HOPE CHRISTIAN GIRLS EYE A SIXTH STRAIGHT
For most soccer programs across New Mexico, Monday marks the beginning of something new. New players. New lineups. New chemistry. A new season. At Hope Christian, however, there’s a whole lot that looks very familiar.
The Huskies enter the 2026 season as the five-time defending Class 4A state champions, and once again, they’ll begin the year with a target on their backs. Hope Christian has won 94 of its last 97 matches, including remarkable winning streaks of 34 and 56 consecutive games over the past several seasons. It’s a level of consistency that has made the Huskies one of the teams to beat in Class 4A, according to coaches around the state.
The New Mexico high school record for consecutive state championships is seven, set by La Cueva from 1989 through 1995. With five straight titles already in the trophy case, Hope Christian is two championships away from matching that mark. And the Huskies have plenty of familiar faces capable of making another run.
Mason Ricker and Hailey Sanchez have moved on to play at the collegiate level, but nearly everyone else from last year’s championship team is back—including 2025 Gatorade New Mexico Girls Soccer Player of the Year Bryson Fankam.
Fankam scored 27 goals last season and is one of the state’s most dangerous offensive players. She’ll have to wait a little longer to get back on the field, though, as she continues to recover from an ACL injury. The Huskies hope to have her back roughly five weeks into the season.
Even without top returning player for the opening stretch, head coach Amy Fankam believes this could be one of her deepest teams yet. “We should have more depth than we’ve ever had since I’ve been the coach at Hope in my seven years, so that’s exciting,” Fankam said.
Depth may be important, but Hope’s success has always been about more than talent. It’s become a culture. Amy Fankam knows that culture firsthand. A state champion as both a player and a coach, she understands what it takes to build a program that expects to win—and, perhaps more importantly, expects to work for it. She doesn’t have to remind her players of that expectation every season. “Inherently, the girls have built this culture and hold each other accountable,” Fankam said.
That accountability showed up all over the field last season. The Huskies scored 174 goals in 23 games while allowing just eight. They can overwhelm opponents with their offensive firepower, but their defensive performance may be just as impressive. “We have a couple kids that are known for scoring, then we also have one of the best defensive teams in the state,” Fankam said.
That’s a combination that has produced five consecutive championships. Now, the Huskies will try to turn five into six. Hope Christian opens the 2026 season August 18 against Eldorado.
