Athletic Review: October 28 - November 2

SARTAN CROSS COUNTRY

Congratulations to our Boys Cross Country team on capturing the District Championship! Senior Liam Chavez led the pack, crossing the finish line first and earning the titles of District Champion and All-District Runner of the Year. Joining him in the top 10 were fellow standout runners Liam Brown, Max Lopez, Joshua Robbins, Silas Brown, and Mateo Sanchez, who were all recognized as All-District honorees.

The Girls Cross Country team also excelled, finishing as District Runners-Up. Brooke Kelly and Stella Copeland both achieved All-District honors with stellar performances. Both teams are now set to compete in the State Championship at Academy this Saturday. Special congratulations to Coach Jeff Turcotte, who was honored as District Coach of the Year once again.

SARTAN FOOTBALL

In their final District 2-4A matchup, the Sartans defeated Manzano 16-7, completing the regular season with an impressive 8-2 overall record and a perfect 5-0 in district play. Sophomore quarterback Isaiah Carpenter threw for 167 yards and 1 touchdown, while sophomore running back Hershul Olloway Jr. powered through with 121 rushing yards and 1 touchdown. Senior Bryan Thomas added 62 receiving yards, with Curtis Flakes III (sophomore) at 58 yards and Cayl Cox-Liggins (sophomore) at 50 yards. Olloway Jr. also made an 8-yard reception for a touchdown.

Defensively, Michael Dweller was relentless, posting 10 total tackles, 3 tackles-for-loss, and 2 sacks, keeping pressure on the quarterback throughout the game. Junior Kolbe Padilla also shined with 10 tackles and 3 tackles-for-loss. Senior Thomas Valenzuela secured two PATs to help seal the win.

SARTAN SOCCER

Girls’ Soccer
Our girls’ Sartan soccer team, seeded 5th, pulled off a thrilling upset 1-0 over 4-seed Artesia Bulldogs on Friday evening in Artesia. A decisive second-half goal by sophomore Aubrey Rodela, assisted by sophomore Vanessa Cichy, clinched the win, advancing the Sartans to the state semifinal. They will face top-seeded Hope Christian on Wednesday, November 6, at 2:30 PM at Hope Christian. Earlier last week, the Sartans also defeated 12-seed Aztec 6-0 in a home game, advancing to the quarterfinal round.

Boys’ Soccer
Our boys’ Sartan soccer team, ranked 1st in the state, earned a solid 2-0 quarterfinal victory over 8-seed Artesia this past Saturday on Ben Rios Field. Mateo Certain (2026) and Nicos Reyes (2027) each scored a goal, with Diego Herrera (2028) assisting both. Goalkeeper Frank Barela (2025) earned a shutout in the win. The Sartans will advance to the semifinals, where they’ll face 4-seed Hope Christian Huskies on Wednesday, November 6, at 2 PM, again on Ben Rios Field at St. Pius X.

SARTAN VOLLEYBALL

Sartan volleyball had a fantastic week with two consecutive wins. On Tuesday, October 29, they defeated Grants at home in a clean sweep, and on Wednesday, October 30, they swept Valencia on the road. The Sartans are now 18-3 overall and boast a perfect 7-0 district record. The team will conclude their season with an away game at Sandia Prep on Tuesday, November 5, followed by a home Senior Night district game against Highland on Thursday, November 7.

MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETICS

Flag Football
Our 7th grade Black Team and 6th grade White Team both celebrated big wins over Albuquerque Academy on Monday afternoon at Albuquerque Academy.

Girls Basketball
On Monday, our girls’ basketball teams had a strong showing, with the White Team winning against Cottonwood Classical and the Gold Team defeating Bosque. The Black Team played hard but fell to Cottonwood Classical.

For game scores, stats, pictures, and videos, please email [email protected]. To view upcoming game schedules, visit saintpiusx.com and click on the calendar.