Sandia Hands Rio Rancho Boys Third Consecutive Loss

The Rio Rancho boys soccer team is in a bit of a slump.

The Rams on Wednesday lost their third straight game, 1-0 to visiting Sandia.

Rio Rancho also fell last Saturday, 4-1 to Gadsden, and were beaten 2-1 in overtime on Tuesday by Bosque School. Royce Deller had the Rams’ goal Tuesday.

♦ Cleveland’s boys (4-7) lost 2-1 in penalty kicks at Clovis on Saturday. Jesse Nieto had the Storm’s only goal, on a PK in the 58th minute.

GIRLS: Rio Rancho went 3-0 over the last week. The Rams beat defending Class 1A-3A state champion Sandia Prep 3-2 on Friday, blanked Gadsden 7-0 on Saturday and defeated Bosque School 3-1 on Tuesday. Brittany Shrader had a pair of goals, and Kynzi Woodring added a goal as well in the victory over the Bobcats.

Shrader, Makenna Johnson and Alicia Herrera had goals in the victory over the Sundevils, and Shrader had four goals in the romp over the Panthers. Mariah Baker, Imani Morlock and Rachel Herrera also tallied.

♦ Cleveland’s girls (7-4) beat Farmington 3-1 on Tuesday after a 10-day break. Brianna Garcia had a pair of goals and Lucy Chalgren also scored.

Cross-Country

Cleveland and Rio Rancho were at the Socorro Stampede last week. The Storm’s boys finished first and the girls second. The boys scored 33 points, three ahead of the Hilltoppers. Rio Rancho (66) finished third.

Cleveland senior Luis Martinez had a 10-second victory over teammate Aaron Flores. Martinez’s time was 15 minutes, 45 seconds.

Also for the Storm, Jared Mayoral was eighth, Matt Smith ninth and Preston Panana 13th.

For Rio Rancho, Ryan Betty was the top Ram, in fifth place. Also, Preston Charlie crossed in sixth, Caleb Epps was 14th, Adrian Dominguez was 20th and Fernando Lucero was 21st.

♦ Los Alamos’ girls scored an 18-point win, 26-44 over the Storm. But Cleveland’s Malia Gonzales was the individual winner, in 19:16. It was the first victory of the 2012 season for the defending 5A state champ.

Also for the Storm, Audrey Martinez placed seventh, Natalie Medina ninth, Nicolette Pacheco 12th and Alana Littleford 15th.

Rio Rancho’s Brianna Pribble ran second to Gonzales, finishing in 19:46. Joana Fernandez was 11th, Dottie Smith 17th, Carolyn Warner 20th and Charlene Juanico 26th. The Rams (75) were third.

Volleyball

Rio Rancho is hosting the annual Rio Rancho/Cleveland VolleyBash on Friday and Saturday.

Also entered is Gadsden (last year’s 5A state champ), Artesia (last season’s 4A champion), St. Pius (4A state runner-up), Piedra Vista, Santa Fe, Moriarty and Santa Teresa. Pool play begins at 10 a.m. at Rio Rancho on Friday.

♦ The Rams (6-3) won three matches in three days last week. They first beat St. Pius, 21-25, 25-22, 26-24, 25-15.

Rio Rancho swept Mayfield and Las Cruces last Saturday. Against the Trojans, the Rams won 25-19, 25-20 and 25-20. Rio Rancho outlasted the Lady Bulldawgs in five games, 25-11, 18-25, 25-18, 20-25, 15-8.

♦ Cleveland (9-2) also played Mayfield on Saturday. The Storm won 25-17, 25-14, 25-15. Cleveland has won five matches in a row.