By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
Del Rio High School may soon need more space for its athletes signed to compete in college.
Recently, eight more student athletes from the school took part in a signing ceremony at the Carl P. Guys Memorial Gymnasium. The graduating seniors represented a variety of sports from cheerleading to golf. Nearly all of them were joined at the ceremony by their families and each was encouraged to deliver remarks to the audience.
Mia Hernandez was the first to speak. Hernandez, co-captain of the Del Rio Rams varsity cheerleading team, will compete for the University of Texas at San Antonio. Hernandez warned the audience that her remarks would be long, but she used her time to thank her family, including her father for doing her cheer makeup as a youth and her mother for all the support throughout her cheer career, as well as her coaches and teammates from the Amistad Eagles All-Stars.
“Y’all were always there for me no matter what,” she said in regards to her support team.
She added that her choice to attend UTSA was solidified during the school’s cheer camp over the summer.
“My second week into cheerleading camp I knew that was where I wanted to be. I loved the environment,” she said. “I am so excited for the next chapter in my life and Birds Up!”
Del Rio Rams baseball player Alex Richter was the next to speak.
Richter, who will attend Our Lady of the Lake University, kept his remarks short but also used his time to thank his parents for all they did during his baseball career.
“I owe everything to my dad,” Richter said. “And to my mom, thanks for being the most supportive mom anyone could ask for.”
“I’m ready to work harder than ever,” Richter said.
Two-sport athlete Antonio Padilla will take his running talents to Our Lady of the Lake as he plans to compete in cross-country and track for the school.
Padilla said he initially chose to run cross-country to build up endurance for soccer, but he soon grew to love the sport.
“I never would have imagined running in the summer heat, but I did it because it became something I truly loved and wanted to pursue,” he said.
He also thanked his parents, head cross-country coach Vicky Perez and the Code Blue Track Club for the lessons they imparted upon him.
“Those lessons I will carry with me for the rest of my life,” Padilla said. “I am grateful for everything. I know this is only the beginning and I’m excited to see what’s next.”
Ryland Ross will compete in cross-country and track for UTSA.
Ross called competing in cross-country “the best decision I ever made in my life” and added that it helped her become the person she was today. She also said she looked forward to competing against her former Del Rio teammates at the collegiate level.
She also used her time to thank the Code Blue Track Club. “They’re the reason I’m standing in this exact spot right now,” she said.
Samuel Curtis will run cross-country for Texas A&M-Kingsville.
Soft-spoken, Curtis thanked his parents and coaches as well as his teammates for all their encouragement during his high school years. Though his comments were brief, Curtis said he was looking forward to the future.
“I’m really excited for the next steps in my future,” he said.
Fernanda de Luna will take her talents to Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island where she will throw the discus.
The 2025-26 District 30-6A and Area champion in the discus, De Luna started by thanking coach Marisa Soto for introducing her to throwing when she was younger. That spark grew when she joined the track and field team as a seventh grader and learned that to be successful she needed to make her love of the sport a full 24-hour dedication.
“You’re always outside. It could be hot, rainy, cold, and knowing Texas, it might even snow,” she said.
De Luna did get emotional addressing her brother who was seated in the crowd.
“Everything I do is for you. I always worked to be the best role model I could be for you. I will always be your biggest fan,” de Luna said.
Ana Najera will continue her cheerleading career at Angelo State University.
Najera admitted that she felt her cheerleading future was in doubt after tearing her ACL as a junior, but the words of wisdom and encouragement from athletic director Frenchey McCrea Jr.’s mother helped her realize her time as a cheerleader wasn’t over.
“I thought I was probably never going to cheer again, but I was here last year, watching those seniors, and Mother McCrea told me I would be up here and would get the same chance as they did. I didn’t believe her, but she was right and I was wrong,” Najera said. “She reminded me that God’s plans are bigger than my pain. He sees my struggles and knows what is truly best for me.”
Isaac Diaz was the final senior to speak He plans on playing golf for Odessa College.
A four-time district champion and three-time state qualifier, Diaz is also a successful golfer in youth golf, qualifying for the world championships on multiple occasions.
He began his comments by speaking in Spanish. He said he did so for his grandfather, who was seated in the audience. He repeated his remarks in English, thanking head golf coach Oscar Cardenas as well as his parents, his brother Isaiah, with whom he played his senior year, and God.
“I want to thank God for everything he’s done for me. Without him, I wouldn’t be here today,” Diaz said.
His final words summed up much of what his fellow seniors felt looking out into the crowd.
“To everyone who came out today to show their support, thank you. I really appreciate it and it means a lot,” Diaz said.
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Contact the author at drnhsports@gmail.com
