ALBUQUERQUE — Although the Rio Rancho High School girls track and field team had 22 athletes competing at the Class 5A state meet last weekend, all the Rams could muster was a ninth-place finish.

The Rams had been anywhere from eighth to third over the previous seven seasons.

Clovis edged favored Cibola 72-70 for first. Finishing third was Alamogordo (49.25), followed by La Cueva (45.25), Eldorado (45), Los Lunas (29.25), Mayfield (26), Manzano (23), the Rams (18.25), Albuquerque High (14), Valley (13), Sandia and Highland (12 apiece), Las Cruces (7), and Gallup, Hobbs and Carlsbad (6 apiece). Pilar Saiz and Katrina Trout finished 2-3 in the pole vault, each clearing 9-9.

Nicole Smith was fourth in the 300-hurdles (48.05), while the 4x100 relay team had the best finish (fifth) of the school’s four quartets. The 4x200 and medley relay teams were sixth, while the 4x400 squad was seventh.

—Gary Herron