None of the Belen High seniors made it quite as far in this week's Class 4A state championships as they would have hoped. But none of the three qualifiers would have made it to state-tourney matches, held at Jerry Cline Park, without evolving during their careers.
Throughout the track and field season, athletes hear the phrase "by the time we get to the district meet" when coaches describe the importance of training.
With all the basketball-coach shuffling going on this off-season, few moves will likely impact District 6-4A as much as the recent hire for the Los Lunas Lady Tigers.
The few coaching changes I remember from my high school years didn't seem to involve much discussion of teaching positions. Most coaches were P.E. teachers, and at schools like mine, which had 3,800 students my freshman year, there were plenty of P.E. slots to be filled.
At the end of her six-round April 28 pro boxing match against Natalie Roy, Brandi Montoya was admittedly tired.
Some familiar names popped up on the final list of applicants for the vacant Belen girls basketball post this past week. Belen athletic coordinator Rodney Wright said this week that a decision would be fairly quickly forwarded to Superintendent Ron Marquez, possibly as early as Friday.
Saturday's regular-season District 6-4A baseball finale provided some drama, and there may be more ahead this weekend.
When the Class 4A state playoff seedings were announced on Sunday, one county softball team was very satisfied. Another had a feeling of being a little slighted.
A sensational score, a solid finish by two teams and a surprise development highlighted Monday's District 6-4A high school golf championships.
Three Belen High seniors used last weekend's District 1-4A tennis tourney to earn spots in this week's Class 4A state championships.
Even without getting any new state qualifications at last Friday's Cleveland Storm Relays, the Los Lunas High track and field teams still have some momentum going into Saturday's District 6-4A meet at Grants High.
The Belen High Eagles finished their baseball campaign with a road win over Grants, 8-2, on Saturday, but weren't included in the 16-team Class 4A state baseball tournament on Sunday.
Belen High's track and field teams will head to Saturday's District 6-4A meet in Grants with experience against tough competition.
When Amber Bertrand started the season as an assistant coach with the Belen Eagles, she could not have envisioned how she and the Eagle softball players would end the season.
Jorge Venegas continued his dominating pitching performances through District 6-4A play and Valencia clinched its first-ever district baseball title with a run-rule win over visiting Belen on Tuesday, 11-0.
The Los Lunas softball playoff train is not only picking up steam, it is nearly running full force on the fast track.
Tuesday, the Valencia High girls softball team hosted a Belen squad that played harder than expected.
The Valencia High's girls basketball team conquered many of its "yets" in 2011-12.
Several Valencia County athletes placed in the top 10 at a pair of recent New Mexico High School Rodeo Association rodeos.
Saturday's baseball game between the Los Lunas Tigers and the Valencia Jaguars won't have quite the District 6-4A implications one might have forseen a while back.