Prep notes: West Las Vegas 8th grader ties NM's single-season home run record

May 1—West Las Vegas' Malie "Moogie" Satete on Tuesday tied New Mexico's single-season home record, as she belted her 20th of the spring in a 14-7 district victory over Raton.

Satete is in the eighth grade.

But she tied Cibola's Jalyn Montes — who just established the state record last year — with her 20th homer on Tuesday.

West Las Vegas played in Albuquerque against Sandia on Wednesday, but Satete did not homer.

She has time to not just eclipse Montes but gain some separation. The Dons still have five games remaining in their regular season, starting Friday at Albuquerque Academy. They also have doubleheaders Tuesday at Robertson and next Friday against Santa Fe Indian. Plus the state tournament.

According to MaxPreps.com's statistical submissions (and there is no guarantee that it is complete), there are only seven girls in the country with at least 20 home runs this season.

METRO TRACK: The last of the 2023-24 Albuquerque Metro Championships begins this week.

Track and field gets going on Thursday afternoon at Nusenda Community Stadium, and it will conclude Friday night.

This is the last major competition for athletes before the state meets later this month in Albuquerque.

Thursday features eight field event finals (which will start either at 4:15 or 6:45 p.m.), plus the 3,200-meter final and the 4x800-meter final.

Of note, Eldorado's Gianna Rahmer is not entered in the 3,200, which she won last weekend at the Harper meet at Albuquerque Academy. But the Hoover Middle School eighth-grader is entered in the 1,600-meter final early Friday evening.

The 13 Albuquerque Public Schools have their boys and girls entered, plus Rio Rancho and Cleveland, and also Albuquerque Academy, St. Pius, Hope Christian, Bernalillo and Hobbs.

Thursday's running program primarily will feature prelims in the other running events.

The finals in the remaining individual running events begin at 5:30 p.m. Friday. The other six field events will be held at 4:15 or 6:45 p.m. Friday.

SANDIA HOF: Sandia High School last month held its latest Hall of Fame ceremony for the Class of 2024.

Athletes from the 1990s inducted were: Louis Heckroth (1992; football/track and field); Susan Lakeman (1993; cross country/track and field); Eric Dooley (1994; soccer); Miranda Sanchez (1997; volleyball/basketball); Colleen Smith (1997; volleyball/basketball); Analisa Lucero (1994; volleyball/basketball/softball); Michelle Carter (1998; basketball/baseball/track and field); and Erin Jean Belger-Cox (1998; cross country/track and field).

Two of the Matadors' great former coaches also were inducted: Ron Allen (1984-2009; soccer/wrestling/golf), and Blaine Clarke (1975-2006; cross country/track and field).

CO-OP DIVORCE: There will be a slew of changes coming for the next school year as a new realignment and classification block kicks in.

One of the changes was initiated by a school itself.

Oak Grove Classical Academy is going to head out on its own in boys basketball, eliminating the co-op agreement it had shared with Evangel Christian Academy, Oak Grove's Joseph Jaramillo said. He added, a large majority of the players in the co-op agreement were Oak Grove students and it made sense to go out on their own in this sport.

Oak Grove is going to move into Class 2A next season, and join a district that includes Menaul and Native American Community Academy. Recently crowned 2A state champion ATC (the Academy for Technology and the Classics, in Santa Fe) was in this district, but is moving up to Class 3A.

It was not immediately known what Evangel will do with the co-op ending.

SIGNINGS: A handful of baseball players from No. 1-ranked La Cueva have signed national letters of intent to play at the next level.

Luke Reiter has signed to play for Oklahoma Panhandle State, Connor Baughman has signed with Antelope Valley College in California, Trevor Johnson has signed with New Mexico Military Institute, Gehrig Pineda has signed with the College of Southern Nevada (famously, Bryce Harper attended CSN), and Ramon Martinez has signed with Pima Community College in Arizona.

Cibola High School had a signing ceremony earlier this week. The athletes who signed were:

Cole Jones (football; N.M. Highlands), Niko Ramirez (football; N.M. Military Institute), Elijah Foster (basketball; University of the Southwest), Aryanna Elena Corrales (golf; Southwestern Oregon), Seth Galfano (baseball; N.M. Highlands), Matthew Board (baseball; N.M. Highlands), Zeyda Olvera (softball; Snow College, Utah), Aunika Marquez (softball; Otero College, Colorado), Amaya Castille (softball; N.M. Highlands) and Anna Barraza (softball; Otero College, Colorado).

The Journal had previously reported that outstanding libero Makayla Martinez from the Cougars' volleyball team was headed to New Mexico State; she was part of this week's ceremony.

GOLF: Twin Warriors hosted the Class 5A preview tournament on Tuesday.

La Cueva's boys won by 12 shots (316-328) over runner-up Volcano Vista. Hobbs and Los Lunas (332) tied for third place.

La Cueva's Jake Yrene, who won the 5A state title at Twin Warriors last year, was the medalist. He carded a 2-under round of 70 and beat teammate Kirin Hochenedel by three strokes. Payton Black of Rio Rancho (75) was third.

La Cueva's girls shot a solid round of 305, which was 34 shots ahead of second-place Piedra Vista. Alamogordo (352) was third.

Individually, junior Annie Yost of Piedra Vista shot 70, two strokes in front of La Cueva's Stephanie Romero. Kate Moores of the Bears (73) placed third.