sport
Albuquerque Amateur Soccer League: Nob Hill Strikers Lead
Nob Hill Strikers top Albuquerque amateur soccer standings with 28 points. Six matches remain before August championship at Albuquerque Sportsplex.
How we reported this
The Nob Hill Strikers moved into first place in the Albuquerque Amateur Soccer League standings after a 3-1 win over the Sandia Heights Rovers on July 10 at Johnson Field.
The result gives the Strikers a three-point cushion over second-place teams with six regular-season matches left. League rules award three points for a win and one for a draw, so the top two sides advance directly to the August 15 championship bracket at the Albuquerque Sportsplex on Louisiana Boulevard.
Local Matches and Training Sites
Strikers players train twice a week on the grass pitches behind the University of New Mexico's Johnson Center and hold weekend sessions at the open fields along Central Avenue in the Nob Hill neighborhood. The club draws most of its roster from residents in the 87106 and 87108 zip codes, where many participants work at nearby hospitals or the university.
League matches rotate between Johnson Field and the fenced complex at the corner of Indian School Road and Carlisle Boulevard. On July 10 the Strikers started two players who live within walking distance of the Nob Hill shops and finished the game with a goal from a 22-year-old forward who joined the club last spring after playing pickup at the Rio Grande fields near Old Town.
Current Points and Schedule Details
After ten matches the Strikers have recorded eight wins and two draws for 28 points. Their closest pursuers, the East Central FC side, sit on 25 points. Average attendance at Strikers home games this season has reached 240 spectators, up from 170 last year, according to gate counts kept by league volunteers.
The next home fixture is scheduled for July 18 at Johnson Field with a 7 p.m. kickoff. Tickets cost $8 at the gate or $6 in advance through the league office on Yale Boulevard. Fans who want to follow the remaining standings can check the updated table posted every Monday on the city parks and recreation website.
League officials have set a July 25 deadline for roster changes ahead of the final push. Any player added after that date must pay the $45 late fee and sit out the first playoff round if the team qualifies.