Mayfield’s Saterfield highlights Armijo tourney
Trojans open today against Manzano at Academy
Southern Mississippi signee Jorell Saterfield of Mayfield is the individual headliner this week at the Joe Armijo Classic at Albuquerque Academy.
Saterfield, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard, and the Trojans play Manzano at 3 p.m. today in the first round of the Armijo, a dual basketball event for boys and girls.
Hope Christian and Clovis are the first boys game, at 11:30 a.m. The Huskies are 0-2 to start the year, while the Wildcats are 2-1.
Eldorado takes on Oñate at 1:15 p.m., followed by Saterfield — who has a 50-point game this season against Hobbs — and the Trojans against Manzano. The host Chargers meet Goddard at 4:45 p.m.
The semifinals are 6:30 and 8:15 p.m. Friday, and the final is 8:15 p.m. Saturday.
The girls event lost a team at the last minute. Academy tried to find a one-team replacement, but could not, so instead it added three schools — Artesia, Gallup and Farmington — that will play one game apiece.
Today’s opening day schedule: Hope ChristianLa Cueva at 8 a.m., Cleveland-Oñate at 9:45, Academy-Artesia at 6:30 p.m. and Mayfield-Manzano at 8:15. On Friday, it’s Manzano-Cleveland at 11:30 a.m., Academy-Oñate at 1:15, La Cueva-Mayfield at 3 and Gallup-Hope at 4:45. On Saturday, Academy plays Manzano at 8 a.m., Oñate meets La Cueva at 11:30, Mayfield takes on Hope at 3 p.m., and Cleveland faces Farmington at 6:30 p.m.
Cleveland and Belen’s boys are hosting their tournaments this week as well.
The top-ranked Storm opens at 7 p.m. today with Piedra Vista. There is a tantalizing matchup at 2 p.m. between Española Valley and Bernalillo, and a very unusual first-round game between Menaul and Sandia. Class 5A newcomer Roswell is also in the field, playing El Paso Franklin.
The semifinals are 5:15 and 7 p.m. Friday, with the championship game at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Belen’s Hub City event only has six teams, but it includes two of Class 5A’s top five in No. 4 Atrisco Heritage and No. 5 Las Cruces. And the Jaguars and Bulldawgs are slated to meet at 2 p.m. Friday; Atrisco Heritage beat Las Cruces in two overtimes in last season’s Class 6A state semifinals.
The two teams that play in the final will be the two with the best records; in case of a tie, further criteria will be applied.
The Rio Rancho High girls tournament also starts today, with Rio Rancho and Albuquerque High tipping at 1 p.m., then Centennial-Clovis, Española Valley-Belen and Piedra Vista-Las Cruces following at two-hour intervals.
KOLEK KUDO: Albuquerque Academy boys soccer coach Laney Kolek has been chosen as the 2018 Far West Region High School Coach of the Year by the United Soccer Coaches.
Kolek last month led the Chargers to the Class 4A state championship. The award will be presented next month in Chicago. INTERIM NO MORE: Manzano late last week made Phillip Martinez the full-time head football coach of the Monarchs, who finished 7-5 after a 1-3 start.
Martinez had served this year under an interim tag, but led Manzano into the state quarterfinals last month.