James Barron: Santa Fe girls soccer, Robertson volleyball primed for big seasons
Aug. 9—They've barely dusted off their shoes, taken the balls out of storage and hit the floor as a unit Monday, but now is just as good a time as any to forecast what the North's top non-football teams will be for the 2022-23 season.
Monday marked the first official practice for the remaining fall sports — volleyball, cross-country, as well as boys and girls soccer — but it's pretty clear what the landscape of those sports will look like once we hit the stretch run in October. Sure, we might overlook a team or two (who doesn't?), but you can be sure to count on these teams making some noise when the postseason commences in late October and early November.
Volleyball
Las Vegas Robertson and St. Michael's — For three of the past four seasons, the blue trophy has resided at one school or the other. In fact, Robertson has not lost in its last 31 matches, dating back to its District 2-3A championship loss to the Lady Horsemen in 2019.
Barring the usual spoiler (Albuquerque Sandia Prep), all signs point to a Lady Cardinals-Lady Horsemen showdown in November. While Robertson lost eight seniors from last year's state champion, it returns the best player in Northern New Mexico in Jaylee Gonzales. St. Michael's might have the upper hand this year, as it lost just two seniors from its state runner-up squad and returns its top two hitters in Marissa Sandoval-Moya and Maya Pino.
Santa Fe High — The Demonettes have an intriguing mix of veterans and underclassmen that could be potent in Class 5A if they continue to have the chemistry found in a 10-2 finish after a 3-7 start. Senior outside hitter Alyssa Sanchez is the team's top returning player, while sophomore Zavia Burton should develop into a consistent threat on the opposite side. If the back row comes together quickly, Santa Fe High will vault back into contender status in 5A.
Boys soccer
Santa Fe Prep and St. Michael's — It was an offseason of change for the Blue Griffins, who lost their head coach (Hersch Wilson, to retirement) and their best returning player (Yuto Oketani, to the New Mexico United Academy). New head coach Rick Canby slides over from assistant to head coach, so the remaining Blue Griffins won't suffer much from the transition. Nico Roth and Asher Nathan give Prep some offensive oomph, but the defense might need some time to mold into a cohesive unit.
Speaking of defense, the Horsemen should be strong in the back row, with returnees in Daniel Kupcho, Jonathan Wheeler and Elijah Gutierrez. That could combine with senior midfielder Tervor Erickson to give St. Michael's a chance at contending in Class 1A/3A.
Santa Fe High — If Demons head coach Chris Eadie is cautiously optimistic about his team in the post-Alex Waggoner era, then we should proceed with caution. He will rely on the trio of Max Anderson, Evan Eadie and Owen Lock to provide leadership, if not the scoring prowess Waggoner possessed. Santa Fe High might not be state contenders, but it could find its way into the 5A state tournament and play a spoiler role.
Girls soccer
Santa Fe High — While last year saw a disappointing finish for the Demonettes in the 5A quarterfinals, they have plenty of talent returning to make another run. Perhaps they might even steal a little bit of the boys team's magic and find their way into the 5A championship, since they return two of their top three scorers from last year in Jazzi Gonzalez and Aasha Smelser. The bulk of Santa Fe High's back line also return, as does goalkeeper Molly Wissman. Add that up, and it appears the Demonettes might be ready to follow in the boys' footsteps.
St. Michael's — The Lady Horsemen have played in the last two 1A/3A title matches, lost only three seniors and return leading scorer Grace Sandoval. So, it appears like a sure bet they will make it three straight finals appearances, right? The only caveat might be in goal, where four-year starter and All-State performer Milena Keene worked until graduation. If St. Michael's finds a suitable replacement, you can mark the team for the finals in permanent marker — no eraser necessary.
Las Vegas Robertson — The Lady Cardinals might be the dark horse in the 1A/3A field, especially with a senior-dominant lineup that won 10 of its last 12 matches and reached the state semifinals last November. Senior Amber Doss was one of the top goal scorers in 1A/3A, and Robertson returns its top four scorers. The Lady Cardinals might also be a District 2-1A/3A foil for St. Michael's, and we could potentially see another championship showdown between 3A's premier schools.
Of course, all of this is subject to change since we're in August. A lot can happen before we get to November.
Contact James Barron at jbarron@sfnewmexican.com.
