ac-ro-pho-bia (n) abnormal dread of being at a great height

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It isn't the fear of looking down that could doom the Demonettes of Santa Fe High School, once the 2008-09 season reaches District 2AAAAA play in January.

Rather, it is the fear of looking up.

"We're small," Bill Dimas, Santa Fe High head coach, says.

Dwarfed a season ago, the Demonettes once again lack the height to stand sneaker-to-sneaker and be nose-to-nose with La Cueva, Sandia and Valley, the three Albuquerque teams that stand between them and a spot in the Class AAAAA State Championships.

"It's hard to compete with them," Dimas says. "We certainly don't have their size. Not only are they big, but they are fast, too."

La Cueva loomed large last season. The Lady Bears captured the school's first state title in girls basketball in March. Along the way, they eliminated Sandia in a state quarterfinal. Valley, meanwhile, was six points away from getting out of the first round of the 16-team, single-elimination tournament.

"La Cueva has another 6-foot-3 post player that transferred from Hope," Dimas says. "Sandia is big and solid, again. Valley will be good again.

"If we are going to have any success this year, our defense is going to have to make a lot of stops, force a lot of turnovers and create a lot of opportunities for us in transition."

Santa Fe possesses speed. That prowess will be used in a myriad of defenses.

"We'll run a little bit of everything," Dimas says.

The system is second nature to most. Four starters return, including All-District selections Clarissa Garcia and Stephanie Gonzales. Two others earned varsity letters. Five were promoted from junior varsity. The team photo will be complete in two, maybe three weeks, with the addition of Shivaughn Hatt, a 5-10 sophomore.

"We're still a work in progress," Dimas says. "Out starting lineup hasn't been determined yet. I'm evaluating every day, every player, just to see where they're going to fit in."

Chemistry matters.

Same goes for attitude.

"Unlike other years, the girls are encouraging each other, helping each other," Dimas says.

Credit the Demonettes.

It starts with them.

"They really are taking an interest in each other," Dimas says.

It helps having seniors with skills and savvy and shared suffering to show the rest the ropes.

Garcia, a 5-8 senior forward, started the past two seasons. She averaged 13 points per game a year ago.

Gonzales, the 5-4 senior point guard, chipped in 11 points. Felisha Acuña, 5-4, started in the backcourt as a junior.

Kamille Borrego-Ojinaga, a 5-7 junior guard, worked her way into the starting rotation late.

Raquel Sandoval, a 5-6 guard, is part of the senior class and is in her second season of varsity. Dallal Nijem, a 5-7 junior post, adds varsity experience.

Dimas expects contributions from Marquel Aragon, Monique Trujillo, La Pearl Martinez, Katie Allen and Janelle Bohannon, the corps of last year's junior varsity. As for Hatt, she will begin her season on the junior varsity.

"We've only been together as a full team for two-and-a-half weeks," Dimas says two days before Tuesday's season opener against Gallup. "We're still waiting to fit the pieces of the puzzle together."

The big picture.

That's what the Demonettes' sights are set on.

That's why the nondistrict schedule includes Gallup, Rio Rancho and three more of Albuquerque's finest in Eldorado, Highland and Manzano.

"That's probably the toughest schedule we've had in a lot of years," Dimas says.

There's no other way. Not with La Cueva, Sandia and Valley awaiting.

The Demonettes will spend much of the season as underdogs.

That's OK. They're used to it.

"It's not how big you are," Dimas says. "It's how big you play."

Stature isn't measured in feet and inches.

Neither is success.

As for the view from above? It's something the Demonettes will see, only if they show no fear in looking up.