SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
In St. Michael’s Round Robin boy’s tournament tonight, Santa Fe Indian School plays Silver at 5:30 and the hostHorsemen follow against Portales
By Arnie Leshin
After 16 straight victories, the Bernalillo boys are no longer on the undefeated basketball list.
Thursday night’s 61-54 defeat at 5A Belen for the 4A Spartans left only 2A, 3A, 5A and 6A schools on the unblemished charts. They are Las Cruces (16-0) in 6A, Espanola Valley (15-0) in 5A, Estancia (10-0) and Texico (16-0) in 3A, and Magdalena (13-0) in 2A.
Not only are the Las Cruces boys number one among the big schools, but so are the Bulldawg girls, also at 16-0. Both are looking to take one more step after losing in last year’s state tournament.
Only 5A is missing an unbeaten girl’s team, with Los Lunas’ 14-1 mark on top the class after rolling over Albuquerque Valley, 76-34, Thursday night.
But in 2A, Mescalero Apache is at 14-0, in 3A, there’s Tucumcari at 16-0, in 4A, Moriarty at 16-0, and in 6A, only Las Cruces remains.
Mescalero Apache is coached by Elmer Chavez, who also took over as the school’s athletic director after coaching Santa Fe High to the state 4A title in 2012. He’s got the Chiefs on a mission to finally win the state championship.
But only the Bulldawgs can boast of having both their varsity teams without a loss. But it won’t be easy for either in District 3 that is comprised of Hobbs, Carlsbad, Piedra Vista, and Albuquerque Cibola and West Mesa. Last season, Hobbs, Carlsbad and West Mesa were among the best girls programs in the state.
The Bulldawg girls have had one close game, the 48-44 win at Hobbs. The boys have had three, the 43-39 triumph over 4A Los Lunas, the 57-55 squeaker over Volcano Vista, and the 68-64 win over Rio Rancho Cleveland.
In 4A girls, Pojoaque Valley is right up there at 12-1 following a 51-25 rout of Albuquerque Bosque School (6-6) Thursday night, as is Las Vegas Robertson at 12-3. In 3A, Ron Drake’s Pecos girls stand at 10-3 and on a four-game win streak after rolling past Monte del Sol (1-9) by a 72-13 score.
On the boy’s side, in 5A Capital High is close behind district rival Espanola and Los Lunas, which nipped Albuquerque Valley, 41-40, Thursday night. In 3A, Tucumcari hasn’t lost, but the reigning state champion, Pecos, is at 12-2 and the biggest threat.
In other boy’s results, Pojoaque turned back visiting Bosque School, 45-34, Taos won over Shiprock, 56-53, West Las Vegas downed Socorro, 69-54, Santa Fe Prep was a 59-49 winner over Rehoboth, Manzano taking out Highland, 72-63, and Rio Rancho topping Rio Grande, 80-58.
And in day one of the Horsemen Round Robin at St. Michael’s, Portales gained a 64-60 overtime win over Indian School, and the host Horsemen fell to Silver, 58-30. Day two tonight has Indian School meeting up with Silver in the 5:30 opener and St. Michael’s following against Portales.
In Saturday’s final day, it will be Portales facing Silver in game one and the Horsemen winding up against the Braves.
At Capital, cross town rival Santa Fe High made a visit and left with a surprising 57-52 win. In a girl’s game, the Jaguars lost this one, 51-47, at Albuquerque Manzano.
Also among the girls, Pojoaque turned back visiting Bosque School, 51-25, Robertson disposed of visiting Santa Fe Indian School, 65-42, and Cibola won a tight one over Eldorado, 45-41.
