Prep notes: Hernandez takes over at Atrisco Heritage

The Atrisco Heritage boys basketball program has decided to promote from within.

Earlier this month, Reyes Hernandez, 35, was selected to take over the Jaguars after Steve Heredia left to become the new coach at Rio Rancho. Hernandez was with Heredia for three years at Atrisco Heritage, and he also was a Heredia assistant once at Centennial.

For Hernandez, this is his second go as a head coach. He coached Miyamura High in Gallup for five seasons before he joined Heredia at Atrisco Heritage.

“It’s a really, really good program,” Hernandez said of the Jaguars. “Really good culture.”

Hernandez already is knee deep into Atrisco’s offseason program, and Tuesday was his first day working with the Jaguars’ younger players.

“I’m super excited, super thrilled,” Hernandez said about being a head coach again.

“It’s one of those jobs, when it comes open, it’s one of those dream jobs here in the metro that you want to throw your name in the hat for.”

And Hernandez said his time working with Heredia, plus his previous head coaching experience, made this an ideal time to bid to take over another program.

“With my knowing these kids the last three years,” he said, “it was the right opportunity at the right time.”

Atrisco Heritage is coming off a 19-11 season.

BROWN SCHOLARSHIPS: This is the fourth straight year the Brown family is awarding five scholarships through its Coach Mike “Papa” Brown MSA initiative.

The scholarships are available only to senior student-athletes in Albuquerque Public Schools, and are awarded only to boys and girls who carry at least a 3.5 GPA, and to students who plan to attend college, or a vocational school, no later than the fall following their graduation.

The $5,000 recipient is Haili Begay of Volcano Vista, who competed in cross country and track for four years, and basketball for two of her years with the Hawks.

The $4,000 recipient is Adeline Arenas of Eldorado (four years tennis, two years cross country).

The $3,000 recipient is Henry Crespin of La Cueva (baseball, golf, Jr. ROTC).

The $2,000 recipient is Estevan Fernandez, the first time the Browns have given scholarship money to a student from Valley. He was a four-year baseball player, and also ran cross country and bowled for three years.

The $1,000 award went to Sandia’s Mitchell Tibbetts-Wells (four years in basketball).

The fourth annual Brown MSA Scholarship fundraiser is Nov. 9 at TopGolf, from 2-6 p.m.

The family is looking for sponsors and donors to participate in the the golf tournament, plus an auction.

NEWCOMERS: The latest MaxPreps top 25 national softball poll has a bunch of fresh faces this week.

That includes Centennial.

The Hawks, coming off their Class 5A state championship victory over La Cueva last weekend, jumped into the poll at No. 24.

Centennial became the first program in New Mexico’s largest division since 2017 to go undefeated.

MORE OFFERS: La Cueva’s talented incoming senior guard, Jordyn Dyer, has collected a couple of new offers.

She announced on her social media account that Division I Portland State has offered her a scholarship, as well as Division II West Texas A&M.

Dyer recently received her first D-1 offer, to Idaho State.

THIS AND THAT: Atrisco Heritage football player Chauncey Lane announced on social media that he has committed to play for Western New Mexico.