Reflecting on the Top 10 Sports Stories

FRUITLAND, N.M.

A clean slate is upon us.

For most in the sport arena, a new year brings promise of a new beginning and a fresh start, but for some, it’s a time to reflect on the year past.

Like previous years, 2015 has given us plenty to reflect on in the local and national sports world.

We have had many key moments, events and, specifically, many top stories that made headlines.

As the sport writer for the Navajo Times, I spent most of 2015 in gymnasiums and outside on sports fields. I’ve gotten my fair share of tans and a sore bottom from covering many sports events.

While I have written dozens of stories within the year 2015 alone, there are those few stories that stick out for many reasons.

Here’s a look at my top 10 stories for 2015 and what made them stick out. They are in chronological order, for the most part.

It was a solid year for high school state champions in 2015. There were so many in fact that I decided to combine them into one category, because if I didn’t, all the state champs will nearly fill my top 10 list.

1. Miyamura heavyweight wins school’s first state crown

Miyamura senior heavyweight wrestler Jasper Denetclaw kicked off 2015 as our first school state champion of the year.

Denetclaw overcame doubt from early in the season to become the Patriots’ first wrestling state champion in the 285-pound weight class, when he earned a 5A individual state championship title in February.

Denetclaw was ranked in the late 30s when it came to wrestlers in the state but proved everyone wrong and became a state champion.

“It’s an honor,” Denetclaw said, following an interview shorty after his victory. “I would never think I would ever be a state champion, it’s amazing.”

Denetclaw then became one of the Times’ Wrestlers of the Year recipients.

The Piedra Vista High school wrestling team followed suit and took home their fifth team state title in Class 5A. They slipped past Belen High School with a total of 294.5 points and Belen had 283.

They had a total of five individual state champions out of the 14 wrestlers who qualified.

In state track and field, distance runners and sprinters stole the stage.

2. Area athletes make podium at state

Miyamura then-junior Niles Thomas took home his second ever state title in the 1600-meter run after winning his first cross country title just months before. He also came in second to Albuquerque Academy native runner Jordan Lesansee, who won took home the title in the 3200-meter run.

The two battled each other and the frigid weather during the state meet.

Team wise, the Bloomfield High School Bobcats took home the 4×100 meter relay and the 1600 sprint medley titles with the same team members.

Having graduated a key component of their team the season before, they managed to mix in a young runner who turned out to be the key ingredient to their success.

Local high school distance runners saw more success this past fall as they took home blue trophies and ran record times.

Thomas finished as the back-to-back 5A boy’s cross-country state champion in New Mexico with an all-around best time regardless of classification.

Thomas pulled himself out of a rough early season and went on to win the district and state titles. It became his third overall state title (two in cross country and one in track).

In a somewhat surprising finish, the Shiprock Lady Chiefs finished as the 4A girls cross country state champs. It was a surprise to some, as unofficial results reported had rivals Taos as the champions. But once official results came in, Shiprock ended up edging Taos for the win 58 points to 60.

The Lady Chiefs were strong all season, with one of the best pack times in the state and with top finishes throughout the season.

The biggest surprise came when Zuni High School was crowned the 4A boys cross-country state champions. The Thunderbirds hadn’t won a meet all season until district and state rolled around, and they ended up taking the blue trophy home.

It was a strong year for running, even beyond high school.

 

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