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RIO RANCHO – Contrary to popular belief, the winter high school sports season does not end when the last basketball team has left the Pit.
It ends this weekend at the Santa Ana Star Center.
The State Spirit Championships, one of the biggest moneymakers for the New Mexico Activities Association and in its third year as a sanctioned sport, begins this morning and ends Saturday night.
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Today State Spirit Championships: Santa Ana Star Center, 9 a.m. |
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In Class 5A, there are 17 dance squads entered, with all of them – except for Oñate, Las Cruces, Clovis and Mayfield – from the metro area.
In the 5A cheer category, there are 13 schools vying for a blue trophy. Again, most are local, with Gadsden and Mayfield from outside the metro area.
In an effort to streamline the event and prevent it from going late, there will be dual staging areas for routines on the floor of the Star Center.
There won’t be any overlapping, but there will be one squad performing almost literally every minute during the competition schedule. As one squad ends its routine, another squad will begin theirs just a few feet away. There will be two sets of judges as well.
Among the sports sanctioned by the NMAA, the only events that bring a higher gate are basketball and football.
SCHEDULE: While in previous years the event has run very late into Saturday night, the NMAA has created a more ambitious – and time-friendly – schedule this year.
If everything goes according to plan, then the last routine – the coed cheer routine by Deming in the combined Class 4A/5A division – will begin at 5:47 p.m. Saturday.
After performances by New Mexico State’s cheer and dance squads, and the University of New Mexico dance squad, the final awards ceremony is slated to begin at 6:10 p.m. Saturday. At that time, the last state championship trophies – Class 5A cheer and dance, Class 4A cheer and dance, and the 4A/5A coed cheer – will be handed out.
There are 13 squads in 4A/5A coed, but only three from Albuquerque: Eldorado, West Mesa and Albuquerque High.
The small-school trophy ceremony begins at 11:40 a.m. Saturday, when the NMAA will announce the winners in Class 3A cheer and dance, Class 2A cheer, Class 1A cheer, Class 1A/2A dance and Class 1A-3A coed cheer.
TICKETS: Adults tickets are $8 with no re-entry. For students and seniors, the price is $5, also with no re-entry.
However, there is a day pass for sale, which for $12 allows spectators to come and go during the two days. state spirit
— This article appeared on page D5 of the Albuquerque Journal
