Metro area final could mark a shift in power in football
Almost by accident, you’d have assumed it would happen sooner.
But here we are, just five days away from a game that I would describe as one of the most significant prep events ever contested — in any high school sport — in the Albuquerque metro area.
Yes, two local football teams playing each other for a state championship is that momentous.
“It’s definitely cool to make history,” said Cleveland lineman Henry Hattis. “I’m glad we have the opportunity.”
You don’t necessarily have to buy into my hyperbole here. The record books — and common sense — speak volumes.
In the 65 years since the New Mexico Activities Association began documenting champions on its website, a whole host of schools from Albuquerque or Rio Rancho have played for a state championship in the largest division. That list includes Albuquerque High, Del Norte, Eldorado, Sandia, Rio Rancho, Highland, La Cueva, Cleveland, Manzano — and West Mesa once, too.
But never more than one of them on the same day.
To our east, to our southeast, to our south, especially to our south, we find the schools and programs that have for decades ruled the roost. We have, in a manner of speaking, been captives to their superiority, with mass frustration at the inability to close the gap and create some equality.
I’m not sure the paradigm has shifted permanently — in fact, it’s better if it doesn’t — but the times, they are a changin’.
Eldorado and Cleveland are the first pair of metro schools to square off for a state football championship. Kickoff is 1 p.m. Saturday in Rio Rancho.
Run the numbers
Compared to other major sports, an all-Albuquerque, or all-Metro, football final is extremely rare.
Since 1969-70, when the state added a Class 4A division, then the biggest, we’ve witnessed 17 such finals in boys basketball. The number is 13 in girls basketball since 1977.
Since 1980, there have been 13 in baseball and six in softball.
In boys soccer, 21 since 1981. In girls soccer, 25 since 1981. In volleyball, 15 since 1973.
And yet, we have watched, year after year, as Mayfield and Clovis and Roswell and Las Cruces and Goddard hogged the limelight in football and mostly stomped our local hopefuls into the grass.
While we rightly celebrate this northern exposure this week, remember, since 1969, there have been 23 large division state finals that featured two non-ABQ/metro schools. One year won’t change that math.
However, I would argue that the tides are shifting, even if the signs have been subtle.
Think about this: since 2008, the metro area has sent six different schools into a final, and we’ve had at least one local representative, with one exception (2013), each December since 2008. That qualifies as true prosperity, compared to previous generations.
Although, since 1989 (Highland), the only program from Albuquerque Public Schools to win a championship is La Cueva, which has done it four times. More recently, we had Cleveland in 2011 and Rio Rancho last year.
Earning respect
In the 10 big-school finals from 1970-79, of the 20 combined finalists, eight were from Albuquerque. In the 1980s, when Clovis had a dynasty and Jim Bradley was making Roswell a power, the number dwindled to three. It was four each in the 1990s and 2000s.
But already, from 20102015, we already have had six metro teams playing for a blue trophy.
Cleveland assistant coach Eddie Kilmer, who spent a quarter century coaching with Eric Roanhaus in Clovis, relayed the following on-point anecdote.
“Coach Bradley would play those Albuquerque people any day of the week,” Kilmer said.
Unspoken in that quote is this message: Bradley, and probably some of his peers, had little fear about Albuquerque usurping their power on a long-term basis.
Now, if ClevelandEldorado marks the beginning of a stretch where the metro area dominates with same-year finalists over a five-year period, we can hit the reset button on this discussion.
For now, let’s just enjoy this state championship game, which, by the way, is absolutely no accident.