ALBUQUERQUE — The defending champion Portales Rams were given the No. 9 seed in the Class 3A state football playoffs and will play eighth-seeded Hatch Valley in an opening-round game next weekend.

Sites and times are yet to be determined. If the Rams (3-7) win, they will meet District 4-3Arival Lovington in a quarterfinal game.

The district’s other representative in the playoffs was Albuquerque Academy, seeded fifth in the 12-team field.