Aragon improving on last year s winning time in the A-AA boys race by 30 seconds to claim a second title for the Laguna-Acoma senior. That race, however, belonged to Zuni, The Thunderbirds placed all five of their team-points runners in the top 22, and all seven Zuni runners in the race came in 31st or higher. As time goes on, things get harder, teams get better, said Robert Torres, Zuni coach for close to 20 years. Torres added this year s squad was as motivated in the classroom as it was on the race course. This is the best academic attitude of any team I have ever coached, said Torres. Our four seniors did a great job of not only keeping up with the man in front of them, but leadership also. We ve got a great team coming up, and it s a great feeling to have coaches, parents and teachers helping to keep everyone eligible. The girls side of A-AA belonged to Navajo Prep, which had never before won a state cross country title of any kind. Freshman Simone Iron Shell, who finished fifth, led the way for the Eagles. She was one of five topten runners who have two or more years of eligibility left. This breakout of young talent was led by race champion Kelly Barmann, a Cimarron eighth-grader who stands just 5- foot, 1-inch tall. One runner observers may hope to see in her senior season is St. Michael's Irena Ossola. The junior improved her state time from 2003 by nearly a full minute, claiming her second straight Class 3A girls individual title with a time of 18:46. Ossola s effort wasn t enough to boost St. Mike s to the team Carlsbad freshman, Jason Castillo (327), finished the 5k race in 18:15. Castillo was the third runner for the Cavemen. title, however. Shiprock s move down to Class 3A paid off, as the Chieftain s 49 points slid just under St. Mike s total of 54. Grants finished third with 78 points. Shiprock, which competed in Class 4A in and , had won the 3A title in 2001, their last year before moving up. But parity seems to have hit the classification, as no team has been able to repeat as state team champ since cross country expanded to four classes in Page 5

6 Volleyball Wrap Up By Eric Butler Since the expanded to five classes in 1990, the state volleyball tournament could always be counted on for one thing: repeat champions. But the red carpet was rolled out for the newcomers in Not even one of the previous year's champs were able to successfully defend their titles. The schools taking their places, in general, had very little experience in winning state volleyball championships at all. In fact, Mayfield in Class 5A and Sandia Prep in Class 2A won titles for the first time ever. Class 4A champ Deming and Class 3A winner Ruidoso had each won only once in the history of the state tournament - and more than ten years before at that. Class 1A Fort Sumner, the most experienced of this new group at taking volleyball crowns, had won twice before (in 1996 and 2000). Held at Johnson Gymnasium at the campus of the University of New Mexico, the first time at that site, all five of the finals were held on the same day. And it was Mayfield's win over defending 5A champion Rio Rancho that completed the day of success for the tradition-crashing intruders. The Trojans took the title behind the hitting of senior Krystal Torres, junior Michelle Mason as well as sophomores Carissa McGee and Dustyn Weems. Orchestrating the Mayfield attack, meanwhile, was senior setter Briana Bagwell. Rio Rancho, winners in 2002 and 2003, was trying to cap a three-peat behind the A Rio Rancho outside hitter gets some air during the Class 5A Championship. leadership of another senior setter - Gayle Tripp. The Rams, led by outside hitter Ambur Scott, defeated Santa Fe in the quarterfinals and Las Cruces in the semis before falling in the finals. For Mayfield, the most heart-wrenching moments of the tournament came in the semifinal round against Cibola. The Cougars, who got an astounding 22 kills from junior Hilary Overmyer, were only two points from clinching a spot in the finals as they held a lead in the fourth game. But the Trojans stormed back by taking the next seven points and eventually forced a decided fifth game - won by Mayfield As in 5A, the Class 4A field featured a two-time defending state champion in St. Pius. But the Sartans were bounced out in a 25-19, 25-19, sweep by eventual champion Deming in the semifinals. The victorious Wildcats featured above-average height and versatility with hitters like Catherine Clay, Katie Allen, Amanda Quintana and Sarah Bluth. In the 4A championship contest, Deming faced Moriarty - a team looking to earn the school's first title since The Pintos, led by the all-around play of junior Leah Lovato and 11 kills from senior Jennelle Spradley, swept district rival Goddard in the other semifinal. The title match saw Moriarty win the first game before Deming tied things up by taking the next. The middle of the third game was the crucial turning point of the match for Deming. The Wildcats trailed 20-16, but took six of the next seven points as four different Deming players recorded kills in the run. That momentum carried the 'Cats through to a 20-25, 25-15, 25-23, victory. "Oh my god, it means everything to me," said Varnum, one of only three seniors on the Wildcats squad. "I don't even know how to explain it. I feel sick to my stomach, I'm so excited right now." In the Class 3A championship, Ruidoso and senior hitter Christine Brown ruined the hopes of West Las Vegas in getting their first volleyball title. Brown cracked the Lady Dons' defense for 25 kills and the Warriors outlasted West Las Vegas for a 22-25, 25-19, 25-22, 15-25, victory in the finals. West Las Vegas got 19 and 14 kills respectively from sophomore Vera Jo Bustos and senior Livinia Gallegos in the championship match. But tied at in the fifth game, Ruidoso won the war of nerves as two hitting errors from the Lady Dons gave the Warriors their first title since It was also the first championship at Ruidoso for coach Maria Cruz-Bennett, who had led Hot Springs to nine titles between 1982 and "I try to keep it low-key," said Cruz- Bennett after the 3A championship of her ultra-successful past. "I mean, it's ancient history. What do they say? - it's what have you done lately." Ruidoso s Jessica Gibson (11) scores a point during the Class 3A title match. For Sandia Prep, the Class 2A championship was sweet redemption. The Sundevils had lost in the 2003 title game to rival Hope Christian in five games. One year later, Prep was the pretournament favorite behind the hitting of Selma Kettwich, Chelsey Weinbrecht and Audra Gentry. In the form of sophomore setter Tasha Serna-Gallegos, the Sundevils also had one of the most inspirational stories. Serna- Gallegos had to sit out the state tournament in 2003 and was, shortly afterward, diagnosed with leukemia. While undergoing chemotherapy treatments and spinal taps during the 2004 season, the bandanna-clad soph was able to play sporadically for Sandia Prep. But she was there on the floor for all of her regular setting duties as the Sundevils held off Hatch Valley for the 2A championship. The Class 1A title game was perhaps the most exciting of the day. Fort Sumner, which had knocked three-time defending champ Des Moines out in the semifinals, took the first two games against Tatum in the finale. But the Coyotes, led by Briana Lopez' 22 kills, stormed back to take the next two games to force a deciding fifth. The Vixens, who got 23 kills from Kayla Britain and 20 from Sandy Fortner, took the the fifth in a game where neither team had a lead larger than three points - and that happened only once. Fort Sumner's Tobea Patterson, who also had 19 putaways, got the biggest kill of the match when she slammed match point down the line for a marathon 25-17, 25-20, 18-25, 22-25, victory. "We just wanted to stay ahead the whole time, even if it was just by one point," said Patterson, one of six Vixens seniors, of the deciding fifth game. "It means so much for us. It was our last chance and we had never won a championship." Page 6

7 Soccer Wrap Up By Glen Rosales The 2004 Boys State High School Soccer Tournament Nov. 4-6 was a little of the new and quite a bit of the old. Fourth-seeded Las Cruces took the first boys blue trophy back to its home city in Class 5A, while perennial favorites St. Pius and Sandia Prep added to their considerable trophy cases. CLASS 5A A thrilling 1-0 victory over third-seeded Sandia capped an up-anddown season for the Bulldawgs. Highly regarded during the preseason because of the return of 10 members of the reigning state club champions, Las Cruces then stumbled through some controversy before emerging again as a force in the post-season. The top-seeded Trojans put away upstart Manzano 3-1 to reach the semifinals, although the eighth-seeded Monarchs tested Mayfield with a strong effort. To adjust to the quick-strike scoring ability of Trojans forward Edgar Castillo, Las Cruces turned to Hefley, turning him into a shadow. Although Castillo did break loose to set up one score, the strategy was quite effective as the usually explosive forward was held relatively in check by the ever-present Hefley. James Stephens (3) and the Eldorado Eagles were defeated 1-0 by Sandia in the Semifinals. Sandia went on to lose 1-0 to Las Cruces in the Finals. But with time in regulation winding down, it was a still a 1-all game until Lara bounced in a free kick from 25 yards out for the clincher in a 2-1 victory. Sandia reached the finale with an equally exciting 1-0 win over long-time rival and second-seeded Eldorado. That set the stage for a tense battle for the title, although the Bulldawgs were without Hefley and leading playoff scorer Rob Lytle, who both missed the match because of an accumulation of yellow cards or red cards. With Hefley and Lytle out of the action, the Bulldawgs needed an unlikely hero to step up with a big play and that turned out to be midfielder Manuel Bustamante. An attempted Sandia clearing pass came right back at Bustamante at the top of the box in the 51st minute and he wasted no time in ripping it to the opposite corner for a perfectly placed winner. CLASS 4A In the end, it came down to old and bitter rivals Albuquerque Academy and the Sartans. Although the Chargers won their annual grudge match during the regular season, it was once again St. Pius (16-6-1) that came out on top. The top-seeded Sartans came away with yet another championship with a 3-0 victory in the final game for long-time Academy coach Pete Clinch. For St. Pius, the title was its 11th in the past 12 years. Two of those seasons, the Sartans shared the blue trophy with third-seeded Academy after ties in the clinching matches. In the tournament, the Sartans were somewhat challenged by Moriarty in a 3-1 decision, then they beat Farmington 3-0. Academy advanced to the championship game by handling Onate 3-1, then taking care of Los Alamos 2-0 in a hard-fought game. CLASS 1A-3A If there was little drama in Class 4A, there was almost zero in Class 1A-3A as Sandia Prep (21-2) did not give up a goal in cruising to its fourth consecutive championship. In recognition of their stellar season, the Sundevils were ranked 20th in the final National High School Soccer Coaches Association poll, a first for the school. The Sundevils wasted little time in dispatching the New Mexico Military Institute 9-0 in the opening round, then put away Hope Christian 3-0 before meeting familiar foe St. Michael s for the title. St. Mike s advanced with a 3-0 victory win over Bloomfield, then a tight 1-0 win over crosstown rival Santa Fe Prep in the semifinals. The championship match was scoreless until midway through the second half. Moments after Sandia Prep s Ben Kivitz made a fingertip save, the Sundevils countered. Two-time NSCAA/adidas High School All-American Tyrone Petrakis picked up the first of his two assists by sending a pass to Tyrone Cobb, who found the net after a nifty move inside. Will Phipps finished the game s scoring in the 74th minute. As for the girls... The top seeds in Girls Classes 4A and 1A-3A made the pretournament rankings looking pretty accurate, but Cibola High School threw a big wrench into Class 5A. While Sandia Prep and St. Pius were celebrating as expected in the smaller classifications, the eighth-and-last-seeded Cougars bounced top-ranked and undefeated Las Cruces and No. 4 Sandia before running out of magic in the finals against No. 3 La Cueva. CLASS 5A Cibola entered the tournament unheralded, but it had a gritty, veteran squad that put on one of the more remarkable runs in some time. But the Cougars just didn't have enough to overcome the strength and tradition of the Bears (18-4), who captured their 10th overall championship and second in three years. Still, it was Cibola that grabbed a lot of the headlines when it upended the Bulldawgs, whose only blemish on their record until the state tournament was a scoreless tie with St. Pius. Defender Jenny Shoba accounted for the game's only goal to send the Cougars against the Class 4-5A rival Matadors. Although Sandia had beaten Cibola twice during district play, the Matadors had to go to a penalty kick shootout to win one of those matches. And once again, they would not decide a winner in regulation in the tournament either. This time, however, it was the Cougars who came up big as Julie Candelaria sent a pass into Natasha Goslow, who lofted one from 25 yards out that found the net in the overtime period. The Bears, meanwhile, got past sixth-seeded Mayfield 3-0, then outlasted second-seeded Northeast Heights foe Eldorado in the semifinals. La Cueva, which twice lost to the Eagles in the regular season, went up quickly, scoring twice in the first 10 minutes on goals by Danielle Schoen and Claire Anderson. Eldorado struck back early in the second half on an Emily Hines free kick, but it could not cash in any of its numerous scoring chances in the final 30 minutes. Although the Bears weren't exactly sharp, they was able to fall back on their long and storied history to take care of the weary Cougars. Three minutes before halftime, La Cueva broke through as a pair of Page 7

8 New Mexico Activities Association 6600 Palomas NE Albuquerque, NM Non-Profit Bulk Mail U.S. Postage PAID Albuquerque, NM Permit No. 367 youngsters teamed up to break the scoreless deadlock. Sophomore Alexis Ball passed it to freshman Jael Fanning just inside the post. And in the first minute after the break, the Bears essentially put the match away on a goal by defender Megan Hoffert. CLASS 4A It was no surprise that the finals were a matchup of long-time rivals and top-seeded teams Albuquerque Academy and the Sartans, who fought to a 2-all tie in their only meeting of the regular season in a game that was called because of darkness. Both squads entered the championship match without having allowed a goal in the tournament, but top-seeded and undefeated St. Pius was coming off an easy 8-0 win over Aztec in the semifinals, while the Chargers had to outlast Los Alamos 1-0 in the seventh consecutive state tournament meeting between Sophomore midfielder, Jordan Azar, helped the Sartans defeat Albuquerque Academy 1-0 for the Class 4A title. Page 8 the schools. Three minutes before halftime, the Chargers got the only goal they would need as Tracy McCausland lifted a corner kick that Maegan Wilber was able to redirect into the net. The Tigers held St. Pius relatively in check in the first half as the Sartans held just a 2-0 lead at the break. But Aztec couldn't hold off the swarming St. Pius attack in the second half. Six different Sartans dented the net, with Grace Rich scoring twice. In the finale, the Sartans (21-0-2) took advantage of a set play a minute into the second half to score the game's only goal. On a long direct kick, Ashlee Coleman set it for a quick kick, catching the Chargers before their wall was completed and the goaltender was distracted in setting up the defense. For Academy, it was the fifth consecutive appearance in the finals, but the Chargers have lost the last two after winning three straight. CLASS 1A-3A Taking advantage of its prowess from the corner, the Sundevils scored more than half of their goals in the tournament off of set plays. That was true for all of the goals that Sandia Prep and St. Michael's scored in the championship match. St. Mike's drew first blood, scoring with under two minutes to go in the first half. Early in the second half, Prep got the equalizer after Ramey Wilson put one up that Maya Higgins headed in. And with 11 minutes remaining, it was Wilson again setting up the score. This time, Wilson's corner pinballed through the box, with shots flying around, including one off the crossbar, before eighth-grader Elena Benavidez put it away. The Sundevils weren't really challenged until the final game, dispatching Ruidoso 6-0 in the opener before putting away Hope Christian 3-0 in the semifinals. St. Mike's blew out Bloomfield 7-0, then handled Santa Fe Prep 1-0. It was the second year in a row that the Horsemen were the runners up. Feb Feb Mar Apr. 1-2 Apr. 9 May 6-7 May 9-10 May May May May Upcoming Events State Wrestling Tournament Class A-AAA (Bernalillo & Johnson Gym-UNM) Class 4A (Belen & Johnson Gym-UNM) Class 5A (Johnson Gym-UNM) State Swimming & Diving Championships Albuquerque Academy Natatorium State Farm Basketball Tournament Albuquerque (Area High Schools and The Pit) State Cheer and Drill Competition The Pit-UNM Spirit Festival The Pit-UNM State Track & Field Championships Class A-AA (UNM Track & Field Complex) State Golf Tournament Class A-AAA (Coyote del Moalpais- Grants) Class 4A (Tierra Del Sol- Belen) Class 5A (TBA) State Tennis Tournament Albuquerque State Track & Field Championships Class 3A-5A (UNM Track & Field Complex) State Softball Tournament Las Cruces Field of Dreams State Baseball Tournament Albuquerque (Championships at Isotopes Park)