Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico • Page U004

BERNALILLO SPARTANS Coach: Philippe Mballa-Zambo (1st year) Last season: 2-16-2 Key players: Mia Montano, GK; Kelsey Romero, Gabriella Varela, FW; Avery Suina, Abigail Rivas, MF. Outlook: New coach Mballa- Zambo has his hands full as he tries to rebuild not just the varsity program but create interest with younger girls who at the high school yet. he said, always been for the He is very high on a player he said has Division I talent, and said that Romero is an asset as well on the back line. It will very likely take some time to create a cohesive side in Bernalillo. BOSQUE SCHOOL BOBCATS Coach: Jacob Cortez (4th year) Last season: 14-6-2; lost to Sandia Prep in 1A-4A quarterfinals Key players: Genevieve Gray, C-MF; Rhythm Badal, C-MF; Bryanna Bravo, MF; Grace Freed, Nikki Taibbi, 8th, Hannah Pacheco, GK.

Outlook: The Bobcats have increased their win total in each of first three seasons, so hopes are high on the West Side. This team has some solid seniors, and added to the blend are some talented underclassmen. Gray was a first-team All- State mention last season, with Badal on the second team. Cortez said be if Bosque in the mix late in the state tournament. Finding go-to scorers (likely from the midfield) is a crucial ingredient for the well being.

CIBOLA COUGARS Coach: Gary Zink (5th year) Last season: 17-5; Class 6A state champions Key players: Lexi Baca, Jasmine Marwan, Emily Avila, MF; Rebekah Carr, GK; Bryana Garcia, Megan Carmody, MF. Outlook: The Cougars return nearly their entire starting lineup as they look to repeat as state champions, although they will have a new goalkeeper, and that girl, Carr, will have many eyes on her this season. Baca was the nmsoccer.com player of the year in 2015, and a first- team All-State performer, as was Avila. Can Cibola handle the rigors of being the defending champ, a team everyone will be gunning for? a crucial question, but this team looks like it should be there near the end. CLEVELAND STORM Coach: Greg Rusk (5th year) Last season: 10-8-2; lost to Hobbs in 6A first round Key players: Ashton Forrest, MF; JoJo Green, Kailey FW; Gabby Garcia, GK; Abbi Rael, FW; Bri Riggs, FW.

Outlook: The Storm has quality and depth and certainly is among the better 6A teams in New Mexico. One thing to notice, Rusk said, is how Cleveland plans to sacrifice a bit on the back line in order to produce more offense. To that end, and Rael give the Storm quick outside players, with Riggs expected to be a goal scorer in front along with junior Corey Kizer, and Forrest and Gabby Gillert facilitating from the midfield. Cleveland has designs on a top-8 seed for the playoffs. RIO RANCHO RAMS Coach: Uwe Balzis (20th year) Last season: 11-7-3; lost to Cibola in 6A quarterfinals Key players: Leilani Baker, Brittney Harris, MF; Cheyenne Orozco, MF; Kayla Montoya, Mychele Porter, Ashley Gabaldon, Outlook: The Rams have an experienced team with seven starters returning led by Baker, who was named to All-State first team last fall, and second-teamer Orozco, who is starting her fifth season on the Rio Rancho varsity squad.

Balzis consistently has one of New best programs, and the Rams certainly expect to be back in the playoffs in November and hoping to make a push. ST. PIUS SARTANS Coach: David Sullivan, Jr. (2nd year) Last season: 20-3; Class 5A state champions Key players: Tatiana Limon, FW; Dominique Giannini, Miranda Hart, FW; Victoria Sanchez, Makayla Saenz, MF; Carliegh Garcia, MF. Outlook: The New Mexico State-bound Limon finally reaches her senior season, and the all-time leading goal scorer and point scorer should be in line for another huge year as the Sartans set out to defend their blue trophy.

Overall program numbers are down, so St. Pius needs to stay healthy this year against a grueling schedule, no less. But Sullivan thinks his top 15 are as good as in the he said. This senior group is 66-7 over the last three years at the varsity level. VALLEY VIKINGS Coach: Ron Worley (1st year) Last season: 11-7 Key players: Alondra Quezada, FW; Marian Means, GK; Hannah Stout, Gabby Montoya, MF; Alejandra Jurado, MF.

Outlook: If name looks familiar, it ought to; he used to coach the Viking boys. This team, he said, is a mixture of girls who are both new to the game and new to this program, so Worley, understandably, quite put his finger on the pulse of this team just yet. Valley faces a tough schedule as it hopes to challenge Albuquerque High in District 4, so this rebuild may take a little while. VOLCANO VISTA HAWKS Coach: Samantha Lucero (9th year) Last season: 13-6-1; lost to Eldorado in 6A quarterfinals Key players: Brianna Martinez, MF; Annie Kolich, MF; Morghan Thomas, Hope Sanchez, Cierra Ramirez, FW; Jackie (MF) and Lauren Valdez (D), srs. Outlook: With 14 returning varsity players, led by Martinez, one of New elite players and part of the national soccer program, the Hawks want to get back into at least the state semis this year, a round they failed to reach last season for the first time.

a quick, very physical side, according to Lucero, although this team is new in goal. Kolich was a first-team All-Stater last season. Up top, Lucero likes her playmakers. It is possible Bosque transfer Dalis Bruce, a gifted goal scorer, could end up on this team, too. WEST MESA MUSTANGS Coach: Kristal Smith (1st year) Last season: 4-13-1 Key players: Syneca Pyszko, Esperanza Tena, FW; Angelina Espinoza, Amber Arrieta, Joanna Vazquez, MF; Annal yssa Gutierrez, D.

Outlook: The Mustangs and new coach Smith do have a couple of versatile players in both Pyszko (who will indeed be found both in net and up top, depending on the day) and Tena, who can play pretty much any position on the pitch except goalkeeper. Overall, a very young team. Compiled by James Yodice better scores in the subject. think it is misleading to say the whole district went down (in she said. RRPS spokeswoman Beth Pendergrass said the scores reinforce the emphasis on teaching computer skills.

This past spring, the district purchased a new English curriculum that blends digital components and hard copy text, in alignment with Common Core standards. In neighboring Albuquerque Public Schools, kids also stumbled on English. APS students scored slightly above the state average 20.4 percent were proficient in math and 28.1 percent in English but they fell 1 percentage point in English compared with 2015 and only saw a 1 percentage point improvement in math. The worst decline for APS was also third-grade English: 21.4 percent met reading standards this year, a 10-point drop over the past year. results do show that both as a district and as a state the need to do more to help students achieve at a higher APS Superintendent Raquel Reedy said in an emailed statement.

ficiency rates below 50 percent are just not acceptable and we will be working with students, teachers and families to address deficiencies. We are committed to putting resources at schools and redesigning teaching and learning so that more students Las Cruces improved by about 3 percentage points on math and English, reaching 19.6 proficiency and 27.5 percent, respectively. Santa Fe dropped below the state average in both English and math, hitting 25.7 percent proficiency and 16.5 percent proficiency, respectively. Los Alamos again was a standout over 50 percent of its students met or exceeded expectations on many tests. New Mexico Secretary of Education Skandera highlighted successes in Farmington and Gadsden, which she said have embraced reforms and tracked data to make instructional changes.

The two rural districts are performing better than most of the state and saw large gains. Farmington went up more than 8.5 percentage points in English to 36.3 percent proficiency. you push to improve, the the Skandera said. But the secretary stressed that New Mexico still has a long way to go on education. established the baseline last year, and on our way with good she told the Journal have never seen this kind of improvement across grade levels in our recent history.

We need to keep pushing for where we want to be Skandera praised the high participation rate in the controversial test, which drew protests and walkouts in 2015, the first year it was administered. Ninety-seven percent of New students in grades 3-11 217,000 kids took PARCC in 2016, compared with 95 percent in 2015. But American Federation of Teachers New Mexico President Stephanie Ly said the overall results prove that PARCC is not working for students. the release of this scores, Secretary Skandera is now championing minimal gains in PARCC she said in an emailed statement. small increases, the fact remains that across the board, New Mexico students are not proficient, according to Eleven states administer PARCC, which stands for the Partnership for Assessment and Readiness for College and Careers.

The computerized exam is designed to align with Common Core and raise standards. SPORTS SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2016 RIO WEST 4 For sports news call James Yodice at 823-3950, fax 823-3994 or send e-mail to and Rio archive artist: cathryn cunningham size: 2 col 62P proof: Aug 18, 2016 2015 2016 points Grade proficiency proficiency difference 3 24.9 24.1 4 23.7 25.0 1.3 5 23.7 24.7 1.0 6 21.9 24.2 2.3 7 21.1 23.0 1.9 8 22.8 25.7 2.9 9 26.8 27.4 0.6 10 31.3 32.1 0.8 11 44.5 44.9 0.4 2015 2016 points Grade proficiency proficiency difference 3 25.2 29.9 4.7 4 18.5 23.1 4.6 5 20.5 25.2 4.7 6 18.6 19.7 1.1 7 15.2 17.3 2.1 8 16.9 19.2 2.3 9 16.0 18.2 2.2 10 12.4 13.2 0.8 11 9.6 9.4 SOURCE: New Mexico Public Education Department PARCC EXAM RESULTS FOR GRADES 3-11 RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS RESULTS NEW MEXICO STATE RESULTS English Language Arts Mathematics 2015 2016 points Grade proficiency proficiency difference 3 38.0 27.4 4 44.1 32.7 5 34.8 29.7 6 30.3 31.6 1.4 7 34.2 30.1 8 37.6 35.2 9 45.6 45.5 10 48.7 52.1 3.5 11 67.4 64.5 2015 2016 points Grade proficiency proficiency difference 3 34.7 37.9 3.1 4 26.0 32.1 6.1 5 30.6 31.9 1.2 6 28.8 28.1 7 26.1 26.9 0.8 8 32.3 32.5 0.1 9 29.7 33.5 3.7 10 19.8 23.0 3.2 11 10.2 10.0 English Language Arts Mathematics C. PARCC EXAM RESULTS FOR GRADES 3-11 Mixed results on PARCC for Rio public schools From PAGE 1 BERNALILLO SPARTANS Coach: Anthony Jaramillo (3rd year) Last season: 7-9-1 Key players: Victor Noel Martinez, FW; Sean Evanko, MF: Daniel Gutierrez, Jose Aguilar, GK; Kevin Silva, MF. Outlook: This will be a relatively young group, filled with plenty of sophomores who will have to plug in some holes for the Spartans. Martinez is the top offensive player, but Bernalillo must find a way to get the ball on his foot.

He was the second-leading scorer last year. The Spartans hope to make a run at the postseason this year, Jaramillo said. BOSQUE SCHOOL BOBCATS Coach: Jason Cloyes (1st year) Last season: 16-3-3; Class 1A-4A state champions Key players: Josh Sanchez, MF; Zech Meddleton, FW; Travis James, Peter Panagopolous, Jerry McKinney, GK; Cooper Tezak, D. Outlook: The big change for the Bobcats is Cloyes, who takes over the program from the now-retired Klaus Weber. Only three starters return for Bosque, but it hopes Tezak will be healthy after missing most of last season with an injury.

The three center mids Meddleton, Sanchez and James will be carrying a heavy load for the Bobcats as they seek to repeat. CIBOLA COUGARS Coach: Michael Clarke (interim) Last season: 13-6-1; lost to La Cueva in 6A quarterfinals Key players: Benjamin Rogers, FW; Matt Berlint, FW; Chance Ford, MF; Shea Cosper, Dustin Michalk, D. Outlook: Clarke was coaching girls JV when his older brother, Cameron, asked him to take over the program this season as Cameron continues to rehab neck and back injuries in a Denver hospital. Michael Clarke has only had a limited amount of time with the Cougars, so they will be a mystery team, perhaps all the way through the season. CLEVELAND STORM Coach: Shaun Gill (9th year) Last season: 9-7-5; lost to Hobbs in 6A first round Key players: Dylan Casey, Korbin Krupiak, FW; James Uhrich, FW; Dylon Sandoval, MF; Dominic Valenzuela, GK; Marshall Stribling, MF.

Outlook: Here is a team many coaches believe might break out in 2016. This group has speed up top and on the wings, plus a solidified defense, Gill said, and one of the top keepers in Valenzuela. An early metro tournament matchup with La Cueva should be a litmus test right away. And later, the Storm will have to endure a tough district schedule. RIO RANCHO RAMS Coach: John Shepard (15th year) Last season: 15-5-2; lost to Albuquerque High in 6A semifinals Key players: Chris Leyba, utility; Cameron Trujillo, MF; Kevin Aguilar, MF; Joseph De Los Santos, Caesar Charrette, Justin Farello, MF.

Outlook: The Rams have seven starters back off a team that was Final Four material last November, although they are new in net with junior Garrett Velasquez this fall. Can Rio new faces blend well with the veterans? This is the question that occupies Shepard as the season gets under way. Farello was a second-team All-State choice last season and led the Rams in scoring. ST. PIUS SARTANS Coach: A.J.

Herrera (2nd year) Last season: 12-7-3; lost to Los Alamos in 5A quarterfinals Key players: Jaren Rodriguez, Julian Garcia, FW; Andres Torres, FW; Seth Matteucci, FW; Christian Monsalve, Alex Nana, MF. Outlook: The Sartans, on paper, look young, but misleading, as their nine returning starters just happen to include an overload of underclassmen. In fact, this team has eight sophomores, many of whom logged significant minutes last season. Rodriguez, Garcia and Torres were all first-team all-district selections last year for St. Pius, which intends to push rival Acad emy once we get to the playoffs.

VALLEY VIKINGS Coach: Tyler Linn (2nd year) Last season: 9-8-1 Key players: Johnny Baros, FW; Miguel Ramirez, MF; Diego Tena, Oswaldo Medina, MF; Jose Marrufo, MF; Luis Guerrero, FW. Outlook: Five of eight losses last season came to the two 6A state finalists, AHS and Atrisco Heritage. The Vikings bring back nine starters from that team, including a good number of attacking players, Linn said. Tena must be solid on the back line for Valley, a team that is not built on physicality. The Vikes want to grind out possessions on the ground and make their hay that way.

VOLCANO VISTA HAWKS Coach: Billy Thiebaut (9th year) Last season: 8-8-2 Key players: Larsen Rogers, MF; Isai Rivas, MF; Andres Jurado, Zach Lemasters, FW; Stevie Pina, FW; Tyler Cole, MF. Outlook: The Hawks were sup posed to get standout transfer Skylor Rose from Sandia Prep, but Rose has bolted instead for the Colorado Rapids Academy. Still, Volcano Vista, with nine starters returning, should be back in the playoff mix this season after a rare postseason miss in 2015. Rogers and Rivas will be key playmakers this season. The Hawks settled on a starting goalkeeper yet, however.

WEST MESA MUSTANGS Coach: Jorge Serrano (3rd year) Last season: 6-10-2 Key players: Edgar Ruiz, GK; Andres Ituarte, Andy Chavez, MF; Jason Gomez, MF; Aaron Mendoza, MF; Augustin Paulino, D. Outlook: The Mustangs have nine starters back as they hope to make a dent in a district that has been dominated by Albuquerque High and Atrisco Heritage. Team chemistry is a definite plus for West Mesa, which will mount its attacks from the back and try to be clean in the midfield to help that system along. Compiled by James Yodice The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC, divides students into five levels, from 1 to 5, based on test performance. On its website, the PARCC consortium defines each level as: Level 1: Student did not meet expectations.

Level 2: Student partially met expectations. Level 3: Student approached expectations. Level 4: Student met expectations. Level 5: Student exceeded expectations. PARCC Performance Levels Jasmine Marwan (5) tries to outpace Rio Kayla Montoya (9) and Shelby Garner during a match last year.

Marwan and Montoya are returning for their respective teams. JOURNAL 2016 RIO WEST GIRLS SOCCER CAPSULES 2016 RIO WEST BOYS METRO-AREA SOCCER CAPSULES.