New Rams coach plans camp
Lori Mabrey, the new varsity girls basketball coach at Rio Rancho High School, gets a start on her second stint at RRHS with a “Lock Down” girls camp June 13-17 at Lincoln Middle School.
The camp, coached by Mabrey and “defensive all-stars,” including former Cibola standout Amaya Brown, playing next season at UNM, is free and includes a T-shirt.
More information will be forthcoming. Mabrey may be reached at 505-249-3883.

Only one city player at state golf tournament
Neither Cleveland nor Rio Rancho high schools qualified golf teams for last week’s Class 5A state tournament, held at Twin Warriors Golf Club.
The Storm qualified one golfer, though: Lillian McKinley had rounds of 97 and 99 Monday and Tuesday, respectively, and finished in 26th place out of 47 female golfers.
Deming won the 5A boys title; Centennial won the girls’ blue trophy.

Rams need JV girls soccer coach
Longtime Rio Rancho High School varsity girls soccer coach Uwe Balzis will retire from RRPS effective July 1.
He plans are to return to RRHS and teach German on a part-time basis; he also would like to return to RRHS in the future to coach girls soccer.
Longtime Rams assistant Todd Doss has been promoted to head coach for the 2022 season.
Doss needs a junior varsity coach for the ’22 season, an assignment that comes with a stipend.
If interested, email Doss at [email protected].

Youth basketball camp at RRHS
Two Rio Rancho summer youth basketball camps, hosted by head coach Wally Salata, his assistant coaches and current players, are set for May and June at Rio Rancho High School.
Session 1 runs May 31-June 3; Session 2 runs June 13-17. Each camp runs from 9 a.m. to noon each day, with fundamentals stressed from 9-11 and games played from 11 to noon.
The camps are open to boys and girls in four divisions (fall 2022 grades K-2, 3-4, 5-6 and 7-9, and no experience in necessary. The cost is $125 per session, with a maximum of 120 per session, and 30 campers per division. Every camper receives a camp basketball and T-shirt, and a concession stand with “Ram cones” will be available.
For more information and registration, go rioranchocamps.net.

Basketball camp at Cleveland, too
Cleveland High girls basketball will be hosting two “Next Level” basketball skills camps this spring for girls and boys going into grades 3-9.
The first session runs May 31-June 2 from 8:30 a.m. to noon; the second session runs June 13-15, also from 8:30-noon. The cost is $85 for one session or $150 for both sessions.
Sign up at clevelandcamps.net. For more information, contact head coach Susan Kubala at [email protected] or 505-550-2523.

Storm boys have hoops camp
An individual summer camp hosted by Cleveland High boys basketball coach Sean Jimenez takes place in the CHS gym, aka the Thunderdome, June 6-8 from 9 a.m. to noon each day.
It’s for boys and girls ages 7-14, costs $85 per camper in advance ($100 on June 6 registration, if spots still available) and includes a T-shirt and prizes.
A concession stand will be open.
For more information, contact Jimenez at 505-730-8878 or [email protected].

RRHS has two volleyball camps
Rams varsity volleyball coach Toby Manzanares, whose first season with the Rams was in 1997, and his assistants and area coaches will instruct two upcoming camps in June.
Ram Camp 1: Designed for players (grades 1-6 in fall 2022) interested in learning the game of volleyball. No experience is necessary. Emphasis of the camp will include introduction of fundamentals and techniques for all basic volleyball skills of passing, attacking, serving, footwork, setting and defense.
This camp will also emphasize volleyball skills and drills to prepare sixth- grade players for Rio Rancho Metro League and middle school tryouts (where applicable). Small group games will be played daily.
The camp runs from 6-8 p.m. June 23-24 and from 9-11 a.m. June 25. The cost is $65 ($75 for walk-ups) and campers will receive a T-shirt and be eligible to win door prizes each day.
Ram Camp 2: Designed to prepare players for tryouts in their respective grade. This camp will emphasize volleyball skills and drills to prepare seventh- through 12th-grade players for school tryouts. Fundamentals and techniques for all basic volleyball skills will be emphasized. Additional time will be focused on small and large group team play.
The camp runs from 6-9 p.m. Aug. 1-3. The cost per camper is $85 ($100 on day of), and campers get a T-shirt and the chance to win a door prize each night.

Gladiators win on the road
The Duke City Gladiators scored the game’s first 23 points Saturday (May 7) and never looked back, earning their third win of the season, 43-20, over the Bay Area Panthers.
Bay Area (1-7) never got closer than 16 points after that, as they fell to the Gladiators (3-5) for the second time this season, having lost, 50-28, in their April 9 meeting at the Rio Rancho Events Center.
Gladiators quarterback Ramone Atkins led the way, completing 11 of his 23 passes doe 108 yards, with three touchdowns and one interception.
Jared Elmore was on the receiving end for two of those TDs; Grego Dent Jr. also caught one.
The Duke City defense limited Bay Area to just 95 yards of offense.
The Gladiators are in fourth place of the IFL’s Western Conference, a half-game ahead of the Vegas Night Hawks, where they play Saturday when the Hawks play host to the Gladiators.
Duke City’s next home game is May 28 at 6 p.m. vs. the San Diego Strike Force.

Locals wear blue for Little League World Series
Little League International recently announced more than 90 volunteer umpires who will take to the fields for July and August events.
“The impact of not having the World Series events in their full capacities the last two years (because of the pandemic) had a major effect on the players and coaches who were looking forward to playing on the biggest stage in youth sports, but also left a profound impact on the volunteer umpires who dream of working at our World Series events each year,” said Tom Rawlings, Little League director of umpire development.
“We are honored and excited to welcome these dedicated individuals back to the field this summer as they continue to work to provide the best possible experience for Little Leaguers from around the world. Their commitment and dedication as regular season and tournament umpires over the years has not gone unnoticed and we are proud to recognize their efforts with this honor.”
Appointment as a member of the umpiring crew for a World Series is the highest honor that Little League can bestow on a volunteer umpire. The umpires that have been selected are based on nominations received since the 2019 season. Little League International will support all volunteer umpires at the seven World Series events with a travel stipend to help offset the costs for the men and women to attend their respective World Series events.
Walt Gross of Rio Rancho has been assigned to the Softball World Series in Greenville, N.C.; Ronald Thompson, also of Rio Rancho, has been assigned to the Senior League Softball World Series in Lower Sussex, Del. The two will also work the Southwest Regional playoffs.