How does one go about following up on a 31-0 record and back-to-back state championships? One will have to wait till March Madness to find out, but for now that is the question the Elkettes of Pojoaque will try to answer. Pojoaque wrapped up the 08-09 season undefeated and beat a game Portales team for their second straight title. “It will be very difficult to repeat as state champs. We lost four key senior players,” said head coach Lanse Carter. “This year's squad will have to play very smart basketball if we want to hope to compete for another state championship. However, in 3A basketball, it’s all about who is hot in March and we have that experience on our side. “ Look for All-District and First-Team All-State Dionna Montoya and 2009 All-District and Second- Team All-State Marissa Romero to provide stability and leadership to the Elkettes.

In Portales, the Rams Jenna Wagner, Gabby Garcia, and Macy Mitchell will be back to try and improve on the 22-10 record from last season, The Rams head coach Clay Stout sees his team as one of great depth, balanced scoring and quickness for the 2009-2010 campaign.  According to Stout,  the Rams should be in the running come March, along with Robertson, West Las Vegas and district rival Lovington in Class 3A.

In the four corners area, Bloomfield head coach Paul Corley has six girls with varsity experience returning. Cheyanne Corley averaged 12 points a game and Junior Krynisha Betoni is a three-year letterman who brings great leadership to the Bobcats. “We have a wealth of experience returning for us this year. We return six players whom received valuable varsity time and understand what it takes to win. This team will emphasize defense and use it to control the tempo,” said Corley.

Head coach Robert Benfield is hoping this is the breakout year Cobre has been looking for. Ayla Quintana (15 points per game) and Stevee Castanon (eight points per game) return for the Indians who have to contend with District 3 leader Socorro year in and year out.

Lindsay Brown and Silvia Mediano will hope to lead Dexter in District 4 to a successful season. “We are very young as far as varsity experience wise, but a great group of girls that will never quit on a game and will fight to the end,” said head coach Kim Hamill.

Robertson, Santa Fe Indian School, Portales, Thoreau and West Las Vegas are teams Hope head coach Terry Heisey sees in Class 3A, as the teams to beat. The Huskies are coming off a .500 season and an 8-1 District 5 campaign. “This year’s team will have no superstars, but they know how to work and work together as a team.  Their strength will be good, hard- nosed defense,” stated Heisey. Returning will be Christa Lloyd and Danessa Grover. The Huskies will play a tough schedule, including the APS Tournament, to prepare for a tough 3A group of teams.

Mallory Johnson (11 points a game) and Denise Cheresposy (Defensive specialist) return for Laguna-Acoma coached by Randy Hunt. “We’re excited about this year’s team.  We will be in better condition and we will play better defense and press.”

The Lovington Wildcats are one team many 3A coaches see as a team more than capable of carrying the blue trophy off the Pit floor in March, and returners Kenzie Black (14.5 rebounds; 7.2 steals and four assists) and Mystica Perez (14.4 points per game and 6.5 rebounds) will play a key role in helping the Wildcats achieve the lofty goal of state champs. “We are very young but bigger than the year before and return seven players with three starters,” said head coach Rick Black.

In their first year of varsity competition, Miyamura won 16 games and finished as the runner-up in District 1, earning a 14 seed in last year’s state tournament. This season, head coach Marty Alderete and the Patriots return the entire roster, “This year’s team can be very good. We played well late last year and must pick up where we left off. We have everyone coming back, so that is a plus.” Returning are Shantelle Smith (12.4 points per game) and Tina Boyd (13.7 points per game). District 1 will be strong as always with Tohatchi and Wingate atop the league and according to Alderete, Pojoaque, Lovington Robertson, Santa Fe Indian School and Portales should be the teams to beat in 3A.

The Meadow City has two teams looking to make a run at things in 3A, and every indication is that both have good reason to believe so. Robertson and West Las Vegas have plenty of experience and playing in District 2, adds some mental experience as well. The Lady Dons and head coach Jose Medina return Linda Esquibel and Miranda Martinez to the line-up. Martinez is an outside threat and Esquibel is a post player who can also play multiple positions. Robertson returns Daniela Montoya, Kassandra Tapia, Brooke Knezevich and Karlee Bradley. Montoya is considered one of the top point guards in the state and Knezevich, Tapia and Bradley bring big scoring numbers to the line-up.

Sydney Gonzales and Gabby Smith look to bring success to the Ruidoso Warriors program. The Warriors will be bigger but lack experience.

If there is one thing Cindy Roybal's teams bring to a game it is solid defense and  Santa Fe Indian School will once again play a hard-nosed type of defense in 2009-2010. The Braves return key starters Jenine Coriz and Lakeshia Padilla, a girl Roybal states can jump out of the gym. 

St. Michael’s head coach Martin Romero sees the 2009-2010 edition of Lady Horsemen basketball as quick, with good size and great outside shooting. The Horsemen play a disciplined style of offense, but can flip the switch and run with anybody when need be.  Look for Romero to turn to Tamara Quintana (nine points and four rebounds), Alexa Chavez (eight points and seven rebounds) and Jamie Valasquez (2.7 assists) to help bring the elusive state title to St. Mike’s.

Also look for Joseph Garcia’s Socorro Warriors to make a trip back to Albuquerque as a traditional favorite among the 3A ranks.