Soccer takes signing spotlight
Lobo men garner local prep talent
With the metro area’s top two football recruits already locked in, February’s signing period pivots today — with a heavy dose of soccer.
Dozens of soccer and football players across the state, including a large number of metroarea athletes, will sign their national letters of intent in those two sports today.
While there are several girls — Volcano Vista’s Bri Martinez (Notre Dame), St. Pius’ Miranda Hart (Michigan State) and La Cueva’s Kat Robinson (Pittsburgh) — who are straying far from home for college, the dominant story thread this year is the men’s program at the University of New Mexico.
The Lobos are getting letters of intent from no fewer than five Albuquerque products as this signing period commences.
That includes two of the city’s premier scorers — Albuquerque High’s Carlos Gutierrez and St. Pius’ Julian Garcia — plus La Cueva standout goalkeeper Anthony Muñoz, who committed to the Lobos on Monday afternoon.
“I grew up watching college soccer here. Being able to play here is a dream come true,” AHS’ Gutierrez said last week. He scored the game-winning goal in the Class 6A state final last season against La Cueva.
Albuquerque Academy for-
ward Nick Williams and Volcano Vista midfielder Larsen Rogers also are signing with Lobo coach Jeremy Fishbein. Williams and Garcia, despite being part of what might be the state’s best pure boys soccer rivalry, are friends and are signing together this afternoon. The plan is to wear their school shirts, then peel them off together to reveal Lobo shirts after they’ve signed, Williams said.
“It’s an exciting time for all of us to play together,” said Rogers.
At one time, Williams, Rogers, Gutierrez and Muñoz were club teammates. “It’s a pretty good class this year in the city of Albuquerque,” Williams said. “I think it’s pretty cool.”
Rogers, who likely will play defense for the Lobos, won’t join UNM until the 2020 season, as he plans a two-year religious mission to Madrid, Spain. He leaves in less than two weeks.
“It is a decision I made when I was very young, and ever since then I’ve worked hard to prepare for this mission, and I know this is the right thing to do. Whatever comes afterward, this comes first,” Rogers said. While he said he will have some opportunities to be around the sport, there will not be much practicing or games for him while he is in Europe.
Another AHS standout, Luca Seazzu, is signing with Air Force, where his older brother Andrea is currently a stellar goalkeeper for the Falcons.
UNM women’s coach Heather Dyche will score big today, too.
The Lobos are adding the dynamic scoring duo of Cibola’s Lexi Baca and La Cueva’s Karlee Maes to their stable of talent as well as AHS’ MacKenna Havenor. Those three have extensive time as club teammates.
Cleveland’s girls soccer program has four D-I signees slated today: Chloe Galler, Analise Pacheco and Corey Kizer are signing with New Mexico State, and Kailey Peña with Grambling.
Cibola’s Kayla Martinez also is going D-I, with Texas Southern. But the girls list is topped by Volcano Vista’s Martinez, a member of the U18 women’s national team who has extensive international experience. St. Pius’ Hart, a forward, also wants to explore beyond New Mexico’s borders.
“I wanted to go out of state, and I pushed myself for change,” Hart said. “Change is always good.”
While San Diego State (Jordan Byrd, Keshawn Banks) is the highest-profile school that’s been involved in terms of signings — Rio Rancho’s Banks and Manzano’s Byrd signed in the NCAA’s new early period, on Dec. 20 — the Aztecs are not the most popular choice among New Mexicans.
That distinction belongs, again, to Eastern New Mexico. This year’s list is headed by Las Cruces High’s doit-all Brandon Baeza.
Closer to home, the ENMU signing roster includes La Cueva linebacker Derek Loidolt, Del Norte guard Chase Latimore, Manzano outside linebacker Noah Baca, Sandia running back D.J. Hayden and Rio Rancho defensive linemen Santiago Zapien and Kedrick Grandberry.
Oñate’s Monroe Young will sign today with California. Rio Rancho offensive lineman Evan Tafoya-Vallo is signing with New Mexico State.