They’re our champions, and we couldn’t be any prouder. The Los Lunas High School baseball team took it almost to the top, giving us an edge-of-the-seat season finale that raised spirits everywhere. At Belen High School, Jace Rivera claimed a state championship in the discus after claiming the Class 4A state championship in the shot put four years in a row. And Belen’s Jocelyn Chavez took state honors in the high jump.
It isn’t easy to be a champion athlete. Talent helps, but sports are all about practice, practice, practice. And these kids are surely showing the way to other, younger athletes who’d someday like to reach the pinnacle, too. Dedication and hard work are the recipe for success in sports.
A round of applause is also due to the coaches who worked so hard with these young athletes to prepare them for the challenge. A tip of our hat to Kevin Benavidez and Jim Edwards in Belen and Steve Contreras in Los Lunas and their coaching crews. Coaches give up a lot of time and effort with little recompense in preparing the county’s kids for success on the athletic fields.
We wish these students much success in college as they continue their athletic careers and hope they’ve gotten scholarships in their sports to help them on their way to the real world.
We hope they take the things they have learned about fair play and discipline with them as they go on to careers, families and community leadership.
We think you’re great, kids! You were already real winners to us!
The Valencia County News-Bulletin is a locally owned and operated community newspaper, dedicated to serving Valencia County since 1910 through the highest journalistic and professional business standards. The VCNB is published weekly on Thursdays, including holidays both in print and online.
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April 18, 2024
