#1 Texico Lady Wolverines
Record: 22-3 overall (6-0 district)
Head Coach: Richard Luscombe
Preview: Another season nearing its end and it’s the Texico Lady Wolverines that are heavy favorites once again. Led by a talented group of upperclassmen, Texico once again posted a 20-plus win season, their 13th straight (and could be longer because Maxpreps only goes back to 2006-07 season). The outstanding play of senior Baylee Sours has been key in the past, but she’s received plenty of help from the likes of fellow Jasmine Davalos, a rising junior in Ashley Hill, and two promising sophomores in Rachel Phipps and Riley Rohrbach. Texico’s has zero losses to any other team in class 2A, with their lone New Mexico loss was to 3A #1 Robertson.
Last Championship: 2018 vs. Tohatchi (last tournament appearance as well.
#2 Penasco Lady Panthers
Record: 24-3 overall (10-0 district)
Head Coach: Gilbert Mascarenas
Preview: They’ve swiped and clawed their way into the championship contention for another shot at a state title. Penasco is led by a tandem of seniors who’ve been playing at the varsity level since they were eighth graders, Bianca Contreras and Alaska Lopez. Both have been important to their run this season and with the possibility of closing out the season with a banner would be fitting for these seniors.
Last Championship: 0 for 3 in state title games with their last title game appearance in 2018 vs. the co-op of Fort Sumner-House.
#3 Pecos Lady Panthers
Record: 19-6 overall (4-2 district)
Head Coach: Ron Drake
Preview: In their fifth straight state tournament appearance Pecos is looking to max out their senior talent in Cassie Muller and Brittany Martinez lead the charge for the Lady Panthers. If Pecos can get their first-round win, it’ll be the fourth 20-win season in the five seasons since head coach Ron Drake has taken over the program. It’s been quite the run over the last few seasons, but Pecos wants a little more to show for this postseason. They’re the only 2A team to give Texico a run this season. They’re hoping if they get the chance again, they’ll come out on top.
Last Championship: None with no title game appearaces
#4 Dulce Lady Hawks
Record: 21-6 overall (12-1 district)
Head Coach: Stanford Salazar
Preview: In their second season under the guidance of a former Hawk standout, Coach Salazar, the Dulce Lady Hawks have surpassed the 20-win mark, their first in well over a decade. Dulce has quite the collection of athletes which is led by the play of junior Caitlin Duncan. This quick Dulce team also has a senior in Brooke Vigil and Lauryn Vigil that contribute. Dulce is hoping to finally get past the quarters but first has to deal with the one team that handed them their lone loss in district: Newcomb.
Last Championship: None with no title game appearances.
#5 Estancia Lady Bears
Record: 21-5 overall (10-0 district)
Head Coach: Mike Trujillo
Preview: In their first season under former Moriarty boys basketball head coach, Mike Trujillo, the Estancia Lady Bears have supplanted some woeful seasons with their first 20-win season in 12 years. Coach Trujillo is a championship caliber coach having led a Moriarty girls team to the state title game in the early 2000s while having stints as Estancia's boys and girls hoops coach for a short time after that. Since making the change, it’s been a quick turnaround from their 11-18 season last year. A trio of seniors in Lainey Fastnacht, Mariah Aday, and Uriah Astorga helped in the program’s turnaround this season.
Last Championship: None with no title game appearances.
#6 Lordsburg Lady Mavericks
Record: 21-8 overall (7-1 district)
Head Coach: Rodney Plowman
Preview: Long time head coach, Rodney Plowman is hoping to get his team back to the tournament finals, their first appearance since 2009. They’ve been tested through most of the late season against a tough Mescalero Apache team, a formidable district rival they split four meetings with this season. Leading the way for the Lady Mavs’ has been a sophomore double-double machine in Madison Miller. Miller has averaged a best 15.2 points per game and 10.2 rebounds per game through the season. In addition to Miller are the senior-junior duo of Anissa Plowman and Analisa Castaneda, key contributors for Lordsburg.
Last Championship: None. Last title game appearances vs. Navajo Prep in 2009.
#7 Clayton Lady Yellowjackets
Record: 15-11 overall (2-4 district)
Head Coach: Justin Daugherty
Preview: Under second year Coach Daugherty’s early tenure, Clayton may look like they’ve dropped just looking at the record, but this might be the most dangerous lowest seeded 2A team in the tournament. A slew of upperclassmen contributed greatly and that includes Barbara Cruz, Keegan Geary, and Mercedes Sandoval. But maybe the most valuable has been sophomore Mandy Crisp and junior Kaylee Mitchell.
Last Championship: 1994. Last appearance in 2015 against Texico.
#8 Mescalero Apache Lady Chiefs
Record: 20-7 overall (7-1 district)
Head Coach: Elmer Chavez
Preview: Four straight 20-plus wins seasons is the longest stretch of success the program has had. Is it any coincidence that started when head coach Elmer Chavez took over? Probably not. But since then, it’s been a tough outing as each year they’ve seen early quarterfinal exits. And although this year’s team may not be as talented as year’s passed, they’re certainly no lazy lucky bunch to have made it this far in a loaded 2A class. Led by the scoring talents of Fallon Velasquez, Mescalero also a few key underclassmen contributing. Tunte Baca is an important sophomore who has posted big numbers this season, while there’s another sophomore in Samantha Kazhe that’s also key. Can’t forget the junior Ramona Fossum as well.
Last Championship: None with no title game appearances.
The Rest of the Field:
#9 Magdalena Lady Steers (18-10 overall; 7-3 district) – A bit of rough going under first year head coach Boyd Lewis, but the Lady Steers have a nice draw in the first round game. A trio leads this team in Shondiin Billy, Nicole Bilbo, and Kourtney Lewis (sister to former Ramah standout Jordyn Lewis)
#10 Alamo Navajo Lady Cougars (18-10 overall; 7-3 district) – Head coach Randy Hunt’s seeing improvements in this third season as the Lady Cougars posted their first winning record since the 2011-2012 season. Key players include Noel Apachito, Cle-Na-Pah Yazzie, and Calista Vicente.
#11 Cloudcroft Lady Bears (16-10 overall; 4-4 district) – Third year for Coach Thomas Mulkey and the Lady Bears posted their best season yet with a huge turnaround from the first year under Mulkey at 5-22. Cloudcroft has a number of key contributors starting with the Hickman sisters, Kaylee and Britney, senior Laci Toddy, junior Mariah Barnett, and a sophomore guard in Ajia Hughes.
#12 Rehoboth Christian Lynx (17-11 overall; 8-4 district) – Third season under Coach Adrian Pete and the Lynx are in prime position to upset with their best roster yet. Led by a trio of senior post players, Kennedi Chapman, Rachael Martin, and Emerald Toddy, the Lynx are looking to use their size against the likes of Estancia.
#13 Newcomb Lady Skyhawks (15-14 overall; 8-4 district) – First season head coach Bill McLaughlin finished one game above .500 and a chance to upset district foe Dulce in the first round. Newcomb is led by sophomore guard Hannah Begay, junior Shoshanna Begay, and senior Shoshuna Jones.
#14 Tse’ Yi’ Gai Dine Warriors (15-8 overall; 8-4 district) – The youthful roster led by 7-year head coach, AD Nez Begay, hopes to pull off the upset on the road after finishing tied for second in district play. The Dine Warriors are led by sophomore Tiannalee Jim and freshman Kallie Trujillo.
#15 McCurdy Lady Bobcats (17-10 overall; 8-0 district) – Three straight winning seasons and the District 2 champions are looking to get out of the first round with a huge upset. They’re led by senior Angie Arroyo.
#16 Loving Lady Falcons (15-11 overall; 4-2 district) – A well EARNED postseason berth allowed the District 4 champs to enter the tournament field. Although it was a tough first round draw, they’ll look to the play of senior Anyssa Rodriguez, who can come close to triple-double figures on a given night.
Record: 22-3 overall (6-0 district)
Head Coach: Richard Luscombe
Preview: Another season nearing its end and it’s the Texico Lady Wolverines that are heavy favorites once again. Led by a talented group of upperclassmen, Texico once again posted a 20-plus win season, their 13th straight (and could be longer because Maxpreps only goes back to 2006-07 season). The outstanding play of senior Baylee Sours has been key in the past, but she’s received plenty of help from the likes of fellow Jasmine Davalos, a rising junior in Ashley Hill, and two promising sophomores in Rachel Phipps and Riley Rohrbach. Texico’s has zero losses to any other team in class 2A, with their lone New Mexico loss was to 3A #1 Robertson.
Last Championship: 2018 vs. Tohatchi (last tournament appearance as well.
#2 Penasco Lady Panthers
Record: 24-3 overall (10-0 district)
Head Coach: Gilbert Mascarenas
Preview: They’ve swiped and clawed their way into the championship contention for another shot at a state title. Penasco is led by a tandem of seniors who’ve been playing at the varsity level since they were eighth graders, Bianca Contreras and Alaska Lopez. Both have been important to their run this season and with the possibility of closing out the season with a banner would be fitting for these seniors.
Last Championship: 0 for 3 in state title games with their last title game appearance in 2018 vs. the co-op of Fort Sumner-House.
#3 Pecos Lady Panthers
Record: 19-6 overall (4-2 district)
Head Coach: Ron Drake
Preview: In their fifth straight state tournament appearance Pecos is looking to max out their senior talent in Cassie Muller and Brittany Martinez lead the charge for the Lady Panthers. If Pecos can get their first-round win, it’ll be the fourth 20-win season in the five seasons since head coach Ron Drake has taken over the program. It’s been quite the run over the last few seasons, but Pecos wants a little more to show for this postseason. They’re the only 2A team to give Texico a run this season. They’re hoping if they get the chance again, they’ll come out on top.
Last Championship: None with no title game appearaces
#4 Dulce Lady Hawks
Record: 21-6 overall (12-1 district)
Head Coach: Stanford Salazar
Preview: In their second season under the guidance of a former Hawk standout, Coach Salazar, the Dulce Lady Hawks have surpassed the 20-win mark, their first in well over a decade. Dulce has quite the collection of athletes which is led by the play of junior Caitlin Duncan. This quick Dulce team also has a senior in Brooke Vigil and Lauryn Vigil that contribute. Dulce is hoping to finally get past the quarters but first has to deal with the one team that handed them their lone loss in district: Newcomb.
Last Championship: None with no title game appearances.
#5 Estancia Lady Bears
Record: 21-5 overall (10-0 district)
Head Coach: Mike Trujillo
Preview: In their first season under former Moriarty boys basketball head coach, Mike Trujillo, the Estancia Lady Bears have supplanted some woeful seasons with their first 20-win season in 12 years. Coach Trujillo is a championship caliber coach having led a Moriarty girls team to the state title game in the early 2000s while having stints as Estancia's boys and girls hoops coach for a short time after that. Since making the change, it’s been a quick turnaround from their 11-18 season last year. A trio of seniors in Lainey Fastnacht, Mariah Aday, and Uriah Astorga helped in the program’s turnaround this season.
Last Championship: None with no title game appearances.
#6 Lordsburg Lady Mavericks
Record: 21-8 overall (7-1 district)
Head Coach: Rodney Plowman
Preview: Long time head coach, Rodney Plowman is hoping to get his team back to the tournament finals, their first appearance since 2009. They’ve been tested through most of the late season against a tough Mescalero Apache team, a formidable district rival they split four meetings with this season. Leading the way for the Lady Mavs’ has been a sophomore double-double machine in Madison Miller. Miller has averaged a best 15.2 points per game and 10.2 rebounds per game through the season. In addition to Miller are the senior-junior duo of Anissa Plowman and Analisa Castaneda, key contributors for Lordsburg.
Last Championship: None. Last title game appearances vs. Navajo Prep in 2009.
#7 Clayton Lady Yellowjackets
Record: 15-11 overall (2-4 district)
Head Coach: Justin Daugherty
Preview: Under second year Coach Daugherty’s early tenure, Clayton may look like they’ve dropped just looking at the record, but this might be the most dangerous lowest seeded 2A team in the tournament. A slew of upperclassmen contributed greatly and that includes Barbara Cruz, Keegan Geary, and Mercedes Sandoval. But maybe the most valuable has been sophomore Mandy Crisp and junior Kaylee Mitchell.
Last Championship: 1994. Last appearance in 2015 against Texico.
#8 Mescalero Apache Lady Chiefs
Record: 20-7 overall (7-1 district)
Head Coach: Elmer Chavez
Preview: Four straight 20-plus wins seasons is the longest stretch of success the program has had. Is it any coincidence that started when head coach Elmer Chavez took over? Probably not. But since then, it’s been a tough outing as each year they’ve seen early quarterfinal exits. And although this year’s team may not be as talented as year’s passed, they’re certainly no lazy lucky bunch to have made it this far in a loaded 2A class. Led by the scoring talents of Fallon Velasquez, Mescalero also a few key underclassmen contributing. Tunte Baca is an important sophomore who has posted big numbers this season, while there’s another sophomore in Samantha Kazhe that’s also key. Can’t forget the junior Ramona Fossum as well.
Last Championship: None with no title game appearances.
The Rest of the Field:
#9 Magdalena Lady Steers (18-10 overall; 7-3 district) – A bit of rough going under first year head coach Boyd Lewis, but the Lady Steers have a nice draw in the first round game. A trio leads this team in Shondiin Billy, Nicole Bilbo, and Kourtney Lewis (sister to former Ramah standout Jordyn Lewis)
#10 Alamo Navajo Lady Cougars (18-10 overall; 7-3 district) – Head coach Randy Hunt’s seeing improvements in this third season as the Lady Cougars posted their first winning record since the 2011-2012 season. Key players include Noel Apachito, Cle-Na-Pah Yazzie, and Calista Vicente.
#11 Cloudcroft Lady Bears (16-10 overall; 4-4 district) – Third year for Coach Thomas Mulkey and the Lady Bears posted their best season yet with a huge turnaround from the first year under Mulkey at 5-22. Cloudcroft has a number of key contributors starting with the Hickman sisters, Kaylee and Britney, senior Laci Toddy, junior Mariah Barnett, and a sophomore guard in Ajia Hughes.
#12 Rehoboth Christian Lynx (17-11 overall; 8-4 district) – Third season under Coach Adrian Pete and the Lynx are in prime position to upset with their best roster yet. Led by a trio of senior post players, Kennedi Chapman, Rachael Martin, and Emerald Toddy, the Lynx are looking to use their size against the likes of Estancia.
#13 Newcomb Lady Skyhawks (15-14 overall; 8-4 district) – First season head coach Bill McLaughlin finished one game above .500 and a chance to upset district foe Dulce in the first round. Newcomb is led by sophomore guard Hannah Begay, junior Shoshanna Begay, and senior Shoshuna Jones.
#14 Tse’ Yi’ Gai Dine Warriors (15-8 overall; 8-4 district) – The youthful roster led by 7-year head coach, AD Nez Begay, hopes to pull off the upset on the road after finishing tied for second in district play. The Dine Warriors are led by sophomore Tiannalee Jim and freshman Kallie Trujillo.
#15 McCurdy Lady Bobcats (17-10 overall; 8-0 district) – Three straight winning seasons and the District 2 champions are looking to get out of the first round with a huge upset. They’re led by senior Angie Arroyo.
#16 Loving Lady Falcons (15-11 overall; 4-2 district) – A well EARNED postseason berth allowed the District 4 champs to enter the tournament field. Although it was a tough first round draw, they’ll look to the play of senior Anyssa Rodriguez, who can come close to triple-double figures on a given night.
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