Berg, Crisp named Navajo Times athletes of the year

Winslow's Stacey Berg and Navajo Prep's Nicole Crisp are the 2008-09 Navajo Times All-Area All-Stars male and female athletes of the year.

Berg and Crisp had outstanding senior seasons for their schools in fall, winter and spring sports.

Berge was thankful for being selected as the male athlete of the year.

"It's really awesome and I feel really lucky," Berg said. "It's a pretty prestigious award right there. All the hard work I put in has paid off.

"I'm really happy and my parents are really proud of the award," Berg said.

His parents are Kevin and Melissa Berg of Winslow.

Berg had an outstanding senior season in football, basketball and track. At the conclusion of each season, he was named to the 3A North All-Region teams, the 3A All-State team and to the Navajo Times All-Area All-Star team in all three sports.

In football, he helped his team to a conference championship, then into the state playoffs. He was named the 3A North Region Offensive Player of the Year as a wide receiver, to the Arizona 3A All-State first team as a wide receiver and kicker, and to the second team as a punter.

In basketball, he helped his team to the 3A state playoffs. His postseason awards include: 3A North Region first team, Arizona Republic All-State honorable mention, Arizona 3A honorable mention, 1A-3A Arizona Basketball Coaches Association Senior All-Star game, and Navajo Times All-Area All-Star team.

In track, Berg won this year's 3A state title in the long jump, was fourth in the triple jump and was a member of the state runner-up team in the 4x100 relay. He is the 3A North Region Athlete of the Year in track.

About his senior season, Berg said, "It was fun. It just flew by. We were just here and now it's gone. At first I just wanted it to just go by, but it went by so quickly, I just wanted it back."

Now that Berg has graduated, he will be attending Dakota State University in Wisconsin on a dual scholarship for football and track. He will play wide receiver and may have the kicking and punting duties. Berg also received an academic scholarship from Dakota State.

Nicole Crisp

Nicole Crisp is no stranger to the Navajo Times All-Area All-Star teams but she was surprised to be named the female athlete of the year.

"I thought that when our season was over, it was the end," she said in a telephone interview, "but now it just feels good to be selected. It really surprised me."

This past season she helped her volleyball team to a District 2-2A championship. In the Class 2A state championship match, Navajo Prep fell 3-2 to Texico.

In volleyball she was named to the All-District team, All-State team and to the Navajo Times All-Area All-Star team. She also was named the New Mexico's Class 2A most valuable player.

In basketball, Crisp and the Lady Eagles won the Class 2A state championship in March. Her postseason honors included being named All-District, All-State, New Mexico's Class 2A player of the year and to the Navajo Times All-Area All-Star team.

Crisp also was chosen to play in the New Mexico 1A/2A North vs. South basketball game in Albuquerque later this month.

In track, Crisp competed in the triple long jump and 200-meter dash.

Now that she has graduated, Crisp is ready to move on to college basketball. She was awarded a basketball scholarship to Mesa Community College in Mesa, Ariz., and is expected to play the shooting guard position.

"Right now I'm taking everything in and enjoying every bit of it," Crisp said. "My senior year was great. I'm already missing it. But now I just want to get ready for basketball at Mesa."

She is also preparing to play in next week's Native American Basketball Invitational in Phoenix.

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