State soccer pairings announced

Pairings for the state high school soccer tournaments have been announced by the New Mexico Activities Association, and Robertson's boys and girls know who they're playing, when and where this weekend to open the postseason.

Coach Clarence Montoya's Cardinals are the No. 8 seed in the Class 1A-3A boys' bracket and will host No. 9 Bloomfield at 3 p.m. Friday at RHS Field.

The winner moves on to play No. 1 Sandia Prep at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, at the new Sue Cleveland High in Rio Rancho.

The other Class 1A-3A boys' first-round matchups are No. 12 Desert Academy at No. 5 Hope Christian, No. 11 Monte del Sol at No. 6 Rehoboth, and No. 10 Socorro at No. 7 Santa Fe Prep. Sandia Prep, No. 2 Bosque School, No. 3 St. Michael's and No. 4 Ruidoso all received first-round byes.

Coach Ray Parks and his Lady Cardinals, the No. 11 seed in the girls' draw, open play at No. 6 Miyamura at 1 p.m. Saturday. Miyamura edged RHS 2-1 on Sept. 19 during a tournament at Rehoboth.

The winner advances to take on No. 3 Bosque School at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, at the new Albuquerque Public Schools soccer complex.

The other Class 1A-3A girls' pairings: No. 9 Rehoboth at No. 8 Portales, No. 12 Santa Fe Prep at No. 5 Socorro, No. 10 East Mountain at No. 7 Bloomfield. No. 1 Sandia Prep, No. 2 St. Mike's, No. 3 Bosque and No. 4 Hope Christian have first-round byes.

Semifinals and finals in both tourneys will be played at the new Albuquerque Public Schools soccer complex Nov. 6-7.

Robertson last week clinched district championships in both boys' and girls' soccer. It was the fourth straight district title for the Lady Cards (7-11, 4-0) and the second in three years for the Cardinals (12-6, 7-1).

Pairings were announced late Saturday by the NMAA. Reversing from the playoff format adopted the last couple of seasons, the organization jettisoned a round-robin style for first-round matches in favor of a traditional bracket. Also new is the main venue, a switch from Bernalillo's complex to the one built by APS, located to the west of Volcano Vista High on Albuquerque's West Side.