Los Alamos boys golf wins first District 2-4A title in seven years
Mikey Velasquez-Saiz shot 71 and Los Alamos ended a seven-year district title drought, beating Albuquerque Academy by 17 strokes at Arroyo Del Oso.
Los Alamos boys golf ended a seven-year drought with a district championship built around Mikey Velasquez-Saiz’s 1-under-par 71, a round that also made him the individual District 2-4A champion by five strokes.
The Hilltoppers posted a team score of 311 at Arroyo Del Oso Golf Course in Albuquerque on Monday, May 4, to beat Albuquerque Academy’s 328 and Hope Christian’s 352. The result returned the district crown to Los Alamos High School and gave the program a major lift heading into state postseason play. Velasquez-Saiz, a junior, led the charge, while Lincoln Hoffer added a 79, Angus Smith shot 80, Javan Rael carded an 81 and Noah Romero finished with an 88.
That spread mattered as much as the headline score. In golf, district championships rarely come from one low round alone. Los Alamos avoided major collapses across the lineup, stayed competitive hole after hole and turned steady scoring into a margin large enough to separate itself from the rest of the field. The result confirmed the Hilltoppers as one of the stronger teams in Class 4A after they had already won the Espanola Sundevil Open on April 6 and finished third at the NM State 4A preview tournament on March 30 in Socorro with a 323.
The district title also underscored how the program had managed to keep improving despite limited access to the Los Alamos County Golf Course and practice facilities during ongoing projects over the past couple of seasons. Assistant coach Jason Romero said the team’s progress came from a different leader emerging at each tournament, which helped build trust among the players. He also credited the group’s bond, hard work and dedication to their craft.
Before districts, Los Alamos was ranked third in New Mexico Class 4A behind Artesia and Lovington, a spot that already signaled the Hilltoppers were in the state mix. The district win gave them more than a trophy. It showed the program could turn strong results into a championship when it counted most.
The Hilltoppers now head to the NMAA 4A state championship at New Mexico Tech Golf Course in Socorro on May 11-12. Los Alamos has won big on the state stage before, including the 2019 boys golf title by 34 strokes over Albuquerque Academy, and it also captured a District 2-5A championship in 2018. This latest district crown adds another marker that Los Alamos remains a force in New Mexico high school golf.
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