Cibola’s Baca seeks third title
High-scoring Cougars standout called “ferociously single-minded”
It’s probably just as well that Lexi Baca’s résumé speaks so distinctly about her soccer career, because self promotion isn’t exactly in the DNA of the Cibola High soccer standout.
“When she really tries hard,” said Baca’s club teammate, La Cueva forward Karlee Maes, “she’s unstoppable. And she’s a great person. She’s not one to brag about anything.”
She doesn’t have to, nor does she necessarily want to. It’s better to let Baca’s myriad contributions to the Cibola program explain.
Her list of accolades seem almost an embarrassment of riches. Baca is the two-time reigning Class 6A player of the year, and a two-time, first-team All-State selection. Baca was named state’s Gatorade Player of the Year last fall. And, most recently, she was chosen to participate at the High School All-American Game in Orlando, Fla., the first Saturday in December.
“That is a big one,” Baca said. And soon, she will sign a national letter of intent to play for the University of New Mexico.
“You know,” said Albuquerque High senior forward MacKenna Havenor, another teammate of Baca inside the Rio Rapids Soccer Club, “she’s just one of those players. It’s a natural talent for her. When she beats you, you can’t even get mad or upset. She’s just that good.”
Cibola tonight begins its quest for a third consecutive state championship.
Baca — friendly, unassuming and bordering on painfully shy — leads Cibola with 19 goals and has been largely out front in Cibola’s last two playoff runs. Baca, Maes and Havenor are not only club teammates and close friends, but they’ll all be signing with UNM.
Maes’ La Cueva Bears are the No. 1 seed. Havenor and AHS are seeded No. 7.
“We’re all so excited,” said Maes. “We all just went on our official visit together and we’re really pumped.
Baca’s Cougars have the 5 seed, and will face Rio Rancho at 6:30 p.m. today in the first round at the APS Complex.
“She’s been wonderful for our program,” said Cibola coach Gary Zink. “I watch her play, and watch her approach to the game, and what the situation is, and she’s just very casual. No knee-jerk reactions, everything with her is very well thought out and calculated. She is very composed, and (to do) that you have to be a confident kid. And that’s her.”
It was a gradual absorption into soccer for Baca, whose father coached her in youth basketball. But soccer, she learned, was her true calling.
“I don’t know what it was,” said Baca, who lives in the Volcano Vista district but made her open enrollment choice at Cibola, where her two older brothers went to school. “I enjoyed playing soccer more, and wanted to focus more on that.”
Focus is one way to put it. Teammates and coaches describe Baca as ferociously single-minded about soccer, and a tireless worker.
“Doing more than is required,” is how Baca explained her passion. “I’ve always tried to push myself to do the extra, and that’s helped me in the long run.”
Cibola was in the state semifinals three years ago before winning state the last two seasons.
Baca and two other Cougars have been together for four seasons; Cibola reached the state semifinals when they were freshmen.
Technically, say Maes and Havenor, Baca is a nightmare for a back line.
“She’s good on the ball and very good at making runs,” said Maes, who has played club with Baca for nearly six years. “She’s got natural talent.”
“Really good on the ball,” Havenor said. “The ball just kind of sticks to her boots. And she’s extremely fast.”
While Baca prefers not to talk much in detail about the awards she’s received, she will concede they have served a definite purpose.
“When I started getting those accolades, I realized that I wanted to keep improving and go farther,” she said. She committed to the Lobos in April 2016, the spring of her sophomore school year.
“I am very excited to be a Lobo,” Baca said, adding that Lobo coach Heather Dyche once coached her at the club level.
Baca is fortunate, insomuch as her legacy being secure. There are no more team goals or individual goals she could achieve that she hasn’t already. But, it has been 22 years since a large-division girls team has won three state titles in a row. La Cueva won or shared seven straight titles from 1989-95.
“We could,” Baca said, “kind of make history. That’s something we’re all carrying with us.”
But either way, Baca will be remembered as one of her school’s most decorated female athletes.
“It’s been a great experience,” she said. “I’ve been blessed with great teammates and coaches all four years, and they have pushed me to be the player I am.”