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Sports
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Written by Arnie Leshin
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Wednesday, 02 December 2009 11:36 |
Imagine the 6-foot-11 Nick Pino hauling in passes for the football team back in his days at St. Michael’s High School. Just imagine, because it never happened.
In fact. the closest that Pino got to the gridiron was during halftime of a celebration this past season. After the applause for the Horsemen of past state championship teams, the last was reserved for Pino.
“I had been an All-America,” he said, “and so it was an honor to be there. It was great to be in touch again with those past athletes.”
Pino stood out, not only because he was much taller than the others, but because of how he was once the center of attraction in the lineup of St. Michael’s basketball team.
With his patented hook shot, he was unstoppable his senior year of 1963. He shattered the state record of 45 points by tossing in 80 at El Rito. It was halfway through the season and he already scored in double figures each time, with a then personal high of 40 points against Española. After the record 80, his scoring average read 31.6.
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Written by Arnie Leshin
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Wednesday, 02 December 2009 11:34 |
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 Feeling charged-up and confident following his second-straight district wrestling championship, it was four days until the state tournament when Jesse Armijo left Santa Fe High School after practice.
“I was driving home,” he said, “when this other car heading in my direction turned in front of me within a spilt second and, bang, we hit head on.
“My shoulder was hurting, but the worse pain was in my knees from the impact. I went in an ambulance to the hospital and was released around two in the morning. I called coach Lucero the next day and gave him the bad news. He had to scratch me from state.”
Worst yet, Armijo was figured as the one to beat in the 145-pound weight class. He was ranked at the top all season.
“I needed shoulder therapy,” he said, “but I went with the team bus to state to watch and support the guys, and the 145 final didn’t make me feel any better because I knew I could beat both those guys.”
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Written by Arnie Leshin
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Wednesday, 02 December 2009 11:32 |
Way back, as in when I was with a daily newspaper in Jersey City, N.J., I originated what would be known as, “A blast from the past,” except we headlined it as “Where are they now?” 
We went back, back in time to let the readers know what the local athletes of yesteryear were up to.
Many had passed on, but those who were contacted were happy to be remembered, delighted to share the past. There were many laughs when we spoke of what was, and I honestly can’t remember anyone not wanting to be featured once again.
Each month we spread the news about a former athlete, and each month it became one of our more popular items. But as the years went by and I had moved on, it was later discontinued by the newspaper. Sad but true.
Which brings us to the present.
It’s been almost a year since Santa Fe residents/businessmen Max Myers and Fred Cisneros came up with the idea of a “Then” & “Now” monthly athlete to run on the New Mexico Free Press sports pages.
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Written by Arnie Leshin
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Wednesday, 02 December 2009 11:32 |
Not much has changed with the Desert Academy girl’s basketball team. Once again, there’s plenty of empty seats along its sidelines.
At a recent practice, six players were on hand. Last year, head coach Natalie Passalacqua had enough assistant coaches, but barely enough players.
Despite this, the Dragons came away with a 22-5 record, won District 1-2A, and lost in the first round of the state tournament to Des Moines.
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Written by Arnie Leshin
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Wednesday, 02 December 2009 11:30 |
The defeat at Raton is history. For nine seniors, it was the final stop. The St. Michael’s football team can only look ahead to next season when a bulk of the roster is due back.
The Horsemen will also be changing districts. They will move to 4-3A, lining up with Pojoaque, Santa Fe Indian School, Albuquerque Academy and Albuquerque Hope Christian. Raton goes to 2-3A alongside Las Vegas Robertson, Taos and West Las Vegas.
But Joey Fernandez’s offense should remain intact for his ninth season as head coach. As it stands now, there will be a familiar starting backfield in quarterback Michael Wiegel, tailback Russell Disch, and running back George Dominguez.
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