Taos Tigers Sports Roundup
After a 3-0 loss to class 5A Clovis on Sept. 30, the Taos Tigers soccer squad rode down to Albuquerque to challenge an unfamiliar opponent, the Del Norte Knights, on Oct.
5. The result of the match was a 1-1 tie, penciling the Tigers’ overall record to 8-3-2.
Del Norte struck first with a goal in the first half, and Taos answered in the second half on a Lukas Backer strike, knotting up the score in regulation and stalemating in extra time.
The rare meeting between the two teams stems from past alignment arrangements that have kept both teams in different classifications or in odd regional groupings. In the last 10 years, Del Norte has bounced back-and-forth from class 4A to class 5A, and faced various Albuquerque (and surrounding area) teams and leagues in an attempt to create as much parity as possible. Taos has also moved upward, downward and laterally from class 3A to class A/3A to class 4A, with the intent to provide regional schools with soccer programs an adequate number of matches. Currently, Del Norte is in district 6-4A with Albuquerque Academy, Hope Christian, Valley and Bernalillo.
With the regular season schedule in the rearview mirror, the Tigers began their district 2-4A season against the Pojoaque Valley Elks at Taos Eco Park Tuesday (Oct. 10). The Elks entered the match with a 6-6-1 overall record and a fairly even number of goals for (27) versus goals against (24). Final score and details of the match were not available before this section went to press.
The Tigers hit the road for their much-anticipated entanglement with district foe Los Alamos today (Oct. 12). Game time is 6 p.m.
The Moriarty Pintos will visit Taos Eco Park Oct. 17 to round out the first segment of league games before cycling back to face Pojoaque Valley on the road Oct.
19. Fans are reminded to prepare for colder temperatures during evening matches at Taos Eco Park with layers, gloves and warm hats.
Taos volleyball
After a 7-4 start, the Taos Lady Tigers volleyball team is slumping — losing their last three matches of the regular season to level out to 7-7 — as they enter the home stretch of the 2023 season.
Since the start of October, the Lady Tigers have endured losses to the class 3A Robertson (Las Vegas) Lady Cardinals, the class 4A Valley (Albuquerque) Lady Vikings and the class 5A Capital (Santa Fe) Lady Jaguars. The trifecta of defeats from each team and classification were partly due to self-inflicted errors that proved to be the difference between sets and matches being won or lost.
On Tuesday (Oct. 10), Taos hosted the Pojoaque Valley Elkettes for the first match of league play. The Elkettes (6-9) already beat Taos 3-1 in an earlier (neutral) meet-up at the Portales Invitational Volleyball Tournament Sept. 30. Final score and details of Tuesday’s match were not available before this section went to press.
The Tigers are on the road for their second match against the Española Valley Lady Sundevils today (Oct. 12). The Lady Sundevils are 4-10 and similarly riding a three-game losing streak heading into district play. Game time is 6 p.m.
The Lady Tigers will return to Otero Gymnasium on Oct. 17 for a match against the Los Alamos Lady Hilltoppers, who were the 2022 district champions and earned a final-four appearance at the state tourney.
All remaining matches will follow a Tuesday/Thursday pattern, and all varsity matches begin at 6 p.m.
Lady Tigers soccer
In any other year, a 1-0 win would be treated as a sweet victory. But given the standard the Taos Lady Tigers have placed on their own shoulders this year, the downtrodden response after the singlegoal triumph is quite understandable. Such was the case when Taos scored the lone goal of the match in the first half of their non-district contest against the Capital (Santa Fe) Lady Jaguars Oct. 5.
And though Taos improved their record to 10-1 with the 1-0 victory at home, the Lady Tigers collectively felt like they could have done more to ensure a positive outcome.
“We had to sit down and talk it out,” coach Rohm Padilla noted during a post-game interview. “I need my players to feel good about their success no matter how close the score is.”
The winning goal was made by senior forward, Anabelle Caldwell, who currently has 16 goals on the season and is closing in on the scoring leader in class 4A, who has 18. The win was garnered, however, via a total team effort to deter any attacks on defense and to keep the pressure high on offense.
“The precarious nature of soccer means that any team can come away with a win,” Padilla added, acknowledging the nervousness he felt in the waning moments of the Capital match. “The real tests are coming.”
Indeed, the tests began with the district opener on the road against the Pojoaque Valley Elkettes on Tuesday Oct. 10. The Elkettes were 2-8-2 heading into the match with Taos and coming off a pair of widemargin losses to East Mountain (Sandia Park) and Robertson (Las Vegas). Final score and details of the match were not available before this section went to press.
The Lady Tigers host the Los Alamos Lady Hilltoppers today (Oct. 12) at Taos Eco Park and travel to Moriarty Oct. 17. All remaining matches will follow a Tuesday/ Thursday pattern and all varsity matches begin at 4 p.m.
Taos golf
The Taos Tigers golf team hosted their home meet at Taos Country Club Oct. 9. Currently, the team is comprised of just three boys and no girls. Final scores and details of the meet were not available before this section went to press.