After the Rockdale Tigers lost 45-21 to Grandview Zebras in the bi-district round of the playoffs, sophomore running back Cam’Ron Valdez sent a text message to head coach Jeff Miller apologizing for how he thought he played that day.
“This is a guy that will take all responsibility for a loss,” Miller said at the RHS Fall Sports Banquet at the K.C. Hall, Monday night. “I’m proud of the leadership he has shown for us this past season.”
Valdez’s sense of duty and the 1,175 rushing yards he amassed in the fall were why he was named the football team’s most valuable player.
Miller stressed the fact that his 7-4 Tiger team that finished third in District 10-3A and lost in the opening round of the playoffs to the eventual state champions can hold their heads up high.
“While we didn’t get to the point that we wanted to get to this season, we certainly, by no means, need to call this year anything other than successful,” Miller told the crowd.
In addition to the football team, the banquet also highlighted RHS students involved in volleyball, cross country and athletic training during the first semester.
RHS Head Athletic Trainer Eugene Beaver thanked student trainers Alondra Rubio, Autumn Montelongo, Briana David, Aaliyah Wilson, Edith Ortiz, Jaycee Stewart, Christina Sanchez, Riley Henderson, and Lauren Rangel for their time during the first semester.
“I went from having no kids to basically having nine daughters,” Beaver said at the podium. “But I’ve had a lot of fun times with this group, and I’m happy to have created a lot of great memories with them.”
Following Beaver’s individual recollections and stories about each trainer, Coach Cheryl Darby talked about the cross country season and her runners’ dedication to getting better.
“This group of kids was so good,” Darby said. “When the weather was bad and I would have to cancel practice, I would get texts from a lot of them telling me to wait it out because it’s supposed to clear up later on. It was great to have a group of kids so enthusiastic about running.”
Miller praised Darby for the growth of their program.
“We went from having 18 to 41 kids in cross country in just a year,” Miller said. “Not a whole lot of people like running and she’s getting so many students interested in it.
“While we didn’t get to the point that we wanted
to get to this season, we certainly, by no means, need to call this year anything other than successful''.
– Head Football Coach Jeff Miller
It was great to have a group of kids so enthusiastic about running.”
Darby awarded sophomore Isaac Fuentes as the MVP for the boy’s team. Ivanna Luna and Tasha San Migel were named co-MVP’s for the girl’s squad.
RHS head volleyball coach Jennifer Keen had the podium after. Keen went through each varsity player individually to describe what they were like, and what they brought to a team that finished 27-18 overall with a 7-8 record in District 19-3A.
Keen wrapped up her praise with awards to Kaylee Criswell for the offensive MVP and co-defensive MVP’s were Payton Miller and Reyna Gonzalez. Reese Weise was named MVP.
“(Reese) was one of those players who would leave it all on the floor,” Keen said. “She was involved in every play, and was passionate from the beginning of the game until the end.”
RHS Fall Sports Banquet award winners were: Defensive Back of the Year: Levi Baggerly; Linebacker of the Year: Jackson Perry; Co-Defensive linemen of the Year: Cayden McBride and Josh Davenport; Offensive back of the Year: Jace Robinson; Offensive linemen of the Year: Carson Offield; Wide Receiver of the Year: Quentin Hughes and Co-offensive player of the Year: Kesean Raven and Ross Loth.
Academic All-District:
Baggerly, Davenport, Keylan Hairston, Doss Hasselbach, Brandon Hernandez, Ethan Hughes, Hughes, Loth, Ty May-berry, Kobe Mitchell, Offield, Wyatt Pounders, Robinson.
First Team All-District: Baggerly, Davenport, Luis Iruegas, Loth, McBride, Offield, Perry, Raven, Robinson, Cam’Ron Valdez, Will Story.
Second Team All-District: Robert Barrera, Preston DeBault, Hughes, Ty Mayberry, Nathan Newlin, Raven.
Honorable Mention: Hairston, Hernandez, Loth, Leo Millan, Mitchell, Pounders, Cole Rickman, Story.
Academic All-State: Hasselbach and Davenport.
Volleyball
Academic All-District: Kaylee Criswell, Emily Depine, Kylie Eubanks, Reyna Gonzalez, Haven Jimenez, Payton Miller, Andrea Salazar, Ryanne Young and Reese Weise.
First Team All-District: Criswell.
Second Team All-District: Lyndsey Kolar and Weise.
Honorable Mention: Eubanks, Gonzalez and Miller.
Academic All-State: Criswell, Gonzalez and Young.
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