Portales celebrates its first state football title since 1988.

The blue trophy is emblematic of a New Mexico state championship.

Eastern New Mexico had plenty of reasons to be blue, with six teams winning it all in 2008 fall sports.

Our six degrees of celebration truly have separation:

• We start with the Portales Rams, and their first football title in 20 years. The Rams had the perfect storm — a team full of talent, loaded with seniors looking to bury previous playoff disappointments. Now give that team a first-round bye, the next three playoff rounds at home and a battle for all the marbles with district rival Lovington.

• The Melrose Buffaloes were loaded with talent as well. But there were no losses to avenge, and most games would end with a 35-plus point lead and the running clock.

• The Fort Sumner Foxes were close to perfection on their four-peat, falling to Class 2A Santa Rosa

7-6. Class 1A teams posed no problem, as the Foxesaveraged more points per game (44.5) than they allowed all season (41).

• The Texico Wolverines got perfection, but fought tooth and nail against 2A teams to get it. They needed a goal-line stand in the semifinals, and a two-point conversion stop against Dexter in the state championship. They got both.

• The Fort Sumner Vixens didn’t get perfection, but didn’t seem too concerned. They followed up their loss to Denver City, Texas, with 22 straight match wins, and lost just two games in that stretch to win their third Class 1A volleyball title in five years.

• Texico had a mission to three-peat. Coming off a 29-0 season, the Wolverines re-upped with new coach Kristen Scanlan. Down 2-0 and trailing in the third game in the Class 2A state final to Navajo Prep, Texico roared back to win.

Six teams, six stories, all ending in blue. Just like they were going for all along.