Demons football will compete for district
The prep season is over. All hail the new prep season! Yes, the 2017-18 school year is shutting down, but sometimes you can’t help but look forward — just for a little motivation to get us through the summer.
Speaking of which, teams are already starting to gear up for the fall! Already! Some football programs are already starting up their summer workouts, and we’ve already had a summer basketball camp at UNM. If it seems like the high school season never ends — well, it never does.
So we might as well whet some appetites about what to expect for the fall season that will start in August (because, football). Here are some bold predictions:
Santa Fe High will end its football losing streak, and compete for a district title. Wait, what? Yes, the Demons are in the midst of a 33-game losing streak, which is actually the second-longest streak in the state (Sorry, Rio Grande and its 38-game skid). But they will benefit from dropping down to 5A, and dropping into a district with Capital, Los Alamos and Del Norte.
The last time Santa Fe High did this (2010), it was in the midst of a 12-game losing streak that grew to 14. However, the Demons went 5-3 the rest of the season and went into the next-to-last week with a shot at forcing a three-way tie for first place in then 2-4A. Expect a similar bump.
Capital will compete for a District 2-5A boys soccer title. That sounds like it’s not a bold statement, given the Jaguars’ success over the past eight years in 5A (now 4A). But they find themselves in a district with Albuquerque High, which has won two of the last three 6A titles, and Albuquerque Sandia, which finished second in 2-6A. Still, Capital has shown it can compete against the best in 5A, and it should compete fairly well in the highest classification in the state (also 5A now).
Las Vegas Robertson will be the volleyball favorite in 3A, and St. Michael’s will be hot on its heels. Albuquerque Sandia Prep’s reign of dominance isn’t necessarily over, but the Lady Sundevils lost their three best hitters and their setter. They will still be good, but the Lady Cardinals have all the pieces back to take that next step after back-to-back runner-up finishes. Alianza Darley should be the go-to hitter to replace Brandelyn Fulgenzi, while Tessa Ortiz plus sisters Jazmyne and Jayden Jenkins make for a pair of strong hitters.
St. Michael’s, though, will be a seniordominant group, with hitters Mikayla Bohlman and Joelyn Fernandez and setter Miquela Martinez. The Lady Horsemen also have sophomore Lilly Barker, a 6-foot middle hitter who can be a dominant force.
Pecos will bring home two cross-country championships. Peñasco, the hammer has been thrown. The two-time state champion has last year’s 3A runner-up (Pecos) and the third-place team (Academy for Technology and the Classcis) to push its runners. The three programs have all of their runners back from last year, but Pecos’ runners, on average, had better times at state.
The good news is the blue trophy will stay with the Lady Panthers — just from a different school.