Rio West high schools’ girls and boys team capsules
BERNALILLO SPARTANS
Coach: Philippe Mballa-Zambo (1st year) Last season: 2-16-2 Key players: Mia Montano, jr., GK; Kelsey Romero, sr., D; Gabriella Varela, fresh., FW; Avery Suina, jr., D; Abigail Rivas, fresh., MF.
Outlook: New coach MballaZambo has his hands full as he tries to rebuild not just the varsity program but create interest with younger girls who aren’t at the high school yet. “It’s challenging,” he said, “but I’ve always been for the underdog.” He is very high on Montaño, a player he said has Division I talent, and said that Romero is an asset as well on the back line. It will very likely take some time to create a cohesive side in Bernalillo. BOSQUE SCHOOL BOBCATS Coach: Jacob Cortez (4th year)
Last season: 14-6-2; lost to Sandia Prep in 1A-4A quarterfinals
Key players: Genevieve Gray, jr., C-MF; Rhythm Badal, sr., C-MF; Bryanna Bravo, jr., MF; Grace Freed, soph., D; Nikki Taibbi, 8th, D; Hannah Pacheco, fresh., GK.
Outlook: The Bobcats have increased their win total in each of Cortez’s first three seasons, so hopes are high on the West Side. This team has some solid seniors, and added to the blend are some talented underclassmen. Gray was a first-team AllState mention last season, with Badal on the second team. Cortez said he’d be “shocked” if Bosque weren’t in the mix late in the state tournament. Finding go-to scorers (likely from the midfield) is a crucial ingredient for the Bobcats’ well being.
CIBOLA COUGARS Coach: Gary Zink (5th year)
Last season: 17-5; Class 6A state champions
Key players: Lexi Baca, jr., FW/MF; Jasmine Marwan, sr., FW/MF; Emily Avila, jr., MF; Rebekah Carr, sr., GK; Bryana Garcia, jr., D; Megan Carmody, jr., MF.
Outlook: The Cougars return nearly their entire starting lineup as they look to repeat as state champions, although they will have a new goalkeeper, and that girl, Carr, will have many eyes on her this season. Baca was the nmsoccer.com player of the year in 2015, and a firstteam All-State performer, as was Avila. Can Cibola handle the rigors of being the defending champ, a team everyone will be gunning for? That’s a crucial question, but this team looks like it should be there near the end. CLEVELAND STORM Coach: Greg Rusk (5th year)
Last season: 10-8-2; lost to Hobbs in 6A first round
Key players: Ashton Forrest, sr., MF; JoJo Green, sr., D; Kailey Peña, jr., FW; Gabby Garcia, jr., GK; Abbi Rael, sr., FW; Bri Riggs, sr., FW.
Outlook: The Storm has quality and depth and certainly is among the better 6A teams in New Mexico. One thing to notice, Rusk said, is how Cleveland plans to sacrifice a bit on the back line in order to produce more offense. To that end, Peña and Rael give the Storm quick outside players, with Riggs expected to be a goal scorer in front along with junior Corey Kizer, and Forrest and Gabby Gillert facilitating from the midfield. Cleveland has designs on a top-8 seed for the playoffs.
RIO RANCHO RAMS Coach: Uwe Balzis (20th year)
Last season: 11-7-3; lost to Cibola in 6A quarterfinals
Key players: Leilani Baker, sr., FW/MF; Brittney Harris, sr., MF; Cheyenne Orozco, sr., MF; Kayla Montoya, jr., D; Mychele Porter, sr., D/MF; Ashley Gabaldon, jr., D/MF.
Outlook: The Rams have an experienced team with seven starters returning — led by Baker, who was named to 6A’s All-State first team last fall, and second-teamer Orozco, who is starting her fifth season on the Rio Rancho varsity squad. Balzis consistently has one of New Mexico’s best programs, and the Rams certainly expect to be back in the playoffs in November and hoping to make a push.
ST. PIUS SARTANS Coach: David Sullivan, Jr. (2nd year)
Last season: 20-3; Class 5A state champions
Key players: Tatiana Limon, sr., FW; Dominique Giannini, sr., D; Miranda Hart, jr., FW; Victoria Sanchez, sr., D; Makayla Saenz, sr., MF; Carliegh Garcia, jr., MF.
Outlook: The New Mexico State-bound Limon finally reaches her senior season, and the school’s all-time leading goal scorer and point scorer should be in line for another huge year as the Sartans set out to defend their blue trophy. Overall program numbers are down, so St. Pius needs to stay healthy this year — against a grueling schedule, no less. But Sullivan thinks his top 15 are as good as “anyone in the state,” he said. This senior group is 66-7 over the last three years at the varsity level. VALLEY VIKINGS Coach: Ron Worley (1st year) Last season: 11-7 Key players: Alondra Quezada, sr., FW; Marian Means, sr., GK; Hannah Stout, sr., MF/D; Gabby Montoya, fresh., MF; Alejandra Jurado, jr., MF.
Outlook: If Worley’s name looks familiar, it ought to; he used to coach the Viking boys. This team, he said, is a mixture of girls who are both new to the game and new to this program, so Worley, understandably, can’t quite put his finger on the pulse of this team just yet. Valley faces a tough schedule as it hopes to challenge Albuquerque High in District 4, so this rebuild may take a little while. VOLCANO VISTA HAWKS Coach: Samantha Lucero (9th year) Last season: 13-6-1; lost to Eldorado in 6A quarterfinals
Key players: Brianna Martinez, jr., MF; Annie Kolich, sr., MF; Morghan Thomas, sr., D; Hope Sanchez, soph., D; Cierra Ramirez, soph., FW; Jackie (MF) and Lauren Valdez (D), srs.
Outlook: With 14 returning varsity players, led by Martinez, one of New Mexico’s elite players and part of the national soccer program, the Hawks want to get back into at least the state semis this year, a round they failed to reach last season for the first time. It’s a quick, very physical side, according to Lucero, although this team is new in goal. Kolich was a first-team All-Stater last season. Up top, Lucero likes her playmakers. It is possible Bosque transfer Dalis Bruce, a gifted goal scorer, could end up on this team, too. WEST MESA MUSTANGS Coach: Kristal Smith (1st year) Last season: 4-13-1 Key players: Syneca Pyszko, sr., GK/FW; Esperanza Tena, jr., FW; Angelina Espinoza, jr., FW/MF; Amber Arrieta, sr., D; Joanna Vazquez, jr., MF; Annalyssa Gutierrez, jr., D.
Outlook: The Mustangs and new coach Smith do have a couple of versatile players in both Pyszko (who will indeed be found both in net and up top, depending on the day) and Tena, who can play pretty much any position on the pitch except goalkeeper. Overall, it’s a very young team.