Girls
Cross Country
Aubrey Cordova, senior, McCurdy. The Bobcats runners have been a strong contingent of athletes for quite some time and it culminated in the program’s first state championship, led by Cordova, who finished individually in 20 minutes, 53.2 seconds. As the team’s only senior, Cordova led a solid pack of Bobcats in which all five runners finished among the top 20.
Soccer
Lilah Herrera, junior, Pojoaque Valley. It is not an easy task being captain of a team that struggled mightily and did not score a goal all season. But Herrera managed to keep the team together and playing hard throughout the season. And the Elkettes ended with their best performance in the year’s last game, which is a true testament to her leadership.
Volleyball
Mariana Arambula, senior, McCurdy. Arambula was a force up front for the Lady Bobcats, blasting kill shots seemingly at will. She finished the season with 781 kills and a strong 33.7% success rate, while hitting at a 20.4% clip. She added 30 blocks and 89 aces and even tossed in 176 digs, helping the ninth-seeded Lady Bobcats finish sixth in the state tournament.
Basketball
Tana Lopez, senior, Mesa Vista. The Lady Trojans reached the state tournament semifinals in large part because of Lopez’s overall performance. In her final season, Lopez averaged 19 points a game with 6.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 4.5 steals. And she managed to do all of this while being the focus of every opponent’s game plan.
Powerlifting
Olivia Suazo, senior, Española Valley. What started out as something of a lark turned into something quite different for Suazo, a multi-sport athlete who found a home in the weight room. Her dedication to a strict training regimen led to her dominating the girls 114-pound division of the state competition, which she won with an overall record total of 565 pounds.
Spirit
Natalia Padilla, senior, Española Valley. As the cheer squad’s only senior, it was up to Padilla to be the leader on the floor, guiding the Sundevils through their difficult routines. And she did her job with aplomb as the team jumped to a sixth-place finish in the state spirit competition, moving up five spots from the previous season.
Wrestling
Natalie Romero, sophomore, Pojoaque Valley. What a season Romero delivered. She went 27-4 at 138 pounds, which included 25 pins. She rolled through her first three opponents at the state wrestling meet and led in the championship match after the first round. Although she faded to a runner-up finish, taking second a year after not placing at all is a strong feat.
Golf
Jaclynne Martinez, senior, Española Valley. Although Martinez came up short in her goal of qualifying for the state golf tournament in her final season, she was the lone senior and leader of a young Sundevils squad. Martinez leaves behind a strong legacy for the up-and-comers to follow.
Softball
Allayah Rios, senior, Pojoaque Valley. Middle infielder Rios carried a big bat. A big, big bat. She hit .397 overall and her six home runs put her in the top-20 in Class 4A and her 33 RBI was tied for 33rd in the state. For good measure, she scored 31 runs, which was 39th.
Tennis
Kaydence Arrey, junior, Española Valley. Playing in the high pressure No. 1 singles position, Arrey compiled a 5-4 record, despite competing in a tough district. And playing with an array of partners at the top doubles spot, she went 10-8 overall. Arrey with partner Olivia Suazo, also pushed hard against the eventual Class1A-4A state doubles champ.
Track and field
Avery Knight, sophomore, McCurdy. Avery turned in one of those memorable state meets. Not only was she a part of the 4×800-meter relay squad that repeated as Class 2A champion, but she unexpectedly snared second in the individual 800, up four spots from her seeding. And to top off her meet, she grabbed a sixth place medal in the 1600 run.