Seedings announced; Monte del Sol back for first time in a decade

The madness in the home of Alfredo Lujan began with a scream. It ended up scaring off the family dog. Lujan, the head boy basketball coach at Monte del Sol, and his family sat by the computer screen waiting for the unveiling of the Class 3A bracket for the state basketball tournament, but it was his wife who saw the Dragons’ name first — the 16th and final seed in the bracket — and let out a scream. It was followed moments later by another scream from his son Peter Lujan, a junior guard on the team.

As the family celebrated the moment, the lone casualty was the dog.

“It was too much [screaming], and it made the dog sick,” coach Lujan said.

It was a price well worth paying to give the Dragons their first appearance in the state tournament since 2008. Of course, history would repeat itself, as their opening-round opponent Saturday is Texico, which beat the Dragons, 64-61, in a 2A quarterfinal in the program’s last state tournament game before Sunday’s announcement. The Wolverines are 26-0 and the top seed in 3A.

The higher seed in all six classes get home games for the first round, which begins Friday for the girls and Saturday for the boys. Winners advance to Albuquerque, Rio Rancho or Bernalillo for the quarterfinal rounds the following week.

Monte del Sol was on the bubble after losing its last six games and finishing tied with Dulce for last place in District 2-3A. Fortunately for the Dragons, all four district teams earned spots, with the Hawks getting the 15th seed, McCurdy No. 10 and Santa Fe Prep at No. 9. Alfredo Lujan said the team continued to practice through the week, as

he played a hunch.

“I was comparing us to other schools, and I thought our chances were pretty good,” coach Lujan said. “I knew we were going to play Texico, Pecos or Estancia [the top three seeds], but I thought we could still get in.”

Enrique Otero felt much the same way. The head boys coach at Santa Fe Waldorf saw his team in the exact same predicament — needing every other team in 1-1A to earn a spot in order for the Wolves, losers of seven of their last eight games, to have a shot.

It happened, as district champion New Mexico School for the Deaf grabbed the fifth seed, Evangel Christian was No. 12, Coronado 14th and Walatowa 15th. Waldorf slotted into the 16th spot, and will face No. 1 Melrose on Saturday.

Otero called it a reward for the Wolves enduring a trying season. In a school of about 40 students, Waldorf had just seven players on the roster. One player only saw a few minutes before a knee injury ended his career, another transferred to Colorado in January and another was dismissed from the team.

Waldorf even had to forfeit a game because the three eighthgraders on the varsity roster were committed to play in a middle school tournament.

We’ve had to overcome many mountains,” Otero said. “Just by luck, being such a small school, every player accounts for a lot, and, for different reasons, we lost players.”

While those two schools ended up surviving by the skin of their teeth, there were few surprises for Northern schools.

On the boys side, Santa Fe High ended up with the 14th seed in 6A, and will face Albuquerque Atrisco Heritage Academy in the opening round. It was the second straight year the Demons reached the postseason — a feat that hadn’t happened since 1989-90.

“I feel like we’re playing some of our best basketball,” Santa Fe High head coach Zack Cole said. “I always felt like we were win, but it’s never comfortable to not know your fate.”

Española Valley, at 25-1, was the top seed in the 5A bracket, while Capital managed the fourth seed. The Sundevils will entertain No. 16 Valencia, while the Jaguars play host to No. 13 Miyamura.

In 4A, Taos earned the fifth seed and will take on No. 12 Santa Fe Indian School, which lost to Bernalillo in the 5-4A championship game to boost its seeding. The two teams played on Nov. 28, with the Tigers winning 71-66. St. Michael’s was the only other 4A team to earn a home game, getting the eighth seed and playing No. 9 Albuquerque Sandia Prep. West Las Vegas heads to Moriarty for a 4-13 matchup, and No. 14 Las Vegas Robertson travels to third-seeded Albuquerque Hope Christian.

Pecos, the defending 3A champion, is No. 3 and gets No. 14 Rehoboth Christian.

Mora grabbed the fourth seed and gets a game against No. 13 Alamo Navajo, while Escalante is 10th and takes on No. 7 Tatum. Mesa Vista squeaked in at No. 15, and heads to No. 2 Fort Sumner/ House.

On the girls side, Capital grabbed the 14th seed and will head to third-seeded Gallup as the program reached the state tournament for the first time in eight years. Lady Jaguars head coach Darren Casados was hoping for a higher seed, even though the team’s Freeman ranking sat at 16th for the past week.

“We finished second in the district and we got to the district championship game,” Casados said. “Hopefully, we can get a good week of practice and give Gallup all that we can on Friday.”

As expected, Las Vegas Robertson earned the second seed in 4A and will take on 2-4a rival Taos, the 15th seed. St. Michael’s heads to Shiprock after earning the 13th seed, while West Las Vegas plays Albuquerque Hope Christian in an 8-9 matchup.

Pojoaque Valley was the seventh seed, and will take on No. 10 Cobre in a rematch of the opening round of the Lady Horsemen Christmas Tournament that the Elkettes won 66-44. SFIS is No. 6 and take on No. 11 Socorro.

Pecos will face 3-3A foe Tierra Encantada for the fourth time this season in an 8-9 matchup in 3A, while McCurdy is No. 11 and will play Tularosa. Peñasco also gets a district rematch, as the No. 3 seed takes on No. 14 Questa. Escalante is No. 15 and plays No. 2 Mescalero Apache, coached by former Santa Fe High head coach Elmer Chavez.

Coronado was the lone 1A survivor, getting the fifth seed and playing No. 12 Vaughn.

Game times will be determined at a later date.