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Superior head coach Martin Navarrette introduces the Panthers’ softball team at the Sports Awards Banquet two weeks ago. The Panthers won the State Championship a few days later. Kelli Luberda | Sun
Superior HS Female Athlete of the Year Cierra Navarrette is flanked by Manny Ruiz Award winner Ricardo Ochoa and Male Athlete of the Year Matthew Zavala.
Kelli Luberda | Sun
Superior Sun
Superior Jr. High Athletic Director Ryan Palmer emceed the Panthers’ annual Sports Awards Banquet, which took place on May 7, 2015 at the school. Palmer also serves as Superior’s varsity football and basketball coach.
Seniors Cierra Navarrette, Matthew Zavala, and Ricardo Ochoa took home the top awards at the event. All three are multi-sport student-athletes.
Ochoa, who plans to study Culinary Arts at Central Arizona College, was the winner of the Manny Ruiz Award, which is given each year to the student-athlete who displays good citizenship, excels academically, and performs well on the court or on the field.
“It’s taught me a lot of leadership and I’ve grown close with my teammates,” Ochoa answered when asked what it’s been like to be a part of the Superior athletic program. “Overall, I’ve learned good work ethic and it’s been a good experience.”
Ochoa also won MVP and Best Sportsmanship in Boys’ Tennis.
Both Navarrette and Zavala are repeat winners of the respective Athlete of the Year awards after they each won the same award last year as juniors.
Last year Navarrette said it was “an honor to be considered” and certainly she feels similarly this year. A three-sport athlete during her time at Superior, Navarrette achieved the ultimate as a senior, winning the Division IV Softball State Championship as a member of the Panthers’ softball team.
It was especially gratifying for the future Arizona State University enrollee who shared the experience with her father Martin Navarrette, the Panthers’ head coach.
The two-time Athlete of the Year, who also won awards in volleyball, basketball and softball, is looking forward to the next chapter of her life. She expects to major in Environmental Engineering.
“I like the field I’m going into, I’m excited, and I enjoy it a lot,” Cierra said. “With Resolution opening up the mine, they’re going to have positions for environmental engineers and that is what I’m most excited about.”
Zavala, another future Sun Devils’ engineering major – Mechanical Engineering, won awards in basketball and baseball, in addition to his second-straight Athlete of the Year award. He also earned AIA recognition in football.
Participating in athletics during his four years at Superior has provided benefits he will use far beyond high school.
“With athletics it’s always been about character,” Zavala said. “We learn everything we need to be a good person and other things we’ll need in life.”
Most of the student-athletes at Superior compete in multiple sports and several athletes won multiple awards at this year’s banquet.
Congratulations to all.
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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