Girls soccer: Which teams can challenge La Cueva, Hope Christian?

La Cueva, Hope Christian and Sandia Prep were the girls state soccer champions for the 2024 season, and there wouldn’t be much surprise if all three were playing on the final day of the 2025 season.

Starting with Class 5A, the Bears, who downed Las Cruces 3-0 in the championship game, are firmly expected to make another deep playoff run, what with 10 seniors returning and seven girls who started in the state final.

“The experience of my players is really gonna help out,” La Cueva coach Amber Ashcraft said. “It’s just huge, because the girls understand what it takes.”

Senior midfielder Makena Hix, senior midfielder Kadyn Begay and senior defender Riley Erickson are several of key starters who are back for the Bears. The No. 1 question is how La Cueva goes about replacing its top three scorers, who were all seniors.

The Bears on Wednesday night meet Volcano Vista in the semifinals of the Albuquerque Metro Championships at the APS Complex, after those same two met in the state semis last season.

Eldorado senior forward Emma Gurule led the Eagles in scoring last season as the burnt orange also reached the state semifinals last season. Senior midfielder Malina Salas is another of Eldorado’s top returners.

But, having graduated nine players, coach Aaron Forrester said, “I think we’re gonna struggle to find ourselves in the first part of the year. We’re trying to figure out how to play together.”

Volcano Vista is the clear favorite in District 1-5A, thought of as one of the top several teams in New Mexico, and the Hawks feature one of 5A’s most dynamic talents in junior forward Kasey Sandoval who tallied 24 goals as a sophomore.

The Hawks also ought to be stout on the back line, led by junior Lara Shelle and sophomore Alyssa Trujillo.

Most of the Volcano Vista roster is composed of underclassmen; there are only two seniors.

“I have a group that’s been knocked out in the semis or quarters the last three years, so I hope that creates a little bit of a chip on their shoulder,” Volcano coach Ashley Nieder said.

Rio Rancho missed last fall’s playoffs, but the Rams, a young team, are hoping to emerge from what has usually been the state’s toughest, top-to-bottom league and get back to the postseason. Top players include junior midfielder/defender Meelah Ellsworth, senior back Kendall Sullivan and sophomore striker Sophia Smith.

Cleveland, oddly enough, is taking solace from an early-season 4-0 loss to 4A power Hope Christian, which could be the state’s best team regardless of class.

“That game,” coach Greg Rusk said, “gave me encouragement that we will be there to compete for our district championship.”

Junior midfielder Aliyah C’deBaca is a Storm anchor, as this is her fourth varsity season.

Cibola is coming off a playoff season, having been knocked out by La Cueva in the quarterfinals. The Cougars hired a new head coach, Roger Baxter, a longtime Cibola assistant coach, during the offseason. Junior Autumn Garcia is off to a blazing start, with six goals in three games this season.

District 5-5A would seem to have a firm favorite in Albuquerque High, with coach Serina Griego, now in her first full season after taking over in the middle of last season.

The Bulldogs have an experienced team, with nine seniors. Players to watch include senior back Gianna Tonini, senior forward Mina Hoffman and junior wing Joslin Sells.

“I definitely think we have the potential to be the No. 1 team in the state,” a bold Griego said.

AHS does have two losses, but they were relatively close decisions to 5A powers La Cueva and Volcano Vista.

CLASS 4A: If there is, on paper, a team that rates as the closest thing to a sure thing in any classification in either boys or girls soccer, it would be the Hope Christian girls.

The Huskies have won state four consecutive seasons, the program has won 41 straight matches, and Hope returns almost entirely intact from last year, when it defeated rival Albuquerque Academy 1-0 in the state final.

“I think we just need to stay hungry and humble,” coach Amy Fankam said. Her Huskies face Academy on Wednesday night in the metro semifinals.

Among many skilled players from Hope are senior midfielder Mason Ricker and senior midfielder Hailey Sanchez. But this team is loaded with offensive weapons, such as freshman Mechi Garbarino who already has nine goals in four victories this season.

Academy has a small senior class, but has several impact players on the pitch, such as senior goalkeeper Sophia Hasse, senior forward Isabella Barnes and junior center back Addison Cates, who missed last season with a knee injury.

Academy is similar to Hope in that a large majority of the 2024 roster is back, including the Chargers’ five leading scorers.

“It’s a good group. It’s a strong group,” coach Andrew Wiese said. “I think the team is very well balanced, and we have a lot of quality through all three lines. We’ll be in competition for everything.”

St. Pius’ girls had a fantastic 2024 season, which featured two, one-goal losses to Hope Christian.

But this Sartans roster, coach Nick Madrid said, will be young, to the extent that four eighth-graders have been starting. Two of the exceptions are senior defender Alicia Sapien and senior midfielder/forward Kaylee Perea. Junior forward Maddilyn Garcia is expected to be a strong contributor.

“My older returning players are all really high-level players, and that’s mixed with my incoming players, who are also high level,” Madrid said.

CLASS 1A-3A: Sandia Prep is chasing a fifth straight blue trophy in this division. The Sundevils defeated district rival Cottonwood Classical Prep in the state championship game, but Sandia Prep graduated nine players.

“It’s a young team, with a lot of hunger to continue traditions,” Sandia Prep coach Matt Westerlund said.

Junior captain, midfielder Camryn McWilliams, plus sophomore mid Madlyn Dopson, are two of the Sundevils’ key returners.

How will the rest of that district shape up? That league had three of the four state semifinalists.

Cottonwood Classical Prep was one of best stories, in any class, regardless of gender, in the 2024 season. The school had never before fielded a varsity girls soccer team, and then got all the way to the final.

And the Coyotes lost only two players off that team that won 16 matches.

“Not being able to get that title is what (motivates) them this year,” CCP coach Hussein Soueidan said. His top four scorers, who combined for 79 goals, are back, led by juniors Ryan Carlson and Analiese Seifert.

Bosque lost to Sandia Prep in the semifinals, Ainsley Capps, now a UNM Lobo, graduated after a 40-goal season. But the Bobcats do return junior forward/midfielder Layla Chimenti, who had 21 goals a year ago, and Bosque does bring back a large bulk of its roster.

East Mountain also qualified for state out of that deep district.