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Six M-CHS seniors, a junior and a sophomore make all-conference teams

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Thursday, Dec. 11, 2014 9:14 PM
Taryn Lanier, Manual Martinez, Hayden Plewe, Bridger Brenner, Laurel Chappell, Naomi Pinnecoose and Tayla Topaha were named all-conference in their respective sports.

Thanks to their outstanding performances during the fall sports season, eight Montezuma-Cortez High School athletes were named all-conference.

First team volleyball: Naomi Pinnecoose

An outside hitter on the M-CHS volleyball team, senior Naomi Pinnecoose was named player of the year in the Southwest League. Pinnecoose was also named to the Class 4A all-state team.

Over the course of the season, Pinnicoose amassed 348 kills, 291 digs, 49 aces and 38 blocks. The senior’s 348 kills were the sixth-most in the state by a Class 4A player.

“I stayed calm, and I didn’t get super-frustrated,” said Pinnicoose. “We had a pretty young team, but I played my heart out.”

First team golf: Hayden Plewe

A four-year golfer at M-CHS, senior Hayden Plewe was named to the West Slope Region’s all-conference team.

The senior was also named the West Slope Region’s Class 4A player of the year, finished second in the West Slope Regional Tournament and finished tied for eighth in the Class 4A state tournament.

“It was my goal to be conference player of the year, and I achieved that,” said Plewe. “For everyone to be so supportive of me was really cool.”

First team soccer: Taryn Lanier

Playing mostly forward, senior Taryn Lanier led a much-improved Panthers offense and was named to the Southwest League’s all-conference team. Lanier led the Panthers with 11 goals and finished second on the team in assists with four.

“I just went out there, tried my best and played my heart out,” said Lanier. “We had a good team this year.”

First team volleyball: Laurel Chappell

Playing setter for the M-CHS volleyball team, junior Laurel Chappell earned a spot on the Southwest League’s all-conference team for the first time in her high school career.

Chappell led the Panthers with 537 assists, placed fourth on the team with 163 digs, had 40 aces and had 40 kills.

First team soccer Bridger Brenner

A goalie for M-CHS, senior Bridger Brenner was named to the South League’s all-conference team after being named to the Southwest League’s all-conference team last season.

The senior spent 1,068 minutes in goal for the Panthers, made 124 saves, allowed 29 goals and stopped one of two penalty kicks.

“It was an honor to be named to the all-conference team, said Brenner. “It feels good to know that all of my hard work has paid off.”

First team softball: Tayla Topaha

Alternating between pitcher and shortstop, junior Tayla Topaha was named to the Southwest League’s all-conference team for the second consecutive season.

The junior led the Panthers with a .520 batting average, finished first on the team with 29 RBIs, led the team in doubles with 12 and hit a team best seven home runs.

Honorable mention soccer: Manual Martinez

Playing forward, sophomore Manual Martinez was named to the Southwest League’s all-conference soccer team for the first time. Martinez finished second on the team in goals with 10 and had two assists on the season.

Honorable mention softball: Brenna Leonard

A catcher for M-CHS, senior Brenna Leonard was named to the Southwest League’s all-conference team after batting .370, hitting six doubles, crushing one home run and driving in 14 runs on the year.

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