SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
A familiar scene, Santa Fe Indian School versus Robertson on the basketball court. The Braves’ boys are 0-2 and the girls 0-3, and today they get together again, the 11th-seeded boys against the 2nd-seeded Cardinals at the Pit in a scheduled 4 o’clockstart, and at the Rio Rancho Events Center it’s the 3rd-seeded girls against top-seeded Robertson in the 3A semifinals.
Indian School would like to cash in this time versus the Cardinals, with the girls at 21-6and the surprising 11th-seeded boys at 11-15, except that the school from Las Vegas has had the upper hand, handily disposing of the Brave boys twice, and three times over the Brave girls, 56-39, 43-38, and 65-40.
Leading up to these pairings again, the Robertson girls have routed Raton, downed Thoreau, and turned back Crownpoint, while Indian School has gotten past Albuquerque Sandia Prep, Socorro and Tohatchi, which was a back-and-forth tussle that ended up 43-41 after 14 lead changes and a dozen ties.
As for the suddenly hot Indian School boys, they opened by defeating 6th-seeded Raton on the road and then 3rd-seeded Albuquerque Sandia Prep in overtime. St. Michael’s is the 4th-seed here and plays in the semis against No.1-seeded Socorro in what is a 7:30 p.m. start also at the Pit. The chill-hot Horsemen have finally made it over .500 at 15-14 and the Warriors are 22-5.
In the boys 2A semifinals, it’s 2nd-seeded Pecos (23-6) meeting up with defending state champion Gallup Rehoboth Christian, which is 23-3. Also in the hunt in the other semis is top-seeded Tularosa (26-2) taking on 5th-seeded Albuquerque Menaul (21-4). In the girls 2A semifinals, it’s No.1-seeded Escalante (22-4) facing 4th-seeded Penasco (20-9), and 2nd-seeded Clayton (20-5) going against 6th-seeded Laguna-Acuma (18-9).
The Panther boys are in quest of a sixth state title after first winning in 1966 and four-straight times from 2017 to 2020. Former head coach Ira Harge, Jr. resigned after hoisting the fourth trophy and at the reigns now is former assistant Arthur Gonzales.
In other boys semifinals today, there’s 5A with (1) unbeaten Las Cruces (30-0) versus 5th-seeded Albuquerque Atrisco Heritage (20-8), and 2nd-seeded, also undefeated Albuquerque Volcano Vista (27-0) against 3rd-seeded Albuquerque La Cueva (24-3)
In 4A boys, the Final Four has No.1-seeded Albuquerque Highland (24-3) playing 4th-seeded Albuquerque St. Pius X (19-8), and 7th-seeded Belen (18-11) taking on 11th-seeded Albuquerque Del Norte (14-14).
In the girls 5A championship game Friday, No.1-seeded and undefeated at 28-0 is Albuquerque Volcano Vista going against 2nd-seeded Hobbs (23-7) after Volcano Vista got past 4th-seeded Farmington, 67-55, and Hobbs survived 3rd-seeded Albuquerque La Cueva, 41-39.
In girls 4A finals Friday, No. 1 Kirtland Central (26-5) lines up against 3rd-seeded Bernalillo (28-1) following the 48-44 win over 4th-seeded Portales, and the Spantans’ 63-59 success over 2nd-seeded Gallup.
