GIRLS SOCCER DISTRICT PREVIEW
Classification and alignment might have shaken up the order of things in girls soccer, but there’s been little change in Northern New Mexico. Over the past few years, the usual names pop up come late October/early November (Los Alamos, Taos, St. Michael’s, Santa Fe Prep), but a few other names might creep up the ladder. Here’s a preview of what to expect this season.
CLASS 5A DISTRICT 2-5A
Santa Fe High is no longer the lone Northern participant in the big-school division, as crosstown rival Capital makes the move up to Class 5A as the state returns to the five-classification system. Both will find District 2-5A a tough go, as the three Albuquerque schools (Albuquerque High, Manzano and Rio Grande) have positioned themselves as contenders with good, young nuclei. Haley Ammerman and her team-leading 18 goals return, as does second-leading scorer Cassie Mazulis (six). Capital will have assistant coach Manuel Burgos take over for Luis De La Cruz, who took over the boys program, so he is quite familiar with a team of mostly seniors and juniors.
CLASS 4A DISTRICT 2-4A
Carve this into stone — the Los Alamos Lady Hilltoppers will win this district. It’s a senior-laden group, lead by Alix Hailey and her team-best 23 goals, but Los Alamos returns three of its top four scorers in Hailey, Alissa Haagenstad (15) and Katie Hopkins (10). Their only concern might be in goal, but the back line remains mostly intact. Moriarty and Taos look to be the two challengers, with the Lady Pintos coming off an appearance in the Class 1A/4A (now 1A/3A) quarterfinals and returning the core of their team.
The Lady Tigers, though, might take a step back early on as they try to find appropriate replacements to fill the holes eight graduating seniors left, including leading scorers Cora Cannedy and Isabel Padilla and much of its back line. That will make junior Amiree Olivas’ job in goal (a 2.29 goalsagainst average) tougher.
CLASS 1A/3A DISTRICT 1-1A/3A
Even with the district mashup, Navajo Prep and Rehoboth Christian return the core of their teams back and should battle again for district supremacy. Monte del Sol has to replace its leading goalscorer (Nicolette Perez) and top goalkeeper (Alejandra Castillo), but they have capable replacements in senior Adilene Chacon and Victoria Alarcon.
Academy for Technology and the Classics could make the jump to contender status with strong sophomore and freshmen classes that got a lot of playing time last year. Sophomores Maggie Rittmeyer and Xithlaly Estrada were the Phoenix’s top two scorers, while No. 3 scorer Amberley Garcia is now a freshman.
DISTRICT 2-1A/3A
This is clearly the strongest district in the class, what with three of last year’s semifinalists (Santa Fe Prep, Abq. Sandia Prep, Abq. Bosque School) now in the district. The Blue Griffins likely will not go undefeated into the state tournament like last year, not with junior Hayden Colfax out for the first part of the season with a leg injury. Anna Swanson, a sophomore, returns, but Santa Fe Prep’s hopes will ride on its six seniors, who might not make the splash like Swanson and Colfax, but are indispensable for their teamwork and leadership.
St. Michael’s had a down year, considering its run of six straight semifinal appearances came to an end. The Lady Horsemen have a new head coach in Anthony Cassaro, but return two top scorers in Olivia Farrar and Daisy Smith. The program has struggled with numbers in its program, but if Cassaro can improve that, St. Michael’s could find its way back into the state and district conversation.