Seckler stepping aside at Eldorado

Apr. 4—Living a double professional life proved to be too much for Quint Seckler, one of the state's all-time great swim coaches, who has resigned at Eldorado.

Seckler, 58, is also the dean of students at Desert Ridge Middle School, and he said trying to juggle both jobs was a burden.

"Cheating both jobs at both ends, I thought," he said. "I was really exhausted the last two years."

Seckler is one of the state's most accomplished swim coaches. He led La Cueva and Eldorado to a combined 13 state championships, the 13th in February with the Eldorado boys.

He coached La Cueva to six girls titles and the boys to one. He led the Eldorado boys and girls to three blue trophies apiece.

He also is a former college coach at Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado.

Seckler said he would keep a proverbial toe in the water in the sport behind the scenes with the NMAA and Albuquerque Public Schools.

POWERLIFTING: Next year, powerlifting will become an officially sanctioned sport by the New Mexico Activities Association.

Last weekend, it enjoyed its final dry run as an activity.

Lovington's girls (Class 1A-5A), plus the boys from Hatch Valley (1A-3A), Lovington (4A) and Rio Rancho (5A) were crowned team champions in the 2023 event at Rio Rancho High School.

The Rams finished ahead of Cleveland and Roswell in the 5A standings. Silver and Española Valley finished behind Lovington in 4A boys. In 1A-3A, it was Hatch Valley first, then Santa Rosa and Jal. Centennial's girls were runners-up behind Lovington, with Rio Rancho, Cleveland and Silver tied for third place in the standings.

From the metro area, girls individual state champions were Estefanie Nayarez of Atrisco Heritage (97-pound weight class), Audrey Siderek of Eldorado (105), Ari McCabe of Legacy Academy (114), Anna Dannenberg of Cleveland (123) and Marissa Cerillo of Rio Rancho (220).

Class 5A boys champions from the metro area were Gabe Sisneros of Cibola (132), Isaiah Sanchez of Rio Rancho (148), Marl Xyrone Cornelio of Cleveland (165), Theo Lechman of Volcano Vista (181), Eric Manicke of La Cueva (198), Kevin Cuomo of Eldorado (220), Ben Linfoot of Cleveland (242), Ronald Thomas of Rio Rancho (275), Jase Smith of Rio Rancho (308) and Aiden Foutz of Rio Rancho (super heavyweight).

Josh Barajas of Bernalillo (114) was the metro area's lone 4A state champion. Corbin Barerra of Legacy Academy (123) was a state champ in the 1A-3A boys competition, as was Oak Grove Classical Academy's Noah Rush (198).

SIGNINGS: Six Valley High athletes have signed their national letters of intent.

They are Alex Gilliam (baseball, Pima Community College in Tucson); Caeden Jojola (football, New Mexico Highlands); Ricky Henderson (baseball, Lamar Community College in Colorado); Kaitlyn Gunn (volleyball, Wayland Baptist University in Texas); Marisa Sanchez (softball, Trinidad State in Colorado); and Angelica Carrillo (softball, Yavapai College in Arizona).

Volcano Vista is planning a large signing ceremony on Wednesday for nearly two dozen athletes.

Boys soccer signees for the Hawks are Keegan Monnheimer (Fort Lewis College in Colorado), Caleb Avila (Adams State of Colorado) and Jacob Schreiner (Laramie Community College in Wyoming).

In softball, they are Dayna Herrera (Arizona Christian), Jayci Johnson (Midland College in Texas), Shay Saladin (New Mexico Highlands), Lola Tanner (University of St. Mary in Kansas) and Mac Vela (Arizona Western).

Thomas Croshaw, one of the state's top 5A cross country runners last fall, is signing with New Mexico State. Also from the Hawks' cross country programs, Stoney Cutchen is signing with Utah State and Mariana Marquez with Eastern New Mexico.

Sean Alter (basketball) is signing with the University of the Philippines, Elena Moya (girls soccer) is signing with College of the Southwest in Hobbs, Nate Diaz (track and field) is signing with North Dakota and Seraiah Morgan (volleyball) is signing with New Mexico Highlands.

Three baseball players are signing: Regan Hall (Illinois), Aidan Zacarias (Luna Community College in Las Vegas, N.M.) and Adan Young (Lamar Community College in Colorado).

From the football team, signees are Elliot Paskett-Bell, Nathan Wallin, Gabriel Pino and Marcus Perea (all with N.M. Military Institute), plus Latrell Treadwell with Missouri University of Science and Technology.

TRACK AND FIELD: Albuquerque Academy was a double team champion at last weekend's Albuquerque Invitational meet at Nusenda Community Stadium, one of the first big gathering of top metro teams so far this season.

Among the highlights in the boys meet was Steven West of Sandia claiming the 1,600-meter title, Mason Lovato of Volcano Vista sweeping the two hurdles finals, and Sandia Prep capturing first in the sprint medley relay. Jamal Witter of Academy was a champ in both the 200 and the triple jump. Reuben Johnson of Cibola was a dominant winner in both the discus and the shot put.

The 100-meter champion was La Cueva freshman Tanner Montaño, who was the only person in the finals to finish in under 11 seconds. He finished in 10.80 seconds.

Volcano Vista's Carysa Marquez's wins in the 1,600 and 3,200 finals were among the highlights in the girls meet. She also ran second in the 800.

La Cueva senior Sima Lucero was convincing in victory in both hurdles. Cibola's sprinters were winners in both the 400- and 800-meter relays.

In the field, Gigi Galles, a senior at Academy, took first in the long jump and triple jump.

Another Charger, eighth-grader Grace Erinle, was the 100-meter champion. Cibola's Imani Smith was second in the 100 and was first in the 200.