Around the Hood: 101 Dominations!

Editor’s Note: Semi-weekly, Rio Rancho Observer sports and education reporter Taylor Hood looks at one of the main news items in sports around Rio Rancho, Bernalillo, and Sandoval County. From NM Runners soccer to prep cheer to club sports, Taylor will dive in as he takes a look, “Around the Hood.”

I came into this position at the Rio Rancho Observer at a very fortunate time. As I’ve mentioned before, there are a lot of anniversaries and big events happening in the City of Vision this year.

One thing I’ve written about in the past is the Rio Rancho Public Schools district potentially bringing home their 100th state championship in athletics. I say “potentially” because, at the time, they hadn’t gotten it, and nothing is guaranteed, even for two schools (RRHS and CHS) with such high athletic standards.

But now I can take that nasty word, “potentially”, and throw it out the window.

The Rio Rancho Rams boys cross country team, led by Coach Philip Keller and star runner Charlie Vause, officially claimed the “100th NMAA title for RRPS” when they took first place at the NMAA 5A Cross Country State Championship.

And that is absolutely a great team to have the “100th” title. Not only is Keller an amazing coach and Vause a historically great Rio Rancho runner, but the Rams would be a dominant team even without their top runner.

Cody Sullivan and Mateo Herrera, the Rams’ number two and number three runners respectively, were consistently on the medal stand throughout the season and kept the RRHS squad on top of the leader board despite several absences from Vause (who was either injured or competing elsewhere.)

Congratulations to the Rams boys cross country team! You will always have a special place in Rio Rancho sports history, even among the champions.

But those of you who have read Around the Hood before know that the real prize, for me, is the 101st championship. Because now I finally, FINALLY, get to use my “101 Dominations” headline.

And I have the Cleveland Storm football team to thank for that.

Last Saturday, the Storm descended on Wilson Stadium and demolished the presumptive favorites, the La Cueva Bears.

I admit, I handed out more-than-a-few “I told you so”s on Sunday.

Nobody can say the Storm didn’t earn this title. After a Summer of major hype following QB Jordan Hatch’s breakout sophomore season, Cleveland lost the first game of the year in heartbreaking fashion to Centennial.

After that loss, head coach Robert Garza told me, “We gotta get tougher up front.”

Then I watched something amazing happen: they actually got tougher up front.

The Storm rattled off wins against major opponents like Las Cruces (in Cruces, btw) and even marched into dreaded West Texas and came back out with a “W”.

By the time they hit district play, they had gone from zephyr to gale. By the time the playoffs hit, that gale had turned into a full-blown, hurricane-force storm.

After I watched Rio Rancho High School’s controversial loss to Centennial, I was asked by someone in the Cleveland camp, “How did Centennial look? Do you think we can beat them?” Cleveland, at the time, was poised for a rematch against Centennial in the Semifinal round of the playoffs.

I told them, “Not only do I think you WILL beat the Hawks, I think you’ll destroy ‘em.”

My reasoning was that Centennial looked like the same (admittedly dominant and impressive) team I watched in week one. The Storm, on the other hand, looked like a completely different team, despite having all the same players.

Cleveland won that game 56-20.

Yes. I want to toot my own horn there. Of course. Everyone likes nailing a prediction. But really, I’m just so impressed by the tenacity of the young men on the Cleveland Storm.

What I witnessed was a real life 30-for-30 ESPN documentary play out on the prep sports level. A story of defeat and resilience and ultimate victory.

Those smiles on that field on Saturday were 100% earned, and those are really the best kind.