Alicia Reyes (Center) holds scorebook showing the 17 3-Pointers she made to break record.
On January 27, Pueblo’s Girls’ Basketball team enjoyed a colossal win over Cholla with a final score of 98-11. Another victorious moment that night was sophomore Alicia Reyes, Class of 2018, setting a new state record.
Reyes made 17 three-pointers during the game (for a total of 51 points in just three-pointers!) and ended up scoring a total of 57 points, topping the previous Southern Arizona high of 54 made by another Warrior, Angela Lopez, set in the 2007-08 season.
“She [Reyes] is my shooter, she is my best shooter!” exclaimed Coach Ismael Galindo.
The previous record of three-pointers made in a single game was 14 set last season by a Phoenix Sierra Linda High School student, Janae Gonzales.
“When I hit the record breaking three-pointers, I could not stop smiling,” Reyes said. “I could see my teammates cheering for me, and it was a great feeling!”
Reyes tied the national record of 17 three-pointers that was set by Rebecca Greenwell from Kentucky back in January 2013.
“I want to break the national record!” Reyes exclaimed. “That would definitely be something to talk about for a long time!”
One of the team’s greatest games this season was their matchup against the Safford High School Bulldogs; that evening, the Warriors girls’ basketball team broke that team’s 24-consecutive winning streak.
The girls’ basketball team ended the regular season with a final record of 22-3, going undefeated in their section. They need the support of the Pueblo community when they take on the Casa Grande Cougars in the second round of sectional playoffs on Thursday, February 11.
On Saturday, Nov. 7, the 2015-16 Pueblo varsity football team advanced to their first playoff appearance since 1991, taking on the Estrella Foothills’ Wolves. Unfortunately, the Warriors lost with a final score of 35-13.
The Warriors ended the season with a final record of 7-4, giving them their second consecutive winning season.
Junior Michael Beltran said, “Last year we set the trend of a triumphant season, and I hope this year we set the precedent for next year’s post-season performance and appearance.”
Pueblo secured their playoff status by being undefeated in their class to become section champions.
“We may not have finished our season with a state championship, but we are making a name for Pueblo again,” said senior David Greenwood. “We want the community to know that we are not a ghetto south side school and that we have so many great programs here including an outstanding athletics department with committed players with pride and devoted coaches who want us to learn the meaning of team spirit.”
Another senior, Jasiah Booth, said, “I couldn’t be any prouder of my team, and I want to wish all upcoming sports just as much luck in their seasons as our football team had this past season.”
On Nov. 23, several of our Warrior football players were honored by coaches for their commendable performances in Division IV, Section II, including:
Justin Pledger (Offensive Player of the Year)
Jorge Romero (First Team Running Back)
Frankie Gomez (First Team Receiver)
Michael Beltran (First Team Offensive Lineman)
Jasiah Booth (First Team Offensive Lineman)
Elliott Perez-Guillen (First Team Linebacker)
David Greenwood (First Team Defensive End)
Justin Pledger (First Team Defensive Back)
Jasiah Booth (First Team Interior Lineman)
Justin Pledger (First Team Returner)
Armando Lucero (Second Team Receiver)
Adrian Madero (Second Team Linebacker)
Frankie Gomez (Second Team Defensive Back)
Raul German (Second Team Interior Lineman)
Jesus Rodriguez (Second Team Interior Lineman)
Jasiah Booth
Booth added, “Pueblo is back on the map, and I am proud to say I am a part of the school’s turn around years. Once a Warrior, always a Warrior.”
Pueblo math teacher Mr. Charles William (“Billy”) Campbell was honored for being the recipient of the “MathMovesU Math Hero” award. He received the official news that he was just one of 25 math teachers in thirteen states to be honored for this award.
Nominated by co-teacher Ms. Shanti Foster last semester, Campbell learned early last summer that he would be competing in the finals. Campbell was asked a series of questions on an application and his responses determined him to be a finalist.
On August 31, Campbell was informed that he was one of the 25 recipients of the math award.
Mr. Charles William “Billy” Campbell
“I feel a greater sense of accomplishment for being honored for what I do every day,” Campbell said. “It’s a pretty big thing, you know? Being recognized for the hard work you do is always nice—and we [teachers] feel as good as students who are nominated for an award. It’s like somebody saying, ‘Good job’.”
Campbell said that he wholeheartedly loves his job and is always striving to teach math to Pueblo students to the best of his ability. He added that no matter what he does, there is always a way to be better.
“Whatever I do, I want to do it well,” Campbell said. “Whether it’s teaching, playing video games, being and playing with my son, I want to do it the best I possibly can be.”
Campbell said that after receiving this award, he felt a sense of knowing that he is doing something right. He also expressed gratitude to his students for allowing him to teach them and that they continue to motivate him to always be his best.
“I feel there are a lot of people to thank, but most importantly, I’d like to say, ‘Thank you’ to all of my students,” he said. “They allow me to work hard with the best educators. I have worked with a lot of great teachers throughout the years, especially here at Pueblo. I am so fortunate to work with and belong to the most awesome math department!”
Campbell received $2,500 for his award, and that same amount was matched and awarded to Pueblo.
Congratulations Mr. Campbell! We are proud of you!
Senior Shaira Perez with Congressman Raul Grijalva
Our very own Shaira Perez (Class of 2016), a senior at Pueblo Magnet High School, had the opportunity to be among 50 Tucson area administrations, staff members, teachers and students to attend a meeting held at the YWCA Francis McClelland Community Center to hear U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva discuss the importance of Arizona schools receiving equal access to education.
College and Career Coordinator, Mr. Ruben Romero, was contacted and invited along with another student to attend the meeting by former Pueblo student Ms. Cassandra Becerra, who now works as office assistant for Grijalva.
Ruben Romero with Congressman Raul Grijalva
“I chose Shaira [Perez] to come to the meeting with me because she’s ranked number one in her senior class right now,” Romero said. “I like what Congressman Grijalva had to say. He really wants to see a lot of improvements in our schools, including the equality of education across Tucson.”
During their time together, Perez and Romero had the opportunity to converse about education and its challenges for the future.
“I was glad to hear that Grijalva is trying to do something for us students and our quality of education,” Perez said. “I’m honored that I got to go to this meeting because I was introduced as an achieving student and felt that the issues were very important.”
Our very own Warrior, senior Cesar Rivera, was totally surprised with Super Bowl XLIX (49) tickets—as well as vouchers for transportation costs.
Comcast NBC Universal and The Boys and Girls Club of Tucson teamed to make one deserving member’s dream come true with two tickets to the Super Bowl; and, on Friday, Jan. 16, that lucky person was Cesar Rivera.
Rivera said, “I was just sitting in the background waiting to get interviewed until a guy just came up to me with two tickets telling me that I’m going to the Super Bowl. Of course, without any hesitations, I said ‘YES!’” He paused and added, “With my other ticket, I took my dad.”
Rivera said that the two-hour trip to Glendale, Ariz., was very “adventurous”—in fact, he said, “ “It was sick!”, referring to his intense enthusiasm for the experience.
“I met so many NFL players such as Larry Fitzgerald, Odell Beckham, Andrew Luck, Aaron Rodgers and Colin Kaepernick.”
Cesar Rivera met some of his favorite players at the Superbowl
Rivera said that he and his father left Tucson on the Thursday before the Super Bowl and returned home on Monday, the day after the event.
“My dad and I took a tour of the Cardinal football field,” Rivera said, “and then we went tailgating before heading to the big game. We were seated near the [Seattle] Seahawks’ end zone, although there were a lot of [New England] Patriots fans around me.” Rivera said, “I even got to see the fight that went down between the two teams!”
Rivera said that despite all of the excitement he experienced, the most amazing moment was being in the front row seats to the NFL honors show.
“It’s like being at the Grammy’s,” Rivera said. “But instead of music, great NFL players were being honored.”
He added, “Since it was my first time attending the honors award show, I didn’t know we were supposed to be dressed fancy, so my dad and I went right away to rent some neat tuxedos.”
Pueblo will look to stretch their winning streak to four straight games Friday night when the Warriors host Nogales in a Week 5 high school football matchup.
Pueblo (3-1) opened the season with a late one-point loss at Amphi but has rolled off victories over Santa Rita, Rio Rico and Rincon.
The Warriors are led by 1st-year head coach Brandon Sanders, a former Arizona Wildcats defensive star who made it to the NFL with the New York Giants.
The Apaches enter at 2-2 having won two straight over Douglas and Cholla.
Nogales at Pueblo is our Overtime Game of the Week. David Kelly will be lives from the south side with a report in during the KOLD News 13 at 6 and you can see the game highlights Friday night on Overtime which kickoffs on KOLD News 13 at 10:20 p.m.
Jorge Romero (Class of 2016)
Pueblo’s Memo Berube and Jorge Romero both had doubts about their football team coming into this season. In fact, Berube, a senior, was toying with the idea of hanging up his cleats for good.
He’s glad he didn’t.
In just four games, Pueblo (3-1) has already matched its win total from each of the last three seasons. Furthermore, a win tonight would mark just the second time in the last 10 years the Warriors have registered four victories in a season.
“I’ve never felt this great during football,” said Berube, who missed most of last season with a left knee injury. “I wasn’t expecting as good of a season so far and came into the spring with some doubts.”
First-year coach Brandon Sanders and the Warriors host Nogales tonight at 7 with a chance to win their fourth straight game — a rarity in itself for Pueblo recently.
To make sure his players aren’t coming into the game overconfident, Sanders has reminded them that they haven’t been within 49 points of the Apaches in the last two years.
Nogales (2-2) has won seven straight meetings between the schools, most recently with a 56-0 win 2013, and holds a 14-6 advantage in the series. The last time Pueblo topped the Apaches was in 2000.
Coach Brandon Sanders
“That’s a major mountain for these kids,” said Sanders, a member of the UA’s “Desert Swarm” defense in the mid-1990s and a former NFL player. “We don’t shy away from anything; we recognize it, we own up to it and we step up to take on the challenge.
“That’s what I want to see: Can we step up to the challenge to play?”
The Warriors have already conquered one challenge this season, scoring two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to rally against Santa Rita in Week 2. Since then, Pueblo has outscored opponents 81-12 in two games.
“It transitioned from the field to the locker room,” said Romero, a junior who leads the team with 581 yards rushing and six touchdowns. “You should have seen the lock room; there was so much adrenaline, you could see that we wanted to play.”
Since taking over last spring, Sanders has reconnected with Pueblo’s storied past. Former coach Curly Santa Cruz is among those who Sanders has brought in to speak with the team. After all, Santa Cruz spent 15 years with the program and was the last one to lead the Warriors to the state playoffs, in 1990. The way Romero sees it, however, that’s about to change.
“A lot of people have high expectations for us but there’s also still a lot of low,” Romero said. “We had doubts from a lot of people coming into the season but we’re ready to prove them wrong.”
