One of the things I like about the basketball season is that it ends about the time spring begins. Spring is a time of anticipation and hope. Outdoor activities beckon and one of my favorite high school sports, track and field, begins.
Also, anticipation of another fishing season has me turning the pages of sporting goods catalogs. While going through last year’s issues of the SUN, I discovered that this time last year most of the lakes here in Northern New Mexico were still frozen. Eagle Nest, Heron and Lake Maloya near Raton were all iced over when I visited them. This year, all of these lakes have open water for fishing.
This is a good time of the year to fish from the bank, as the fish are seeking the warmest water they can find. That means they’ll be cruising the shallows looking for food close to shore.
The warming water should trigger earlier walleye and bass action at Abiquiú Lake. This time of year can yield a mixed bag at Abiquiú; walleyes, smallmouth bass and brown trout could show up on your stringer.
In addition, I have to make a decision about what big game licenses I want to apply for. Do I want to try for that muzzleloader hunt for elk in Unit 52 or try for a rifle hunt in Unit 51? Will this be one of those lucky years where I draw licenses for everything I apply for or will it be like most years where I get some of the licenses I wanted, but miss out on others? Will this be the year I get lucky and get an antelope license? That has only happened four times in the 40 years I’ve been applying.
Spring is coming early this year. The apricot trees are already blooming. Normally, I would not expect apricots to survive the spring frosts blooming this early, but this year may be different. Perhaps there will be a crop of this delicious fruit, which happens about as often as my getting an antelope license.
And finally, I’m really looking forward to this track season. I’m keeping my eye on two schools.
The Pojoaque girls track team returns some outstanding sprinters in Kimberly Babicke and Dionna Montoya. Babicke, just a sophomore, is the defending 100-and 200-meter Class AAA state champion. Who knows how fast this young lady will end up running by the time she’s a senior?
Montoya, a junior, is the defending state champion in the 800-meter run and the long jump. She finished second last year in the 400-meter run.
Class AAA girls 400-meter run was one of the most impressive competitions at the state track meet last year and the state record of 56.62 could fall this year . The top six finishers in that race all turned in times of under one minute, which is outstanding. And the time of sixth-place finisher, Babicke, would have been good for her to win the Class AAAA championship. All of last year’s top finishers were underclassmen.
Senior Sophia Torres returns for her final season at Pojoaque and will likely medal in the 1500- and 3200-meter runs. Since this is her final season, she’ll likely put in the effort to catch St. Michaels’ Kate Norskog. Norskog is the defending state champion and Torres’ main District 2AAA rival.
The other team to watch is Mesa Vista. The Trojans consistently put together one of the top small-school track teams in Northern New Mexico. Coach Ben Sandoval returns several athletes that could finish first in their events.
Senior Jaime Cruz Jr. finished third last year in the Class AA 800-meter run, and this year is the top returning finisher in that event. Cruz is likely still feeling a hangover from Mesa Vista’s lost in the Class AA boys basketball semifinals to Santa Rosa. If he puts the effort into this event, he could still finish his high school career as a state champion.
Adrian Coronado will try to capture his first state title. The senior has finished second the last two years in the pole vault.
Freshman Hailey Lucero finished third in the Class AA girls 3200-meter run last year as an eighth-grader.
The two competitors who finished ahead of Lucero, twins Courtney and Camille Schultz of Cloudcroft, both have graduated. leaving a clear path to first place for Lucero.