Mayor’s Race Spurs Friendly Football Competition
Albuquerque’s 2021 mayoral candidates Eddy Aragon ’93, Manuel Gonzales and Tim Keller ’96 each had ties to St. Pius X High School, which inspired the “Mayoral Punt, Pass & Kick” competition.
SPX 2021 Fall Sports Success
Girls Soccer Earns State 4A Runner Up Trophy
St. Pius X Girls Soccer team ended its outstanding 17-2 season earning the state runner-up trophy at the 2021 4A State Championships. They lost a hard-fought championship game 2-1 to Hope. Named First Team All-State are Kyera Chavez, Natasha Montoya and Enmarae Torres. Named Second Team All-State are Gianna Maldonado, Evangelina Suarez and Mykel Torres.
The team went 8-0 in district play, earning the 4A District 5 Champion title. District Player of the Year is Enmarae Torres. Honored with First Team All-District awards are Kyera Chavez, Natasha Montoya, Evangelina Suarez, Enmarae Torres, Mykel Torres and Taylor Wilson. Named Second Team All-District is Carina Suarez and Honorable Mention All-District went to Gianna Maldonado and Lauren Salas.
Kyera Chavez #12 and Lauren Salas #5 were selected to the 2021 All-Star Game. They played at the Field of Dreams in Las Cruces on Nov. 13, 2021.
Girls Cross Country Takes Third at State
The St. Pius X girls cross country team earned the green third place state trophy in the 4A State Cross Country Meet and the 4A District 5 Championship. The girls were led by Trista Cordova, who earned All-State status by placing seventh. Cordova was named District Runner of the Year and to the All-District Team. Also making All-District were Maricia Marquez, Gracie Baca, and Brooke Kelly.
Boys Soccer Advances to State Quarterfinals
The SPX Boys Soccer team (9-12-1, District 6-1-1) beat Artesia 1-0 to advance to the 4A State Quarterfinals. There they suffered a 4-2 loss to Albuquerque Academy. Frankie Gutierrez was selected to the 2021 Senior All-Star game held in Las Cruces on Nov. 13. He was also named First Team All-State and First Team All-District. Receiving Second Team All-State Honors are Edgar Rios and Honorable Mention All-State Leo Vaughn. Also honored are First Team All-District Elijah Barela, Leo Vaughn, Edgar Rios and Tim Dyson; Second Team All-District Ashton Bischoff and Juilian Lovato; and Honorable Mention All-District Javan Barela and Noah Devany.
Boys Cross Country is District Champion
The SPX boys cross country team earned 13th place at the State Championships and was led by Brian Kalb, placing 37th. The boys team also finished first at the 4A District 5 Cross Country Championships. Kalb was named Runner of the Year and made All-District, along with Samuel Buerschen and Jeffrey Peterson. District Coach of the Year for both boys and girls was SPX’s Jeff Turcotte.
Football Beats Academy to Take District Championship
St. Pius X Football (8-3) earned the 4A District 5/6 Championship, beating Albuquerque Academy 14-13 in the final regular season game to clinch the top spot. The Sartans earned the 3-seed and a first-round buy in the State 4A playoffs. The Sartans suffered a quarterfinal loss to Ruidoso 33-8.
Earning the opportunity to play in the New Mexico Football All Star Game in Roswell on Dec. 4 were SPX defensive end Joaquin Medina and running back Marco Ybarra. Medina was named 4A First Team All-State Defensive Line, 4A District 5/6 Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-District defensive end and Honorable Mention slot receiver/tight end. Ybarra was named First Team All-State Running Back, District 5/6 Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-District running back. Ybarra set the single game school rushing record of 327 yards on Sept. 11, 2021 in a 40-28 win over Taos. He had five touchdowns, 17 carries and 327 yards.
Dominic Esparza earned First Team All-State Defensive Back and Second Team Slot Receiver. Dominic Salcido and Aidan Thomas were named First Team All-State Offensive Line.
Also earning First Team All-District honors were Dominic Esparza, corner and returner; Carson Funchess, linebacker; Dominic Salcido, guard; Alejandro Sapien, quarterback; and Aidan Thomas, offensive tackle. Earning Second Team All-District honors were Estevan Abeita, center; Chris Coash, wide receiver; Esparza, slot receiver/tight end; Dominic Gomez, linebacker; Curtis Ortiz, defensive end; Adrian Sanchez, guard; and Zach Torres, linebacker. Recognized with District Honorable Mention were Abeita, defensive end; Josh Garcia, corner; Cian Jones, punter; William Kline, slot receiver/tight end; Isaac Leyba, safety; Mateo Maestas, defensive tackle; Ortiz, offensive tackle; Thomas, defensive tackle; Joaquin Torres, corner; and Zach Torres, wide receiver. All-State honors were not available at press time.
Volleyball is District 5A Champ
The Sartan Volleyball team (11-10) went undefeated in district play, earning the 4A District 5 Champion title. The team lost its State Championship play-in match to eventual state champion Artesia, 3-2. Named First Team All-State Middle Blocker is Alyssa Portee, Second Team Defensive Specialist is Azure’Rae Dunn and Second Team All-State Setter is Gabriella Perea.
All-District honors were awarded to Nadia Abeita, Jailyn Arnett, Isabella Chavez, Azure’rae Dunn, Ilyana Gonzales, Gabriella Perea and Alyssa Portee. Named All-District Honorable Mention were Rebecca Espat, Anastasia Romero, Kaitlyn Romero and Isabella Sanchez.
Golf Teams Win
