TOP ATHLETES HONORED — Senior Zack Lowman received the Ronnie Bull Award, while junior Kasey Cavazos was honored with the Lady Badger Award recently at the Bishop Badger Sports Banquet. The Bishop Athletic Booster Club recently hosted its annual sports banquet on Wednesday, May 19 at the Texas A&M University Ballroom in Kingsville.

It was nice to see a great turnout to the festivities, it can only mean that the community is interested and willing to support the Bishop Badger athletic program.

A nice powerpoint presentation by Zy Perez showcased many of the Badger athletes during the banquet.

Awards were given out to all athletes that participated in the 2009-2010 athletic year.

Receiving awards for one sport participation are as follows: Marina Barrerasoftball (first team catcher), Estrella Chavez-JV tennis, Chrissy Gonzalez-volleyball, Miranda Gorman-track, Amber Johnson-JV power lifting, Maritza Lopez-JV volleyball, Demi Nava-cross country, Andria Ramirez-JV volleyball, Toni Rivera-JV volleyball, Briana Ruiz- JV basketball, Kimberly Vera-JV softball, Christina Wilborn-volleyball (all academic), Dominique Zamora-softball (second team first base), Philip Barrientos-JV power lifting, Ryan Becker-JV tennis, Richard Buckalew-JV tennis, Leo Carmona-JV basketball, Edmund Colin-JV basketball, Esteban Cuevas-baseball, Ryan Culp-JV tennis, Alex DeLaMora-track, Allen Dragon-football, Jaimo Flores-football, Michael Gaither-football (first team all district offensive line), Abel Garcia Jr.-JV baseball, Nocky Garza-powerlifing (second place regional, fifth place state, and national qualifier), Jon Gonzaleztrack, David Herrerafootball (second team all district running back and honorable mention defensive back), Caleb Holmes-tennis (district, regional and state champion), Carl Huizarbaseball (Under Armour top prospect, Under Armour top pitcher and participating in Under Armour national team), Caleb Lee-tennis (second place district and regional qualifier), Zachary Lee-JV tennis, Jacob Najera- JV basketball, Joey Olverabaseball, Aaron Parrasfootball, Justin Pawlick-JV tennis, Zachariah Perez-JV tennis, Sean Quillion-JV baseball, Adrian Reangel-JV Basketball, Dakota Roberts- JV tennis, Mikel Romerofootball, Mathew Sancheztrack, Bank Seenuanlae-JV tennis, Joshua Smith-tennis (district, regional and state champion), Jonny Tienda- JV golf, Jose Velasques-JV basketball, and Anthony Wells- JV cross country.

STATE CHAMPS RECOGNIZED — Tennis doubles champs Josh Smith and Caleb Holmes received a standing ovation at the Bishop Badger Booster Club sports banquet last Wednesday. Pictured from left are Josh’s parents Nolan and Veronica Smith, Josh, Caleb and his parents Monica and Brad Holmes. (Photo by Fred Salinas) Athletes receiving awards for two sport participation are as follows: Leslyn Baker-JV volleyball/tennis, Priscilla Caldera-JV basketball/JV softball, Brianna Cavazos- JV volleyball/golf (regional qualifier), Jaycee Cronk-JV basketball/JV tennis, Tory Geryk-volleyball (second team all district)/softball (MVP and all academic), Anessa Gonzalez-JV softball/JV volleyball, Victoria Gonzalez-JV cross country/JV volleyball, Larissa Guerra-JV power lifting/ JV tennis, Chelsea Guzman-JV cross country/ softball (honorable mention), Kelsey Hayes-basketball/ track, Laura Hernandezvolleyball/ track (regional qualifier), Kassandra Herrera-JV volleyball/ softball (all academic), Caitlin Hollingshead-cross country/track, Lauren Lopez-JV softball/JV volleyball, Katelyn Mechell- JV softball/track, Taylor Medrano-JV volleyball/ golf (regional qualifier), Gizel Morales-track/power lifting (third place regional, second place state and third place nationals), Nereida Perez-track/volleyball, Elizabeth Pierce-cross country/volleyball, Briana Reyna-basketball/volleyball (all academic), Haleigh Rodriquez-JV volleyball/ softball (honorable mention), Jennifer Simon- JV basketball/tennis, Alyssa Zuniga-JV volleyball/ softball, Amy Zunigavolleyball/ softball (first team outfield), Eric Barrientescross country/JV basketball, Tommy Cavazos-baseball/ football (first team all district fullback, all brush country linebacker and all district kicker), DJ Cowgerfootball (honorable mention offensive line and defensive line)/power lifting (fifth regionals), Michael Crismangolf (regional qualifier)/ tennis (district champion and third regional), Marco Cruztrack/ football (second team all district offensive line, honorable mention defensive line and all academic), Bruizer Del Bosquebaseball/ power lifting (second regionals and fourth state), James Drummondtrack/ football (first team all district offensive line and second team all district defensive line), Jason Gaona-football/golf (third district and regional qualifier), Dillon Garcia- JV basketball/football, Dave Gonzalez-baseball/ basketball (second team all district and all academic), Dylan Horner-JV golf/ baseball, Garrett Lee-track/ JV basketball, Justin Lira-JV basketball/JV baseball, Zack Lowman-track (regional qualifier)/football (offensive MVP, first team all district defensive line, all acacemic and Shriner football all star participant), Jon Mares-JV baseball/JV tennis, Grant Michalk-tennis/basketball (first team all district, all academic and South Texas all star game participant), Scott Michalk-JV basketball/ football (all academic), Carlos Moya-JV baseball/ football, Jacob Ortegonbasketball (all academic)/ football (second team all district quarterback and all academic), Nick Pachecopower lifting/football (second team all district linebacker and honorable mention offensive line), Zac Perez-JV baseball/football, Joseph Rubio-JV cross country/JV baseball, Justin Shira-JV baseball/JV golf, Kevin Whitley-JV baseball/ track (regional qualifier).

Three sport athletes receiving awards are as follows: Laura Castillo- Alaniz-JV cross country/ JV volleyball/softball (second team pitcher and all academic), Dacia Cavazos- JV volleyball/JV basketball/ JV softball, Regan Gonzalezt rack/tennis/volleyball (offensive player of the year), Destynee Lerma- JV basketball/JV softball/ track (regional qualifier), Alexandria Martinezbasketball/ JV softball/JV volleyball, Tessa Millervolleyball/ basketball/JV tennis, Lauren Morales-JV volleyball/JV basketball/JV tennis, Victoria Ramirez-JV volleyball/tennis/basketball, Bianca Reyna-tennis/ basketball/JV volleyball, April Rodriquez-JV volleyball/JV basketball/JV softball, Alex Ray Sanchezsoftball/ JV basketball/track (regional qualifier), Meagan Sandoval-basketball/ softball/JV cross country, Andriah Scott-golf/power lifting/basketball, Morgan Vassaur-cross country/ tennis/JV volleyball, Brianne Vincent-basketball/golf/ track (regional qualifier), AJ Alvarez-JV football/ JV basketball/JV baseball, AJ Cavazos-JV basketball/ JV baseball/football, Travis Charles-JV baseball/football (second team all district defensive back)/power lifting (second regionals, third state and national qualifier), Tres Figueroa-cross country, baseball/track (regional qualifier), AJ Gaona-golf (district champion and regional qualifier)/basketball (first team all district, honorable mention all south texas, South Texas all star game, and all academic)/ baseball, Abel Garcia-JV basketball/JV baseball/ football, Nick Garza- JV basketball/JV tennis/ football, Ray Garza-JV cross country/JV baseball/tennis, Zack Gonzalez-JV tennis/ JV basketball/football, Luis Guerra-JV power lifting/ JV baseball/football, Rick Gutierrez-JV golf/JV power lifting/football, Brandon Haddy-cross country/tennis/ basketball (all academic), Daniel Hinojosa-cross country/tennis/basketball (all academic), Jeremiah Keever- JV powerlifiting/football/ track, Noel Luna-JV cross country/JV basketball/JV baseball, Robert Olivarezfootball/ JV basketball/JV baseball, Zy Perez- track/ football/JV basketball, Sam Reyes-football/JV baseball/ JV basketball, Jacob Reyes- JV baseball/JV basketball/ golf (regional qualifier), Hunter Smith-JV basketball/ cross country/baseball, and Johnathan Villarreal-cross country/basketball/baseball.

Athletes receiving awards by participating in four sports are as follows: Aricela Alvarez-cross country/ basketball/softball/track (regional qualifier), Kasey Cavazos-volleyball (first team all district)/basketball/ softball (first team second base)/tennis, Barbara Escobar-JV basketball/JV volleyball/cross country/ softball (second team outfield), Rina Rivera-JV volleyball/cross country/ basketball/track (regional qualifier), Coralie Saenzbasketball/ cross country (regional qualifier)/ volleyball (all academic)/ track (regional qualifier), Bianca Silva-JV cross country/JV volleyball/JV basketball/JV track, Jacob Beltran-baseball/basketball (second team all district)/ track (regional qualifier)/ football (first team all district running back and honorable mention defensive back), JP Escobar-baseball/track (district champion and regional qualifier)/power lifting (regional qualifier)/ football (honorable mention running back, honorable mention defensive back, all academic and all state academic), Robert Gaona- JV golf/cross country/ basketball/baseball, Marcus Hinojosa-JV power lifting/ JV basketball/football/track, David Perez-JV golf/power lifting/football/baseball, Albert Salinas-JV cross country/JV power lifting/ football/track, Alan Scott- JV basketball/baseball/golf (regional qualifier)/football (honorable mention tight end and all academic).

Celina Pecos was the only Bishop athlete to compete in five sports.

Pecos participated in JV basketball, JV volleyball, track, tennis and golf (regional qualifier).

Receiving special awards for ongoing support of the Bishop Badger athletic program are as follows: Jessica Gaona, Nelda Perez, The Geryk family, Judy Gonzalez and Fred Salinas.

The highlight of the night was the announcement of the highest honors given to the top athletes of 2009-2010.

Receiving the Ronnie Bull Award was senior Zack Lowman, while junior Kasey Cavazos earned the Lady Badger Award.

The keynote speaker at the sports banquet was Bishop’s very own girl’s basketball coach and 1994 Bishop alumna Sherry Wilson.

Wilson spoke about all the accomplishments each sport has achieved throughout the year and ended her speech with “once a badger, always a badger.”