Full strength
Finally healthy, Cleveland’s volleyball team sweeps Sandia during a busy week in sports
Aside from a hiccup against Eldorado, the first half of the Volcano Vista High School football season has been a dominant one.
The Hawks on Thursday night unleashed a stellar run defense to keep a veteran Atrisco Heritage offense in check, and Volcano Vista beat the Jaguars 31-7 at Nusenda Community Stadium.
Volcano Vista (4-1) limited that Atrisco Heritage ground game to just 124 yards, and this is an offense that had 10 starters returning.
But the Jaguars — one-dimensional for most of the game, until they were forced to open it up in the fourth quarter — inflicted little damage against a Hawks defense that stacked the box with eight and nine players and held Angel Ramirez of Atrisco Heritage to just 86 yards rushing.
Ramirez had been well over 200 yards in each of the Jaguars’ first three games. Atrisco Heritage managed about 2½ yards a carry in the contest. And Volcano Vista forced a Ramirez fumble that turned into six points.
That Volcano Vista defense scored a touchdown for the fourth time this season. Fernando Hernandez had two touchdowns, one on a fumble return and the other an 80-yard reception from quarterback Austin Blaisure.
Blaisure threw for 209 yards and also ran for two scores.
The Hawks close out their nondistrict next week against Highland before opening District 1-6A action in two weeks against Rio Rancho. Until Atrisco Heritage scored early in the fourth quarter, the Volcano Vista defense had registered seven consecutive shutout quarters of football.
Also Thursday, Cibola fell to 0-5, losing 24-7 to Sandia at Wilson Stadium. The Cougars’ lone score was a 2-yard run by Michael Sagato that cut the deficit to 17-7 at the time.
THIS WEEK: The remaining Rio West programs were playing late Friday or play today.
That includes the Rams, who visit Manzano at 1 this afternoon at Wilson Stadium in arguably the most anticipated regularseason game this year in New Mexico. Both are 4-0.
Late Friday, Cleveland played host to Artesia (see today’s main Journal sports section for a game story), Valley met Eldorado, West Mesa took on Piedra Vista, St. Pius was at Lovington and Bernalillo welcomed Robertson.
LAST WEEK: Cleveland rolled Centennial 42-14 on Friday night. Also Friday, Cibola squandered a 20-0 lead and fell 21-20 on the road to Carlsbad; Volcano Vista, also traveling, shut out Mayfield 29-0 with Moses Young scoring four touchdowns; and Bloomfield blanked visiting Bernalillo 49-0.
On Saturday, Las Cruces routed Valley 49-7, St. Pius destroyed Alamogordo 54-13 as quarterback Diego Pavia accounted for seven touchdowns — five passing, two rushing — and Rio Rancho shredded Oñate 52-7. Rams QB Logan Bruere threw for 297 yards and five TDs in the victory.
WEEK 6: Looking ahead, Cleveland helps get the week started with a Thursday nighter at Community Stadium against Atrisco Heritage. Also Thursday, St. Pius plays host to Miyamura in a 6 p.m. kickoff at Wilson Stadium that pairs playoff teams from last year.
Cross Country
Jericho Cleveland of Volcano Vista won the Albuquerque Academy Invitational on Friday afternoon, leading the Hawks to a team victory as well. Volcano Vista edged Cleveland by six points in the team standings.
Also finishing in the top 10 individually were Yonas Haile of Cleveland (third), Ivan Pineda-Dominguez of Volcano Vista (fifth) and David Apodaca of the Storm (seventh).
St. Pius senior Jacque Piñon won the girls race. From the Rio West area, also in the top 10 were Brittney Lovato of Cleveland in fifth and Isabella Schrader of Volcano Vista in 10th place.
The top area team was Cleveland, in fifth place. Volcano Vista was next.
Cibola is hosting its meet this morning; Valley also is in the field.
Last weekend, Cleveland hosted its annual meet. The Storm boys and Eldorado girls were team champions.
Cleveland scored 62 points in the boys race, 14 lower than runner-up Rio Rancho. Volcano Vista finished fifth, Cibola sixth and Valley 11th.
The Hawks’ Cleveland was the individual champion, winning in 15 minutes, 41 seconds. Cleveland’s Apodaca was second, and Haile finished third. The top five was rounded out with Pineda-Dominguez and Lucas Ortiz of Rio Rancho.
Eldorado’s girls scored 50 points. Rio Rancho and Cleveland were second and third, respectively. Volcano Vista was fifth and Cibola ninth.
Storm senior Amanda Mayoral won the race, in 18:11. The Rams had three runners in the top five: Reina Paredes in third, Sierra Delaware in fourth and Andi Almodovar in fifth.
Soccer
The big development this week was Cibola’s girls handing Cleveland its first loss of the season, 1-0 on Thursday on Sasha Medina’s 33rd-minute goal and a standout showing in net by Jade Sackett. The Storm had started the year 11-0. It was also a District 1-6A opener.
Volcano Vista’s girls opened 1-6A with a 1-0 victory Thursday over Rio Rancho. Brianna Martinez, who recently returned from China with the U18 national team, had the lone goal, in the 46th minute.
Also Thursday, St. Pius’ Miranda Hart tallied four goals in an 8-0 victory over Valencia. The Sartans’ Hannah Irons recorded four goals on Tuesday of this week, a 10-0 shutout of Grants.
BOYS: Rio Rancho and Cleveland earned 1-6A opening victories Thursday. The Rams dominated Volcano Vista 3-0, while the Storm edged Cibola 3-2 in overtime. Gabriel Legendre had the game-winner for Cleveland in the 98th minute. Matt Berlint had a pair of goals for the Cougars in the loss.
Volleyball
Cleveland, ranked fourth in the Class 6A coaches poll, had one of the best wins of the week, sweeping No. 3 Sandia on Tuesday night as the Storm was at full strength for the first time this season.
Also Tuesday, St. Pius beat Albuquerque Academy 3-1 and Rio Rancho swept Miyamura. Bosque lost its first match of the year, in three sets to Hope Christian.
Eighth-ranked Rio Rancho, Cleveland, No. 9 Cibola and No. 6 Volcano Vista all will begin District 1-6A action next week.
West Mesa and Valley from 4-6A also begin league play, starting Tuesday.