Next Friday’s girls’ finale in the Thunderdome should decide 2nd place in 1-5A

A pair of 10s: Cleveland’s Aubrey Jaramillo, left, looks for a teammate to pass to as she’s guarded by Abigayle Armijo ion the first Cleveland-Rio Rancho meeting this season. (Herron photo)

If both high school girls’ teams do as most would expect on Wednesday, Feb. 15 – Rio Rancho beaten by visiting Volcano Vista, Cleveland winning at last-place and winless Cibola – then Friday night’s finale in the Storm’s Thunderdome means the winner finishes in second place in District 1-5A.

That’s because the host Cleveland Storm and visiting Rio Rancho Rams would each be 4-3 in their district contests. And with Atrisco Heritage Academy expected to lose its finale at Volcano Vista, Friday’s Storm-Rams loser will finish third in district.

Going into Friday’s city showdown – the schools’ boys teams meet in a meaningful game Thursday in the RAC – the Storm (14-1) have the better overall record, but lost to the Rams (12-12), 42-39, in their Feb. 1 meeting at RRHS.

Tipoff time is 7 p.m.

In their Feb. 9 games …

Cleveland 69, Atrisco Heritage Academy 41: The Storm finished the season with a sweep of the visiting Jaguars, who had beaten the visiting Rams two nights earlier.

Cleveland building upon its 30-17 halftime edge to take a comfortable 49-30 lead into the fourth quarter.

Kindyll Sandoval had three 3-pointers and a team-high 17 points, with teammates Malia Mose, with 15, and KC Winters, with 10, joining her in double figures.

Rio Rancho 56, Cibola 36: First-year Rams coach Lori Mabrey led her team to an easy victory over her previous school, as former Cougar Makenna Lee led the host Rams with 20 points.

The Rams bounced back from a disappointing 43-40 loss at AHA two nights earlier, when the Jaguars closed out their victory on a 10-2 run. Lee had 13 in that game, with Jemmah Estrada joining her in double figures with 10.