Seven area players were named April 10 to the 2009 All-State basketball teams by the New Mexico High School Coaches Association.
The Española Valley Sundevils had two players earn Class AAAA All-State recognition.
Senior guard Matt Brito was named to the Class AAAA First Team. The 6-foot Brito did it all for Española, firing in three-pointers and penetrating through the defense for layups. He led the Sundevils with 21 points in their semifinal loss March 12 to Artesia at the state tournament.
Donovan Maldonado, a 5-foot, 10-inch senior, received Honorable Mention recognition as a guard. Maldonado was a three-point shooting specialist, who had nine against Taos Feb. 10 in a 91-44 Española victory.
Mesa Vista’s Frankie Giron was named to the Class AA All-State first team. The 5-foot, 5-inch point guard was a four-year starter for the Trojans. A deadly three-point shooter, Giron had 30 points against Rehoboth in the Trojans’ 74-68 win in the Class AA quarterfinals. His three-pointer at the buzzer sent the game into overtime against Santa Rosa in the semifinals. The Trojans ended up losing 70-61 to the Lions.
Senior Jaime Cruz Jr. earned All-State second team honors. Since the power forward transferred to Mesa Vista from Coronado before his junior year, he was a consistent scorer and rebounder and had 34 points in the loss to Santa Rosa.
The Pojoaque Elks’ lone All-State selection was senior point guard Orlando Trujillo, who was named to the second team. As Pojoaque’s lone returning starter from the Elks 2008 Class AAA state championship team, Trujillo provided leadership to a new group of players.
All five of Pojoaque Elkettes’ starters received All-State recognition.
The honor was well-deserved since Pojoaque captured its second consecutive Class AAA state title in March after going undefeated (31-0) for the second time in school history.
The Elkettes with three first-team selections were the only school in any class to have more than two members selected to their respective first teams.
Ellen Cruz, a senior point guard, did it all for Pojoaque. Cruz transferred from Peñasco to Pojoaque in 2008 and helped the Elkettes win two state championships while running Pojoaque’s offense.
Junior Dionna Montoya was a demon on defense for Pojoaque as well as a frequent double-digit scorer. She has played varsity basketball for Pojoaque since she was an eighth-grader.
Senior post Jackie Bartleson transferred from Santa Fe High School to Pojoaque for her senior season. The 6-foot, 2-inch Bartleson was a force underneath the basket for the Elkettes.
Junior Marissa Romero was named to the Class AAA All-State second team as a shooting guard. Romero was Pojoaque’s primary three-point threat at guard. Senior forward Janelle Roybal received Honorable Mention. Roybal was a force inside with her rebounding and scoring ability.
Coronado senior Matilda Gallegos was named to the Class AA All-State second team. The shooting guard was a three-point threat for the Lady Leopards.