Serving the High Plains

Tucumcari volleyball, football schedules set

Tucumcari begins its volleyball season with a road game at Pecos on Oct. 10, with its home opener Oct. 13 against Santa Rosa.

The Rattlers football team doesn’t begin its season until March 6, with a 2 p.m. road game at Raton. Tucumcari is scheduled to hold its home opener against Santa Rosa at 7 p.m. March 12.

Both teams have shortened seasons under the radically revamped calendar announced by the New Mexico Activities Association last month in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Not counting the postseason, Rattlers volleyball would play fewer than 20 games and no tournaments. Tucumcari’s football team has just seven games on its regular-season schedule.

The Santa Rosa volleyball matchup begins with the junior varsity match at 5 p.m., with the varsity game following.

District play begins at home against Dexter on Nov. 10. Tucumcari also faces New Mexico Military Institute during its district schedule.

Rattlers volleyball also includes Class 1A champion Logan (at home Oct. 17), San Jon (on the road Oct. 24), Clovis (on the road Oct. 27), Elida (on the road Oct. 29) and Melrose (at home Nov. 13). San Jon is playing its first season in years without a cooperative agreement with Grady.

Tucumcari football’s schedule includes being at Clayton on March 19, hosting Texico on March 26, hosting Hope Christian on April 2, at Dexter on April 9 and hosting NMMI on April 16.

The date for the homecoming football game has not yet been determined.

Tucumcari athletic director Wayne Ferguson said he still was finalizing a schedule for the school’s boys and girls cross-country teams, which begin their seasons in September.