Pecos’ boys seeded third as they go for a second-straight 3A state championship

Pecos’ boys seeded third as they go for a second-straight 3A state championship, with St. Michael’s getting an 8th seed in 4A, Capital High as a 4th seed in 5A, and Santa Fe High seeded 12th in 6A New Mexico School for the Deaf and Santa Fe Waldorf get invites in Class A as play begins Saturday for the boys

By Arnie Leshin 

It could be a tough task for the Pecos boy’s basketball team trying to reel in a second-straight state 3A championship.

Not that the Panthers aren’t prepared. They are entering the state tournament with a 24-3 record, as the third seed, and with most of last year’s team again in quest of hoisting the blue trophy again.

How difficult will it be? Well, all you have to do is check out the state bracket and see who is seeded ahead of Pecos, the last undefeated team remaining at 26-0, and the second seed Estancia at 26-1, and one of the three teams that defeated the Panthers.

For openers, Pecos will play host to 14th seed Rehoboth Christian (15-11) Saturday. Texico should have no problem with 16th seed Monte del Sol (13-13), and Estancia the same against No. 15 Dulce (12-15). Santa Fe Prep (14-8) is also in the field as the 9th seed and travels to No. 8 Dexter (16-9) for the first round. Monte del Sol made it in for the first time in five years.

The boys will start play Saturday, one day after the girls take the court.

In 4A, St. Michael’s (13-15) made it in as the 8th seed and will be home for the opener versus 9th seed Albuquerque Sandia Prep (13-14), no stranger to the Horsemen as a former district foe.

And for 12th seeded Santa Fe Indian School (13-14), it’s a trip to 5th seeded Taos (17-10), which has won seven in a row, and 13th seeded West Las Vegas (13-14) at 4th seeded Moriarty (18-8).

Not a welcome opener for 14th seed Las Vegas Robertson (12-17), which has to play at defending state champion Albuquerque Hope Christian, the 3rd seed at 19-8 and tough to contain in state tournament play. On top the class is Bernalillo (26-1) and it will be home to 16th seeded Hot Springs (15-13).
Silver (22-4) is the 2 seed and plays host to 15th seed Socorro (12-18).

In 5A, Capital (21-7) is the 4th seed and will be home for the first round against 13th seeded Miyamura (15-13). A familiar Jaguar foe is top-seeded district rival Espanola Valley at 25-1, and who will open at home against 16th seed Valencia (8-19).

Los Lunas (22-5), the second seed, starts out against 15th seed Goddard (12-15). Also from Capital’s 2-5A is 11th seeded Albuquerque Del Norte (11-15), which plays at 6th seeded Roswell (19-8).

In 6A, Santa Fe High (12-15) made it in as the 14th seed and will head for Albuuqeque Atrisco Heritage (22-3), the 3rd seed. The Demons also qualified for state last year as the 16th seed but never got to play when they pulled out because of a problem involving the program.

An interesting opener will find 12th seeded Rio Rancho High (16-12) at 5th seeded Rio Rancho Cleveland (19-9) in a clash of neighbors from 1-6A.

Districts 1 and 2 dominate with five schools each and top-seeded Albuquerque Eldorado (23-2) of district 2 going against 16th seeded Piedra Vista (13-14) in just one of those district match-ups. The 2nd seed is Las Cruces (27-1) of district 1 who will face 15th seed Albuquerque Sandia High (10-16).

In Class A, 5th seeded New Mexico State for the Deaf (20-4) is home against 12th seeded Albuquerque Evangel Christian (12-16) and Santa Fe Waldorf (7-12) made it in as the final seed and travels to top-seeded Melrose, which is 25-1.