Steers and Warriors take home wins

The early-season Steer Stampede tournament had multiple schools going at it. The two juggernauts who appeared to eventually be meeting in the final game were the hometown Steers and cross-town rival Warriors.

In its opening game of the season on December 2, Socorro came out fresh and ready to shoot against the Reserve Mountaineers, winning a game that was too close for comfort 48-36. The big Friday game had the Warriors going up against the Animas Panthers. It was clear early Socorro was ready to go as they kicked things off with a 25-6 start.

The taller Warriors’ players were dominating the boards with wing players hitting shots around the three line. The game was 49-14 at the half with Socorro taking things home easily by double digits. Head Coach Juan Griego was rotating a full five-person roster during the game to make sure the team as a whole got plenty of reps.

“When you come out early in the year you have to beat the teams in front of you,” Griego said. “We were fortunate enough to get all of our players out there to play and to play well. We were able to take this game as a warmup going into the season. We’ve got a lot of kids still in football shape which is very different than basketball shape. This is a good way to start things off.”

The Magdalena Steers also took care of business Friday night. Coming off its undefeated 2020-21 season, the Steers never missed a step on the court. Pre-game, the team was awarded championship belt buckles for its success during the previous season.

From the opening tip, Magdalena was dialed in. Senior Captain Joren Mirabal hit a corner three on the first possession that got the crowd going. Freshman Joseph Zamora followed that up with a long jumper on the next possession. The onslaught had begun.

Pine Hill was able to get on the board with a layup to make it 9-2. It was not enough. The Steers lived in three-point land cruising to a 28-2 lead after one. The second quarter was not kind to the Warriors as the scoreboard read 50-4 at halftime. The game ended 83-16 Magdalena, setting up a tournament showdown between the rivals that was unable to take place.

Both teams begin the season undefeated. Socorro is 1-0 with its next opponent coming Friday, December 10 against East Mountain. Magdalena is 4-0 and will also host a home game December 10 against Ramah.