Melrose earns No. 1 seed in 8-man

ALBUQUERQUE — Defending 8-man state champion Melrose is the No. 1 seed in the 8-man playoffs, which begin next weekend.

Pairings were announced Saturday night by the New Mexico Activities Association for Class 2A, Class 1A, 8-man and 6-man playoffs, which begin next weekend. Classes 3A, 4A and 5A will finish the regular season next week.

The Buffaloes (10-0) host No. 8 seed Gateway Christian next weekend, with that winner advancing to the semifinals to meet either No. 5 Mountainair or No. 4 Reserve, who play at Mountainaiir.

On the other side of the bracket, Clovis Christian (7-2) received a No. 6 seed and will have to travel to third-seeded Animas, while seventh-seeded Springer goes to second-seeded Tatum.

In the 12-team Class 2A bracket, defending champion Texico (8-1) was given a No. 4 seed and a first-round bye. The Wolverines will face either 12th-seeded New Mexico Military or No. 5 Estancia in two weeks.

Also, No. 1 seed Tularosa will play the winner of No. 8 Eunice at No. 9 Newcomb; No. 3 Lordsburg awaits the survivor of 11th seed Laguna Acooma and No. 6 Capitan, and second-seeded Santa Rosa will take on the winner between No. 10 Tucumcari and No. 7 Santa Rosa.

In Class 1A, defending champion Fort Sumner (7-3) earned the third seed and will host No. 6 Escalante. That winner faces second-seeded Hagerman in the semifinals.

The other first-round matchup sends No. 5 Jal to No. 4 McCurdy, with the winner faces top-seeded Clayton in the semifinals.

All games will be either Friday or Saturday in those classifications. Times or which day teams will play had not been released Saturday night.

Class 1A and 8-man championship games are scheduled for the week of Nov. 20-21; the Class 2A final will be played on the weekend of Nov. 27-28.

Meantime, the four-team six-man playoff bracket was also released, with Lake Arthur playing at Roy-Wagon Mound at 1 p.m. Saturday in one semifinal and San Jon travelingto Hondo in the other, at a time to be determined. The championship game will be the following weekend.