Four Corners Sports September 2014 by Majestic Media

content Don Vaughan PuBlISHER

Cindy Cowan Thiele EDITOR

Ben Brashear Rick Hoerner Tom Yost Dorothy Nobis CONTRIBuTING WRITERS

Curtis Benally Josh Bishop CONTRIBuTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

|4| Four Corners Invitational The Four Corners Invitational 2014 for Special Olympics New Mexico was held Aug. 22, 23 and 24. The events for the 3-day event included golf, swimming, softball and ﬂag football.

|8| Fall Sports Preview As the saying goes, change is inevitable, and for the schools in San Juan County that inevitable change means a change in district alignment.

Suzanne Thurman DESIGNER

Shelly Acosta Clint Alexander Aimee Velasquez SAlES STAFF For advertising information Call 505.516.1230

www.fourcornerssports.com

STORY IDEAS and PHOTOS Please send to editor@tricitytribuneusa.com We’ve got more photos than we can use. Check out the photo gallery for each issue at www.fourcornerssports.com Majestic Media 100 W. Apache Street Farmington, NM 87401 505.516.1230 www.majesticmediausa.com Four Corners Sports magazine is published once a month by Majestic Media. Material herein may not be reprinted without expressed written consent of the publisher. Opinions expressed by the contributing writers are not necessarily those of the publisher, editor or Four Corners Sports magazine. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication. However the publisher cannot assume responsibility for errors or ommissions. © 2014 Four Corners Sports magazine.

| 12 | FHS receives award | 26 | NMAA Compete with Class Farmington High School is the recipient of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Safe Sports School award.

| 15 | Fishing Report

The New Mexico Activities Association has launched a new sportsmanship initiative with the start of the 2014-2015 school year.

| 26 | A great 8 to watch As the upcoming prep season gets ready to begin, here are eight prep athletes to keep an eye on during the 2014-2015 season.

| 16 | Endurance Series It’s 6:30 a.m. and downtown Durango at the corner of 11th Street and Main Avenue has been brought to resounding life out of the early morning silence.

| 20 | Knocking down some pins Barb Sonnier stood back and patiently watched as 4-year-old Ivan picked up a bowling ball and, with a grunt and a heave, threw the ball down the lane.

| 30 | Highland Games In order to compete in the Aztec Highland Games & Celtic Festival, set for Oct. 4 and 5 in Aztec at Riverside Park, athletes must wear a kilt to compete.

| 33 | Editorial column | 34 | First Tee | 35 | More than music KNMI Vertical Radio, the ﬁrst Christian radio station in the Four Corners beginning in 1980, is widely known as offering “more than music” to its faithful listeners.

| 24 | Bi-Fly Tournament The 20th Annual San Juan River Bi-Fly Tournament, beneﬁting the Four Corners Home for Children through Navajo Ministries, was held on Aug. 22 and 23.

covercredit Ben Brashear

SEPTEMBER 2014

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Four Corners InvItatIonal 4

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Athletes, partners and families enjoy great weekend of fun, competition Story by Tom Yost Photos by Josh Bishop The Four Corners Invitational 2014 for Special Olympics New Mexico was held Aug. 22, 23 and 24. The events for the 3-day event included golf, swimming, softball and ﬂag football. This was the ninth year of the event in San Juan County that again hosted over 1,000 athletes, coaches and families from the state of New Mexico and surrounding areas. The golf competitions were held at Riverview Golf Course and Piñon Hills Golf Course on Friday. The softball skills and team competitions were held at Ricketts Park and the surrounding ﬁelds. The aquatics competitions were held at the Farmington Aquatic Center, while the opening/closing ceremonies and group meals were held at McGee Park. “I think what I hear from the athletes explains it best,” said Executive Director of San Juan Special Olympics, Debra Lisenbee. “Every competition and celebration venue is beautiful and the people here make them feel that they are not only welcome, but wanted.”

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With so many athletes and coaches to take care of, the volunteers within the community step up to make the event special for so many. There are so many people and organizations to thank that make our event so special,” said Lisenbee. “The Piedra Vista High School Athletic teams (football, softball and baseball) serve all the meals and run the softball and flag football events. Riverview Golf Course, Piñon Hills Golf Course, The First Tee of San Juan County, N.M. and the Riverview Ladies Golf Association ran the golf events. The other groups that help with events included, ConocoPhillips, San Juan Rotary, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Farmington High School Softball, Farmington High School Kelly Greens, Woods Insurance, Helpful Heroes Junior Civitans, Crossroads Community Church, Wounded Warriors, Tibbetts Honors Class, ASA Softball, FCFA – and I pray I didn’t miss anyone. Many other local businesses donated things including venues, items, donations and various other needs to make our event successful.” “Thank you for letting us play the game on some of the most beautiful venue sites there are,” added Lisenbee to the community. “Thank you for making the athletes, partners and families feel not only welcome, but wanted. And thank you for volunteering your time to make sure these games are the very best they could possibly be.” Lisenbee is an advocate for her community being the absolute best in the state when it

comes to Special Olympics State Games. “The quality of the venues is first class (in San Juan County),” explained Lisenbee. “There is nowhere else in the state to compare, and the hospitality of this county is unsurpassed. When you combine all of these things, you send a clear message to these athletes that they do matter, and what they do is important.” The competitions and gatherings that are held all weekend are a boon to the San Juan County community as hotels, restaurants and other retailers see an economic spike from families, athletes and coaches who compete in the Four Corners Invitational. The true meaning of the games is why the San Juan County Community continues to step up and make the Four Corners Invitational better each year. “Our mentally disabled athletes are probably one of the most disparaged population that exists,” explained Lisenbee. “They are easy targets for abuse, bullying and neglect. When a group of leaders and business people, people with standing in a community, come together to provide this quality of sport for our athletes, and to compete with them as unified Partners, it sends a clear message to the world that these are capable people, worthy of respect and opportunity. Non-disabled people who join our athletes as unified partners are constantly telling us that their life is changed in such a positive way by the experience of enjoying sport with these athletes who just want to play the game.”

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Fall sports preview District realignment rekindles old rivalries Story by Rick Hoerner As the saying goes, change is inevitable, and for the schools in San Juan County that inevitable change means a change in district alignment. As the state creates a sixth classification for the 2014-2015 season, some that were in 4A will be moving to class 5A and some will be staying back while others, such as Bloomfield, will be moving up from 3A to 4A.

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What all this movement really means is the revival of some classic San Juan County rivalries. Kirtland Central will be back to playing football in the same district as Bloomfield, and basketball season will mean that the classic Shiprock-Kirtland Central matchups will be for district supremacy. For those moving to 5A, Piedra Vista, Farmington and Aztec will be joined by the usual non-district foes

September 2014

Gallup High and Miyamura, making what should result in some interesting district races.

Cross Country Cross country is one sport where the new district alignment could make significant changes. A decade ago Gallup High was the prominent cross country program in the

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state. Now Gallup joins a district that Piedra Vista has controlled at the boys level, including a perfect score of 15 in last year’s district championships. The Panthers lost their top two runners in Timberlin Henderson and Harrison Fleming, but still have solid depth led by Ryan Kruger. On the girls side, the district may be as open as it has ever been. Piedra Vista returns Paris Chee, Peyton Kee and Cassie Crowell who finished one, two, and three at district. Aztec’s Elena Kresl will be right in the front at most meets, and both Gallup schools will be competitive. In 4A, Shiprock has been one of the top programs in the state over the past couple of years but will get a bit more of a push with Kirtland joining the district. Even moving up a class, Navajo Prep should be competitive at both the district and state level.

Soccer For San Juan County, soccer has been close, but not quite, for the girls programs, while Farmington’s boys have taken home the blue trophy as recently as 2011 with a runner-up trophy in 2012, making the boys the

dominant team in the district. Piedra Vista has been the district’s bridesmaids over the past decade with Aztec a distant third. The Gallup schools will ease the schedules for the local teams that have been playing in a three-team district since Kirtland disbanded their boy’s program, but will likely fall behind the frontrunners Farmington and Piedra Vista. In 2012 and 2013 the girls district has been one of the most competitive in the state. Aztec returns after back-to-back runner-up finishes at the state championships. Farmington was not far behind and Piedra Vista right behind them. Gallup and Miyamura have not been particularly strong in soccer, so it should once again be a terrific battle between the Tigers, Scorpions and Panthers In Class 4A the addition of Hope Christian and Sandia Prep makes it a tough district for the local teams in both boys and girls soccer. Bloomfield should have the better of the local schools on the boys side, while Kirtland and Bloomfield should be right there on the girls side.

Volleyball Over the past five years district volleyball has traveled through Piedra Vista High School. Losing Samantha Sofka would appear to bring the Panthers back to the pack, but the same was said a year ago when the Panthers lost Katie Hegarty and the Panthers had a solid summer campaign. Until someone proves they can take down the Panthers, they are the team to beat. Farmington has been the most improved team over the past couple of seasons since Dan Hickman took over the program. Anna Strauss’ Tigers have been right there the past few years and with a couple of breaks could contend for a district title. The new teams on the block have been the virtual whipping boys for this district in the nondistrict season, so are not likely a threat. Kirtland Central joining Shiprock and Bloomfield in the new District 1AAAA should make for a wide open, competitive district. With its lack of size, the Chieftains have been perhaps the best defensive team in the county. At Navajo Prep, the district remains roughly the same, giving Prep an advantage in district play. * Fall Preview 27

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FHS receives National Athletic Trainers’ Award Program recognizes high schools that help to keep young athletes safe Farmington High School is the recipient of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Safe Sports School award. The award champions safety and recognizes secondary schools that provide safe environments for student athletes. The award reinforces the importance of providing the best level of care, injury prevention and treatment. “Farmington High School is honored to receive this second Team recognition from NATA, and we remain committed to keeping our student athletes safe during physical education classes, team practices and games so they can accomplish their own goals of great competition, winning records, fair sportsmanship and

good health. Our goal is to lead our athletics program to the highest safety standards for our players,” Farmington High School Principal Tim Kienitz said. Physical activity is very important for our youth, according to NATA president Jim Thornton, MS, ATC, CES. “There has been an increase in competitive sports, which are, unfortunately, not without risk. Brain injury/concussion, cardiac arrest, heat illness, exertional sickling, cervical spine fractures and other injuries and illnesses are potentially life-threatening.” Proper planning with proper equipment and

personnel is vital to the safety of student athletes today, he notes. In order to achieve Safe Sport School status, as FHS did, athletic programs must do the following: • Create a positive athletic health care administrative system • Provide or coordinate pre-participation physical examinations • Promote safe and appropriate practice and competition facilities • Plan for selection, ﬁt, function and proper maintenance of athletic equipment • Provide a permanent, appropriately

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equipped area to evaluate and treat injured athletes • Develop injury and illness prevention strategies, including protocols for environmental conditions • Provide or facilitate injury intervention • Create and rehearse a venue-speciﬁc Emergency Action Plan • Provide or facilitate psychosocial consultation and nutritional counseling/education • Be sure athletes and parents are educated on the potential beneﬁts and risks in sports as well as their responsibilities The National Athletic Trainers Association represents and supports 39,000 members of the athletic training profession. Athletic trainers are health care professionals who specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries and sport-related illnesses. They prevent and treat chronic musculoskeletal injuries from sports physical and occupational activity, and provide immediate care for acute injuries. Athletic trainers offer a continuum of care that is unparalleled in health care.

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FHS’ Athletic Trainer is Melynda Brenton. She has been an athletic trainer since 1983, after she received a bachelor’s degree from Cal Poly Pomona and a master’s degree from Cal State University, East Bay.

September 2014

Fishing REPORT Fishing on the San Juan River below Navajo Lake has been very good through the month of July. Current ﬂows are 648 cfs. With hatches at a minimum, look for the ﬁsh to be holding in some of the slower water, and feeding in the early morning hours. Look for the water level to increase slightly in September. Some of the hot nymphs to try are: Size 22 Gray Big Mac Size 22 Cream Larvae Size 22 Red Larvae Size 22 Black and Gray Midge Size 24 Olive Midge Size 18 Tan Chamois Leach

Best dry fly patterns are: Size 18 Black Foam Ant Size 18 Griffiths Gnat Size 22 Parachute Adams Fishing below the Quality Waters has been good using night crawlers and salmon eggs. Fly fisherman have been doing great in this section of river using a size 16 Orange San Juan Worm trailed by a size 20 Chocolate Foam Wing. T.J. Massey San Juan River Outfitters www.sanjuanriveroutfitters.com 505.486.5347

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Colorado EnduranCE SEriES DDC tops list of toughest 100-mile mountain bike Story and photos by Ben Brashear It’s 6:30 a.m. and downtown Durango at the corner of 11th Street and Main Avenue has been brought to resounding life out of the early morning silence. The loud click of ratcheting freewheel hubs buzz along as mountain bikes coast past and the chatter of cyclists ﬁlls the air. Over 60 endurance mountain bike riders have gathered at Joey Ernst’s Velorution Cycles, and the starting line of the ﬁfth annual Durango Dirty Century. The DDC, founded in 2010, is one of several 100-mile mountain bike rides organized by Matt Turgeon, acting director and founder of the Colorado Endurance Series. The Endurance Series comprises multiple underground and

non-commercial rides, including the 486-mile Colorado Trail Race. Turgeon, a longtime endurance cyclist – who has participated in races such as the Vapor Trail 125, Breckenridge 100, and the California Triple Crown – said that 100-mile rides have always been a favorite of his and the appeal of having a 100 miler in his backyard gave rise to the creation of the DDC. “The idea of giving a hard day’s effort, but still being off the bike in the evening to enjoy the downtime over beers with friends, is appealing,” Turgeon said. A hard day’s effort is exactly what DDC riders are in for. The ride begins in town, follows

county roads to Hermosa Creek trailhead, climbs steadily to 11,280-foot Bolam Pass, snakes along the exposed ridgeline of Indian Pass, and eventually links to the Colorado Trail and ends at Carver Brewing where riders can nurse a cold brew and a sore saddle. On average it takes competitors between 10-15 hours to ﬁnish the ride. However, in years past it has taken some as long as 20-23 hours to ﬁnish. Riders begin to line up across both lanes of Main Avenue and lock into their peddles, adjust backpacks, and turn on GPS units as logistics coordinator Danny Powers gives a brief overview of the course. Host Joey Ernst, as he joins the pack, throws on his helmet and re-

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joins the pack, throws on his helmet and reminds riders to make sure that they have adequate water, a repair kit, and first aid for the day. First time participant Kevin Saino comments through a nervous laugh, “It’s going to be a big day; I’ve never ridden this far before,” he says. The DDC has earned a reputation among endurance cyclists and media alike as being one of the most difficult 100-mile mountain bike rides out there. This precedent is not without good reason, though, despite Turgeon’s claim that “any race can be the hardest race out there,” all depending on how hard you want to push yourself, he said. The difficulty of this ride goes beyond mileage alone. Participants can face the inherent high alpine dangers of thunderstorms, lightning strikes and exposure. They must also understand that due to the remote setting of the course they need to be self-sufficient in navigation, bike repair, and first aid. There is an exceptionally remote 25-mile section from Indian Ridge to Kennebec Pass that, should riders decide to drop out or have the unfortunate luck of getting injured, forces them to either descend into the town of Dolores or continue onward to Kennebec Pass where road access is available. “Either way you’re looking at a long day in the saddle. Bottom line is that you’re on your own. If you don’t show up and nobody misses you, nobody is going to look for you,” Powers commented.

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The cyclists wait in anticipation of 7 a.m. and the streetlight to turn green signaling the start of the ride. The light cycles through yellow, red, and then green and the riders are off at a leisurely pace that hints at the strength and stamina required to cover such distance. By the end of the day John Hennings would set a winning time of 10 hours 26 minutes, and over 15 riders would drop out of the race. And with endless sunshine and cloudless skies, boastful claims of adventure and near misses were limited to upset stomachs and ďŹ&#x201A;at tires. Ultimately the ride is about community and camaraderie among friends and people of similar interests, said Turgeon.

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Youth league volunteers teach kids that bowling is fun Story by Dorothy Nobis | Photos by Josh Bishop Barb Sonnier stood back and patiently watched as 4-year-old Ivan picked up a bowling ball and, with a grunt and a heave, threw the ball down the lane. Slowly, the ball made its way toward the 10 pins and when it hit one of them, Ivan turned around with pride and announced, “I got one!”

With their relatively short attention spans, Sonnier said she keeps it fun for the kids, while trying to instill the basics of bowling with them. “I want them to know that bowling is fun and the goal is knocking down pins,” she said. “And the scores don’t matter. It’s just about having a good time.”

Barb is one of several volunteers who go to Bowlero Lanes each Saturday to coach kids from 4 to 21 the techniques and the fun of bowling.

About that time, Ivan’s 5year-old brother, Issac, threw his ball down the lane, which has bumpers on it to keep the ball on the lane. “I like to swing around and

“I really like working with the kids,” she said. “It’s a challenge to teach them the fundamentals of bowling and get them (the 4-5 year olds) to listen and pay attention.”

throw it (the ball),” he said with authority. “I try to coach Ivan, because I already know how to throw the ball.”

Sheri Cook, who is also a volunteer, oversees the youth league at Bowlero. “This league is for kids of all ages,” she said. “But it is a challenge because they are at different skill levels. Bowling is a good sport, because all skill levels can participate in it.” With a handicap system that allows bowlers of all ages to compete against other bowlers with differing levels of skills and ability, it evens the chances of winning a game. The bowling handicap is a percentage of the difference between the bowler’s average and a basis average. “You don’t have to be a super athlete to participate in bowling,” Cook said. “We promote bowling as a sport kids of all levels can enjoy and earn awards and scholarships, just like other sports.”

“We promote bowling as a sport kids of all levels can enjoy and earn awards and scholarships, just like other sports.” — Sheri Cook Youth league volunteer ﬁve years after graduating from high school,” she explained. “They can use it for college or technical school.”

In addition to learning how to bowl and the importance of teamwork, young bowlers can also earn scholarships to continue their education, Cook added.

Tournaments are held regularly and winners of the tournaments earn scholarships, which are put in their trust fund. These scholarships are earned through the kids’ bowling achievements. There are additional scholarship opportunities available through various bowling organizations that are based on grade point average, Cook added.

“A Smart Scholarship trust fund allows kids to have money set aside for them to use within

Tournaments are also held for the younger bowlers, who are between 3 to 7-years-old. “We

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give them the opportunity to earn medallions, and they love those medallions,” she said. Cook, who has been a bowler for 45 years, has volunteered with the kids’ leagues for almost 20 years. And while she’s been an association president and served on the association’s state board and national committees, she said of her working with the kids, “This is the most fun.” Bowling is fun for all ages, Cook added. “I love that bowlers can compete at all levels. You can be 3 or 93 and still bowl and have fun.” Kaitlinn Joslin, 14, has been bowling since she was three. “I like it and I’m good at it,” she said, adding she comes from a family of bowlers. Joslin also participates in a high school league, which is good because, “It’s a lot more competitive,” than the Saturday youth league. For Jarryd Pollard, bowling is one of many sports he enjoys. “I enjoy bowling, but I also play football, wrestle and I’m on the basketball team,” the 14-year-old said proudly. Pollard has been bowling since he was 7 and has an average of 163. Ron McDonald was at Bowlero with his grandchildren. A bowler himself, he encouraged his grandchildren, Brooklyn, 6, and Jaryn, 13, to be part of the youth league. “Bowling is one of my hobbies,’ Jaryn said, “and I’m here to get better.” For McDonald, the youth league is just another opportunity to spend time with his grandchildren. “It’s family time,” he said, with Brooklyn giving him a hug. ”And the kids enjoy it.”

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San Juan River Bi-Fly Tournament Tournament raises money for Four Corners Home for Children Story by Tom Yost The 20th Annual San Juan River Bi-Fly Tournament benefiting the Four Corners Home for Children through Navajo Ministries was held on Aug. 22 and 23. The event raised over $60,000 in net profits bringing the total raised to over $800,000. There were 52 anglers who competed in this year’s event with 26 professional fishing guides leading the way. “Everybody from Fish and Game to Navajo Parks to the guides to the volunteers that hand out sandwiches, just are terrific,” said Bi-Fly Coordinator Bob Fitz. “All the fisherman are great people and they come together to raise money for the Children’s Home and to experience some world class fishing.”

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“We had help from a lot of good people, and the guides are a big part of it,” continued Fitz. “A lot of our fishermen are novices. they come to this tournament to learn how to fish the San Juan river rather than for competitiveness. Around 30 percent this year had little or no experience flyfishing. We had people from as far away as Chicago and Houston. the local fly shops on the San Juan are a big help by supplying meals and lunches and use of their facilities. We have a number of volunteers that help put it all together.” the winning team was Bo Herrera and Herman Martinez, guided by Brad Eaves and Jerry richards (different guides each day). the San Juan river Bi-Fly tournament is sponsored in part by major sponsors: San Juan rotary Club, Citizens Bank, San Juan regional Medical Center and outback Steakhouse. “We have a huge amount of participation and support for the tournament and always have over the years,” said Fitz. “We have a tremendous resource in the San Juan river that a lot of people in the county don’t appreciate. I had an idea to utilize that 20 years ago and it really has proven to be an asset and a source of funding for Navajo Ministries.” Next year’s event will be Aug. 21 and 22, 2015. Contact Bob Fitz 505.402.6995.

September 2014

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NMAA Compete With Class Program fosters good sportsmanship, respect

“I believe the new Compete with Class initiative is a great direction by the NMAA.”

Tom Yost The New Mexico Activities Association has launched a new sportsmanship initiative with the start of the 2014-2015 school year.

— Don Lorett Farmington Athletic Director

The Compete with Class initiative was introduced during the NMAA’s annual back to school athletic directors’ meeting that was held on July 29. Compete with Class was developed through a collaborative effort involving athletic directors, coaches and school administrators, as well as input from students and adults in communities around the state. The purpose of “Compete with Class” is to restore interscholastic activities into schools from an educational perspective and provide the state with a sportsmanship program that would be embraced by students and will be a program that the schools and participants can called their own. “I think the Compete with Class program is great because it was developed by New Mexico athletes and coaches,” said Aztec Athletic Director, Bryan Sanders.

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“I believe the new Compete with Class initiative is a great direction by the NMAA,” said Farmington Athletic Director, Don Lorett. “I believe it focuses on having Class (Integrity- participating by the rules, Respect- appreciation for your opponents efforts, Responsibility- take ownership of your actions) during the event and not on the outcome of the event. It will bring positive encouragement to all participants: Student Athletes, Coaches, Parents and Fans that attend High School Events.”

“Good sportsmanship is the catalyst for success...” — Steve Scott Bloomfield Athletic Director

The NMAA deﬁnes sportsmanship as, “the act of treating others in a respectful manner; taking personal accountability for ones actions and responding with integrity while engaged in competition” and is rooted in three core values: Respect, Integrity and Responsibility. “Good sportsmanship is the catalyst for success, which includes all aspects of life even in the win or loss situations that we encounter,” explained Bloomﬁeld Athletic Director, Steve Scott. “This is a skill that must be taught correctly because the individual being taught will eventually become the teacher to another--so it is an ongoing cycle.”

The NMAA Compete with Class Initiative is the responsibility of everyone from the athletic director to the coach to the student participant and even the fans.

Treating others with respect and being accountable for one’s actions are a great way to make high school athletics more enjoyable for all involved.

Fall Preview continued from 10 Football The once mighty South has had to yield its hold on the blue trophy in football twice over the past three years as Aztec took the title in 2011 and Farmington rode a solid running game and an exceptional defense to take its first title in nearly 50 years. The addition of Gallup and Miyamura may not make much difference in the standings of the district, with Miyamura being the better of the two. Until someone proves otherwise, it’s Farmington’s district. The Scorpions may come back to the pack a little with the loss of their quarterback Jacob Lucas and stalwarts Ryan Farley and Kyle Reynolds. At Piedra Vista, the Panthers lost the majority of their skill position players and will be in a bit of rebuilding mode. Aztec may have a slight advantage early on with the only returning starting quarterback in Marcus Crawford. While Gallup High has been a pushover since moving to 4A when Miyamura came into being, the Patriots have been a steadily improving team and could pose a threat to the county schools. In the new 4A, Bloomfield may finally have a little competition as the district season begins with the addition of Kirtland Central to the mix. A new coach and a new system for the Bobcats may mean a time of adjustment in the preseason, but again there will be little challenge to the Bobcats in district play except for Kirtland. The Broncos will go as far as running back Keshawn Aspaas takes them. At Navajo Prep, the spread offense will still be potent. They may be a little slower on the outside but will still have solid receivers who keep the offense flowing. For the Eagles the question is whether they can stop elite teams.

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A GREAT 8

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Some standouts in the coming 2014-2015 prep season Story by Rick Hoerner | Photos by Curtis Benally as the upcoming prep season gets ready to begin, here are eight prep athletes to keep an eye on during the 2014-2015 season. keiSHawn aSPaaS kirtland central aspaas was a three-sport athlete for the Broncos in 2013-2014, leading the football team in rushing while participating in wrestling and on a resurgent baseball team. as the Broncos move down a class level, the shifty running back will look to lead the Broncos back to the playoffs after a long absence.

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zacH aHlgrim Piedra Vista in his junior year ahlgrim was an important part in the state baseball and wrestling state titles for the Panthers. in the fall ahlgrim returned to football, playing linebacker for the Panther defense, and may lead their rushing attack on offense this fall. in wrestling, ahlgrim an individual state champion will be the favorite again this winter. ahlgrim was also the catcher on the state champion baseball team and was one of the team’s leading hitters

September 2014

antHony JuckeS Piedra Vista entering his senior year, Juckes is looking to join a very rare club of wrestlers. this winter Juckes will be looking for his ﬁfth individual state championship while also being a part of ﬁve consecutive team championships. even with the coaching change at PV, the Panthers should be the favorites again this season and there is no doubt that with an injury-free season Juckes will be an individual favorite as well.

TO WATCH

peytonKEE

averyRASHER

SaraHROOT

adrianVIGIL

piedra vista High School

Farmington High School

aztec High School

Bloomﬁeld High School

elena KreSl aztec High elena continues a line of distinguished Kresl athletes at aztec High School. last year Kresl was a three-sport athlete who ﬁnished 4th at the cross country district championships, started on the varsity basketball team and was part of the tigers state championship in track. Kresl will be an early favorite in cross country this season. peyton Kee piedra vista Kee is one of the rare three-sport athletes in the county excelling at basketball, cross country and track. in 2013 peyton was on the district champion cross country team ﬁnishing just behind teammate paris Chee. Kee was the backup point guard on the eighth-ranked lady

panther basketball team and will play a much larger role this upcoming season. on the track Kee has been asked to do a bit of everything from distance running to sprints and relays to long jump and triple jump. avery raSHer Farmington High rasher was a part of two state championships with the Scorpions last year. He was a wide receiver on the championship football team and will be counted on this season to be a big play threat for Farmington. on the track, rasher was an important cog on the state championship track team, winning the state championship in the high jump and running sprints and relays for the Scorpions.

SaraH root aztec High the highest scorer in last year’s state track championship returns for her senior year to defend her individual titles in the long jump and the 100-meter hurdles where she led the tigers to the state title. in the fall she will be participating with the tigers soccer team, hoping to get them over one more hurdle to the state title that has eluded them the past two seasons. adrian vigil Bloomﬁeld High vigil will be the motor behind new head coach Bob allcorn’s running game for the Bobcats. vigil is the leading contender for district 1aaaa player of the year and will also look to lead Bloomﬁeld back to the awards podium at state wrestling this winter.

September 2014

Four Corners SportS

Aztec

Highland Games Celtic athletics have speciﬁc skill set and, of course, kilts Story by Dorothy Nobis | Courtesy photos It’s not just about the kilts. Well, maybe it is. In order to compete in the Aztec Highland Games & Celtic Festival, set for Oct. 4-5 in Aztec at Riverside Park, athletes must wear a kilt to compete. The competition in eight Celtic-heavy athletic events includes the Sheaf Toss, Weight for Height (or Weight over Bar), Braemar Stone (or Stone Put), Light and Heavy Scottish Hammer Throw, Light and Heavy Weight for Distance (or Weight Throw) and a Caber Toss.

Four Corners SPORTS

September 2014

While the kilts and the knees (of any and every kind) will be on display at this year’s Highland Games & Celtic Festival, it is the competition that attracts thousands to the event, which is celebrating its fourth year. In addition to the Celtic games, this year brings the ﬁrst Four Corners Regional Athletic Championships to Aztec. The Four Corners Regional Athletic Championship was created to support and encourage fun competition among Highland Games Athletes through a team competition. Each team

will represent one of the states in the Four Corners (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah). The winner’s name will be engraved on a trophy, which remains in Aztec, and the winning state will have a trophy to take home. The Sheaf Toss includes a sheaf that is a burlap bag ﬁlled with straw or mulch. A pitch fork is used to toss the sheaf over and behind the athlete and up and over a cross bar for height – similar to a pole vault bar. The Weight for Height event has athletes throw the weight (a block or ball with a handle attached) up and over an adjustable cross bar. The Braemar Stone is a version of the Stone Put and has competitors throw a large stone (similar to the Olympic shot put). The stone weighs from 20-26 pounds for men and 13-18 pounds for women and all participants use the same stone.

2014 Aztec Highland Games Schedule Registration begins at 8 a.m. both days and the games start at 9 a.m. Saturday, October 4 (Four Corner's Regional Championship) Men's Masters Men's A Women's Masters Women's Open Youth

Sunday, October 5 Men's Light (under 200 lbs.) Men's C Men's B Women's Light (under 150 lbs.) Women's Novice For more information contact Jessica at (505) 419-7526 or games@aztechighlandgames.com.

The Light and Heavy Scottish Hammer Throw is similar to the track and ﬁeld hammer throw event. The Scottish Hammer is made of a round metal ball, which is attached to a four-foot handle. Athletes whirl the hammer over their heads and throw it over their shoulder. The Light and Heavy Weight for Distance event requires athletes to throw the weight with one hand from the throwing area. Most competitors spin the weight like a discus thrower. The Caber Toss, one of the oldest and most unique events in the Highland Games, is also one of the most popular, Sally Burbridge said. “The athlete picks up what basically looks like a tree with no branches, runs forward and tosses it so it turns end to end,” Burbridge said. “It also has to land and stay upright for a few seconds. It’s a visual and exciting competition.” The games also will include a tug-of-war, with area companies competing against each other, Burbridge added. “And all athletes have to wear a kilt,” she said with a big grin. “It’s one of the regulations.” While the games will certainly highlight the event, the Highland Games offers more than just kilted competitors enjoying sports. “It’s a family type event,” Burbridge said. “We’ll have children’s tents with free hands-on activities for the kids.”

September 2014

Four Corners SPORTS

the Wicked tinkers band is the headline band for Saturday night. there will also be seven other local and regional Celtic bands playing at the event throughout the weekend. In addition, there will be a Bonnie Knees competition, said Sally Burbridge, one of the organizers of the event. “We will have some kilted men will be on the main stage and judges will look for muscle tone and skin texture,” Burbridge said with a laugh. “We’ll draw for judges and I think we’ll have a blast with it.” Vendors will also be on hand, selling Celtic merchandise and food. the food, Burbridge said, is almost as popular with those attending as the kilts and the games. “We’ll have vendors selling ﬁsh and chips, meat pie and haggis, which is a traditional mix of various parts of the cow, ground up and mixed with spices. It’s a unique and unforgettable taste.”

With all the beneﬁts and fun of the Aztec Highland Games & Celtic Festival, romme said it’s a lot of work and a lot of time for the volunteers on the committee. “It’s a year-round endeavor and we meet throughout the year. We have a wrap-up meeting after the games and begin planning for the next year,” romme said. You may attend the two-day event for a $20 admission, or you may purchase a one-day admission ticket for $15. Children under 12 are free and discounts are given to seniors, students, and military with proper identiﬁcation. roger Moore also serves on the games committee and encourages everyone to come out and enjoy the fun.

For Burbridge and the 8 to 10 others on the Highland Games Committee, the event is great fun, lots of work and brings people to Aztec from throughout the Four Corners.

“this year’s event should be even more exciting and entertaining than ever,” Moore wrote for the event’s website. “Whether you are of Celtic descent or not, come out and enjoy one of the most exciting events to be found anywhere in the greater Four Corners area.”

“We expect between 1,500 to 2,000 spectators this year and about 50 athletes,” she said. “they ﬁll our hotels and they enjoy our community.” Christa romme was the director of the Aztec Chamber of Commerce when the Highland Games & Celtic Festival in Aztec began. While romme was happy to have the chamber act as the ﬁscal agent for the games, that wasn’t her only reason for getting involved.

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“I happen to be Scottish,” the fair-skinned redhead said,” so it was a good ﬁt for me. I’ve made some good friends on the committee and it’s a good event for Aztec. It brings people in to see our little piece of the Four Corners and it’s a good economic boost for the city.”

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Too much, too soon Last month the youth baseball season wrapped up with the Little League World Series finishing up in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where every game was broadcast live courtesy of the good folks at Disney courtesy of ESPN and ABc. The Series made overnight stars of Pennsylvania’s Mo’ne Davis and the young men that represented illinois, the Jackie Robinson West team from chicago. While both these stories were exceptional and fascinating, as a parent and former educator i have to wonder if it was too much way too soon. Now back in the old days when the walk to school was five miles, uphill both ways and telephones were corded to a wall, ABc would show just the championship game on ABc’s Wide World of Sports as a casual fun game to watch the best of the U.S. against a team from usually the Far East. This meant that years ago we never would hear of the likes of Mo’ne Davis since her team was out in the semi-finals, but along comes ESPN. The Leader in Sports Television did exactly what it was supposed to do. it built a national brand and in turn became the sports marketing machine that fuels ABc television and now Disney. No wonder the national champions from illinois were invited to visit, you guessed it, DisneyWorld. Really, ESPN is not the problem. i love it and honestly it has spoiled me beyond belief and most likely saved my marriage since now i can handle just catching up with Sportscenter and not watching every single game across the satellite. it’s the tidal wave of sports programming that followed that’s the problem. As ESPN became the backdrop for America’s social bar scene, every other network has tried to follow suit and grab a piece of the pie. Just check your cable system for sports channels and be amazed at what pops up. cBS, NBc and FOX have all developed sports programming networks as have the New York Yankees, Madison Square Garden, New England Sports channel, Altitiude, ROOT and dozens more. it’s not good enough to have one game on TV, we have to have

RickHOERNER Editorial columnist them all. Now this massive sports entity of networks has to compete and gamble to find programming. This has made poker a televised sport. it has done the same for darts, that’s right, darts. it gives us networks that cover only the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, tennis,and golf. The SEc has its own network. So does the Pac-10, Big-10, Texas and BYU. Now the competition is on to fill these 24-hour sports networks with programming from repeats of classic games and talk shows galore to go with as many live games and off the wall events as possible. This is where my concerns with massive sports media and youth sports merge into one giant mess. in a rush to fill these networks with programming the amateur world has been run upon by major league type coverage. Once upon a time there were few college football games on television and only on Saturday, but now the coverage is ridiculous with multiple stations covering multiple games on numerous days of the week. The schools say they need this money to compete with larger schools for recruiting, and this may be true, but the monster did not stop at college where these schools shun their educational responsibilities to chase network dollars, a fraction of which actually goes to the participants while their coaches are among the highest paid public employees in their state. So colleges at all levels are raking in corporate dollars through networks competing for marketing dollars in a now over saturated sports landscape. Next we move to the high schools and sell advertisement to cover games played by children. Again the majority of the money to broadcast these games is

not going to the players but to the adults who sell the product. So the Longhorn Network covers Texas High School football and increases the expectations placed on players and coaches to succeed and keep their program in the limelight. ESPN has been covering a high school game of the week in football and occasionally does high school basketball as well. This brings us back to Mo’ne Davis and Jackie Robinson West. ESPN now shows every game of the Little League World Series featuring 12-year-old baseball players like they were major leaguers. First they have pre-game coverage and then are on Sportscenter. Then comes play by play and analysis of these kids batting, fielding and pitching. This is absolutely unnecessary and potentially damaging. These are kids, and while i am totally impressed by the maturity and poise of the young lady Mo’ne Davis, the next young adult thrown in the limelight might not fare as well. i wonder how her teammates deal with the attention she received in a team sport? How will she function at school as a pseudo celebrity? How does she respon, or any of those kids, for that matter, when their 15 minutes of fame are up and the cameras are gone? Where will all the concern for these kids be when it comes to their socioeconomic situation or their education ? And yet again, these young performers receive nothing while the adults who broadcast and market their game rake it in. We are not immune here in our safe little world of Farmington. Somewhere in town there is the father of a 6-year-old looking to manipulate a baseball system that should be looking out for the best interest of every young player to put together a traveling team that will one day be the first connie Mack World Series champs as the host team. He’s not the first and won’t be the last. Amateur sports should never be manipulated to use the young players that have lessons to be learned and experience to be gained for the economic advantage and self-esteem of adults feeling better about themselves by what the youth around them accomplish.

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Four Corners SPORTS

Fall is the best time of year to play golf the TPC Sugar Loaf in Georgia.

Another busy summer has come to a close as we transition into the fall season. This is by far the best time of the year to play golf, as all of the facilities are in fantastic shape and the temperatures lend themselves to ideal conditions. This is the time to enjoy all of the hard work that has been put in to improving your game in the spring and the fall. The game is meant to be fun, so by all means, get out to the links and enjoy the wonderful weather, perfect course conditions and, most importantly – yourself. The end of summer has also brought some wonderful local stories in the world of golf. PGA Junior Golf League All Star match The San Juan County PGA Junior League Golf All-Star Team took on the Colorado All Star Team at Salida Golf Club on Saturday, Aug. 23. The All-Star Team was made up of players from teams that competed for Riverview Golf Course

Four Corners SPoRTS

TomYOST The First Tee

in Kirtland, Civitan Golf Course in Farmington and Hidden Valley Golf Course in Aztec. of the 50 players, 10 players were selected to compete in the post-season against a team from Denver, Colo. The Colorado All-Star Team won the closely contested match by a score of 7-5. Both teams competed beautifully and showed great sportsmanship toward each other, which really exempliﬁed what the matches were all about. The Colorado All-Star team moves on in September to play in a regional ﬁnal against teams from oklahoma, North Texas and South Texas for the right to play in the national championship at

September 2014

The San Juan County All-Star Team consisted of Trey Diehl, Tyler Diehl, Sebastian massey, Quinn Yost, Eli House, Spencer Payne, Lane Jordan, Jacob Torres, Isabelle Peralta, John Carlos Tavenner, and Craig mcCarville as the alternate. PGA Professional National Championship Qualifier San Juan County also had a nice showing in the PGA Professional National Championship Qualifier at New mexico State University Golf Course on Aug.25 and 26. Farmington High School Graduate and PGA Professional in Albuquerque, Scott Gates came from three shots back during the final round to tie Paako Ridge’s David muttitt. Their 3-round total of 6 under par led them to a playoff, which Gates won, on the first playoff hole. San Juan Country Club Head Professional, Jeff Roth, finished in a tie for third place at 4 under par.

More than music

Vertical Radio wins sports play-by-play award KNMI Vertical Radio, the ﬁrst Christian radio station in the Four Corners beginning in 1980, is widely known as offering “more than music” to its faithful listeners. While an energetic Christian Hit Music format hosted by local DJs is the largest part of any day at Vertical Radio, the station has also garnered a reputation as an outstanding outlet for high school sports broadcasts. Vertical Radio is the ofﬁcial station of the annual Connie Mack World Series, which, in August, just celebrated 50 years in Farmington. The tournament is a showcase for amateur baseball players throughout the country from 16 to 18 years of age. More than 60 current Major League players played at one time in the Connie Mack World Series at Ricketts Park. Vertical’s team of broadcasters called 19 games in one week of furious action in Farmington. A team from Dallas (Dallas Baseball Academy of Texas-Gallegos) edged a Cincinnati-based squad (Midland) to win the title. “It was an honor to be part of the 50th

onship basketball game between Shiprock and Portales. Portales upset the previously unbeaten Shiprock team, 62-59, in overtime.

Connie Mack World Series in Farmington,” KNMI General Manager Emmet Fowler said. “This event was so memorable for everyone involved, especially the players, coaches and participants. It’s a privilege for us to be able to broadcast these games both locally and throughout the globe through our on-line streaming (www.verticalradio.org).” In addition to the Connie Mack games, Vertical Radio Sports calls high school games throughout the year in football, basketball, baseball and softball. Earlier this year, KNMI was awarded best play-by-play broadcast from the New Mexico Broadcasters Association for its call of the Girls Class AAA State Champi-

“This was our ﬁrst statewide sports broadcast award,” Fowler said. “It’s special because of the kind of station we are – a locally owned, locally supported, non-proﬁt Christian station. We have an all-volunteer broadcast team for our Games of the Week during the high school seasons. Many of the stations do a really good job, but we just happened to win it this year.” Fowler was the play-by-play announcer and executive producer on the winning broadcast. Paul Corley provided color commentary, Cheyenne Corley handled stats and spotting duties, while Kurt Fowler was the game’s producer and engineer. “We’re a part of the community here and we’re helping to make those community-wide memories. Vertical Radio is certainly ‘more than music’ through everything we do here. Vertical Sports is an integral part of serving our community,” Fowler added.

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Four Corners SPoRTS

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