State tennis: ‘Refocus’ helps Cardinals down Ruidoso, advance to semis

St. Michael's advances to face Albuquerque Sandia Preparatory

James Barron | The New Mexican

5/9/2008 - 5/10/08

ALBUQUERQUE — The southern hill that looms above the tennis courts of Albuquerque Academy is one Juan Carlos Fulgenzi knows well.

It has been his customary spot as Las Vegas Robertson head boys tennis coach for three of the past four years that the Cardinals have played here for the Class A-AAA State Team and Individual Tournaments.

From there, his observation of Robertson's quarterfinal match against Ruidoso at the
A-AAA state team tourney Friday had more purpose than in the past, though.

The Cardinals needed to regain plenty of their swagger after losing the District 2A-AAA title last week to the St. Michael's Horsemen. It was the first time since tennis went to three classes (A-AAA, AAAA and AAAAA) in 2000 that Robertson didn't claim the district crown.

That Fulgenzi spent only 90 minutes on the hill told him all he needed — and wanted — to know as the second-seeded Cardinals breezed past No. 7 Ruidoso 9-0 to advance to the semifinals today.

"I think it (the 5-4 loss to St. Michael's) helped us refocus," Fulgenzi said. "I think it's made them work a little harder and focus a little more this week."

Spoiled wasn't a term Fulgenzi uttered about Robertson, but when his team has played for the last five A-AAA championships — and won the last two — a sense of entitlement can set in. The signs were there two weeks ago when St. Michael's came within 5-4 of the Cardinals in a predistrict match.

Fulgenzi had no doubts it fueled the Horsemen in the rematch, which helped them secure the top seed for the tournament.

St. Michael's advanced to the semifinals with a 9-0 win over Albuquerque Hope Christian.

"Any time you let a team get that close, it gives them some energy," Fulgenzi said. "The guys have to understand that, because everybody is gunning for us. The bull's eye is always on us."

It certainly will be in a morning matchup against a familiar foe — the New Mexico Military Institute, who beat Bosque School 5-4. The duo has won every A-AAA title since 2000 and have faced each other in four of the last five finals.

St. Michael's head coach Kevin Skelly wouldn't mind if they beat each other up, especially if the Horsemen are there waiting for the winner.

"I hope they play for three hours," Skelly said with a grin.

St. Michael's has the easier road to the finals, playing an Albuquerque Sandia Preparatory team it beat 8-1 on April 8. No. 1 singles player Jake Matthews doesn't expect such an easy repeat.

"I'm sure they've improved a bunch since that match," Matthew's said. "It's going to be important for us to show up and be sharp at 8 in the morning."

The wake-up call will be just as early for the Los Alamos girls, who played up to their top-seed billing in AAAA, and beat Piedra Vista 8-1 at the Jerry Cline Tennis Complex. The only loss came at No. 2 singles, where Ali Rhodes beat Grace Kim 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.

The Lady Hilltoppers had their No. 1 doubles team of sisters Grace and Jeena Kim pushed to a third-set tiebreaker against Rhodes and Michelle Burgess before prevailing 6-0, 6-3, 7-6(3).

Los Alamos head coach Bruce Cottrell didn't believe the extra effort should have an effect on his team's semifinal against fourth-seeded Albuquerque
St. Pius X, which beat No. 5 Taos 5-4.

"If we were to play two matches like (today), I would be worried," Cottrell said. "But the girls have the rest of the day off, so they'll be rested."

The Los Alamos boys, the second seed, were more efficient in their 9-0 quarterfinal blanking of Silver. The Colts did not win a set on the afternoon, which was much to head coach Giri Raichur's delight.

"We talked before the match about not wasting too much energy," Raichur said. "We're going to need it for the semifinals and if we get to the finals. In that sense, we had a really good effort to make the matches as short as possible."

That wasn't the case for the third-seeded Lady Horsemen of St. Michael's. They needed four hours to beat No. 6 Lovington, 7-2. St. Michael's plays No. 2 Sandia Prep at 9:30 a.m. Santa Fe Prep, the four seed, lost to Portales 6-3.