BOYS SOCCER

Seth C'de Baca

School: Sandia Prep

Rèsumè: Won four state championships with the Sundevils. . . . Three-time, first-team All-State selection. . . . Class 3A-1A's leading scorer in 2006. . . . Member of 2006 NSCAA/Adidas High School Boys All-Region VII (Rocky Mountain) team.

Next year: Will play at Georgetown

C'de Baca has gone from earning accolades to earning playing time.

On the soccer pitch, he's a star. All-District. All-State. All-everything.

On the basketball court, this soccer Superman morphs into Clark Kent.

"It's way different," C'de Baca says of basketball, which he's playing to stay in shape. "I haven't played since eighth-grade. It's definitely a different role. It's fun trying to earn a spot."

C'de Baca's mark on metro-area soccer the past four years has been unmistakable.

His eyepopping skills were on full display at the 2006 state tournament. C'de Baca had a foot in 11 of Sandia Prep's 17 goals, including all six in the state title romp over Bosque School.

"That was the funnest game I ever played," he says. "It was just the energy, everything."

C'de Baca should have plenty more chances to amend that statement. He will play for Georgetown next fall.

"First, it's a really good school," C'de Baca says. "Then it has a new coach and an up-and-coming soccer team in the Big East (Conference)."

GIRLS SOCCER

Alexis Ball

School: La Cueva

Rèsumè: Part of two state championship teams at La Cueva. . . . Scored state title winning goal versus Las Cruces High. . . . Twice named first-team All-State, winning Class 5A Player of the Year honors as a senior.

Next year: Will play at UNM

B stands for bad.

Well, at least in Alexis Ball's world it does.

"I'm not a big fan of B's and C's," says the former Bears soccer standout, who's a candidate to be La Cueva's valedictorian. "I demand the best of myself in whatever I do."

That strong will helped Ball carry the Bears to their second state title in three years.

Ball scored all five of La Cueva's goals during the program's latest championship run, including a dramatic 35-yard boot that beat heavily favored Las Cruces High in the title match.

"At the banquet, I could tell how much that (championship) meant to all of us," Ball says.

Ball is in the midst of her final season at the club level. Her team, Albuquerque United F£tbol Club Õ90, has a brief break before returning to action in January.

She's also taking a pre-med class and studying to stave off those "bad" B's.

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY

Matt Tebo

School: Eldorado

Rèsumè: Three straight state cross country titles. . . . Three-time winner of The Tribune's Cross Country Athlete of the Year. . . . Ranked first nationally by a cross country Web site. . . . Finished fifth at Foot Locker National Cross Country Championships, earning All-American status.

Next year: Will run for defending national champion Colorado

Do you know about Ben Johnson?

What?

Matt Tebo did so much to draw attention to himself this fall.

Winning a third state title

Earning All-American status

Signing to run for the defending NCAA champion

But when asked to discuss the most memorable moments of his senior season, Tebo's focus defers to others.

There's Johnson, the Albuquerque Academy junior who placed sixth, just one spot behind Tebo, at a recent national race.

"That's very impressive for a junior," Tebo said.

There's his family, whom he thanks for supporting him.

There's his coach - Jimmy Butler - and Eldorado teammates, who helped in their own special way.

But there's not much from Tebo on Tebo.

He will enroll at Colorado without a declared major.

Exercise physiology appeals to him. So does being a coach.

Until then, Tebo likely has a bright future ahead running.

But don't expect him to say much about it.

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY

Elba Holguin

School: Valley

Rèsumè: Breakout sophomore season included state, city and district titles. . . . Simultaneously helped lead Vikings soccer team to state tournament berth

Elba Holguin never stopped running.

First it was on the soccer pitch. She practiced with the rest of the Valley team.

Then she'd change shoes and run with her father, Roger Holguin.

All this work eventually led to a Class 5A state title in cross country.

"It was hard, but I got used to it after a while," Holguin says. "It was just tough when we had hard (soccer) practices, usually on Mondays and Tuesdays."

It was more draining mentally.

Holguin felt a little out of place. She never practiced with the cross country team because of soccer.

"I felt bad," she says. "I didn't know any of their names. They had all these inside jokes and everything."

She slowly became acquainted with the other Vikings runners. At the same time, her confidence as a runner grew.

"Winning the all-city meet really boosted it up," Holguin says.

It gave her the belief that she could win state.

She'll be back next year to defend her title.

Running. Running. Running.

VOLLEYBALL

Jordan White

School: Eldorado

Rèsumè: Four-year starter for the Eagles. . . . Led Eldorado to two state tournament berths, including the semifinals as a junior. . . . All-State selection

Next year: Will play for the University of Texas at San Antonio

Where to put Jordan White?

When discussing who should be on The Tribune's All-Metro team, local coaches disagreed.

Some thought White should be an outside hitter.

Others thought she should be a setter.

It's not an easy decision.

White, a fixture of the Eldorado program the past four years, led the Eagles in almost every offensive category.

She is one of the state's top hitters, but will play as a setter at UTSA next fall.

"We might run a 6-2 (offensive set)," White says. "So I might get to hit some. But I really don't care; I just love the sport."

White had planned to refine her setting skills during the club season, but has been benched recently by shinsplints.

"I just have to get more reps (as a setter) and get in the mind-set," White says.

FOOTBALL

Derris Jackson

School: Sandia

Rèsumè: Twice named to The Tribune's All-Metro team. . . . Gained more than 2,600 yards rushing and passing, scoring 27 touchdowns for the Matadors. . . . One of the city's top linebackers. . . . Led Sandia to first state semifinal berth since 2001 with win at Clovis.

Next year: Interested in playing for UNM in the future, but will have to play at junior college first.

Derris Jackson arrived early to fill out his All-Metro questionnaire - he had to get to his first wrestling practice.

"Nah, I've never done it before," Jackson says of wrestling. "I don't really know any moves, but they said I'll be good at it. We'll see what happens."

Off the football field, Jackson is easygoing.

On the field, he couldn't be more stubborn, especially when running the ball.

Clovis coach Eric Roanhaus compared corralling Jackson to "tackling a refrigerator."

He left a lot of teams with that impression.

Jackson rolled up more than 2,600 yards, with 27 touchdowns. The dreadlocked, classic rock fan might have been Class 5A's most unstoppable offensive force.

As quarterback/running back/linebacker, Jackson helped Sandia fulfill high preseason expectations. The Matadors nearly upset Mayfield in the state semifinals. Jackson outgained the Trojans by himself.

If he takes to wrestling, one of the area's most easygoing/stubborn athletes could find himself in another state tournament.