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Cindy Roybal is Santa Fe High’s new girl’s head basketball coach

The coaching knowledge of Cindy Roybal lands at 6A Santa Fe High Thursday as its new girl’s head basketball coach after leaving Espanola Valley

New challenge for the long-time coach as she takes over a program heading into its third year versus the big schools

Arnie Leshin

By Arnie Leshin | April 21, 2017

Undecided as to whether she should continue on or whether she should take the next step, Espanola Valley actually answered the question regarding Cindy Roybal’s long and winding road as a basketball coach.

Following three years of success as the Sundevils’ girls head coach, she did a double take when she received a notice back on March 2nd of this year.

It read: Coach Roybal, at this time we are opening all head coaching positions from the fall and winner sports seasons. You are able to reapply for your position at www.k12espanola.org. I tried to reach you via a phone call this morning and understand you are not in a service area. Please call me if you have any questions – Eric Vigil, athletic coordinator, Espanola public schools.

Her response? “Can U believe this??

Before this, she had given much thought on hanging on to the colors of the Sundevils or taking her game elsewhere. She was losing her top four players, all seniors, even her three managers, and maybe it wasn’t worth the stay. Besides, there was the usual politics involved and that wasn’t where she wanted to be.

Her response? “No way I’m staying here, and I’m not old enough to retire, so I’ll look elsewhere.”

And so she wound up applying for the girl’s head coaching vacancy at Santa Fe High. The same position was open cross-town at Capital High, and down Siringo Road at St. Michael’s. Did she apply for those? Probably not, probably hush-hush time, no secrets made known.

At Santa Fe High Thursday morning, Roybal was announced as the new coach of the Demonettes in the Toby Roybal (no relation) Memorial gymnasium.

Note: When not getting invited, you don’t go, and so it meant picking this up from the daily newspaper that was invited. Whew, good for the daily to be so honored.

Getting back to the newest Demonette, Roybal, since returning to coaching in 2008, has made her way from 3A Santa Fe Indian School to 5A Espanola Valley, and now winds up at her first 6A program.

Her record is totally impressive.

With the Braves, she won back-to-back state 3A championships and lost a third on s final-second basket against Lovington. In five years there she went 111-39.

With the Sundevils, she couldn’t get past the semifinals in her three seasons there. Twice she lost to Gallup in that round, and last year was a one-point setback to Los Lunas. She was 71-16 there with practically the same lineup.

With the Demonettes, she has her work cut out for her.

Since they won the state 4A title in 2014 under head coach Elmer Chavez, there’s hasn’t been much to cheer about since being aligned to 6A where the bigger schools play.

After Chavez left in 2015, having gone 71-18 in three seasons, the team has spent its first two years in 6A winning 19 and losing 36. In District I, it was 0-8 in year one, In District II this past season, 4-6. It ended the season as 16th seed in the state tournament and lost 73-27 at top-seed Hobbs.

Prior to Chavez, in Bill Dimas’ six years as head coach, the record was 30-96. Before that, Ron Drake was head coach for the longest time, and he’s not even on the school’s website.

Who’s gone? Well, the seniors were power forwards 5-foot-11 Elena Gonzales and 5-9 Alayna Montoya, along with guard Katelynn Baca. Gonzales was the leading rebounder.

Who’s back? The key member is 5-7 junior all-purpose guard Adonica Baca, probably the team’s best player. Others from the roster are juniors Angelica Tapia, Kaya Suina, Felicity Tafoya, and Kayla Fuentes, sophomores Janaye Leyba, Taylor Salazar, Mari Fernandez, and Little Martinez, and freshman Amber Lucero.

The junior varsity under Josh Garcia went 5-6 (2-2 in district). The freshmen team coached by Estrella Flores, was 4-5 (1-1 in district).

It was said that Roybal met up with some of the players, during a practice that followed the introductory meeting, and they played some 5-on-5 and went through layup drills. It was added that she sees a lot of potential, but also knows there’s plenty of work lying ahead.

Roybal also made note of the fact that she was disappointed with the turnout, and indicated that she will have to take to the hallways to bring in more players.

Once in the same district with the Demonettes when at Espanola, the two did meet last season and the Sundevils won 69-44.

Now she replaces Lanse Carter, who took over the reigns early last season when then head coach Rick Apodoca was placed on administrative leave.

It was reported that Carter had applied, but maybe it was just here-say regarding the former coach who also teaches at the school. It was also reported by one applicant that he/she filled out an application with Human Resources, and if it was not received, the applicant said his/hers phone calls to SFHS weren’t returned.

So Roybal was the last standing and no doubt she welcomes the challenge.

From red and gold, her new colors are blue and (Vegas) gold.

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