Volcano Vista chasing extremely rare three-peat in boys basketball

Nov. 26—What the Volcano Vista boys basketball program is attempting this season hasn't been done since 2001.

Some creative accounting also shows that it has never been done before, although that requires a bit of an explanation.

First things first.

It's been 22 years since any school won three straight championships in the state's largest boys classification. Russ Gilmore-coached Hobbs got its third in a row 2001, then added a fourth straight in 2002.

Volcano Vista won titles in 2022 and 2023, and opens the 2023-24 campaign as the preseason favorite in Class 5A.

"We're proud of our past, but ... this is a new year with new challenges, so we will be ready for those," Hawks coach Greg Brown said.

Now for the really bonkers possibility this season presents.

Should Volcano Vista three-peat next March, the Hawks will become the first boys program from Albuquerque to ever win three consecutive championships in the largest classification.

The Hawks open Tuesday against St. Pius, and have a tasty matchup Thursday against one of the other top 5A challengers in La Cueva.

Volcano Vista has one of New Mexico's most elite players in 6-foot-7 junior forward Kenyon Aguino. New Mexico State has offered him; New Mexico is recruiting him.

The Hawks have only one senior returner. The top newcomer is talented 6-4 freshman David Lunn III, who is expected to make a splash and already has a Division I offer on the table.

La Cueva should benefit greatly from the addition of 6-5 senior Dylan Chavez, who has committed to UNM. Forward Cam Dyer, who just led the Bears to a state football championship on Saturday, will be crucial to the Bears' chances, as will senior Brandon Bartlett, last season's sixth man. Of Bartlett, La Cueva coach Eric Orell said, "we're gonna be as good as he's gonna be."

Eric Jacobsen, the 6-8 younger brother of recent Purdue signee Daniel Jacobsen, gives La Cueva plenty of size.

"(5A) runs through Volcano until you find a weak spot," Orell said.

Organ Mountain was probably the better team on the floor when the Knights lost 48-46 to Volcano Vista in the semifinals eight months ago. And Organ Mountain returns a large bulk of that roster, led by 6-5 senior Brandon Kehres, making the Knights the most potent of the 5A challengers from outside the metro area.

Both Cleveland and Atrisco Heritage have dynamic 1-2 punches — the Storm with 6-3 Daniel Steverson (one of 5A's best and most versatile players) and 5-9 sophomore Remy Albrecht, who combined to average about 35 points a game last season; and the Jaguars with junior Latavious Morris (18 ppg) and senior Marquise Renfro (13.4 ppg). Both those teams should certainly be in the mix come March, not to mention the always hyper-competitive District 1-5A race.

"Everyone is chasing Volcano," Atrisco Heritage coach Steve Heredia said. The Jaguars have seven seniors, and among their other top players is 6-2 junior guard Kadarious Sims.

Zack Cole, Santa Fe High's former head coach, took over the Cleveland program in the offseason. He'll provide a tempo, he said, that will benefit his two primary scorers.

District 1-5A has produced seven of the last eight state champions in 5A. Rio Rancho, led by 6-0 small forward Jayden Johnson, could be a dark horse, Rams coach Wally Salata said. Cibola is expected to be much improved over last season.

"Our district is the one to beat," Salata said, adding that the Rams are set to debut a new style this season, though he wouldn't elaborate.

Danny Brown, the head coach at Sandia, which lost to Volcano Vista in the 5A state final in March, pushes back on that notion just a little, saying that Sandia's league, 2-5A, might actually be stronger top to bottom than 1-5A.

Certainly it's going to provide plenty of great basketball into January and February, with the likes of La Cueva, Sandia, Farmington (perhaps the strongest non-metro challenger outside of Organ Mountain), plus the Matadors and Eldorado.

Sandia features an excellent returner in 6-3 junior combo guard Thomas Adams. Eldorado has six seniors, including 6-4 senior forward Josh Jackson, who could be a double-double guy for the Eagles.

West Mesa, coming off a 22-win season and a 4 seed in the 5A playoffs, returns the district player of the year in senior guard Elijah Brody, but the Mustangs are retooling in some other areas although West Mesa should get help from a couple of JV players from last season, coach Shonn Schroer said.

From District 5-5A, Los Lunas, with 5A's top player in 6-4 guard Jalin Holland (21.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg last season), could surely be a factor in March if the Tigers' complementary players step in and take some of the pressure load off the highly recruited Holland.

"The road goes through Volcano until someone knocks them off," Los Lunas coach Travis Julian said. "(But) I think we're right there."

Santa Fe's Lukas Turner is one of 5A's best returning players as the Demons move on from Cole; Albuquerque High and coach Leroy Barela believe they can make some noise in this league, as well, led by all-district guard Isiaah Maldonado, one of four starters returning.

Santiago Gonzalez of Rio Grande, a 6-5 senior, averaged 13 points and seven rebounds last season.

Class 4A

Albuquerque Academy is out to defend its state title, and the Chargers are certainly among the teams given an excellent chance to win it all again, along with the likes of Valley and St. Pius.

The Chargers' Joe Jack, a 6-3 senior point guard, is one of 4A's top returning players, and someone who can light it up. Senior Dillon McCleskey and senior guard Justin Mask are also crucial for Academy.

"Honestly," Chargers coach Marcos CdeBaca said, "they're starting over with me. This team has to prove themselves. It's wide open."

Valley and coach EZ Panas are in the same district with Academy, and this should make for some exciting matchups come February. The Vikings lost by two points to the Chargers in the 4A state semifinals in March.

Tyler Kozlowski, a 5-10 senior combo guard, and 6-1 senior wing Julian Chavez, are among 10 seniors back for the veteran Vikings.

"I think we're one of the contenders," Panas said. "Along with Academy, I think we're probably the top two teams in 4A."

Hope Christian, the state runner-up, brings back 5-11 senior combo guard Noah Perry, one of three returning starters for the Huskies, a team coach Jim Murphy said has a strong core in place with eight seniors. Del Norte graduated 10 seniors and will be inexperienced and Bernalillo is looking to improve on a nine-win season.

The metro's other 4A district includes both St. Pius and Highland, the two teams that dominated their league last season. They were each quarterfinalists and both seeded in the top three at state..

The Sartans graduated half a dozen seniors, but do return shooting guard Jason Montoya, forward Nick Rodriguez and power forward Cade Freese. This team will be much smaller than it has been in recent seasons.

"For the most part," St. Pius coach Ryan Myers said, "it's a brand new team."

Artesia and Los Alamos are among the teams local coaches believe will challenge in 4A from outside the metro.

"I think everyone is chasing Academy and Valley," Myers said.

Highland is junior dominant and brings back 5-11 junior combo guard Jesus Licon and 5-9 senior guard Raul Stanford.

"I think our starting five is really good," Hornets coach Justin Woody said. "(We need) some guys who don't have varsity experience to contribute."

Highland has won this district five seasons in a row.

Classes 3A/2A/1A

Bosque School is clearly going to be one of 3A"s best and most exciting teams, as the Bobcats return all but two players. They'll be sparked by 6-3 Cooper Hautau (22 ppg) and 6-1 senior Kyle Morris (21 ppg), and both scored over 500 points last season. Leo Dettweiler, at 6-5, provides Bosque with defense, rebounding and shot blocking.

"I expect to be competing in the end in that final four," Bosque coach Clifton Davidson said.

Sandia Prep, which made it to the 3A state semifinals in March, is transitioning at the head coaching spot, with former St. Pius coach Damian Segura — who won multiple state titles with the Sartans — moving into the lead chair for the Sundevils. Sandia Prep was hit hard by graduation and will be young. Jacob Schierloh, a 6-2 senior forward will be counted on.

Navajo Prep and defending state champion St. Michael's are also among the top teams to watch in 3A.

Menaul coach Gary Boatman believes the 2A Panthers, who won 22 games last season and reached the state semifinals, are going to be back in contention with a solid group of returners. The future looks bright, since it's a relatively young group with only a couple of seniors.

Pecos downed Santa Fe-based Academy for Technology and the Classics in the state final last March.

Class 1A Legacy Academy has a new coach in former La Cueva coach Brian Joyce and is trying to advance past the first round, where it lost in each of the last two postseasons.