Lopez, Asbell named Southern Peaks League Class 2A Track Athletes of the Year

Monte Vista's Damian Lopez was named the Southern Peaks League Class 2A Boys Track Athlete of the Year (Courier photo by Ken Hamrick).

ALAMOSA – The Southern Peaks League released its All-League team for Class 2A schools last week.

The All-League team is based on the MaxPreps stat leaders as of May 22, which is following the conclusion of the state track meet.

Monte Vista had the most selections on the boys side and the Pirates are led by Damian Lopez who was named the Boys Track Athlete of the Year. Lopez also earned All-League in the 100- and 200-meter dashes.

Other Monte Vista boys earning All-League included Memphis Garcia in the 400-meter dash, Josiah Velasquez in the triple jump, and Alejandro Felix in the shot put.

The Pirates also earned All-League in the 4x100-, the 4x200-, and the 4x400-meter relays.

Monte Vista’s Shawna Larson was named the Boys Coach of the Year.

Del Norte was next with four selections. Michael Laymon was named in the long jump and the high jump, Colby Gandy in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles, and Riley Orr was named in the pole vault.

The Tigers also earned All-League in the 4x800-meter relay.

Other SLV boys making All-League included Sargent’s Westen Burkhart in the 800-meter run, and Center’s Andree Meraz in the discus.

Rounding out the boys team were Crested Butte’s Jake Pendy in the 1,600-meter run and Flint Hoyt in the 3,200-meter run, and Trinidad’s Jesse Gutierrez in the 110-meter high hurdles.

Sargent’s Bailey Asbell was named the Girls Track athlete of the Year, and she also took All-League in the 100 hurdles, the 300 hurdles and the High Jump.

Del Norte had three selections including Aubriana Peerman in the shot put and discus, and Aden Howell in the pole vault.

Monte Vista had no individual All-League selections, but it did take honors in the 4x100, 4x200 and 800-meter sprint medley relays.

Center’s Ciara Paiz won All-League in three events. She won in the 100 meters, the long jump and the triple jump.

The rest of the girls team included Crested Butte’s Ruby Pendy in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 and Sophia Bender in the 400, along with Trinidad’s Jayci Sappington in the 200 meters.

Crested Butte’s Shari Sullivan-Marshall was named the Girls Track Coach of the Year.