Football: Hilltoppers picked 5th in preseason AAAA poll

The Los Alamos Hilltopper football team was ranked fifth in the 2008 preseason poll conducted by the New Mexico High School Coaches Association.

The Hilltoppers garnered 66 points in the Class AAAA poll, which is voted on by coaches of the various schools. The poll was released this morning.

Artesia, the defending Class AAAA champion, picked up 135 of the possible 140 points to finish first in the NMHSCA poll.

Last season, Los Alamos finished with a record of 9-2. It won its first eight games of the season and finished second in District 2AAAA behind Capital.

Los Alamos qualified for the 2007 state playoffs, but was bounced in the first round by Moriarty.

Capital was ranked 10th in the preseason AAAA poll. No other District 2AAAA team received votes.

The Hilltoppers’ first game of the season is scheduled for Sept. 6 at St. Michael’s.

Here are the results of the NMHSCA preseason polls. Not enough votes were received in any classifications except AAAAA and AAAA.

Class AAAAA

School Total points

1. Las Cruces 151

2. Mayfield 146

3. Clovis 121

4. La Cueva 105

5. Cibola 92

6. Eldorado 64

7. Rio Rancho 42

8. Manzano 38

9. Alamogordo 34

10. Oñate 30

Others receiving votes: Hobbs 25; Sandia 18; Carlsbad 8; Highland 5; West Mesa 2.

Class AAAA

School Total points

1. Artesia 135

2. Goddard 121

3. Aztec 111

4. Silver 69

5. Los Alamos 66

6. St. Pius X 61

7. Kirtland Central 58

8. Moriarty 51

9. Piedra Vista 48

10. Capital 15

Others receiving votes: Farmington 11; Del Norte 9; Belen 9; Santa Teresa 3; Roswell 2; Chaparral 1.