SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
Don’t expect the state 5A volleyball championship to be a rematch of last year’s final in the shortened coronavirus pandemic season.
The defending champion Las Cruces Centennial can probably reserve a spot with its 13-1 overall record and only loss 3-1 to Franklin, Tex., in tournament play in the Lone Star State. Centennial is currently No. 1 in 5A where the big schools play. It has coasted along with 11 sweeps and four by 3-1 finals, and has outscored its opponents, 40-5.
But Santa Fe High, which was the runner-up in a title match dominated by the Hawks, is not having a successful campaign like it did last year. The Deamonettes are presently 6-7 overall, have turned up 23 points, given up the same number, and behind 4th-ranked Albuquerque La Cueva (12-1), 7th-ranked Albuquerque Eldorado (10-4) and 8th-ranked Albuquerque Sandia (8-3) in District 5.
It’s a much tougher group than last season’s, but Centennial stands at the top of the heap with 126 points, 15 more than second place Cibola (14-1). Thursday night, Santa Fe High has a non-district match against visiting Los Lunas, ranked 9th overall at 10-4.
In 3A, there’s still two matches remaining versus undefeated No. 1 Robertson (14-0) and second place St. Michael’s (11-2). In recent years, these two played in back-to-back state finals with each winning once against the other. They will meet up on October 14th at the Lady Horsemen’s court, and on Oct. 28th at Las Vegas Robertson’s floor.
The two Lady Horsemen defeats came against non-district opponents St. Pius X, 3-1, and Cibola, 3-0. They have scored 34 points and allowed 10. They play in the Clovis tournament Friday and Saturday. Santa Fe Indian School is 6-6 and ranked fourth in 3A, and plays tonight at 3-6 West Las Vegas in district play. Also in district 2 is Santa Fe Prep, ranked sixth at 6-4 in 3A.
In 4A, Albuquerque Hope Christian is 12-1 and in the top spot. Roswell Goddard is next at 10-3, and then comes Portales at No. 3. Capital, which is 5-6 overall, received one vote under “others.”
Laguna-Acuma, at 12-1, is on top in 2A just ahead of 11-1 Tatum, and in 1A, it’s Melrose, unbeaten in 10 matches, in the top spot, just ahead of runner-up Gateway Christian, which is 11-1.
