Rio Rancho Schools Face First Round Playoff Tests This Weekend
Local teams compete in state qualifiers across football, cross country, and volleyball as the regular season ends.
By Madison Darwish ·
Students in Rio Rancho will spend the coming weekend competing in state qualifiers. Football and cross country teams advance to the championship rounds, while volleyball concludes its regular season schedule.
Rio Rancho High School football travels to Las Cruces on Nov. 6 for the first round of the 6A State Football Championships. The team enters the playoff after a 50-0 victory over CHS on Oct. 30. Belen High School plays Manzano on Nov. 7 in the 4A division after losing 44-14 in their final regular season game.
The cross country teams secure their spots at the State Championships on Nov. 7. Rio Rancho won the District 1-5A Girls team title, with Mariah Galbraith taking first place individually. Cleveland took the Boys team title, but Rio Rancho’s Alejandro Casaus finished first in the individual standings.
Soccer players from CHS and Rio Rancho finished their postseason runs this week. CHS boys lost 2-1 to Sandia in the semifinals on Nov. 2 after beating Hobbs 3-2 on Oct. 30. The Rio Rancho girls team lost 1-2 to La Cueva on Oct. 31 in the quarterfinals.
Volleyball teams end their regular seasons with mixed results. Rio Rancho lost to Piedra Vista 3-2 on Nov. 3 and to CHS 3-0 on Nov. 5. CHS beat Volcano Vista 3-0 on Nov. 3. Belen High School plays Valley on Nov. 6, and the official brackets for the 2026 State Volleyball Championships release on Nov. 8.
