Top seeds go 8-0 in first round of Class 5A girls state basketball
Mar. 8—All of the top eight seeds in the Class 5A girls high school state basketball tournament bracket won first-round games on Friday night as the 2024 postseason got underway.
Six of the eight advanced comfortably; No. 5 Mayfield and No. 6 Organ Mountain prevailed in close games.
Tuesday's quarterfinals at the Pit lay out this way:
Mayfield will play Volcano Vista at 9:45 a.m. Sandia and Eldorado, district rivals, take the floor at 1:15 p.m. Farmington meets Organ Mountain at 4:45 p.m., a rematch of the Joe Armijo Classic championship game in mid-December at Albuquerque Academy, won by the Scorpions.
No. 1 Hobbs and No. 8 La Cueva square off at 8:15 p.m. The Bears defeated the Eagles in the metro semifinals two months ago in Albuquerque.
No. 7 ELDORADO 54, No. 10 ALBUQUERQUE HIGH 36: At Eldorado, it was the supporting cast that truly carried the night for the Eagles (21-8) as they eliminated the Bulldogs (24-6).
On the inside, Chioma Holyfield scored 15 points on 7 of 9 shooting from the field. Also in the paint, Bailey Rohlke added 13 points, and she connected on six of her seven field-goal attempts.
With junior guard Bella Hines struggling with her shooting, Holyfield and Rohlke's contributions were invaluable in front of a huge crowd at Eldorado.
"It's such an awesome experience," Holyfield, a senior, said about Eldorado's impending visit to the Pit.
The two posts, Holyfield and Rohlke, were too much for an outsized AHS team to deal with much of the evening.
"It was a great night for us," said Rohlke. "And it was a great win."
The work of Eldorado's unsung role players was one of the key reasons the Eagles earned a first-round home game in the first place.
"And they're unwavering this year," Eldorado coach Gary Ellis said. "Bella gets a lot of recognition, but they don't mind it. They sit in the background and get the work done. (Tonight) was something we were lacking early in the season, was their (Holyfield and Rohlke) ability to finish around the rim."
Holyfield and Rohlke also combined for 24 rebounds.
Albuquerque High was close early, firing in four 3-pointers in the first quarter, the last one banked home in the final second. The Eagles led 29-21 at halftime.
But the Eldorado defense held the Bulldogs to just a single field goal in the third quarter as the Eagles gradually pulled away.
Hines scored 15 points, but struggled to find her range. She was just 5 of 24 from the field.
Eldorado next plays Sandia. The Matadors were 3-0 against the Eagles in the regular season, although the last game was 67-59.
Zaiyah Hawley had five 3s and 15 points to lead the young Bulldogs. — James Yodice
No. 8 LA CUEVA 66, No. 9 RIO RANCHO 50: At La Cueva, the Bears advanced into the quarterfinals with a convincing victory over the Rams.
La Cueva (20-9) scored the game's first 12 points; Rio Rancho (19-10) turned the ball over six times before scoring.
La Cueva led 34-18 at halftime, already with five 3-pointers to help it take control. And the Rams could get no closer than 10 in the second half.
"They have a really good basketball team," lauded second-year Rams coach Lori Mabrey. "I mean, that team beat Hobbs."
Jordyn Dyer had a game-high 23 points for the Bears, with Eva Love dropping in 21 and Toni Lucero joining them in double figures with 11.
Unofficially, the Bears were 9 of 18 from behind the arc, and each starter had at least one trey.
Senior Makenna Lee led the Rams with 12 points, all in the second half. — Gary Herron, Rio Rancho Observer
No. 2 SANDIA 84, No. 15 ALAMOGORDO 44: At Sandia, junior guard Sydney Benally pumped in 36 points, all in the first three quarters, as the Matadors (25-3) cruised into Tuesday's quarterfinals.
The Tigers trailed 47-28 at halftime, and did briefly make a push in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to 12 points. But Alamogordo (15-14) got no closer.
Hope Giddings and Audri Wright scored 10 points apiece for Sandia, and, like Benally, did all their scoring in the first three quarters.
No. 4 VOLCANO VISTA 75, No. 13 CLEVELAND 47: At Volcano Vista, the Hawks (22-5) had four players in double figures, led by Taejhuan Hill's 24 points, as Volcano Vista defeated the Storm for the 32nd consecutive time.
Lilliana Duncan added 15 points, Mila Espinoza 12 against the Storm (14-15).
No. 1 HOBBS 68, No. 16 LAS CRUCES 29: At Ralph Tasker Arena, the Eagles (25-3) had six girls score at least nine points, as they had no trouble with the Bulldawgs in the first round.
Kyndle Cunningham led the way with 14 points. Brynn Hargrove added a dozen points.
ALSO FRIDAY: Mayfield (23-5) had a close shave with 12th-seeded Clovis, advancing with a 31-28 victory. Organ Mountain (21-7) outlasted Carlsbad 51-47. Farmington, the No. 3 seed, routed No. 14 Los Lunas 75-45.
Scores and schedules
CLASS 5A
First Round — Friday
(1) Hobbs 68, (16) Las Cruces 29
(8) La Cueva 66, (9) Rio Rancho 50
(5) Mayfield 31, (12) Clovis 28
(4) Volcano Vista 75, (13) Cleveland 47
(3) Farmington 75, (14) Los Lunas 45
(6) Organ Mountain 51, (11) Carlsbad 47
(7) Eldorado 54, (10) Albuquerque High 36
(2) Sandia 84, (15) Alamogordo 44
Quarterfinals — Tuesday, March 12, the Pit
(1) Hobbs (25-3) vs. (8) La Cueva (20-9), 8:15 p.m.
(5) Mayfield (23-5) vs. (4) Volcano Vista (22-5), 9:45 a.m.
(3) Farmington (25-4) vs. (6) Organ Mountain, 4:45 p.m.
(7) Eldorado (21-8) vs. (2) Sandia (25-3), 1:15 p.m.
Semifinals — Thursday, March 14, the Pit
Games at 9:45 a.m., 1:15 p.m.
Championship — Saturday, March 16
Semifinal winners, the Pit, 2 p.m.
CLASS 4A
First Round — Friday
(1) Kirtland Central 57, (16) Aztec 25
(8) Valencia 55, (9) Lovington 52, OT
(5) Portales 63, (12) Hope Christian 38
(4) Gallup 69, (13) Pojoaque Valley 29
(3) Artesia 61, (14) Silver 33
(11) Deming 56, (6) Albuquerque Academy 35
(7) Bloomfield 49, (10) Los Alamos 35
(2) St. Pius 59, (15) Española Valley 29
Quarterfinals — Tuesday, March 12, the Pit
(1) Kirtland Central (26-3) vs. (8) Valencia (19-11), 6:30 p.m.
(5) Portales (20-8) vs. (4) Gallup (22-8), 3 p.m.
(3) Artesia (21-6) vs. (11) Deming (16-10), 8 a.m.
(7) Bloomfield (19-9) vs. (2) St. Pius (24-3), 11:30 a.m.
Semifinals — Thursday, March 14, the Pit
Games at 8, 11:30 a.m.
Championship — Friday, March 15
Semifinal winners, the Pit, 7 p.m.
CLASS 3A
First Round — Friday
(1) Tohatchi 58, (16) Crownpoint 37
(8) Zuni 41, (9) Sandia Prep 40
(5) Tucumcari 54, (12) Ruidoso 32
(4) Santa Fe Indian 58, (13) Newcomb 27
(3) Navajo Prep 73, (14) Socorro 15
(6) West Las Vegas 54, (11) Thoreau 44
St. Michael's 56, (10) Cuba 31
(2) Robertson 71, (15) Wingate 38
Quarterfinals — Tuesday, March 12, Rio Rancho Events Center
(1) Tohatchi (23-6) vs. (8) Zuni (18-11), 8:15 p.m.
(5) Tucumcari (23-3) vs. (4) Santa Fe Indian (18-9), 4:45 p.m.
(3) Navajo Prep (22-9) vs. (6) West Las Vegas (14-12), 1:15 p.m.
(7) St. Michael's (14-11) vs. (2) Robertson (20-7), 9:45 a.m.
Semifinals — Thursday, March 14, Rio Rancho Events Center
Games at 9:45 a.m., 8:15 p.m.
Championship — Friday, March 15
Semifinal winners, the Pit, 3 p.m.
CLASS 2A
First Round — Friday
(1) Mesa Vista 48, (16) Capitan 32
(8) Laguna-Acoma 46, (9) Questa 40
(5) Menaul 39, (12) Estancia 30
(4) Tularosa 55, (13) Eunice 33
(3) Pecos 73, (14) Lordsburg 47
(6) Peñasco 66, (11) Clayton 31
(7) Dulce 49, (10) Texico 45
(2) Tatum 64, (15) Escalante 27
Quarterfinals — Tuesday, March 12, Rio Rancho Events Center
(1) Mesa Vista (25-3) vs. (8) Laguna-Acoma (18-9), 6:30 p.m.
(5) Menaul (22-4) vs. (4) Tularosa (22-6), 3 p.m.
(3) Pecos (22-6) vs. (6) Peñasco (18-11), 11:30 a.m.
(7) Dulce (19-10) vs. (2) Tatum (26-2), 8 a.m.
Semifinals — Thursday, March 14, Rio Rancho Events Center
Games at 9:45 a.m., 8:15 p.m.
Championship — Friday, March 15
Semifinal winners, the Pit, 3 p.m.
CLASS 1A
First Round — Friday
(1) Roy/Mosquero 41, (16) Animas 38
(9) Corona/Vaughn 46, at (8) Quemado 34
(5) Magdalena 47, (12) To'hajiilee 39
(4) Fort Sumner/House 65, (13) Pine Hill 41
(3) Logan 78, (14) Alamo Navajo 29
(6) Jemez Valley 51, (11) Springer 42
(10) Dora 49, (7) Melrose 44
(2) Cliff 38, (15) Reserve 34
Quarterfinals — Wednesday, March 13, Bernalillo HS
(1) Roy/Mosquero (24-1) vs. (9) Corona/Vaughn (20-3), 8 a.m.
(5) Magdalena (22-7) vs. (4) Fort Sumner/House (20-7), 11:30 a.m.
(3) Logan (21-7) vs. (6) Jemez Valley (25-4), 6:30 p.m.
(10) Dora (19-7) vs. (2) Cliff (26-2), 3 p.m.
Semifinals — Thursday, March 14, Rio Rancho Events Center
Games at 11:30 a.m., 3 p.m.
Championship — Saturday, March 16
Semifinal winners, the Pit, 10 a.m.
