Chargers on quest for soccer title

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - The Albuquerque Academy Chargers, named the KRQE Team of the Week, steps down the road toward the state soccer title Friday, a journey it hasn't completed since 2001.

The Chargers last won the class 4A title that season. Now the team is seeded second and begins quarterfinal play against seventh seed Santa Teresa.

We all kind of believe we should have won it last year," midfielder Darren MacAfee said. "It's kid of fuel to the fire as regards to this year."

While conceding they face a good opponent, the chargers are also concerned about a challenge for everyone: the field.

"It's a lot smaller venue," coach Howard Shapiro said. "It's minimum size even with the expansion of the field.

"It's still smaller than we're used to playing on, and it's smaller than most schools are used to playing on. It's very similar to tennis versus ping pong."

Game time is 11:30 a.m. at the Albuquerque Public Schools soccer field west of Volcano Vista High School off Rainbow Road NW.