Prep Notes: Coach Wiese returns to Academy

James Yodice, Albuquerque Journal, N.M.
·4 min read

Jun. 15—The chance to return home was irresistible to Andrew Wiese.

Late last week, Albuquerque Academy named Wiese as its new girls soccer coach. The 52-year-old Wiese was filling that same role at Eldorado; he replaces Peter Glidden who recently resigned.

Wiese not only attended and played at the Academy, but his youngest daughter, Piper, is a sophomore soccer player with the Chargers.

"The opportunity to have that type of homecoming was too good to pass up," Wiese said. "And the opportunity to coach Piper is wonderful as well."

Unfortunately, a knee injury will sideline Piper during the fall season after having recent surgery following an injury during her club season.

The Chargers won three consecutive state championships (2016-18) under Glidden; Wiese is all too familiar with the stakes at his alma mater.

"Obviously, the history speaks for itself," he said. "The standards are high, the expectations are high. Academy has been pretty fortunate to stay at a pretty consistent pace over the years."

Tryouts for the fall 2021 season will begin in a couple of months.

STATE TRACK AND FIELD, TENNIS: The first three state track and field meets are this week, and the finals of the state team tennis championships are Saturday.

Each classification in track is getting a single day to itself. Class 1A is scheduled Thursday, Class 2A on Friday and Class 3A on Saturday. The 4A and 5A meets are next weekend. All classes are competing at the University of New Mexico Track Complex.

Field events will begin at 11 a.m. each day. Running finals will begin at 1 p.m.

There will be no more than 16 state qualifiers in any running event; if necessary, there will be two heats, with the state champions based on the fastest time. Ordinarily, there are prelims, with athletes, or relay teams, qualifying for a final. That will not be the case this year.

Athletes, including those who have been vaccinated, are required to wear masks amid the current heat wave in New Mexico, as state government officials in Santa Fe have not relaxed their guidelines.

Spectators can only purchase tickets online. There are no walk-up sales.

* Quarterfinals in team tennis are scheduled over the next several days, either at the site of the higher seed, or at a neutral location.

The team semifinals and championship matches are both Saturday, in Albuquerque. Class 5A's semis and finals are being held at the Jerry Cline courts; Class 1A-4A is at Albuquerque Academy.

Academy's boys and Los Alamos' girls are No. 1 seeds in 1A-4A. La Cueva is the No. 1 seed (both boys and girls) in 5A.

600, 300, 200: Three New Mexico head coaches reached a significant numerical milestone, all on the same day last week.

John Tigert on June 8 earned his 600th victory as Carlsbad High's softball coach following a doubleheader sweep of Hobbs.

Cleveland High baseball coach Shane Shallenberger reached the 300-win plateau as the Storm beat Cibola; Shallenberger's record includes time at both Clovis and Cleveland, and he became just the sixth coach in New Mexico to attain at least 300 varsity head coaching victories.

Hobbs baseball coach Marco Boyle reached 200 wins as the Eagles swept Carlsbad.

GARCIA, GATORADE: St. Pius forward Marcus Garcia has been named New

Mexico's Gatorade Boys Soccer Player of the Year, the fifth Sartan to be recognized for this award.

Garcia scored 14 goals and had four assists last season for the Sartans. He was a first-team All-State choice in Class 4A, and competed last month in the All-American High School Game in St. Louis.

BYNUM SIGNS: Rio Rancho High forward Lamar Bynum last week signed his national letter of intent with Division II Colorado State-Pueblo.

Bynum, a member of the New Mexico United Academy team, scored the game-winning — and only — goal in the Class 5A state final in April against Albuquerque High as the Rams won their first title in boys soccer.

Bynum, 17, had 10 goals and five assists in 12 games during Rio Rancho's championship season.

"When I went up for my visit, it just felt like a family right from the beginning," said Bynum. "Good atmosphere, love the coaching staff, and the players made me feel welcome right from the jump. And it's a place I can go in and succeed."

THIS AND THAT: Joshua Griñe is Belen High's new athletic coordinator, as Steve Contreras is retiring. ... Grants on Monday named West Mesa offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Brandon Hernandez, who played for the Pirates, as its new head football coach. ... Las Cruces High's 6-foot-11 post, Isaiah Carr, has received a Division I offer from Arkansas Little Rock. He also has offers from Lehigh and Western Illinois.