MARFA — Marfa ISD’s athletic program closed another year of sports with a celebration of student athletes at the 2023-2024 awards banquet.
The Marfa Athletic Booster Club hosted the assembly for the 16th year in a row, with Booster Club President Lori Flores taking the reins of the planning and preparation for the evening’s celebration.
After a meal prepared by Celia Del Bosque, student awards began with junior high athletes receiving several standout awards. The top junior high awards were taken by JH Most Valuable Players Austin McGary and Natasha Labrado, both eighth graders. Several MVP awards in selected sports included Adeline Marquez (MVP girls basketball), Aiden Gonzales (football offensive MVP), Alyssa Hardin and Jerika Rodriguez (JH track). Austin McGary was awarded MVP in football, basketball and track.
High School awards had all-star recipient Zach Wilson walk away with top honors, along with this year’s state qualifiers, Francisco Rosas (boys cross-country) and Jack Marquez (powerlifting) for state achievements. Maryfer Martinez took home MVP awards in basketball, volleyball and track, while Derick Campos was an MVP for football and basketball. Raven Martinez (MVP for softball district) and Campos also received district MVP honors.
The evening was a celebration of this year’s success and hard work by all athletes but was also an opportunity to recognize the immense contributions that the senior class made to the athletic program as a whole. In football, Marfa’s squad was able to garner its first winning season in over half a decade, thanks to the contributions of the senior players and a youthful, energetic coaching unit. Quarterback Dustin Martinez played a pivotal role for Marfa in leading the team’s offense, while Zach Wilson, Jaden Nunez, Marco Ruiz, Luis Solis and Jack Marquez showed true leadership and ownership with their attendance at all summer workouts and by joining summer football and basketball summer leagues to best prepare them for the 2023-2024 season.
In basketball, Marfa’s boys team captured its first district championship and bi-district championship since 2015, with Derick Campos receiving MVP honors, and Zach Wilson getting an all-star selection by the Texas Six Man Association Committee.
Senior powerlifter Jack Marquez captured a silver medal for Marfa at the State Texas Women’s Powerlifting Championships in March after being one of Marfa’s powerlifting members during the inception of the program back in 2021.
MISD’s seniors contributed to the success of this year’s sports program, but more importantly, the coaching staff felt that seeing these young men and women grow, compete, achieve and fight back from defeat was the cornerstone of the program’s mission all year long.
