Boys soccer

What happened: Next to East Mountain’s bandbox of a field, Robertson’s bumpy grass pitch might be the most challenging for opposing teams. Prep head coach Hersch Wilson said his team had to be more combative with the Cardinals and fight for 50-50-balls caused by awkward bounces. Still, Prep led 2-0 at the half of a District 2 1A-3A match. “We had to learn to adjust and be patient,” Wilson said. “We had to try to pass to feet and realize a lot of balls were going to bounce and we’re going to lose a lot of the 50-50s because of that.”

Top players: Yuto Oketani had two goals for Prep, while Fischer Hirsch scored his first goal of the season.

What’s next: Prep (10-2-1 overall, 3-0 in 2 1A-3A) ends its regular season Wednesday against St. Michael’s. A win secures the Blue Griffins the outright district title and a top-two seed for the Class 1A-3A State Tournament.

What happened: The Demons kept right on rolling, winning their ninth straight match in a District 5-5A tilt in Los Lunas. Santa Fe High, normally accustomed to the true bounces and fast turf surface at home, had to adapt to the tall grass that slowed play down considerably. The Tigers also were plenty game to make the Demons earn every goal. “They were a scrappy team,” Santa Fe High head coach Chris Eadie said. “We finally started clicking toward the end of the first half and still got plenty of time for our reserves.”

Top players: Demons junior Alex Waggoner took the lead as the top goal-scorer in the state with four goals to give him 54 on the season. Mike Wissman had a goal and five assists, while Henry Mazulis chipped in with a pair of goals.

What’s next: Santa Fe High (14-1 overall, 7-0 in 5-5A) entertains Albuquerque Manzano on Saturday at home.