Best of the best: Springs sports all-stars include several state champs
Navajo Times | Ravonelle Yazzie
Thoreau Hawk DeShaun Garcia sets himself up to throw the shot put on Saturday during the New Mexico Class 3A state track and field meet in Albuquerque. Garcia captured gold in the discus event with a throw of 135 feet, 5 inches.
WINDOW ROCK
The final curtain of the 2018-19 high school sports scene ended at the conclusion of the New Mexico state playoffs in mid-May.
A month has already passed but to officially close the books, we announce the final list for the Navajo Times All-Stars for baseball, softball and track.
As always the all-star list is formulated with the help of area coaches, who submit nominations. The Times’ staff makes the final selection.
In addition to naming the all-stars, we also selected players and coaches of the year for each sport.
Of the three disciplines, the spring track season produced multiple state champions this past season.
In New Mexico, Kirtland Central graduate Kashon Harrison won two gold medals in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter races in Class 4A.
In the smaller school division, Navajo Pine runner Galvin Curley set a new state record in the two-mile, shattering the 2A record by almost 12 seconds.
Thoreau produced a state champion with DeShaun Garcia winning the 3A crown in the discus while Albuquerque Eldorado runner Jasmine Turtle-Morales took gold in 5A two-mile race.
The Native American community also got two state champions from the Santa Fe area with Santa Fe Indian runner Christopher Humetewa surging to victory in the 3,200.
On the other side of town, Academy for Technology & Classic graduate Ahbedoh White Eagle took home three gold medals in the 100- and 200-meter races with his third one coming on the 4×100 relay.
In Arizona, St. Michael long-distance runner Ali Upshaw captured the Triple Crown, winning gold in the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter races. Of the three races, she repeated as champion in the two-mile run.
Page graduate Bowen Martin also seized a handful of medals including two first-place finishes in the 1,600-meter run and the 4×800 relay.
Based on their achievements those state champions deserved to be recognized as our POYs.
To read the full article, pick up your copy of the Navajo Times at your nearest newsstand Thursday mornings!
Are you a digital subscriber? Read the most recent three weeks of stories by logging in to your online account.
Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow