Wednesday, August 27, 2008

BHS girls have a state championsip to defend

With 4 seniors gone, boys will rebuild

Jason W. Brooks News-Bulletin Staff Writer; jbrooks@news-bulletin.com

Belen At the start of the 2007-08 high school cross country season, much of the discussion involving Belen was centered around the boys team, and how the Eagle seniors were poised for one last shot at district and state glory. This year, the talk is about the girls team's chances at bringing home state hardware.

Funny how winning a state championship will improve a team's visibility.

The Belen girls placed five runners in the top 17 in the Class 4A state championship race in Rio Rancho in November to beat Albuquerque Academy by six spots, claiming BHS's first cross country title in school history. This season, the Lady Eagles return six of the seven runners from that squad, none of whom are seniors, with an excellent chance to repeat and show Class 4A how strong and consistent they can be.

"They've got to stay focused, and they've got to stay hungry," said ninth-year BHS coach Joseph E. Garcia. "I can see that hunger now, especially with the consistent turnout we had all summer. But we've got to stay consistent throughout the season."

While the boys team will be revamping after having four seniors on a 2007 squad that just missed advancing to state, the girls basically have a state title that's theirs to hang onto. Junior Aleona Reyes, who placed fourth overall in 4A last season, is joined by talented young runners who might get even better as their careers progress.

Both the BHS boys and girls open the season by competing in a morning race at the University of New Mexico's North Golf Course on Saturday, Sept. 6.

Laycee Smith, a sophomore, was seventh as a freshman on the Rio Rancho state championship course, and Tayler Hendren was eighth despite only being an eighth-grader. Shaylene Chavez, now a junior, and another sophomore, Cheyanne Boggus, scored for the team at state as well. Tessa Hendren, another strong runner, returns this year as a junior.

All six have been consistent, and even Reyes has at least some room for improvement. The Lady Eagles will be keeping an eye on Academy and Los Alamos, top Class 4A rivals, though they won't share a district with either team the next two seasons.

Newly-created District 6-4A has only four teams — Belen, Grants, St. Pius and Volcano Vista, a new Albuquerque school. The district meet will take place the weekend of Nov. 1, with the state race at Rio Rancho High on Nov. 8.

Belen hosts the Adron Gardner Classic on Saturday, Sept. 20.

Garcia's girls program has come a long way, having had only one runner, Arlene Espinosa, when he started coaching eight years ago.

"I wish I could get that program back into shape," Garcia told the News-Bulletin back in 2000. "When I was in high school we had 15 to 20 boys and girls out. I wish I could recruit more girls that were willing to give it a try and see how it works out."

This year, the girls don't quite have 15 runners, but they're a lot closer. Ten girls are practicing regularly, with a number of upperclassmen willing to give the sport a first, or sometimes a second, look.

"Hard-working and dedicated" is how Garcia describes some of the team's additions that didn't run last year, such as Martika Montoya, Macy Baca and Johnei Romero.

The boys side lost Josh Garcia, the coach's son, to graduation, along with fellow state qualifier Ethan Durbin. The top 10 individuals and top three teams advance to state; the Eagle boys missed a team berth at state when Grants edged BHS by two points at last year's 5-4A meet.

The girls are virtually assured a team entry at state this year with a four-team district, and Garcia likes the boys chances as well.

"The boys have a good chance of being in the top three," said Garcia, a BHS graduate. "I have high hopes for them."

Freshman Nathan Edwell and sophomore Eric Henson are the only returners for the BHS boys. Juan Sanchez, a junior who played football last year, will help the Eagle harriers this season, Garcia said.

Freshman Bryan Dunaway and junior Jeremy Smith also hope to improve. Brothers Jacob Armijo, a junior, and freshman Patrick Armijo hope to keep the Eagles strong as well.

E-mail this story Printer-friendly version