Still plenty to decide before playoffs set
One soccer district remains so close it may require coin flip
Before the playoff fields are announced Sunday, some metro-area districts have business to finish this week as prep soccer’s regular season reaches its final week.
Shockingly enough, one of those districts is so close that a coin flip — no joke — may be required to decide first place.
BOYS: While Atrisco Heritage clinched the District 1-5A championship over the weekend, the race for the next couple of spots remains in flux as teams jostle for a possible first-round home game.
La Cueva has District 2-5A in its hands, so long as it beats Piedra Vista and West Mesa this week. If the Bears slip, Eldorado will be in position to claim the top spot. In this district, West Mesa is the wild card, since the competitive Mustangs — who are in third place — meet both La Cueva and Eldorado this week.
■ Albuquerque High is looking this week to close out an undefeated regular season. The Bulldogs (16-0) have already locked up the 5-5A crown, and finish with Manzano and Sandia ahead of the playoff bracket unveiling on Sunday.
In 5A, Mayfield and Hobbs also have clinched district titles.
Albuquerque Academy sits in first place in District 6-4A, but the Chargers (7-1) sill have a meeting this week with second-place Valley (5-1-2) that could have influence over the final league standings.
St. Pius’ 3-1 victory late last week against second-place Los Lunas has secured the District 5-4A championship for the Sartans.
From District 2-1A/3A, Bosque School’s double-overtime win on Friday at Sandia Prep leaves the Bobcats in control entering the final week.
GIRLS: Volcano Vista leads 1-5A, but the Hawks, unbeaten in league play, have a demanding final week ahead. They play third-place Cleveland and, on Saturday, face second-place (and one-loss) Cibola which is just a game behind Volcano Vista.
In 2-5A, La Cueva’s going to need just one win in its final two to clinch first place. The Bears play Piedra Vista — which took the Bears to overtime earlier this month — and West Mesa.
District 5-5A seems likely to go down to the final day, when league leader Albuquerque High, which has a one-game lead on Sandia, plays host to the Matadors on Saturday afternoon.
Centennial’s girls have clinched 3-5A, with Carlsbad poised to do the same this week in 4-5A.
■ By far the tightest district in the state, in either gender, is the District 6-4A race, where Hope Christian and Academy are tied for first with 7-1 records with both having beaten the other by a single goal and having won their other six league games by at least a 5-0 score.
If the Huskies and Chargers both win their two games this week by at least five goals, and if neither surrenders a goal, then a coin flip will determine first and second place. That is the SEVENTH tiebreaker; the private school rivals, so far, are equal in criteria in every other way. St. Pius is already the District 5-4A champ. Sandia Prep can clinch the District 2-1A/3A title on Tuesday when the Sundevils face second-place St. Michael’s in Santa Fe. But Sandia Prep just needs one win in two games this week, so it can afford a loss to the Lady Horsemen.