Memorable sports moments of 2022
This year was filled with many memorable sports moments around Taos County, from the tennis court to the wrestling ring to the high mountains. Here were some of our favorites.
A Nadal-like performance from Robbie Gertsen
Robbie Gersten, a top-flight tennis player for the Taos Tigers, had an epic duel against Los Alamos Hilltopper Nicholas Witowski in April. In what is an extremely mental game, Gersten bounced back from losing the first set 2-6 against Witwoski, whose lightning-quick reaction time at the net, long wingspan and volleying technique won him that first set.
Gersten fought back with long, sustained rallies that made you hold your breath if you were rooting for him. His defense, his hustle and his relentlessness forced a tiebreaker as the sun set. With the spring winds still acting a nuisance, a crowd started to gather around the final match of the evening to catch the drama of two strong tennis players battling it out.
Gersten’s efforts were rewarded in the tiebreak when Witowski hit a ball long to end what was one the best high school games played at the Quail Ridge.
Peñasco and Questa track and field teams get big results at states
Prodigious Peñasco Panther Gilly Valdez does what Gilly Valdez does, and he did it again this year, cleaning up shop at the Class 2A track and field states. He took home the gold in the 800-meter race (2:01.42), 1,600-meter race (4:34.02), 3,200meter race (10:40.40). Lady Panther Rochelle Lopez also took first place in the 3,200 meter race (12:46.93)
In the pole vaulting category, the Questa Lady Wildcats (Alianna Gonzalez, Karina Rael, Ariana Medina) conquered, claiming three out of the four top places.
All in all, it was a stellar year for both of these small communities when it came to track and field.
New Mexico United U23 comes to Taos
Since the United-23 don’t have traditional home games in one designated venue, they travel across the state of New Mexico, bringing their brand of soccer to local communities. When they came to Taos to play Salt Lake SC they were winless. The Taos fans filled out Eco Park and brought the ruckus. With president Peter Trevisani cheering in the stands and a drummer boy drumming his arms out, the young New Mexico United squad got the decisive victory and inspired soccer fans young and old who came to see them play.
The most dangerous eight second in sports
This year was the 53rd Annual Rodeo de Taos, which saw the return of all the riding, roping and racing fun that so many Taos County residents come out to take part in, either as competitors or as spectators.
But bull riding again was the star attraction, with eight competitors who came to see who could stay on their bull the longest, with a cash prize hanging in the balance.
“I mean, dude, it’s a blast, man. I don’t think there’s another way to live life, brother, you know?” said Deuce Brown, one of the riders. “No, there’s nothing else more addictive in this world. I’d say it’s an adrenaline rush like no other, sir.”
Damien Wood, a 2021 NMAA 145-lb 4A state wrestling champion, claimed the top prize in the bull riding event.
Taos Cross Country runner perseveres after stabbing
One of the Tigers’ middle-school cross country runners, Makiah Martinez, didn’t run at districts, as he was still recovering from a stabbing incident back in mid-September in the Taos High School parking lot, but continued to show up at meets to support the rest of his team.
In front of a crowd at Kit Carson Park, Bruce Gomez commented on Martinez’ resilience. “I want to acknowledge a young man here…. Makiah, I admire you for your perseverance, for your strength, for all you’ve endured, and you will come back stronger and you’re coming back stronger.”
Little daredevils shred Wild West
Historically, the Taos Winter Sports Team has been covered through the use of Courtesy Photos of the athletes celebrating with their medals on top of podiums. This past March, the Taos News kept pace with the young skiers on a hike from the top of Lift 2 in Taos Ski Valley all the way to Wild West on the West Basin Ridge.
Along the way, the team’s instructor, Elie Lerman, shared some insights on how she prepares her shredders for success. “One of my main teaching principles is to get as much skiing in as possible, while working on a few specific things,” she said. “Because if you try to teach kids a bunch of things all at once, they don’t absorb it. So if you work on fundamentals on a daily basis, but just a couple of them. Then it’ll really sinks in.”
Covering this story proved to be an adventure for the staff, but we think the first-hand perspective produced a better result.
Filiss dominates districts
Lucas Filiss’ high school wrestling career ended by pin in the state quarterfinals, but prior to that, he qualified for states in glorious fashion by dominating districts.
In Pojoaque Valley, Filiss first pinned Moriarty’s Cody Helms. Then, he had to face Adrian Padilla, who he had beaten twice before in St. Michael’s and Padilla’s own school in Española. In their final fight, Filiss finally got the elusive pin on the big stage of the district individuals.
Tigers football team has strong season despite lack of home turf
It made the lives of the Taos Tigers football coaching staff and that of the players that much harder. It made it so fans of the Taos Tigers had to travel out of Taos to Questa either every Friday or Saturday to watch them play on the gridiron.
The Taos Tigers’ football field was installed in 2008 and it outlasted its expected lifespan of 10 years. It was on that field that the football team won its first state 4A title in school history in 2018 with a 14-7 win over the Bloomfield Bobcats. It was time to replace the field this year, but the timing of that decision cut close to the start of the season, and the delays involved in starting the turf replacement process made it so there would be no home field for Taos.
The Tigers practiced in the high school softball fields within sight of the Taos News parking lot. They practiced at the middle school field. They practiced at Eco Park. Everywhere but the field they normally practice.
Instead of letting the lack of a home field discourage him and his team, coach Art Abreu Jr. channeled all that energy and almost led the Tigers to the promised land.
The Tigers won districts for the first time in a long time with an impressive 9-1 regular season record (their only loss coming at the hands of the 3A champs St. Michael’s) and were knocked out of the playoffs in the semifinals against a Bloomfield team that would go on to win the 4A championship.
Amigo 8-ball Pool League pays respects to George C. Trujillo
Longtime proprietor of over 50 years of the Don Carlos Lounge, George C. Trujillo, passed away in November 2021, and the Taos 8 Ball Pool League hosted a tribute tournament honoring Trujillo and other deceased players in September.
Local bartender and pool league organizer Stephen Montoya helped arrange the tribute games at the lounge, which is somewhat of a wellkept secret and a haven for serious local pool players near the intersection of Paseo del Canon East and US 64 at the western entrance to Taos Canyon. Players showed off their skills for eight hours, taking the Taos News (and readers) inside the inner workings of Taos’ competitive pool league.
Sixteen-game winning streak comes to end for Lady Tigers
What coach Eric Mares built in last year’s Lady Tigers team was something special. Mares preached heady concepts and used mental wellness jargon and the Lady Tigers were well-versed in the language of emotional intelligence. The byproduct of all that was one of the most successful seasons in Lady Tigers basketball history.
The efforts of that 22-7 team were undone by Bernalillo Lady Spartan Juliana Aragon, who was honored with the Gatorade New Mexico Girls Basketball Player of the Year for averaging 30 points a game for the Lady Spartans. Up until then, the Lady
Tigers impressed the town of Taos with their team play and left behind a legacy that is sure to inspire future local girls basketball players.
The way of the samurai
In the Taos Charter School basketball gym, a space that’s used more for basketball tournaments and indoor soccer, Aaron Garlick, one of the instructors at the Taos Kendo Dojo revealed the ways of the samurai with wooden swords known as a shinai in March. On the gym’s wooden floors, he and assistant instructor Travis Webb demonstrated the intensity of kendo practices known as katas. One of the practitioners summed up the experience rather nicely. “It’s a stick, but it’s a sword, but it’s a stick,” said kendo practitioner Gina Gargone.
Longboard pilgrimage
Taos News staff photographer Nathan Burton spotted two out-oftowners toting longboards at Smith’s in Taos one day, and asked them about the journey they were on. Justin Bright and his friend, who only goes by Moondog, said they were nearing the end of a lengthy longboard pilgrimage (“skate-thru’s,” as they’re called), coincidentally around the same time as the Chimayo Pilgrimage. They were on their way from El Paso to the Colorado border. On the way, they mostly subsisted on a diet of gas station food, Twinkies and the like. They slept in caves and campgrounds for shelter. In Taos, they took time to resupply and share their story with Burton (and our readers).