Taos County All Stars 2017

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FEATURING TAOS COUNTY’S

TOP 25

HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES

MALE ATHLETE of the year

Ryan McCarty TAOS HIGH SCHOOL

FEMALE ATHLETE of the year

Cora Cannedy

A S P E C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F

The Taos News

TAOS HIGH SCHOOL

June 15–21, 2017

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Taos County All Stars

June 15-21, 2017

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THE TAOS NEWS

FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Cora Cannedy

Ryan McCarty

Taos High School junior

Taos High School senior

Arcenio J. Trujillo

Cora Cannedy smiles big and waves to the gathering crowd at the 49th Sheriff’s Posse Rodeo de Taos in 2016. Cannedy was chosen as female athlete of the year for the diverse array of activities she excelled at in 2016-17. In the beginning of the school year, Cannedy simultaneously played with the Taos Lady Tigers soccer team under coach Casey Tonrey and ran cross-country for coach Bruce Gomez. In soccer, she helped lead the squad as one of its speedy front line forwards – producing points and assists during Taos’ fall campaign, which ended in the quarterfinals of the New Mexico state soccer tournament. The Lady Tigers finished with a 12-6-1 overall record. In cross-country, Cannedy came in first for Taos and earned overall runner-up at the state cross-country meet in Rio Rancho – an all-state distinction. In the spring, Cannedy was one of a core group of long-distance runners for coach Benny Mitchell and won the individual title in the women’s 1,600-meter run and placed fifth in the 3,200-meter run. And worthy of note, Cannedy was also the 2016 rodeo queen. Congratulations to Cora Cannedy for being named Taos County’s first female athlete of the year.

Grit, talent, moxie Top 25 athletes from Taos County honored

What does it take to step out onto a hardwood court or a field in front of a cheering crowd and put it all on the line for your team and sport? Grit, talent and moxie.

Taos County athletes have more than their share of all three.

The Taos News is pleased to honor 25 of the top athletes from Taos County prep schools who exemplify the strength, dedication and skill needed to excel in sports. Many of them

were top performers in more than one sport. They lead both on the field and off, inspiring their teammates and their competitors.

Taos County has a slew of excellent athletes. Narrowing the field to these young men and women was tough. But in track, basketball, volleyball, cheer and golf, these young student-athletes stood out. We hope by recognizing some of these top athletes, others will be inspired to follow in their

footsteps.

Along with the athletes, this first-ever Top 25 Taos County Athletes special section recognizes two coaches who led their teams to repeat state championships, recaps some memorable moments and reveals more about a photographer who is a familiar face behind the lens at many of the region’s high school games, meets and tournaments.

Arcenio J. Trujillo

Never needing to be pushed to work hard – according to his coaches – Ryan McCarty embodied the pure athletic specimen who selflessly sacrificed his body for the good of the team. Under the tutelage of second-year coach Art Abreu, McCarty flourished and produced stellar numbers for rushing (1,751 yards), receiving (301 yards) and kick returns (1,172). He also finished the season with a whopping 31 touchdowns in 2016. McCarty also ran track for coach Benny Mitchell, producing points for the four-time Class 4A state champs the last two seasons as a relay team member.

His latest success was a dominating performance at the state track and field championship in Albuquerque as the third leg of the 4-x-400-meter relay team May 13. The team claimed the gold medal in the event with a time of 3:28.46 – smashing the hopes of the Second-place Portales Rams. McCarty also medaled with the 4-x-100-meter relay and the 1,600 sprint medley relay teams. His 11-feet, 6-inch jump in the pole vault earned McCarty an additional fifth-place medal. Congratulations to Ryan McCarty on being named the first Taos County male athlete of the year.

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State championships in 2016-17 Cross-country (team)

Taos Lady Tigers (sixth championship) Peñasco Lady Panthers (first championship)

Wrestling (individuals)

Christopher Valencia (116pound division) Diego Valerio (126-pound division) Estevan Valerio (182-pound division)

Cheer

Taos Tiger cheer (fourth straight championship) Questa Wildcat cheer (first championship)

Track and field (team)

Taos Tiger boys (fourth straight championship)

Track and field (individuals)

Faith Powell – high jump (5 feet, 6 inches), long jump (17 feet, 8 inches) Elizabeth Reyes – 3,200-meter run (11:48.08) Cora Cannedy – 1,600-meter run (5:26.04) Jonah Vigil – 100-meter (11.373 seconds), 400-meter dash (49.24 seconds)

The coveted blue trophy.

Alejandro Salazar – triple jump (43 feet, 4.75 inches) Helena Padilla – long jump (16 feet, 7.5 inches), triple jump (34 feet, 6.5 inches)

Arcenio J. Trujillo

Boys 4-x-4 relay (3:28.46) – Dalton Donaldson (starter), John Esquibel (second leg), Ryan McCarty (third leg), Jonah Vigil (anchor)

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Taos County All Stars

THE TAOS NEWS

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June 15-21, 2017

Top 25 moments of 2016-17

By Arcenio J. Trujillo sports@taosnews.com The Taos News

25.

Boys soccer beats St. Mike’s Tyrone Green makes a surprise return to the team after a season-long hiatus due to injury and helps catapult the Tigers to an upset victory over the highly ranked Horsemen.

It was a homecoming that many people didn’t think was going to happen.

It was the return of senior forward Green, who had missed all prior games in the 2016 season due to injury that, perhaps, made the difference in Taos’ 3-1 win over the St. Michael’s Horsemen at Taos Eco Park Oct. 22.

The victory extended the Tigers’ win streak to three games to finish the regular season – a feat the Tigers hoped would have resulted in an invitation to the state tournament. The Tigers did not get into the state tournament and instead ended their season with a 7-9 overall record and 6-6 in district play.

24.

Ice Tigers take home the North Star

Coach Mark Richert and his Ice Tigers hockey squad take back the coveted traveling trophy by beating the Los Alamos Hilltoppers 4-3 in a comeback for the ages at the Genoveva Chavez Community Center in Santa Fe March 10.

The first period of the Pure Division Championship saw an evenly played match between Taos and Los Alamos that produced no goals, but more shots on goal for Taos (13-10) and only one penalty.

The second period witnessed an aggressive LA team pound two goals past Taos’ defense to take a commanding lead. At the same time, Los Alamos’ goaltender, Sam Fisher, turned away several shots from the Ice Tigers until Taos’ Ysidro Gravelle finally powered one into the net at about the halfway mark.

The Hilltoppers answered with another goal to close the first two stanzas with a 3-1 lead. Going into the intermission, the Ice Tigers had 33 shots on goal compared to 18 for LA. In the third period, the Ice Tigers closed the deficit and eventually passed the Hilltoppers to claim the title at the neutral site by a score of 4-3 March 10.

The team’s hard work for the entire game resulted in a stunning come-from-behind win for the Ice Tigers and the return of the North

Faith Powell attempting to clear 5 feet, 8 inches at the New Mexico state track and field championships May 13.

Star Trophy and Río Grande Cup to Taos for the offseason – prompting coach Richert to remark, “We will sleep peacefully this summer with the North Star in our possession ... until the first crisp autumn evenings remind us that ice is on the way and it’s time to prove it all once again.”

23.

Adrianna Tafoya forces overtime During Peñasco’s homecoming basketball game, Adrianna Tafoya hits a long-range threepoint shot to force overtime against the powerhouse Mora Rangerettes.

A joyous, leaping Tafoya is swarmed by teammates as the crowd erupts after she hit a longrange shot at the buzzer to send the game into overtime. With 1.1 seconds left in the game and down by three points, Tafoya took the inbound pass and made a shot from well behind the three-point arc.

The game was a segment of Peñasco’s homecoming, but Mora was not the intended invitee. Due to snowstorms that closed schools throughout the area, Peñasco had to postpone the original date of its homecoming games and the team’s original opponent, the Coronado Leopards. Peñasco would eventually lose to the Rangerettes by a score of 70-67.

22.

Lady Tigers beat St. Mike’s In a game that produced 47 total runs, the Taos softball team beat the Lady Horsemen 24-23 in eight innings in the first game of the final home series of the season.

21.

Golf championship plays just to halftime Josh Fambro finishes fourth at state with a 75 in one-day golf shootout shortened by hail

Arcenio J. Trujillo

and freezing rain.

Making the trip to the state golf championships for the second consecutive year, sophomore Fambro did his best to bring home an individual title for Taos High School. The Class A/4A state tournament was held at Piñon Hills Golf Club in Farmington, which played host to more than 67 qualified men and women golfers May 8-9.

Ordinarily, the format used to determine the best golfers in the state is a 36-hole tournament played over the course of two days.

Unfortunately, play was suspended on day two due to heavy rain and hail that made the course See MOMENTS, Page 4

4

Taos County All Stars

June 15-21, 2017 M O M E N T S From Page 3

unplayable and was canceled May 9. Thus, champions for both the team and individual competitions were based on day one scores. As a result, Fambro earned a fourth-place medal with the three-over par, 75 he turned in May 8.

20.

Taos downs Dons Taos Tigers football team defeats the heavily favored West Las Vegas in home finale.

The Tigers played their last home game of the 2016 season and knocked off the fourth-ranked team in the state in Class 4A in the process. The West Las Vegas Dons came to Taos with a 6-1 overall record and 3-0 district in district play, but went home with an extra digit in each of those loss columns after an exciting night of football at Anaya Stadium that ended in a 30-27 win for the Tigers Oct. 21.

The implications of this win were enormous for the Tigers, who ended up with a 6-5 overall record and 4-2 in District 2-4A – giving them a one-game edge over the Dons and a No. 9 seed in the 2016 state football playoffs.

19.

Drain the pasta Justin Madrid hits the gamewinning basketball shot with just fewer than 30 seconds left in the overtime period to lift the Questa Wildcats over the Mora Rangers in the thirdplace game of the Northern Río Grande tournament.The Wildcats hang on with solid defense the final 12.3 seconds and finally get the Mora monkey off their back.

18.

the final buzzer sounded to win the game for the Tigers – 49-46.

The exciting finish created an earpopping roar from fans inside Otero Gym and a frenzied celebration in center court by Taos Tigers players.

Taos Lady Tigers reclaim crown Coach Bruce Gomez wins his sixth team title of all time when the Lady Tigers garner a first place at the state crosscountry championship meet in Rio Rancho Nov. 5.

It was probably a little closer than many people expected, but the Lady Tigers reclaimed the top spot in Class 4A with a nine-point win over the state runner-up team, East Mountain High School.

Led by Cora Cannedy, Taos showed true grit by keeping the talented and seasoned East Mountain team at bay. The Lady Timberwolves fielded a core group of scoring runners that included two juniors and three seniors.

Taos finished with 48 total team points. The East Mountain Lady Timberwolves were second with 57 and the Shiprock Lady Chieftains – who were the defending state champions in Class 4A – came in third with 96 points.

Cannedy came in second overall with a time of 19:16.25.

She was joined by Elizabeth Reyes, who placed second with a time of 19:29.35; Ella Katz, who came in 11th with a time of 20:20.85; Isabella Padilla, who placed 14th with a time of 20:51.05; and Abigail Gunther, who came in fifth for Taos and 25th overall with a time of 21:23.05.

“We ran hard,” said Gomez. “I was holding my breath for a while there, but our girls ran their hearts out. It was a pleasure to watch.”

17.

Splash!

Aaliyah Quintana hits the game winner against the Pojoaque Valley Elkettes with three seconds to go to in the Lady Tigers’ district basketball home opener at Otero Gymnasium Jan. 21. In an earlier game, Quintana hit 53 points in a recordbreaking night for the junior guard.

THE TAOS NEWS

14.

Taos wrestlers win three state titles Christopher Valencia, Diego Valerio and Estevan Valerio win individual titles at the New Mexico state wrestling tournament in Rio Rancho Feb. 17-18.

Photo by David Jacobs

Elizabeth Reyes crosses the finish line and soaks up the moment at the conclusion of the women’s 3,200-meter run – finally laying claim to an individual state title at the New Mexico track and field championships May 12.

16.

Mount mounts charge, clinches state for Taos Simon Mount finishes in fifth place in the boys 3,200-meter run with a time of 10:12.62 – earning two points in the process, thereby securing the fourth straight state title for the boys track and field team.

Mount came into the race ranked No. 10.

15.

Shot heard down Cervantes Road Isaac Esquibel hits a buzzerbeater after receiving an inbound pass from Jude Suazo to defeat the Los Alamos Hilltoppers in basketball Jan. 10. Otero Gymnasium erupts.

A long pass from Suazo connected with Esquibel, who beautifully executed a lateral move to the left side of the court and dropped a three-point shot as

Valencia wrestled marvelously and overcame his higher-ranked opponent with speed and superior technique to pin Ricky Villalobos from Silver High School. The feat produced a groundswell of emotion that could not be contained by proud papa and coach Robert Valencia or the raucous Taos Tiger fans.

Valencia’s title was augmented by title wins by Diego Valerio in the 126-pound division and Estevan Valerio in the 182-pound division – giving coach Valencia three individual titles in 2016-17.

“Nothing was given to us,” said coach Valencia, who reiterated that his kids were due the credit. “We kept our focus and kept growing as a team. This is the outcome.”

13.

Winning streak puts spotlight on Lady Panthers Lady Panthers win 10 straight games to start basketball season.

A good deal of attention was given to the Peñasco Lady Panthers basketball team after it defeated the Pecos Lady Panthers in a comefrom-behind win at the Northern Río Grande tournament Jan. 6. The win gave coach Gilbert Mascareñas, who was in his first year at the

helm, a 10-0 overall record to start the 2016-17 season, making Peñasco one of the few remaining unbeaten girls teams in all classes in the state of New Mexico at the time.

When asked about how members of his team managed to stay at the top of their game, Mascareñas offered a candid perspective on his team’s success.

“They never stopped working,” said Mascareñas, who coached many of the current players when they were coming up through the ranks.

He also reiterated that the character of this team has been in place for years. “This is like a dream team for a coach,” said Mascareñas, who also attributed the win streak to the depth of his bench. “My girls have a great team mentality.”

The streak ended when the Lady Panthers fell to the Mora Rangerettes the following day (Jan. 7) in the NRG championship game.

12.

Make it a triple jump Helena Padilla wins the triple jump at the state track and field championships in Albuquerque to go along with her long-jump title May 5-6.

Flying through the air – in a perfect combination of vertical angle and horizontal thrust – Padilla sliced through the mile-high zephyrs of University Stadium to defend one state title and to steal away another at the New Mexico track and field championships May 5-6. The results the senior athlete sought came to fruition with firstplace medals in the girls long jump and the triple jump.

In the long jump, Padilla matched her top distance of exactly 16 feet, 7.5 inches from a year ago – when she won her first title in that event – to keep her crown.

Padilla had been competing in the long jump since she was an eighthgrader and improved in distance and place every year – except this past state performance, where she had already attained the pinnacle.

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Taos County All Stars

THE TAOS NEWS In the triple jump, she bounded to a personal best of 34 feet, 6.5 inches on her fourth attempt to claim the state title. Though Padilla only had two jumps that were greater than 34 feet, she was never in any danger from other athletes who would finish more than 1 foot behind the Questa Lady Cat. With the 14 points gained by Padilla for both of her first-place finishes, the senior track star provided a majority of Questa’s total team haul of 17.

11.

Cora outkicks Cora Cannedy holds off Shiprock’s Khadija Lapahie with a blistering sprint to the finish line to win the girls 1,600-meter run at the state track and field championships in Albuquerque May 13.

For the majority of the 1,600meter run, Cannedy seemed to be in control, harboring a comfortable lead at times and keeping pace with the lead pack at other times. The race came down to Cannedy and Lapahie, who broke from the other runners on the final 300 meters.

The competition then became a test of wills down the homestretch.

Starting her “kick” near the 120meter mark, Lapahie attempted to pass the Taos junior – prompting Cannedy to shift into high gear to hold her off and cross the finish line

of the Taos Central Catholic High School Falcons basketball team stepped onto the hallowed tonguein-groove floor of “The Pit” to be acknowledged for their one and only state championship title earned before the school’s eventual shuttering in 1967. The halftime ceremony was another fitting tribute to a fabulous team in a fabulous arena.

Earlier in the year, the Falcons were honored in front of the home crowd during the halftime of the Taos Tigers’ final home game. An extended halftime was granted for the ceremony, as warm words from Taos High School’s principal, Robert Trujillo, and athletic director, Nickie McCarty, set the stage for a community-wide commendation that included congratulations from the current Taos Tigers players.

Proclamations from the House of Representatives of the state of New Mexico signed by Roberto “Bobby” J. Gonzales and from Taos Mayor Dan Barrone were presented to the honorees along with certificates of acknowledgment from Taos High School.

8.

Powell climbs the ladder Faith Powell wins a third consecutive individual title in the high jump at the state track and field championships in Albuquerque May 12-13.

Reyes, a senior distance runner for the Taos Lady Tigers, had yet to win an individual state title in her high school career. But on May 12, a determined Reyes was not going to be denied a first-place medal. In the 3,200-meter run, she charged to the front of the pack in the grueling eight-lap race – building and maintaining a lead that her fellow competitors could not match. The result was a seemingly easy win with an insurmountable 20-second gap between her and the second-place finisher. Reyes’ time of 11:48.08 was her personal best and came despite a slight headwind from the south that greeted runners on the homestretch inside the host stadium. Photographer David Jacobs captured Reyes’ iconic pose as she crossed the finish line as champion.

6.

Coach Bruce Gomez tapped The National High School Athletic Coaches Association announces the advancement of Bruce Gomez from Taos High School as a finalist for the national coach of the year in the sport of cross-country.

Eight finalists from across the nation will be honored during the National Coach of the Year Awards Banquet, which will take place at

File Photo

First-time champions at the annual Cowbell Tournament, the Peñasco Lady Panthers stand at midcourt at Raton High School with their hardware Dec. 10. The Lady Panthers won their respective bracket with victories over Questa, Ratón and Cimarrón. Standing left to right: coach Gilbert Mascareñas, Adrianna Tafoya, Meagan Romero, Ariana MacAuley, Jordan Vargas, Bianca Contreras, Alaska Lopez, Jennifer Aguilar, Charlyna Gonzales, Carly Gonzales, Alexandra Sandoval, Estrella Gonzales and coach Julie Esquibel. Missing is the cowbell.

Taos Lady Tigers, claiming the top spot in Rio Rancho Nov. 5, 2016.

5.

Taos boys get their fourth team title For the fourth time in a row, the Taos Tiger boys track and field team claimed a state title, responding to the coaches who asked the team’s members to give everything they could – on a day when they needed it the most and on the biggest stage.

4.

Taos cheer dominates Taos Tigers cheer team wins its fourth state title in a row in Class 4A at the state cheer championships in Albuquerque March 25.

Arcenio J. Trujillo

Members of the boy’s Taos Tiger track and field team give the four-finger claw sign as they proudly display their hardware and state championship banner May 13.

with a 1.15-second lead.

“I didn’t realize how close she [Lapahie] was until she kicked my foot,” said Cannedy, who owns the school record in this event. “But my coaches instructed me to save my kick until the 110-meter mark, so I wouldn’t die out. So I just trusted their plan and I waited for my spot, and then I gave it my all.”

10.

Jonah by half a hair

Jonah Vigil won the boys 100-meter dash by a mere three one-thousandths of a second over Ruidoso’s LaVaughn Smooth. Vigil went on to also win the boys 400meter dash by four one-hundredths of a second over defending champ Brandon Chavez from Silver High School.

9.

Falcons honored The team was recognized at a 50-year reunion banquet of champions March 10 and on the floor of “The Pit” March 11.

Fifty years to the day and in front of a mixed crowd of Pecos and Santa Rosa fans, members

For the third straight year, Powell was the high jump champ, clearing a top height of 5 feet, 6 inches – matching her personal best in this event. The achievement was an improvement from last year, when she cleared a height of 5 feet, 2 inches to claim the 2016 state title.

Powell also won the long jump with a distance of 17 feet, 8 inches – her personal best and a new Taos High School record.

She also garnered a second-place medal in the triple jump, where she also achieved her personal best in the event with a long-step distance of 36 feet, 4 inches – a 30-inch improvement from a year ago.

Powell was responsible for 22 points on the weekend.

7.

Reyes gets her gold Elizabeth Reyes throws her arms up in the air as she crosses the finish line in the girls 3,200-meter run at the state track and field championships in Albuquerque, earning her first high school (individual) state title.

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June 15-21, 2017

the National High School Athletic Coaches Association’s national convention in East Peoria, Illinois, June 21. The highlight of the banquet will be the naming of the NHSACA national coach of the year in 19 recognized sports categories.

Gomez was selected for this national honor by New Mexico’s High School Coaches Association.

This selection was based on longevity, service to high school athletics, honors, championship years and winning percentage.

The nominees and finalists are evaluated by experts in the field of coaching using a sport-specific rubric to assign points in each category. The National High School Athletic Coaches Association is the oldest coaches association in the nation formed by coaches – for coaches – and has been recognizing national coaches of the year since 1978.

Coach Gomez, a 1974 Taos High School graduate, was inducted into the New Mexico High School Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame Jan. 23, 2016. In 2014, Gomez was named “coach of the year” by the New Mexico Coaches Association.

Gomez’s most recent state title came at the 2016 state crosscountry championships with the

The cumulative score for the Tigers over the course of two days and two routines was an impressive 177.38 points. Taos was second only to the 6A Mayfield Trojans, who finished with 177.67 points in their respective class. Taos was in the lead after their initial performance March 24 when they accrued 92.60 points – trailed by the Rams (88.27), Pojoaque Valley Elkettes (75.93), Hope Christian (75.43), Ruidoso Warriors (73.33) and Robertson Cardinals (69.70).

Day two saw the Tigers execute their routine flawlessly, impressing the judges with solid stunts and a stunning pyramid that ignited the Tiger fans in attendance. “Once we completed that final pyramid, I knew that was it,” said Lisa AbeytaValerio, whose exuberance was on full display on the Taos sideline. “I was so excited for my team, and I knew there was no stopping us at that point.”

3.

Where’s the cowbell?

Tournament prize goes missing during championship game in Ratón.

After the Lady Panthers swept through the annual “Cowbell Tournament,” a snub of sorts occurred when the new champions were denied the opportunity to touch, hoist, ring or bring their traveling trophy home to Peñasco.

Propped up on the scorers table at Ratón High School at the beginning of the basketball championship game between the Lady Panthers and the Cimarrón Lady Rams Dec. 10, the small brass prize vanished when it looked like the game was

well in hand for Peñasco.

Inquiries into the disappearance of the fully functional trophy found that the cowbell was removed from its display table when administrators were confident the Lady Panthers were going to win the championship game. Tournament officials claimed a verbal agreement was in place that disqualified any Peñasco team from possessing the cowbell or participating in the cowbell tradition.

The tradition reads: “When a team with the Cowbell played any other league team, the Cowbell was put on the block – placing the prize up-for-grabs by the winner of that game, who would take the trophy home and keep it until the next game against another league opponent. The school with the Cowbell at the end of basketball season had its name engraved on the trophy and kept it until the next season.”

Peñasco coaches and administrators denied knowledge of the agreement to exclude their teams from possessing the trophy.

The girls’ cowbell was deemed “out of commission” in 2016-17 by Randy Casper, tournament director and Springer athletics director.

When it was certain that the Peñasco Lady Panthers would win the championship game, the trophy was packed away. Since the Springer Lady Red Devils stayed with the cowbell at the end of last season, it stayed with Springer for the remainder of the 2016-17 season to finish out its decommissioned year.

2.

Questa cheer team ends drought Questa Wildcats win their first state title in Class 2A, going wire to wire at the state cheer championships in Albuquerque March 25.

Over the loudspeaker, the announcer barely started to utter the first syllable of the word “Questa” before shrills bellowed from the southwest corner of “The Pit” March 25, for it was absolutely known that the Wildcats were state champions. Finally, the rush was on for the blue, silver and white cheer team – a sprint stampede to retrieve the squad’s blue trophy.

The Questa Wildcats, who finished with 157.44 total points, met expectations and fulfilled their goal of garnering the top spot in the state in Class A/2A with a wireto-wire showing at this year’s spirit competition – besting the secondplace Lordsburg Mavericks (133.99), Magdalena Steers (124.93), Floyd Broncos (121.21) and Fort Sumner

Vixens (117.63).

Sheer elation was the mood once the coveted prize was securely in hand.

In recent years, the Wildcats had come close to winning a title multiple times. Three consecutive third-place trophies, followed by two second-place finishes, had been the results Questa attained under the tutelage of coach Kathy Gonzales. And so, the hope for a No. 1 had become a reality with nine months of grit, polished into six minutes of synchronized exactness – thus ending a 23-year championship drought and granting Questa a second state title in its long sports history.

Along with the team prize, the girls received individual medals and a welcome-home parade when they returned to Questa March 26.

1.

Lady Panthers win state For only the second time in Peñasco Independent School District history, one of its interscholastic teams wins a state title.

The Lady Panthers cross-country team wins its first state championship at Rio Rancho Nov. 5.

In post-race comments, coach Ben Sanchez was all smiles as he fielded questions between hugs and high fives. “Our girls were ready for the course. I was confident that we could do it,” said Sanchez, who prior to this title owned five second- and five third-place finishes in state competition. “This means a lot to me, to the girls and to the community.”

The order of the top runners for Peñasco was Carly Gonzales, coming in second overall with a time of 20:38.75; Adrianna Tafoya, who came in seventh overall with a time of 22:05.55; Charlyna Gonzales, who placed eighth with a time of 22:12.20; Jennifer Aguilar, who placed 16th with a time of 23:07.15; and Bianca Contreras, who came in 30th with a time of 24:23.30.

Estrella Gonzales was on the heels of Contreras, coming in 31st with a time of 24:25.40, and Ariana MacAuley placed 32nd with a time of 24:39.30. As a team, Peñasco led with 49 total points, followed by Jemez Valley with 88 and Ramah High School, which came in third as a team with 98 points.

The Gonzales sisters and Tafoya earned all-state honors with their respective top-10 finishes.

The win earned the girls a homecoming caravan when the team returned home from state Nov. 5 and a victory parade Nov. 12.

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Elena Espinoza, Taos High School senior – Espinoza has been a fixture of Taos Tigers athletics for the past four years and a productive member of the Taos Lady Tigers basketball and softball teams during that stretch. Wearing number five, Espinoza has been the general on the floor and on the field for Taos – participating in each of the four straight basketball state playoff appearances. Espinoza was selected to represent her team at the North-South All-Star basketball game in Albuquerque June 10.

Aaliyah Duran, Questa High Senior senior – One of three seniors on the state champion Questa Wildcat cheer squad, Duran also played volleyball and basketball for the Lady Cats.

Duran has kept up the doublesport pace while simultaneously in cheer since the eighth grade – working with coach Kathy Gonzales throughout her tenure as head coach of the cheer team.

Simon Mount, Taos High School senior – Mount was a three-sport athlete – running cross-country for coach Bruce Gomez, playing defense on the rink for the Taos Ice Tigers and coach Mark Richert and as one of the designated distance runners for coach Benny Mitchell. Mount’s fifth-place finish in the boys 3,200-meter run helped the Taos Tigers secure a fourth consecutive state title in track and field May 13. Mount also garnered all-district and all-state distinctions in cross-country.

Faith Powell, Taos High School sophomore – Powell became the three-time champion in the high jump – clearing a height of 5 feet, 6 inches on day two of the New Mexico state track and field championship in Albuquerque May 13.

Powell also earned a first-place medal in the long jump with a distance of 17 feet, 8 inches and the title of state runner-up in the triple jump with a distance of 36 feet, 4 inches – achieving school records in all three events.

She is also an outside hitter for the Lady Tigers volleyball team.

Josh Fambro, Taos High School sophomore – Fambro finished fourth in Class A/4A at the state golf championships at Piñon Hills Golf Course in Farmington May 8. Constantly improving the various aspects of his golf game, Fambro notched multiple wins throughout the split season – qualifying for the state tournament with low scores by the beginning of October 2016.

Isaac Esquibel, Taos High School senior – Named to the all-district basketball team for 2016-17, Esquibel’s shining moment came at the end of Taos’ nonconference game with Los Alamos when Esquibel received a fullcourt inbound pass from Jude Suazo, sidestepped a couple of Hilltopper defenders and hit a threepoint shot as time expired – causing pandemonium inside Otero Gymnasium Jan. 10.

Jackie Jagers, Taos High School sophomore – Jagers acquired two state titles in 2016-17 as a member of the Taos Tigers cheer team March 25 and as a gymnast with the High Altitude Athletics Optional Team (Level 8) March 12. She also competed at the state track and field championships in Albuquerque with the girls 4-x-100, 4-x-200 and 1,600-meter sprint medley teams.

Kaelin Tonrey, Taos High School senior – A fixture of the Taos Lady Tigers soccer team since eighth grade, Tonrey played her final season with her dad and head coach, Casey Tonrey, in 2016. Tonrey was named to the all-district team and was voted “player of the year” in Class A/4A. Tonrey led the Lady Tigers to the quarterfinals of the state tournament. She also was a member of the Lady Tigers track and field team.

TAOS COUNTY

Estevan Valerio,Taos High School sophomore – Valerio’s crowning achievement came at the Class 4A state wrestling tournament when he defeated the No. 1-ranked Travis Burson, of Moriarty, to claim the title in the 182-pound division Feb. 18 – giving coach Robert Valencia his third title on the day. Valerio also played football for coach Art Abreu.

work and

Daniel Aguilar, Taos High School senior – Taos Tiger pitching ace and all-around baseball star, Aguilar has been “Mr. Reliable” for the Taos Tigers and coach Miguel Quintana for the past four seasons. Aguilar was selected to play in the Class 3A/4A all-star series in Rio Rancho June 9-10. As the Tigers’ No. 1 hurler, Aguilar notched several complete games and key wins throughout the season, including the first game of the opening state tournament against the Sandia Prep Sundevils – avenging the loss that eliminated Taos in the semifinals of the 2016 state playoffs.

Elizabeth Reyes, Taos High School senior – Reyes’ most recent and superior performance occurred at the 2017 New Mexico state track and field championship, where she won the girls 3,200-meter run with a time of 11:48.08. She also claimed the District 2-4A individual championship in cross-country and finished third overall at the state meet in Rio Rancho Nov. 5 – earning her all-state honors to go along with her team championship. Reyes has been a scoring runner for three of Taos’ state cross-country championships.

Charlyna Gonzales, Peñasco High School senior – The Gonzales sisters did everything together in 2016-17. As four-sport athletes – running cross-country and track for coach Ben Sanchez, playing volleyball for coach InezAnna Gonzales and basketball for coach Gilbert Mascareñas – the sisters shared the joys and agonies that come with the duties of the student-athlete. Both accomplished runners, Carly and Charlyna earned all-state honors in cross-country for their second- and eighth-place finishes respectively at the state meet Nov. 5. Carly medaled in track – placing sixth in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs at the state track and field championship in Albuquerque May 5-6. The girls were also major contributors during the 10-game undefeated win streak the Lady Panthers team experienced at the start of the basketball season.

Gabe Gallegos, Questa High School senior – Gallegos was a three-sport athlete in his senior year for the Wildcats, playing football in the fall for Paul Passino, basketball in the winter for Tomas Madrid and baseball in the spring for Chris Padilla Jr. – all new coaches in their respective sports last year. Gallegos played on two state playoff teams this past year (basketball and baseball) and was tapped to play in the North-South AllStar football game in Albuquerque June 10.

Taos Mountain Casino Salutes the Mothers and Fathers who were there from the beginning...

Tomas “T.J.” Madrid, Questa High School senior Justin Madrid, Questa High School sophomore – The older of the two Madrid brothers who suited up for the Wildcats basketball team, T.J. was a prolific shooter who regularly scored in the 20s and was also a surefire rebounder and passer – often connecting with his younger brother, Justin, who often matched prowess. Both Madrid brothers were player transfers from Taos, following their dad, Tomas Sr., who was hired as the head coach of the Wildcats in May 2016 – leading Questa to the state tournament as the No. 9 seed. The duo also worked together in the boys 1,600-meter sprint relay team for coach Paul Passino, garnering a second place in their event at the state track and field championships May 6. T.J. was invited to play in the 1A/2A North-South All-Star basketball game July 26.

Bianca Contreras, Peñasco High School sophomore – Contreras was one of the most reliable teammates for every sport she participated in. She was a scoring runner for the Lady Panthers cross-country championship team and was named to the all-district team in basketball.

Contreras also played volleyball for coach InezAnna Gonzales and was on the track and field team – qualifying for state in the pole vault and placing fifth in the event at the state track and field championships May 5.

Lynnae Rael, Questa High School senior – As líbero for the Lady Cats volleyball squad, Rael was the lead defender – stalking the back line and serving aces for coach Michelle Spears.

She also played basketball in the winter and ran track in the spring – qualifying in the girls 1,600-meter sprint medley relay as the third leg. Most importantly, Rael was a member of the Questa Wildcats state championship cheer team, which claimed its first title at “The Pit” March 25.

Taos Mountain Casino Salutes the Hard work and Dedication of Taos Pueblo’s Own...

Bruce Gomez In 31 years of coaching for Taos High School, Bruce has compiled a distinguished record, including 11 New Mexico State Team trophies (five championships, four second-place finishes and two third-place finishes).

EXPLORE, DISCOVER , EXPERIENC E

CELEBR ATING 20 YE ARS

His teams have also won a total of 12 District titles (cross-country and track) and have finished top five or better 26 times out of 31 straight appearances in the New Mexico State Championships. He has coached more than 80 All-District, All-State performers and individual District and State champions.

t a osm o unt ainc asin o.c o m

Explore. Discover. Experience.

Jonah Vigil, Taos High School sophomore – Vigil’s performance at the New Mexico state track and field championships in Albuquerque earned 34 total points to the Taos Tigers’ total of 65. Vigil brought home gold in the boys 100- and 400-meter dashes and silver in the 200-meter dash. Vigil also took second in the long jump and anchored the 4-x-400 meter relay team. Vigil was named high point-getter in Class 4A.

Adrianna Tafoya, Peñasco High School freshman – As part of a group of ascending freshman athletes who participated in multiple sports, Tafoya was among a handful of student-athletes who participated in every one available to young women at Peñasco. Tafoya was a member of the state champion cross-country team – placing seventh overall and earning all-state honors. She also played volleyball, basketball, baseball and ran with the track team. Tafoya was the third leading scorer for the Lady Panthers basketball team during the regular season.

TOP ATHLETES

Carly Gonzales, Peñasco High School freshman Aaliyah Quintana, Taos High School junior – With speed and a long-range shot, opposing teams found it difficult to defend Quintana. Teaming up with senior Elena Espinoza in the Lady Tigers’ backcourt, the nifty and nimble ball handler led the Lady Tigers to the Class 4A state playoffs. Against the Questa Wildcats, Quintana scored 58 points – owning the state record in that category for a short time. She also played soccer for coach Casey Tonrey.

Helena Padilla, Questa High School senior – Padilla was a three-sport athlete, playing in the outside hitter position in volleyball for coach Michelle Spears, power forward in basketball for coach Monica Archuleta and as a multi-event track star for coaches Paul Passino and Deluvina Sanchez. In track, she earned two individual state championships for the Lady Cats.In the long jump, Padilla defended her state title from a year ago with a jump of 16 feet, 7.5 inches. She also brought home the gold in the triple jump with a distance of 34 feet, 6.5 inches. Padilla has been competing in the long jump since she was an eighth-grader.

EXPLORE, DISCOVER , EXPERIENC E

CELEBR ATING 20 YE ARS t a osm o unt ainc asin o.c o m

It is estimated he has mentored more than 2,000 athletes in Taos.

Jaclyn Gallegos, Taos High School senior – Shortly after standing with her Taos Tiger cheer teammates as they hoisted their fourth consecutive state title trophy, Gallegos joined the Lady Tigers softball team and earned all-district honors as a utility player. Gallegos demonstrated power at the plate and also made appearances on the mound for coach Ramon Abreu. Gallegos was the winning pitcher in the high-scoring fracas against the St. Michael’s Lady Horsemen when the Lady Tigers triumphed 24-23 in eight innings May 5.

June 15-21, 2017

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Taos County All Stars

THE TAOS NEWS

Coaches of the year:

Abeyta-Valerio and Mitchell defend their rings

Arcenio J. Trujillo

Coaches Lisa Abeya-Valerio (left) and Benny Mitchell each have four straight titles in their respective sports. Abeyta-Valerio helms the Taos Tigers cheer team and Mitchell coaches boy’s and girl’s track and field teams.

By Arcenio J. Trujillo sports@taosnews.com The Taos News

2016-17 was the year of the four-peat for two Taos Tiger teams – dominant in their respective crafts and extremely lucky to have two of the finest people to lead them.

Track coach Benny Mitchell and cheer coach Lisa Abeyta-Valerio both wrapped up the 2016-17 season with another blue trophy for the Taos High School trophy case – bringing the dynastic haul to eight total state crowns between both programs.

The parallel paths to four apiece have inherent differences due to the types of team dynamics that exist within each sport, but both coaches credit their team’s success to same attributes: setting high goals and working hard.

Coach Abeyta-Valerio

“We establish the work ethics very early [in the year]. The young athletes that come to us also learn quickly that they must be willing to work hard – day in and day out,” said Abeyta-Valerio, who trains her teams all year-round.

Before state competition, Abeyta-Valerio remarked that the motto the team adopted for the year was ‘work four it!’ – a play on words that was meant to remind the team that the goal of four straight titles had to be earned every day leading up to their five minutes on the floor.

All the hard work culminated in a stellar performance by the Tigers at “The Pit” and the long-awaited declaration by the officials: The moments before the announcement of the winners was called, the anticipation seemed to cause strain on the fingers, hands, wrists and forearms of the Taos Tigers cheer team inside “The Pit” March 25. Joined together with clutched hands, bowed heads and sealed eyelids, the unbroken chain of orange- and white-clad teammates murmured indistinct whispers as the Hope Christian Huskies were named. . . .the thirdplace winner.

Taos had been here before – multiple times even – so it seemed like the team should have been used to the suspense. But

the moment of truth was about to be revealed as to whether or not a fourth state title was in the stars for the Tigers. Upper lips were pursed and a hush fell over the team as the public address announcer declared, “Second place goes to. . . .the Portales Rams!”

A miniature celebration ensued.

The team knew that Taos was

Rare occurrence of four straight titles earned by both boys track and cheer programs in 2016-17 in the lead going into day two, and Portales was the closest threat to derail the chances of a fourth consecutive blue trophy for the Tigers in Class 4A cheer.

Quickly, though, team captains and upperclassmen quelled the foot-stomping so as not to jump to any premature conclusions that might jinx a dream come true.

Then, ending the torment, the Taos Tigers were set free from their seats as they exploded in a starburst pattern when the announcement was definitive: The class 4A state championship goes to the Taos Tigers!

The cumulative score for the Tigers over the course of two days and two routines was a whopping 177.38 points. Taos was second only to the 6A Mayfield Trojans, who finished with 177.67 points in their respective class.

“We know we have a target on our backs every year,” said coach Abeyta-Valerio. “But the girls always amaze me. They certainly did it again this year, and they seem to remain hungry to keep their standing.”

“It’s really satisfying knowing a few of the girls also can say they are four-time state champs.”

Abeyta-Valerio was referring to her seniors, Daniella Abeyta, Marissa Brown, Marissa Gallegos and Gabriela Winter, who had been with the program since eighth grade (but did not win a state title until their freshman year). Juniors with the same distinction included Ashley Chavez, Anjelica Fresquez and Heaven Valdez.

The Tigers may face a new challenge as conference realignment may put the team in a higher classification with different competitors. In the meantime, Abeyta-Valerio and a handful of her girls can call themselves “four-peaters.”

Building better bodies & minds for

Taos Youth!

High Altitude Athletics would like to congratulate all of our State Champions and all of our athletes who are everyday champions.

Coach Mitchell

“The creation of a dynasty has to start somewhere,” said coach Benny Mitchell. “I’d like to believe that Taos could one day be known as a great running town, a running mecca.”

Mitchell certainly has to be pleased with this possibility, as the boys track and field team once again came away with an impressive state championship May 13.

This latest state victory was the fourth in a row for Mitchell and his thinclad stars, as the Tigers racked up 67 points as a team and fended off a furious pursuit by the Portales Rams and the Silver Colts to defend their reign as the top boys team in Class 4A. The Taos boys did so by responding to the coaches who asked the team’s members to give everything they could – on a day when they needed it the most and on the biggest stage. It was an extraordinary performance at the 2017 New Mexico state championships held at Great Friends of University of New Mexico Stadium that included teams from the larger 4A, 5A and 6A classifications.

“We keep completing our goals,” said Mitchell, alluding to the benchmarks he shares with his coaching staff and athletes throughout the year – before, during and after the track and field season. “All of the goals that we set for ourselves at the beginning of this season were met.”

In an interview at the

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Taos County All Stars

THE TAOS NEWS

Arcenio J. Trujillo

Getting through a teachable moment with a light hand has been a hallmark of coach Benny Mitchell and his staff. This approach has helped Mitchell communicate his vision with his track and field teams and has yielded four straight team titles in boys track, including a girls title in 2014. conclusion of last year’s season, Mitchell shared his core vision and approach as a head coach – not knowing how prophetic his words would become at the conclusion of this year. “Do better each time, bring down times and increase distances, bring out the best during home meets, win districts, set new school records,” said Mitchell, who witnessed this list of goals come to fruition again in the 2017 season.

“And of course, we believe we should win state every year.”

Unlike last year’s team which went wire to wire and scored a whopping 97 points at the state

meet, this year’s team provided Mitchell and Tiger fans a bit of drama.

Taos ended the first day of competition, which included some field events and preliminary heats in all dashes and relays, with a total of 12 points – a lackluster showing for the powerhouse Tigers.

A dropped baton by the Tigers’ 4-x-200-meter relay team resulted in “did not finish” or DNF for Taos, which meant that the team was disqualified from finals competition on day two. This in turn meant that Taos could no longer gain any points from this event – points

that the Tigers counted on, as this particular relay team was predicted to win the event with ease. Taos did qualify its remaining relay teams.

As day two progressed, points started to trickle in, but Taos was in a vulnerable position. Taos’ closest competitor, Portales, acquired momentum early in the morning – building on a sizeable lead as the Rams’ throwers racked up valuable points. It wasn’t until the late running events started up that Tiger fans began to see the point gap narrow a bit.

The Tigers began to chip away

The Stories Behind the Score

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June 15-21, 2017

at the Rams’ lead with strong individual performances from Dalton Donaldson in the hurdle events and Jonah Vigil in the sprint events. Then, a pair of lightning bolts hit the Taos Tiger express when Alejandro Salazar and Simon Mount turned in big-time results in their respective events, electrifying the gathering crowds inside UNM Track Complex and dashing the hopes of Colts, Pintos and Rams – again.

When asked about the keys to this year’s victory, Mitchell had a two-word response. “They responded.”

Arcenio J. Trujillo

Coach Lisa Abeyta-Valerio wells with pride after her son, Estevan Valerio, won the individual title in the 182-pound division at the state wrestling championship in Rio Rancho Feb. 18. Both mother and son were among state champion winners in 2016-17.

“We had a team meeting at the end of competition Friday, where we talked to the kids,” said Mitchell, who reiterated how unforgiving the state meet can be.

“We reminded them that it’s a very thin line when they get on a stage like this.”

Mitchell continued, “But, we didn’t rant and rave at them,” noting how young his team really is with just two seniors on the roster.

“We just leaned in a bit and told the boys they got to want to work.”

With regards to the future of his program, coach Mitchell is optimistic about keeping up this

winning pace. “We should have some key members returning to us next year, but we’ll miss our two seniors tremendously,” said Mitchell, referring to Mount and Ryan McCarty. “There’s some pretty big shoes to fill right there.”

“Otherwise, the culture is set up for younger kids coming into the program,” said Mitchell, who wouldn’t go so far to make any predictions about next year, but wryly nodded his head. “These kids know what is in front of them and have to want to work for it. They just have to go get it.”

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Cora Cannedy (left) and Elizabeth Reyes (right) Hugging afer winning the state cross-country meet, which was Elizabeth’s final meet.

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THE TAOS NEWS

Photo by John T. Denne

All eyes are on Taos Tiger assistant football coach Ramon Abreu as he directs his pass defenders during pregame drills at Christian Brothers Sports Complex in Santa Fe Oct. 8.

Photo by John T. Denne

Justin Madrid (24) executes a crucial block against Mora’s Santiago Laumbach (10) as time winds down during the third-place game of the Northern Rio Grande basketball tournament Jan. 7.

Photo by John T. Denne

Taos Tigers baseball assistant coach Francisco Cortez gets ready to belt one to his outfielders during pregame warmup drills in Española for a nonconference baseball game March 31. Can you spot the camouflaged baseball?

Photo by John T. Denne

Let us remember. . . . that one game against the Taos Tigers. St. Michael’s quarterback Xxier Archuleta might not soon forget the total exposure to a Tiger pass rusher Oct. 8.

By Arcenio J. Trujillo sports@taosnews.com The Taos News

Snapping photos of athletes in action is not as easy as the final product might suggest. Outdoor lighting constantly shifts, action shifts, subjects drift and cold hands often stiffen. Indoor lighting is too green, too yellow or too dim.

Images of athletes that appear to be sharp and detailed when previewed on the miniature screen of a digital camera sometimes turn out to be too blurry to use when viewed on a computer screen.

Thus, hundreds, if not thousands of photos taken at a single event might only yield a few dozen usable shots.

John T. Denne, who currently lives in the Peñasco area, has mastered the art of professional sports photography – elevating teams and individuals from Northern New Mexico through this expressive platform that most definitely shows their good side.

Starting out as a parent who was primarily interested in capturing his son, Jonah, who was in sports at Mesa Vista in the mid-2000s, Denne became the proverbial “dad with a camera” who regularly showed up at sporting events with his film camera. He continued shooting when digital cameras became the norm and eventually mastered the equipment evolution. His youngest son, Pat, participated in sports in

Through the lens of a jaunty photographer Peñasco shooter offers unique service to others by sharing his perspective from behind the viewfinder John T. Denne

Photo by John T. Denne

The joy of victory is in full display on the face and body of Mesa Vista’s Frankie Ortiz as he crossed the finish line as state champ in the boy’s 400-meter dash at the state meet May 6.

Peñasco, and after he graduated from school, Denne kept up the practice – sharing his passion and expertise with others, including The Taos News.

Denne has been a regular contributor to MaxPreps and The Taos News sports section for several years now and he has provided many memorable shots of Taos County athletes in full color action.

The Taos News recently had the chance to talk with Denne to get some perspective into his unique service to others through photographs.

How and when did you get started in photography?

I was given a Nikon FE2 camera

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on my 19th birthday, a gift that all my friends pitched in for, back in Southern California. I had no idea what a constant companion a camera would turn out to be in my life, nor the never-ending quest to fill the rectangle in an interesting way. I have had a few photography classes over the years, but most of my education has come from practicing the craft, plain and simple.

What types of things do you look for in a shot?

When shooting sports, there are a lot of elements that attract my attention. A great moment of action, obviously, but also moments that reveal something of our shared human spirit. I see it

File Photo

Photo by John T. Denne

Really? Certain that they had a better view than the umpires, Taos softball players Elena Espinoza (5) and Andrica Quintana dispute a “safe” call made during a nonconference game against the McCurdy Lady Bobcats March 21. all the time, in moments of great physical effort, of concentration and determination, of joy and anguish, in the bonds between teammates. You witness that on every single play, yet capturing it in an exposure that lasts only a fraction of a second is harder than it looks. And then, the photography part of it – figuring out the exposure for the given lighting, choosing the lens and focal length for the event, deciding the angle to shoot from – is just as important and constantly changing. It is good to be familiar with your equipment and settings, so that you are free in the moment to go with your instincts and kind of flow with the action.

What type of camera do you use, and do you have a preferred type of lens?

I still use Nikon equipment, and believe it or not I still use lenses from that ‘80s era, though not for sports. For them, I use a 70-300MM zoom for the outdoor sports and a 50MM f1.4 lens for indoor sports. Granted, it is pretty minimal, but I like to keep things simple. My current camera body is a Nikon D7000, and I’m happy with it.

You shoot for MaxPreps, right? How many teams/ sports do you cover?

I do shoot for MaxPreps now, and the advantage there is that

Score!

Taos County All Stars

THE TAOS NEWS

they have a great platform, MaxPreps.com, where people can go to see the photographic galleries of the games. There can be hundreds of photos from one contest. I like to concentrate my efforts on the local teams – Peñasco, Taos, Questa, also the teams in the Española area.

MaxPreps photographers choose the games they want to cover and are compensated only through any sales of the photos. I like to access the site by first going to the New Mexico Activities Association site, nmact.org, then clicking

June 15-21, 2017

on the quick link to MaxPreps.

That automatically brings up the coverage for all New Mexico high schools.

Photo by John T. Denne

Adrianna Tafoya is all smiles as she readies a throw back to the infield during a home baseball game April 19. Tafoya was a five-sport athlete for the Panthers and Lady Panthers in 2016-17.

What was your best moment/photo of 2016-17?

I enjoyed each and every game I covered this past school year, and as for the best moment? It was a 10,000-image tie for first place!

Displayed here is a collection of Denne’s memories from the 201617 season.

Photo by John T. Denne

Assuming a big collision is imminent, Abbie Warner from Kirtland Central and Kelly Tonrey from Taos flinch as the ball is cleared during a nonconference game at Taos Eco Park Sept. 17.

Photo by John T. Denne

With captivated audience of one viewing the action from up close, Questa’s T.J. Madrid takes off down the runway to attempt a jump in the pole vault event at the district qualifier in Peñasco May 1.

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Photo by John T. Denne

Hands, hands, everywhere hands. Members of the Cimarrón Rams and Peñasco’s Matt Lopez vie for the same prize Dec. 3.

Photo by John T. Denne

Taos Lady Tigers’ Shaniya Sanft gets some serious air as she leaps to greet the game ball during the soccer season opener against the Bernalillo Lady Spartans Aug. 26.

Photo by John T. Denne

With laser vision, Taos Tiger golfer Josh Fambro ponders whether or not he needs to apply “English” to get his approach shot to do what he want it to do during a fall tournament in Los Alamos Sept. 20.

Photo by John T. Denne

In the wrong place, at the wrong... well, just the wrong place. An unlucky Taos family didn’t park far enough from the playing field in Española and caught a souvenir at a high school baseball game March 31.

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June 15-21, 2017

Taos County All Stars

THE TAOS NEWS

“Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming� ~John Wooden, legendary UCLA Basketball Coach

Taos County Board of Commissioners, Elected Officials and Management salute the Taos County All-Stars for their hard work and dedication to their sport and to their academics.

Photos by Arcenio Trujillo