ABQJOURNAL NORTH/SPORTS: Keep the Pace

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Saturday, April 02, 2011

Keep the Pace

By Eric Butler
For the Journal
          Up until a few years ago, Robertson High School had never experienced the pleasure of a state championship in football. That was rectified when the Cardinals grabbed the 3A crown in both 2005 and 2006.
        Basketball and baseball have been just as historically lacking for Robertson — as far as state hardware is concerned. Over the last three baseball seasons though, at about this time of the campaign, good starts for the Cardinals' diamond crew has lifted hopes.
        But since none of those promising beginnings ended up with a big postseason run, Robertson's players and coaches are currently maintaining a strictly guarded attitude this time around.
        "Last year we started off like we started this year. The last two years that I've been with Robertson baseball, we've had a great start and then we've kind of tapered off," Cardinals coach Michael Salazar said.
        Still, there's reason for optimism.
        Robertson won the St. Michael's baseball tournament earlier this season and on Friday swept Lovington in a doubleheader in Las Vegas. It all adds up to an 11-2 start of the season for the club.
        "Spring numbers, sometimes they can be inflated," Salazar said. "We feel like as long as we keep playing good baseball, then we'll be all right. Anything can happen."
        "We haven't put it into full throttle quite yet, but I think it's coming," senior Peter Campos said. "We all have confidence in the group. I feel like we're doing pretty good."
        At the state tournament last year, although only seeded 15th in the 16-team field, Robertson gave Bloomfield a very difficult time as the host Bobcats edged the Cards 7-5 in an opening round game. Eventually, Bloomfield went on to win the Class 3A state by beating St. Michael's in the championship.
        "The history of Robertson baseball is probably not what it could be," Salazar said. "Baseball is big in this town. It just hasn't been as big as it should be.
        "My feeling is that it's northern New Mexico baseball and we don't get the kind of weather that the southern teams get. It's been turning around for Las Vegas baseball with the club ball teams in the summer," the Robertson coach added. "As a result, we're starting to get more products up here in the spring and it's making a difference."
        Salazar and assistant coach Michael Salazar, who both played for Robertson in the 1980s, take pride in the depth of the current group of Cardinals.
        Juniors Luke Aragon and Girard Maestas are among several pitchers that are responsible for keeping opponents' bats in check.
        "We've got several guys that can throw the ball," Salazar said. "If you look at our stats, you'll see that we don't just have one guy throwing every game. We've been hard establishing a team with depth."
        At the plate, Aragon is hitting over .400 from the lead-off position and is one of seven Cardinals to have a batting average at that level. Nick Archuleta, a senior shortstop, and fellow senior Fabian Montoya follow Aragon in the hitting order.
        Several different players, including Estevan Montoya, Dominic Yara and Ryan Tafoya, have enough pop in the bat to be given a shot at the clean-up position.
        Fabian Montoya acknowledges thinking about things like state championships. But, keeping the company line, the Robertson senior is keeping those kinds of feelings in check.
        "Each season you just need to keep working hard and work toward that one goal at the end of the season," Montoya said. "I think that, as long as we stay healthy and stay together as a team, we'll be able to reach our goal."

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