The 2014 All Valley team was named last week at Sargent High School. Photo by Eric Flores.
Special to Colorado Track XC by Eric Flores, Valley Courier Sports Editor.
SARGENT--For over 30 years, the San Luis Valley Cross Country season is truly not complete until the All-Valley Banquet has taken place and this year, the Sargent Farmers hosted the annual banquet to honor the fastest runners from the Valley's eight schools that sponsor cross country.
The All-Valley committee, which is headed up by Alamosa High School Head Coach Larry Zaragoza, who several years ago with Coach Joe Vigil began the All-Valley banquet, looked through all the season's results and picked the top 12 boys and girls with the fastest times to earn the All-Valley honors.
This year the girls selections included (pictured left to right, top then bottom): Camille Ruggles (Center), Brianna Corona (Alamosa) Emily Sowards (Alamosa) Maria Montes (Sargent), Paige DeGoyler (Alamosa), Arielle Sandoval (Centauri), Brianna Carson (Alamosa) Makayla Garcia (Sargent), Tara Sowards (Alamosa), Danyelle Sanchez (Centauri) and Faith Stults (Sargent). Alamosa's Brittany Lopez is not pictured.
The boys selections included (pictured left to right, top then bottom): Luke Haefeli (Del Norte), Jacob Robirds (Sargent), Jericho Ulibarri (Alamosa), Tanner Martin (Alamosa), Miguel Baltazar (Alamosa), Caleb Berlinger (Alamosa), Oscar Martinez (Alamosa), Casey McDaniel (Alamosa), Isaiah DeLaCerda (Alamosa), Logan Sessums (Sargent) and Heriberto Gonzalez (Center). Alamosa's Caleb Palmer is not pictured.
In addition to the awards, the guest speaker was former Alamosa High School standout and a member of the girls' 2009 state championship team, Lauren Martin. Martin moved on to Adams State University where she has been a 2-time national champion (10,000-meter, Outdoors and 5,000-meter, Indoors), an 8-time All-American and a 5-time RMAC Champion, including this past weekend where she helped lead the Grizzlies to another title.