Thursday, March 28, 2024

Bridgeport seniors awarded Outstanding Athlete award

Achievers all

Posted
BRIDGEPORT – A trio of Bridgeport High School seniors were recently honored with the school’s Outstanding Senior Athlete award.
Track and field specialist Yareli Palacio-Isidra, cross country star Catalina Atianna Martinez, and multi-sport standout Gilberto Padilla Rodriguez earned the recognition for high performance in their sports of choice.
Yareli Palacio-Isidra
Palacio qualified for state in the shot put and discus events since her freshman year and placed at state last year. She finished eighth in the shot with a toss of 33’ 6.75 and eighth in discus with a throw just under 102’, good enough to medal in both events. Palacio has won both Most Valuable Player, All-League and Sportsmanship awards.
In volleyball I got the MVP award,” said Palacio, “and in basketball I took the most improved award along with a Mrs. Double Double.”
Catalina Martinez
Martinez ran cross country during all four years of high school, always coming close to qualify for state as a freshman, sophomore and junior.
In my senior year I really pushed myself,” said Martinez. “I began placing in every cross country meet, receiving medals and ribbons, and I made it easily into the top 20 individuals at districts, which made my goal come true and led me to the state Cross Country competition to compete individually.”
Martinez placed 62nd among 112 runners in the state 5,000 meters with a time of 22 minutes, 40.5 seconds.
After the state competition, McPherson College in Kansas reached out to recruit me to run cross country for them,” said Martinez. “I declined and have decided to study at the University of Washington and try out for their cross-country team instead. UW is supplying me with over $22,000 in grants and scholarships, and I’m pursuing a degree in Computer Science, as well as Multimedia and Digital Arts.”
Gilberto Padilla Rodriguez
Rodriguez was the starting point guard for the Mustangs varsity basketball team for the last two years and one of the team captains this year. Bridgeport Athletic Director Scott Darwood describes him as “definitely one of the best defensive players on the team if not in the league.”
One of the football team captains, Rodriguez was also Mustangs’ star running back for the last two years and was voted All-League running back on offense and Honorable Mention cornerback/defensive back. Head football coach John McDougal said he was a leader on and off the field.
In football one week he was the WIAA Athlete of the Week when he ran for five touchdowns, one of which was a 98-yard TD, and 346 yards vs. Pateros,” said Darwood. “He finished the season with 1281 yards and 15 TDs.”
Rodriguez, the senior class valedictorian, qualified for state in track and field last year and was scheduled to compete this year before the coronavirus shut down school sports programs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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