Franklin Romero, Sports Correspondent
Local teams are gearing up for district play or are already in the middle of their district play as the month of October begins.
FOOTBALL
October is the midpoint for the GHS Pirates football team as the 3-3, 2-1 Pirates have four more district games left in their season.
In the new redistricting for 2024 the Pirates are in district one along with eight other teams. Currently they are third in the district behind the number one team in the state, the undefeated Bloomfield Bobcats (5-0, 3-0) as well the undefeated Bernalillo Spartans with a 6-0, 3-0 record. Taos is ranked fourth in the district at 4-2, 2-1. Espanola Valley at 5-2, 2-2 comes in fifth in the district followed closely by Moriarity at 3-3, 1-2. Kirtland Central (1-5, 0-3) and winless Aztec (0-6, 04) round out the bottom of the district.
The Pirates are ranked ninth in the state in 4A rankings on maxpreps.com and are ranked 10th in the Newmexicoovertimesports. com coaches poll. District rivals, the Bloomfield Bobcats are number one in the state rankings and coaches poll. Bernalillo is also ranked second in the rankings and in the coaches poll. Taos is third in the ranking as well as the coaches poll.
Espanola Valley is sixth in the rankings and seventh in the coaches poll as Moriarity is 10th in the rankings and not in the top 10 in the coaches poll.
The Pirates coming off a 28-6 win over Aztec two weeks ago are taking on the Taos Tigers who bested Espanola Valley 27-7 last week.
The Pirates are ready to play “our best game” against them, said GHS head coach Steve Brown as he used last week’s bye week and this week to get healthy and prepare for the Tigers.
Game time is slated for this Friday, October 11th at 6pm at the Port of the Pirates.
The Laguna-Acoma Hawks football team is currently 2-3 and 0-1 as they play the McCurdy Bobcats (4-2,1-0) at the Nest this Friday, October 11th at 7pm. Mc Curdy is ranked number one in the district while the Hawks are last in the six-team district 2 in 2A.
VOLLEYBALL
The Lady Pirates are 7-8 going into district play this week. They are fourth in the district behind number one Belen at 12-3, second ranked St. Pius (10-3) and third ranked 65 Valencia. Highlands is last in the 5-team district at 0-14.
The Pirates first district game will be this Tuesday, October 8 against Valencia on the road followed by a home game as they host St.
Pius on October 10.
The L-A Hawks volleyball team is 7-3 heading into district play.
They will take on the Rehoboth Lynx (7-6) on Thursday, October 10 in their first game of the district. SOCCER
The GHS boys’ soccer team is currently 3-9, 0-4 after a recent 5-3 loss to district rival the Belen Eagles.
The Pirates are fifth out of five teams in district 5 4A, with St. Pius at 10-3, 3-0 leading the district.
The Pirates will play Valencia (4-9-1,1-2) on October 10 at home.
The lady Pirates are 210, 0-4 after a recent 5-1 loss to Belen and they will also host the lady Jaguars of Valencia on October 10.