Peerman's Power Rankings: 10 best things in New Mexico sports this week (Feb. 11)

Welcome to Peerman's Power Rankings (PPR), the 10 athletes, teams and story lines that have Journal sports editor Lucas Peerman's attention. Look for a new power rankings list every Sunday.

Have a suggestion, complaint or compliment? Email lpeerman@abqjournal.com or contact me on X @LucasPeerman.

10. UNM women's tennis

With wins this weekend over Seattle, Gonzaga and Eastern Washington, the Lobos improved to 5-0 to tally their best start ever in the Mountain West. The last time the UNM women's team was undefeated this long into a season was 1998, before the MWC, when the Lobos went 12-0. The team returns from the Pacific Northwest for home matches Friday versus Northern Arizona and Sunday against Abilene Christian.

9. Alan Trejo

Last month, the Colorado Rockies optioned infielder Alan Trejo to the team's Triple-A affiliate in Albuquerque, which means Isotopes fans will again get to root for this smart, savvy ballplayer. But what gets him on PPR this week is something Isotopes manager Pedro Lopez said during a recent news conference. As the team dropped to last place in the Pacific Coast League at last season's halfway point, Lopez challenged the team members to raise their hands if they were “lawyers, doctors, architects, engineers.” Two players did raise their hand, including Trejo, who has a degree in aeronautical engineering from San Diego State University. “The rest of the guys were ballplayers. … ‘Just go out there and play baseball and have fun,’” Lopez said he told the team. The message seemed to resonate as the Isotopes did have a much better second half the season. But kudos to Trejo who can drill it to the gap in left and know exactly how fast he needs to go to stretch it into a double. So can most major leaguers? Sure, but how many can also show their work.

8. Joe Gonzales

Santa Fe High, down 55-53 to district rival Albuquerque High with 4.3 seconds to go, inbounded the basketball to Joe Gonzales at the opponents' three-point line. He took a couple dribbles and heaved a shot from beyond the halfcourt line. Nailed it. Demons win by a point.

7. Aniyah Augmon

The point guard for UNM women's team recently injured her knee and woke up Saturday morning not knowing whether she was going to play in a game that afternoon against Colorado State. But play she did. And dominate she did. Augmon matched a career high with 22 points and set a new career best with 16 rebounds as the Lobos improved to 8-4 in Mountain West play, behind only UNLV and Wyoming.

6. Kirtland Central girls basketball

The Broncos have won nine straight to improve to 19-2 on the year and have established themselves as the clear favorites to win the Class 4A trophy. Kirtland Central, ranked No. 1, have defeated their past three opponents by a combined score of 224-95, including blowing out No. 2 Gallup by 33 points. Their only two losses are to Farmington and La Cueva, the Nos. 4 and 5 teams in 5A.

5. Volcano Vista boys basketball

The Hawks, 22-1, are just as dominant in boys 5A as the Broncos are in girls 4A. Volcano Vista has won 12 straight, including wins at No. 3 Atrisco Heritage and at No. 4 Cleveland by double digits in its last two outings. Due to a fracas near the end of the Atrisco game, the Hawks were down two starters against Cleveland (which somehow managed to beat Volcano Vista earlier this season). It didn't matter. Maybe, just maybe, No. 2 Organ Mountain can make the Hawks sweat a bit in the tourney but PPR expects the boys 5A hardware to once again find its way into Volcano Vista's trophy case.

4. Hoops for Hope

Did you know the phrase "hilarity ensues" was coined by a writer watching the annual New Mexico Senate-House basketball game? OK, maybe the phrase wasn't invented to describe this annual battle on the court between lawmakers, but there is no more apt descriptor. Having Roundhouse reporters Megan Gleason and Alaina Mencinger (stated non-basketball fans) "cover" the game only added to the ridiculousness. It's all in good fun, though, and the game did raise $35,000 for the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, which is a win in the PPR book.

3. Habtom Samuel

UNM's fantastic freshman competed against the NCAA's best and a few professionals at this weekend's David Hemery Valentine Invitational in Boston. How did Samuel do in the 3,000-meter run? He won, of course. His time of 7:40.63 set a new school record by 5 seconds (Samuel set the previous record last month). His time would not only rank him No. 7 in the nation on the most recent NCAA D-I Indoor Qualifying List, but it also ranks 393rd in the recorded history of the event. So, plenty of room for improvement.

2. Mountain West men's basketball

It's a gauntlet. Utah State (predicted to finish ninth in the preseason poll) leads at 8-3. UNM is tied with Colorado State, San Diego State, Boise State at 7-4. Nevada and UNLV are 6-4. If the Lobos lose in Reno on Tuesday and UNLV wins at Fresno State on Wednesday, then UNM will be tied with the loser of Tuesday's Colorado State at San Diego State game for sixth in the Mountain West going into next weekend. Or the Lobos could beat the Wolf Pack and Utah State could lose at Wyoming on Wednesday and UNM would be in a three-way tie for first place. Whatever happens, don't get too high or too low Lobo fans. For now, enjoy the ride.

1. Snow days

Saturday's white out outside and inside the Pit was fun. More fun outside than inside, it turned out. The blanket of snow Saturday was apropos as inside the Albuquerque Convention Center that morning, the pioneer and former coach of UNM's ski team was announced as one of eight inductees into the 2023 New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame. George Brooks, who helped found the team in 1970 at age 20 went on to coach the squad for 37 years. Brooks' accolades as Lobos ski team coach not only include a national title in 2004 (UNM's first national team title in any sport) but a 99 percent graduation rate among the 350 to 400 skiers who were on the team. UNM, citing budget cuts, unceremoniously eliminated the ski team in 2018. Still, the legacy Brooks built is worthy of recognition, even by Mother Nature it would seem. Congrats to Brooks and all those who are being inducted into the state's sports hall of fame.

Honorable mention

Bella Hines: Another week, another record for Eldorado's star basketball player. This week, she became the all-time leading girls scorer in Albuquerque Public Schools.

JT Toppin: UNM's fab freshman now has eight double-doubles in his career, breaking Kenny Thomas' freshman record of seven in a season. Toppin still has eight or so games to play. Though he didn't get a double-double Saturday versus UNLV, he did become the first player to have three consecutive Mountain West games with at least six offensive rebounds — regardless of class.

Geoff Grammer: Congrats to the Journal staff writer who covers Lobo basketball for finally correctly predicting more Mountain West games than his teenage daughter. Grammer, who had a difficult time correctly predicting MW games against the spread to start the season has caught fire of late and is at 26-33 for the year and just this weekend passed his daughter, who flips a coin for each game and is at 25-34, in the family standings.

End of the bench

Lobos fans are starting to grouse about preseason All-Mountain West guard Jamal Mashburn Jr., whose play in the Mountain West Conference has left a lot to be desired. He's averaging 13.7 points per game on a shade under 40 percent shooting against MW opponents. His high point total in conference this year is 19 points against San Diego State. He averaged 21 ppg in conference last year. Plus, being one of three starting guards at 6-foot-2 or shorter, he's one-third of a backcourt that struggles on defense to keep taller wings from hitting the offensive boards. While sending Mashburn to the end of the bench is harsh, it's fair to ask whether Mid Mash will let Monster Mash come out to play one of these games.

Photos: UNM Lobos fall to UNLV