Volleyball district tournaments will get underway Monday, but St. Michael’s, second in the state rankings, will first be home to Santa Fe Indian School in a district make-up match Saturday

By Arnie Leshin 

It’s state volleyball time, and only St. Michael’s and Santa Fe Indian School have to complete their district standings when they play their 2-3A match at the Lady Horsemen Saturday afternoon.

Otherwise, the standings currently have Robertson, which split its two

matches with St. Michael’s currently in first place, but if the Lady Horsemen

turn back the Braves, they would play a playoff against the Cardinals on a

netrual site Monday. Overall, St. Michael’s is 17-2 and 8-1 in district.

Robertson holds down the top spot at 9-1 and is 14-6 overall.

The rest of the district standings have Indian School (15-4, 7-3) in third

place, Santa Fe Prep (7-13, 4-6) in fourth, Raton (8-12, 2-8) next, and West Las Vegas (1-18, 0-10) in the cellar. Monday night, the Dons begin tournament play at Raton. The winner there will hit the road to take on the Griffins, and the Braves await the survivor in the semis.

LThe first place team will play host for the finals, and the runner-up will do the same in the semifinals.

Visiting Los Alamos (12-8, 7-1) caused a stir in 2-4A by turning back Pojoaque Valley in four sets Thursday night to beat out the Elkettes (17-3, 6-2) for first place, which makes the Hilltoppers the host for the finals and Pojoaque hosting the semis.

Finishing in third place is Espanola Valley (14-6, 5-3), next comes Moriarty (8-12, 2-6), and last is Taos at 7-13, 0-8), so the Tigers will play at the Sundevils Monday night. That winner plays at Pojoaque and the semis winner heads for Los Alamos.

In 5-5A, Santa Fe High (13-6, 8-2) took the runner-up spot and will play host for the semifinals. The Demonettes warmed up by sweeping last place Albuquerque Rio Grande (2-10, 0-10). Albuquerque Sandia (15-2, 9-0) finished first and will host the finals.

Taking third place is Albuquerque Manzano (12-6, 6-4), with Capital next at 7-13, 4-6), and then comes Albuquerque High (8-9, 2-7) and Rio Grande. The first round will find Rio Grande at the Bulldogs, with the winner going on to play Capital in the quarters, and that survivor playing at Manzano.

And Santa Fe High will be home at Toby Roybal gymnasium for the semis, with Sandia awaiting the victor.