Valencia's girls, fresh from a Final Four run last March, are hoping to find some more magic

In Class 4A girls basketball, there is a list of schools who might very well have a reasonable chance to play in the state championship game on the next Friday the 13th, in March.

Albuquerque Academy is on this list. So is Hope Christian, and Bernalillo, and even Gallup.

And so are the Valencia Jaguars.

Of course, they’re all chasing Kirtland Central, which is possibly the most prohibitive favorite to win state of any team in any of the 10 boys and girls classifications.

Valencia was closer than you might remember to getting to the 4A title game last March, losing a competitive game to Kirtland Central in the semifinals. And the sixth-ranked Jags, after a convincing 55-33 District 5-4A road win at St. Pius on February’s Friday the 13th, are back in the hunt.

Valencia (18-6, 5-1) pulled away in the second half from shorthanded St. Pius, setting up a huge showdown with unranked Highland (16-8, 6-0). The Hornets lead 5-4A because the Hornets beat Valencia in their first district encounter.

They meet again Tuesday night at Valencia.

“These are the exciting ones,” Valencia coach Raymond Montoya said. “District matchups, especially when you have to have it, creates a whole other level of stakes.”

It took a while Friday night for the Jaguars to put St. Pius (11-13, 2-5) away.

Valencia outscored the Sartans by 17 points after halftime. The Jags took advantage of their physical chances in the third quarter, going 10-of-10 from the line, with junior guard Naima Corrales scoring six in the quarter.

She finished with a team-best 18 points.

“Played together, our energy was a big part,” she said.

Jaiden Montgomery, one of the key pieces returning from last year’s roster, scored 14 points for the Jaguars. Francesca Otero added 12 points.

“Pius played really hard, they came out and competed. We just defensively, we talked about finishing plays,” Montoya said. “They killed us on the offensive boards, but I think as the game went on, we kind of locked in as a group and came together on team defense.”

Valencia has, to a degree, had to put this season together piecemeal when injuries and illness are factored in.

Corrales, for example, is a first-year varsity player after moving up from JV.

“It’s been a journey,” Montoya said. “We’ve got new pieces, trying to get healthy at the right time and peaking at the right time.”

Highland stayed in front in the district with a 55-49 home victory over Grants on Friday.

James Yodice covers prep sports for the Journal. You can reach him at jyodice@abqjournal.com or via X at @JamesDYodice.