ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The No. 2 Sandia Matadors held the normally potent No. 1 Hobbs Eagles offense to its lowest point total of the season—just 38 points—in the Class 5A title tilt. Sandia won 47-38. In doing so, the Matadors captured their second straight 5A crown, sixth overall as a program, and third under head coach Lee Kettig (his first coming in 2017). The previous low point total for Hobbs this season was 44, recorded in a 44-34 win over Carlsbad.

Kyndle Cunningham put Hobbs on the board first with a free throw, but in what would have been unthinkable before the game, this turned out to be the only time Hobbs held the lead—lasting just 40 seconds. In addition to Sandia’s stellar defense, the Eagles struggled to convert even when they managed to get clean looks. Hobbs shot just 2-of-12 in the opening quarter and 6-of-27 in the first half.

Nadia Randall converted two straight opportunities for Sandia, and Chloe Brown followed with a jumper, giving the Matadors a quick six points. Later, an Audri Wright three-pointer pushed Sandia ahead 15-5, and they maintained that margin at the end of the first quarter.

Normally, when discussing Sandia and the Benally family, the headline centers around Sydney. However, on this day, it was her younger sister, Kaiyah, who took center stage. She poured in eight second-quarter points, including an old-fashioned three-point play that extended Sandia’s lead to 25-12 with 1:37 left in the first half.

Aliana Armitage scored in the paint, and Bhret Clay sank two free throws for Hobbs, trimming the deficit to 25-16 at halftime.

As the third quarter got underway, the Hobbs offense finally found its rhythm. Cunningham opened with back-to-back baskets, sparking a 9-0 run that tied the game at 25. However, on the ensuing possession, Wright connected from beyond the arc to reclaim the lead for Sandia, and they never relinquished it again.

Kaiyah Benally scored the next five points for the Matadors, totaling seven in the quarter, as Sandia responded to Hobbs’ surge with an 8-1 run of its own. Kacelyn Muniez hit a jumper to cut the deficit to 33-30, but Benally and Wright each scored on Sandia’s final two possessions of the quarter, extending the lead to 37-30 heading into the fourth.

Hobbs managed to cut the margin to five points on two separate occasions in the final period, but that was as close as the Eagles would get. Sandia thwarted any hopes of a fourth-quarter comeback, closing out a 47-38 victory to secure the blue trophy for the second straight year.

Kaiyah Benally led the Lady Matadors with 19 points and eight rebounds, while Wright finished with 12 points. Cunningham paced Hobbs with 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Clay added 11 points.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The girls' Class 1A championship game was a tale of two halves—the first controlled by the No. 2 Fort Sumner/House Vixens and the second dominated by the No. 1 Roy/Mosquero Lady Blue.

The Vixens entered the game looking for a repeat after defeating Logan 54-36 in last year’s title game. However, the Lady Blue had history on their minds as well, coming into the contest with a perfect 29-0 record, which included a 58-49 victory over Fort Sumner/House earlier this season.

Brooke Layton got things going for the Vixens with a three-pointer to open the game, and an Alyssa Casaus triple gave Fort Sumner/House a 7-4 lead. Tayla Proffitt got her big game started with a pair of baskets, putting the Lady Blue in front 8-7 with 1:42 left in the first quarter. Another Casaus three-pointer pushed the Vixens ahead 13-8, but Natalie Smith answered from beyond the arc to cut the deficit to 13-11 at the end of one.

Fort Sumner/House opened the second quarter with four straight points to extend their lead to 17-11 before the Lady Blue responded with a 10-2 run—six of those points coming from Smith’s three-pointers—to take a 21-19 lead. Layton connected on another three-pointer to put the Vixens back on top, and they carried a 26-23 advantage into halftime.

After leading for just 25 seconds in the first half, Roy/Mosquero stormed out of the locker room with a dominant 13-1 run to take a 36-27 lead just over halfway through the third quarter—a lead they would hold for over 14 of the final 16 minutes. Proffitt and Nora Crisp each scored six points during the run for the Lady Blue. Layton ended the extended run with a pair of free throws, but by then, Roy/Mosquero had seized full control of the game, with their hands already on the blue trophy.

The Lady Blue closed the third quarter with a 50-36 lead and opened the fourth on a 12-4 run, pushing the margin to 62-40 with less than five minutes remaining. To their credit, the Vixens showed a champion’s mettle, battling until the final whistle and cutting the deficit to 12. However, it was Roy/Mosquero celebrating at the end, securing a 68-56 victory.

Proffitt led the way for the Lady Blue with 24 points and eight rebounds, while Smith finished with 17 points. For the Vixens, Casaus recorded a game-high 25 points and eight rebounds, while Layton added 15 points.

With the win, the Lady Blue captured their third state title in program history, all under the leadership of head coach Blair Clavel. Roy/Mosquero seems to have a thing for odd-numbered years, winning championships in 2021, 2023, and now in 2025.