MaxPreps 2014 New Mexico boys and girls soccer preview

Looking at the overall soccer picture in New Mexico early in the season, Cibola (Albuquerque) has a chance to be No. 1 in the boys division, while another Albuquerque school, Eldorado, could top the girls division.

Boys Preview

In the boys division, Class 6A Cibola returns eight starters from a 16-5 team which is led by Seattle University recruit Sergio Rivas, a midfielder who collected seven goals and 13 assists as a junior and is a Player of the Year candidate.

Coach Cameron Clarke says Rivas "has vision, is a leader, and one of the hardest-working, most talented players I've ever seen."

He will receive plenty of help from junior defender Joe Ortiz, called by his coach "really, really hard to beat. He's very athletic and teams probably will try to avoid him."

Clarke accepts the No. 1 tag.

"It's something we really kind of expected," he said. "Last year we were young and had some growing pains. Now we're more well equipped to handle the pressure."

The defending state champion in now what is Class 4A-1A, Sandia Prep (Albuquerque), is one of the premier teams despite its size. The Sun Devils posted a 20-3 record with 16 straight wins to capture last year's 3A-1A crown — their fourth in a row and 17th overall.

Senior Ryan Hunter, a 6-foot-3 Division I prospect, led his class in scoring last year with 25 goals and 12 assists and scored six goals in his first two games this year.

Coach Tommy Smith says Hunter, now in his fourth varsity campaign, has "an incredible work ethic. He's very motivated and has improved every year."

Smith also is very high on senior Jackson Lee, whom he describes as "extremely tough, a leader and arguably our best defender."

Last year's Class 5A state champion, Las Cruces, which now is 6A,  will rely on seven starters from an 18-5 team. A new rule has saddled the Bulldawgs with a 3-0-2 start this year and coach Erik Tuchfarber is not happy about the change in how ties are decided.

Even so, he believes the record would be better if junior center back Elliott Burkett had not been injured and missed the two ties on the opening weekend. Burkett has one of his team's five goals so far this season.

Junior goalkeeper Jacobus McClure, who missed his sophomore year with an injury, has been the key player, allowing just two goals so far and posting three shutouts.

Tuchfarber points out that his 6-foot-4, 180-pound star "takes up a lot of space in goal, which can be very intimidating. He covers lots of ground in a hurry and is only getting better."

A Class 5A team, Los Lunas, may have the state's best 1-2 scoring punch. Junior Chris Lovato led the state last year with 41 goals and 14 assists for a 17-4 team, while senior Alejandro Garcia was No. 2 with 34 goals and 14 assists.

Coach Daniel Martinez likes Lovato's "size (6-1) and his ability to find the ball and distribute." He calls Garcia "one of those players unpredictable when he's on the ball. He has a creativity that's just unmatched."

Another highly-rated team is Albuquerque, which returns eight starters from a 17-3 team. The Bulldogs, however, have gotten off to what coach Lucien Starzynski calls a "tentative" 2-1-1 start.

Leading the way is last year's No. 1 Class 5A (now 6A) goalkeeper, Andrea Seazzu, a 6-1 Division I junior. Starzynski says he "has good size for a goalkeeper and is very well trained and developed technically at a young age."

He will get plenty of support from another junior, Javier Gonzales, "a very good defender who reads the game well and is very technical."

Girls Preview

In the girls division, Eldorado (Albuquerque) will build around a strong nucleus of six starters from a 20-1 team which won its last 14 games — the final six shutouts.

The Eagles will be "divine" again because they have the state's premier goalkeeper, Morgan Divine, who allowed just five goals during a phenomenal junior year. She topped off her magnificent year by scoring the winning goal in the Class 5A state championship game.

Coach Paul Maestas says one of Divine's greatest attributes is organizing the game in front of her.

"She definitely is a field leader and one of our captains," he said. "She is very quick and reads angles really well."

The Eagles will count on plenty of scoring from junior Alexa Genas, who had 21 goals and 15 assists last year and has already scored four times in three games this season. Maestas calls Genas "one of our taller (5-8) and strongest players. She is creative with the ball, fast and one of our better technical players."

Junior Kelly Burton is the only returning defensive starter.

Missing but still in school, Jesse Hicks elected to run only cross country this fall after doubling in both sports last year. She was a Class 5A All-state selection last year and actually has chosen the University of Colorado to play soccer after graduation.

Another strong contender is Rio Rancho, which returns five starters from a 16-4 team and won its first five games this year.

Sophomore Leilani Baker already has scored nine goals this year after leading the team in scoring as a freshman. Coach Uwe Balzis noted that she "is the fastest player on our team and has really improved on finishing."

He lauds her sister, New Mexico State University recruit Mariah Baker, as "a great team leader. She is very strong on defense and the glue that holds our team together."

Cleveland (Rio Rancho) also won its first five games this year with a dominating 33-1 scoring advantage. The Storm is building with five starters off a 16-6 team.

Senior goalkeeper Ashley Martin leads a strong defense after allowing just six goals last year. A three-year starter, she has yielded just one goal so far this year, on a penalty kick. Coach Greg Rusk calls her "an excellent leader and the moral compass of our team."

Senior forward Audriana Chavez scored 19 goals last year and has 12 goals — seven on headers — and three assists already this year.

"She's not only a good athlete, but she understands the game really well," said Rusk. "She's tall (5-8), strong and not afraid."

Loaded is the word for Class 5A St. Pius X (Albuquerque), which returns 13 players, including five members of last year's 4A All-State team.

Defender Amanda Hernandez was Class 4A Player of the Year as a junior. The 5-8 senior is "very focused and driven," according to coach David Sullivan. "She hates to lose and is a take-charge kind of player."

Sophomore forward Tatiana Limon led Class 4A as a freshman with 31 goals and 17 assists. Sullivan describes her as "one of those rare players who almost feels the game before it happens. The game comes to her. She gets double- and tripled-teamed, but it doesn't affect her."

And here's another team that truly defines the word loaded:

Hope Christian (Albuquerque) not only returns all 22 players from last year, but has added three more who were injured and unable to play. The Huskies were 20-3 and won the Class 3A-1A state title.

Senior goalkeeper Larisa Kozlowski allowed just six goals last year and boasts "a pretty commanding top-of-the-line skill set," according to coach Ron Espinoza.

One of the state's top scorers and all-around athletes is Ariel Lopez, a senior from Hobbs. The daughter of coach Cricket Lopez, she had 24 goals and 21 assists as a junior.

Coach Lopez said her daughter, "has great vision on the field. She is very shifty and can really move in tight spaces."

She was the No. 2 scorer in the state as a sophomore and junior while also playing point guard in basketball and running track.