GIRLS DISTRICT 2-3A
The Class 3A girls basketball district outlooks for Northern schools:
DISTRICT 2-3A
The top two teams in Class 3A belonged in this district a season ago, and there is no suggestion that has changed. Las Vegas Robertson, the defending 2-3A champion, will rely more on its guard play, led by senior Azlyn Padilla and sophomore Alexis Pacheco. While the Lady Cardinals will miss the interior duo of Stella Garcia and Jayden Jenkins, both of whom graduated, senior Mistidawn Roybal gives them a returning post presence and a pair of volleyball players — Jaylee Gonzales and Alyxa King-Greenwalt — will provide depth and athleticism. So far, it’s worked for a 2-0 start.
Meanwhile, Santa Fe Indian School will continue to stalk the Lady Cardinals. While having lost the last five matchups, the Lady Braves came oh-so-close in a 37-31 loss for the 3A title in March. Senior Madisen Valdez provides SFIS a reliable point guard who can score (9.3 points per game), while sophomore forward Emma Lewis continues to grow into her role as the top post option. Teri Morrison might be the new head coach, but she was the varsity assistant for the past four seasons and comes with a decorated résumé (more than 678 wins in 29 years as a head coach in Texas).
West Las Vegas has a roster that is underclassmen dominant, with freshman wing LilyAnn Martinez establishing herself as the team’s top player. The Lady Dons also have some size, with four players 5-foot-7 or taller, that can cause opponents fits. They already made some noise with a dominating win over the Lady Braves (34-22) on Friday.
At 4-2, St. Michael’s is off to its best start in eight years and out to prove it is more than a one-player team. Senior wing Lauryn Pecos remains a key piece of the Lady Horsemen offense, but she has become more of a distributor than the focal point. Senior forward Carmen Pacheco gives St. Michael’s a low-post presence it has lacked, while the rest of the Lady Horsemen continue to play the traditional hard-nosed defense that has defined the program.