Some St. Pius fans to get into game

Parents of Sartans senior players to be admitted at Española Valley

The St. Pius-Española Valley football game will have fans, after all. But not many. Parents of senior St. Pius players only will be allowed into next Friday’s district contest between the Sartans and the Sundevils, a game that will be played at Española Valley, the New Mexico Activities Association’s board of directors voted Friday.

St. Pius athletic director Jim Cook and two St. Pius parents appealed to the board Friday morning. Those two parents declined to comment after the meeting ended, but others did.

“I think it’s great for the seniors, but it’s not

very fair to St. Pius High School at all,” said Joe Rowe, the parent of Sartans senior Matt Rowe. “It’s nice that we get to be there, but it’s not right all the other parents can’t be there.”

The appeal from the St. Pius parents arose after the NMAA, in conjunction with Española Valley, last week ruled that no fans from either school would be permitted into the game.

The no-fans decision was fallout from the Oct. 5 fight at a game between players from Española Valley and visiting Bernalillo, a fracas in which an unknown number of Española fans became involved.

St. Pius felt it was being unduly penalized as a third party.

“Obviously we’d like all our parents to be there,” St. Pius head coach David Montoya said, “but this is fair.”

It was unknown how officials on site next week will verify the identities of those parents if and when they attempt to enter the facility. The logistics of that, plus security, were still being hashed out. There will not be any Española Valley fans admitted. Of course, not all St. Pius parents were pleased. “You know what? I’m very disappointed,” said Anthony Rivera, whose son Derek is St. Pius’ starting quarterback — and a junior. “Me and my wife have never missed one of Derek’s games. We’re an innocent victim.”

PAVIA DENIED: Volcano Vista athlete Diego Pavia will have only one more chance to gain varsity eligibility for the 2018-19 school year.

The NMAA’s board of directors denied his appeal Friday. It was the second time Pavia, a junior, has lost an appeal with the organization. The transfer from St. Pius continues to be eligible only for JV-level competition. He was one of the state’s top dual-threat quarterbacks last season as a sophomore and was also a state finalist in wrestling.

There is one last avenue for Pavia, if the family so chooses: a direct appeal to the Public Education Department.

He was first ruled ineligible in August by the NMAA, which has declined to comment directly on Pavia’s case.