San Juan County teams chase state titles in golf, baseball, track and softball

San Juan County’s best state-title shot may be Bloomfield’s track and field program, which swept District 1-4A and sent both teams into the final week with momentum and medal potential. The Bobcat boys scored 152 points to win the district meet, while the girls edged Aztec 125.5-121.5, setting up a statewide chase that could add to a county already crowded with contenders.

Bloomfield’s depth showed at Kirtland Central High School. Evani Velasquez won the 100, 200 and 400 meters. Ryli Heckman took the 100 hurdles and high jump. Andrew Himes won the 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles and triple jump. Donavin Mickas added the 200. On the girls side, those performances gave Bloomfield a district sweep that will be tested when the Class 4A and 5A state track and field championships open Friday and Saturday, May 15-16, at the UNM Track-Soccer Complex in Albuquerque. The New Mexico Activities Association lists day passes at $17, adult admission at $12, student, senior and military admission at $8, and parking at $7.

Baseball also put San Juan County in the middle of the bracket chase. Aztec, the District 1-4A champion, opened a best-of-three series against Bloomfield at Fred Cook Memorial Stadium on Friday, May 8, at 6 p.m., a matchup that put district rivals on a collision course for a state berth. Piedra Vista, seeded No. 4 in Class 5A and 22-4 overall, hosted 13-seed Clovis at Ricketts Park on Friday, May 8, at 4 p.m. Navajo Prep, the District 1-3A champion, opened at Cobre.

Softball added another layer to the countywide push. Navajo Prep opened Class 3A play Wednesday at Los Altos Softball Complex against Santa Fe Indian, while Aztec, Piedra Vista and Kirtland Central were set for Class 4A and 5A games at Cleveland High School. For Aztec, Bloomfield and the Farmington area, the clearest title path runs through those bracket games and through Piedra Vista’s seed in Class 5A.

Golf closed out the state schedule on Monday and Tuesday, May 11-12, with the Class 4A championship at New Mexico Tech Golf Course and the Class 5A championship at New Mexico State University Golf Course, both starting at 9 a.m. By week’s end, San Juan County had contenders on courses, diamonds and tracks across New Mexico, with district champions and seeded teams all trying to turn strong spring seasons into state hardware.