Things could be looking a bit more optimistic come next fall for the Pojoaque Valley High School and Española Valley High School football teams.
After the New Mexico Activities Association Board of Directors approved the new classification and alignment changes for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years on Dec. 4 in Albuquerque, two of the biggest winners locally had to be the Elks and Sundevils.
While Taos High School will remain in District 2-4A for football, it’s safe to say Pojoaque and Española will not miss the migrated likes of Bernalillo, Grants and St. Pius X high schools.
In the last two seasons under the 2018-19/2019-20 block, the Sundevils and Elks together went winless against the Spartans, Pirates and Sartans and were outscored by a combined average of 46.7 points per game. That included six games (five from Pojoaque) that were forced to end via mercy rule (50-point differential).
Under the new format, Moriarty High School will join 2-4A, making the district a four-team league, as opposed to six teams the last two seasons.
Pojoaque head coach Pat Mares said he’s excited about the changes and the new competition and opportunities that may lie in store for his players.
“Our boys work hard each season and it’s refreshing to know that we will have a better chance of being competitive this season in our district,” Mares said. “I believe the NMAA is doing the right thing in working out the kinks in the district alignments.”
The Pintos finished 2-9 overall and 0-3 in District 3/4-4A this past season, meaning the Tigers will be the lone team in the district coming off a winning record and playoff appearance in 2019.
“Our new district will still have good competition with our Taos game,” Mares said. “Our Valley will still have a treat in store for them with our Española game and we look forward to seeing what Moriarty will bring to the district.”
Aside from the big changes in football, 2-4A remains stagnant and unaligned in baseball, basketball, cross country, softball and track and field (Moriarty, Pojoaque, Española, Taos and Los Alamos High School.)
Of all the local schools, Coronado High School was the lone institution to either drop down or move up a class, and the Leopards and Lady Leopards will now compete in Class 1A, as opposed to 2A.
Coronado has just 46 total students, so it fits almost smack in the middle of the 0-99 student enrollment range for 1A.
Coronado volleyball and girls basketball coach Henry Gettler said he would have had zero problem staying in 2A for volleyball —given the success the Lady Leopards had this past season with a 21-3 overall record — but for basketball, the move downward seems to be compatible with the current structure of the basketball program at Coronado.
“As far as basketball, we are the only team in the current district with one team (only a varsity team),” Gettler said. “We are also the only team in the current district that doesn’t have a feeder system. We have no JV or middle school program and currently only have two sixth-graders in our school district. From that point of view, the 1A class seems to fit our situation.”
McCurdy Charter School returns to some familiarity in the new alignment, as the Bobcats and Lady Bobcats move from District 2-2A to District 2-5A in basketball and volleyball. That means McCurdy will face more traditional opponents from the past like Escalante, Mora, Mesa Vista, Questa and Peñasco high schools.
The former block had McCurdy aligned with Santa Fe schools Academy for the Technology and the Classics, Monte Del Sol, Desert Academy and Tierra Encantada.
Another big change comes up North in Dulce. The Hawks and Lady Hawks competed in the large seven-team District 1-2A, but now it will feature just four teams — also including Navajo Pine, Rehoboth Christian and Laguna Acoma high schools.
Dulce’s football team was placed in District 1/2/5-2A, but the school will appeal to participate in 8-man football, which they competed in this past season. The rest of 1/2/5-2A features Escalante, Estancia, Laguna Acoma and Questa High Schools, as well as McCurdy — if its football program returns in 2020.