By Brian Argabright
drnhsports@gmail.com
Two new names were added to the prestigious roster of Del Rio High School’s male and female athletes of the year.
Seniors Kimberly Gloria and Jovahn West received the honors at the school’s annual end of the year awards ceremony Sunday at the Carl P. Guys Memorial Gymnasium.
Gloria had another stellar season as a long distance runner. As a member of the Queens varsity cross-country team, Gloria finished fourth at the District 30-6A meet in October and qualified for the regional meet for the second consecutive year. She also helped the team earn a qualifying spot at the regional meet.
She was the Queens Cross-Country Most Committed/Dedicated Award winner as a junior and again as a senior.
Once track and field season rolled around, Gloria showed why she was one of the favorites in the district when it came to the longer runs.
As a sophomore, Gloria qualified for her first regional meet by taking fourth in the 3,200 meters.
As a junior, Gloria claimed the district championship in the 1,600-meter run and the 3,200-meter run and qualified for the area meet in the 800 meters.
At area that year, Gloria won the title in the 1,600-meter run and finished second in the 3,200 meters to advance to the regional meet. She was also named Queens track’s Distance Runner of the Year and the Female Track Athlete of the Year.
This season, Gloria advanced to the area meet by taking third in the 3,200 meters and fourth in the 800 meters.
West was a standout on the football field and in track and field.
In football, West saw his sophomore season come to a premature end due to a knee injury but he still managed to earn all-district honorable mention status.
West returned from the injury his junior year and showed he hadn’t lost a step, helping the Rams return to the playoffs. He was named to the all-district all-academic team.
His senior year, West led the Rams to the playoffs once again and was an all-district honorable mention at wide receiver.
In track, West was a record-setter.
As a junior, he and fellow runners Zane Hughes, Juan “Chili” Peralta and Zack Taylor broke the school record in the 4×200 with a time of 1:27.93. They would win the district championship and the area championship before finishing third at regionals. That year, West also qualified for the area meet in the 100 meters, the 4×100 relay and the long jump. He finished his track season as the co-recipient of the Briana Muraira Sportsmanship and Dedication Award along with Peralta.
West broke another record his senior year, setting the school record in the long jump with a leap of 22 feet, 7.5 inches at the Queens City Relays held at Del Rio’s Walter Levermann Ram Stadium. He bested the old mark of 22 feet, 5.5 inches that was originally set in 1973 and equaled in 1995.
This season, West was part of the district champion 4×100 relay team and the 4×200 relay team. He also qualified for the area meet in the 100 meters and long jump.
At the area meet, West was part of the champion 4×100 and 4×200 relay teams and won the long jump title as well. He also qualified for the regional meet in the 100 meters.
West was named as part of the Rams Relay Team of the Year and shared the Male Track Athlete of the Year award with fellow relay team member Hughes.
—
Contact the author at drnhsports@gmail.com
