Rio Rancho Defeats Volcano Vista, Advances to 5A Title Game

The Rams will face top-ranked Hobbs in the championship matchup.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 9:12pm

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In a hard-fought semifinal matchup, the Rio Rancho Rams defeated the Volcano Vista Hawks 62-45 to advance to the 5A state championship game. Rio Rancho opened the game with a 9-3 run and led 15-7 after the first quarter, but Volcano Vista responded with a 12-3 surge to take a 19-18 lead in the second. The lead changed hands several times before Rio Rancho closed the half on a high note, taking a 29-26 advantage into the locker room. A cold shooting third quarter doomed Volcano Vista's upset bid, as the Rams outscored the Hawks 20-7 in the period to build a 16-point lead they would not relinquish.

Why it matters

This victory marks Rio Rancho's return to the 5A championship game, where they will face top-ranked Hobbs for the state title. For Volcano Vista, the loss ends their tournament run one game short of the finals, but the Hawks can be proud of their gutsy performance against the tournament's second seed.

The details

Rio Rancho was led by a trio of double-digit scorers, including Madi Martinez with 23 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists, Daysia Jack with 14 points and 5 rebounds, and Larissa Martinez with 10 points and 4 rebounds. Volcano Vista was paced by Jalysa Hines' 13 points and 6 rebounds, along with 9 points and 6 rebounds from Zoey Loretto and 8 points from Janessa Botello.

  • The game was played on March 12, 2026.
  • Rio Rancho opened the game on a 9-3 run in the first quarter.
  • Volcano Vista responded with a 12-3 run in the second quarter to take a 19-18 lead.

The players

Madi Martinez

A key contributor for the Rio Rancho Rams, scoring 23 points with 4 rebounds and 4 assists in the semifinal victory.

Daysia Jack

Scored 14 points and grabbed 5 rebounds for the Rio Rancho Rams.

Larissa Martinez

Recorded 10 points and 4 rebounds for the Rio Rancho Rams.

Jalysa Hines

Led the Volcano Vista Hawks with 13 points and 6 rebounds in the losing effort.

Zoey Loretto

Contributed 9 points and 6 rebounds for the Volcano Vista Hawks.

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What they’re saying

“We knew Volcano Vista would come out strong, but our girls responded well and were able to pull away in the second half.”

— Head Coach, Rio Rancho Rams

What’s next

Rio Rancho will face top-ranked Hobbs in the 5A state championship game on Saturday afternoon.

The takeaway

Rio Rancho's balanced scoring attack and stifling defense in the second half proved too much for the upset-minded Volcano Vista Hawks, setting up a highly anticipated title matchup between the Rams and the tournament's top seed, Hobbs.