Week 9 Standouts: Senior Sensations

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Week 9 (January 18-24) marked an exciting shift into district action across the Land of Enchantment, and New Mexico's senior standouts delivered unforgettable performances. These Class of 2026 leaders carried their teams with efficiency, versatility, and clutch play — here are the players who truly dazzled.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Player - School</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1671430' first='Bella' last='Walter'] – Centennial</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Hawks soared to a perfect 3-0 week with victories over Silver (45-37), Alamogordo (55-25), and Mayfield (50-46), and Walter was the driving force. The senior forward averaged an efficient 16.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, shooting an impressive 58 percent from the field across the three contests.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='648193' first='Rochelle' last='Lopez'] – Penasco</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Panthers split their two games — edging McCurdy (36-31) before a tough 49-44 loss to Mora — but Lopez owned the spotlight. The senior point guard erupted for back-to-back 20-point games, finishing the week with averages of 23.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals, including one double-double.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='648234' first='Ceanna' last='McKines'] – Mayfield</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Trojans went 1-1, knocking off Las Cruces (41-32) before falling to Centennial (50-46). McKines was unstoppable in both outings, leading the way as a dominant force inside. The senior averaged a powerhouse 23.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='648203' first='Rebecca' last='Neal'] – Highland</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Neal put on a stat-stuffing clinic as the Hornets cruised past Del Norte (58-47) and Belen (51-27). The versatile senior averaged 11.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 5.0 steals while shooting 52 percent from the field — true do-it-all impact.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='648232' first='Jazzlyn' last='Gomez'] – Aztec</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aztec grabbed two solid wins over Miyamura (47-31) and Bloomfield (37-26). Gomez was everywhere, impacting both ends with averages of 13.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and a remarkable 6.5 steals per game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='648219' first='Francesca' last='Otero'] – Valencia</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Otero delivered a well-rounded gem in Valencia's road win over Grants (60-39). The senior led her team with 19 points, added 9 rebounds, and 6 assists — proving she's a scoring and playmaking threat.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->