Published Oct 16, 2008
For years, the Pojoaque High School Elkettes have struggled to establish themselves on the soccer field.
Playing against veteran programs like St. Michaels and Santa Fe Prep, the Elkettes’ fledgling program, which began in 2000, has never had a winning season. A district title has been well out of reach.
Don’t look now, but the Elkettes are sitting atop District 1A-AAA with a 2-0 record and are within one victory of balancing their overall season record at 7-7. Pojoaque has won three games in a row, the latest a 4-0 shutout of the Moreno Valley Timberwolves Oct. 11 in Pojoaque,
Last month, the Elkettes defeated Moreno 2-0 for their first district victory.
“I think we have a great chance of winning our district,” assistant coach Angelo Montoya said. “Robertson is a tough team but they’re beatable, and the girls need to know that.”
Robertson is the third and final member of District 1A-AAA, and has not faced the Elkettes yet this season. The Cardinals are 10-6 overall and 1-0 in district play.
Montoya, a former Pojoaque soccer and basketball player and a 2007 University of New Mexico graduate, returned to Pojoaque as a physical education teacher and applied for the open assistant-coaching position this summer. Although Isabel Hernandez holds the title of head coach, she acknowledges that she and Montoya share the coaching duties. On the sidelines, Montoya does most of the shouting. After the game, he was the one who addressed the team.
“He’s the one who makes us run,” junior goalie Bianca Saunders said.
Saunders had an easy second half with just one save in the entire 40 minutes. Nearly all the action took place in front of the Timberwolves’ goal.
In the thick of the action was freshman forward Cristina Carbajal. Carbajal has scored eight of her team’s 12 goals this season, and she had a hat trick against the Timberwolves.
After giving the Elkettes a 1-0 lead with a goal in the first half, Carbajal added two more points in the second half. She first poked the ball past Timberwolves goalie Cheyenne Wooldridge and then hit the right corner of the net for another score.
“It was exciting,” Carbajal said. “We had great passing today.”
Pojoaque’s final goal was scored by senior fullback Elizabeth Sandoval, better known as “Compton” because of her hometown. Sandoval nailed a shot into the right corner of the net to complete Pojoaque’s scoring.
Montoya also pointed out junior sweeper Chelsea Huffman and senior midfielder Stevirae Terrazas as key players for the Elkettes. Sandoval and Terrazas are the team’s only seniors.
“We have nine juniors and five freshman,” Montoya said. “Next year, I know we’ll be competing at state.”
The Elkettes face Robertson Wednesday (10/15) in Las Vegas. Pojoaque finishes its regular season when it hosts Robertson Oct. 21 in a game that will likely decide the District 1A-AAA championship.