High School Reunion: 2014-15 Athletes of the Year

Editor's note 

Online sports producer Drew McCullough spent his summer digging through Star archives and compiling a list of every high school athlete of the year since 1999. The series wraps up today with a look at the 2014-15 athletes of the year. 

Offensive football player of the year 

Name: Francisco Dicochea 

School: Cienega 

Year in school: Senior 

Sport: Football 

What he did: Dicochea was a two-way force who never left the field. Not only did he rush for 1,582 yards and 21 touchdowns, he also played nearly every down on defense. The 6-foot, 195-pound senior helped Cienega come within one game of the state final and had a career day in the second round of the playoffs. 

Top performance: After helping his Bobcats out to an early lead, Dicochea had to dig in late to help lead Cienega to a dramatic 50-49 double-overtime win against Tempe Marcos de Niza in the Division II state quarterfinals. He rushed 39 times for 278 and six touchdowns and then came up with a blocked extra point in the second overtime that proved to be the difference.

What’s next: Dicochea signed with Pima College originally but was offered and accepted a spot as a preferred walk-on with the Arizona Wildcats.

Defensive football player of the year 

Name: Derik Hall 

School: Sahuaro 

Year in school: Senior 

Sport: Football 

What he did: Hall was a playmaker to say the least — no matter what side of the ball he was on. The 6-foot-1-inch, 200-pound senior returned two interceptions for touchdowns, had three sacks and three tackles-for-a-loss and averaged 3.0 tackles per game. He also rushed for 1,270 yards along with 21 touchdowns.

Top performance: In a road game at archrival Sabino, Hall made a play that won’t be forgotten any time soon. He intercepted a pass and returned it 75 yards for a touchdown as Sahuaro went on to beat Sabino, 21-13, for the first time since 2003.

What’s next: Hall signed to play for NAU and is expected to be a linebacker.  

Girls volleyball player of the year 

Name: Jordan Weatherless 

School: Ironwood Ridge 

Year in school: Senior 

Sport: Girls volleyball 

What she did: The team captain helped the Nighthawks go 18-1 in regular-season matches and reach the state finals for just the second time in program history. Weatherless, a senior setter and three-year player, led the team with 788 assists, was second with 41 aces and third with 58 blocks. I-Ridge lost just one set to against a team from Southern Arizona this season.

Top performance: With the Nighthawks in the state semifinals for the third straight season, Weatherless turned in a career performance against Scottsdale Notre Dame to send I-Ridge to its first championship match in 10 years. Weatherless had a team-high 35 assists to go along with nine digs, seven kills, four blocks and two aces as the Nighthawks beat Notre Dame in four sets to snap a seven-match losing streak in the semifinal round.

What’s next: Weatherless graduates from I-Ridge later this month and will head to Illinois State University in early January to begin her college career. The Redbirds had a 23-match winning streak this season and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Runner-up: Aunesty Jantz, I-Ridge. The 5-foot-10-inch senior outside hitter and team captain was also a big reason for I-Ridge’s success with a team-high 393 kills. However, Jantz would not have been able to put up such big numbers without the strong play from Weatherless.

Boys cross country runner of the year 

Name: Carlos Villarreal 

School: Rio Rico 

Year in school: Senior 

Sport: Boys cross country 

What he did: At one point this season, Villarreal had the fastest 5K high school time in the nation. The Rio Rico senior ran away with the boys Division III state championship, winning in an overall best time of 15 minutes 24 seconds. The week before that, Villarreal led the Hawks to a section championship as he cruised to the boys individual title in 15:33, almost 30 seconds ahead of second-place finisher and teammate Oscar Amaya.

Top performance: Villarreal won the Desert Twilight Invitational in 14:49.99 on Oct. 3, giving him the fastest high school boys 5K time in the country. It didn’t hold for too long but is still No. 9 in the United States.

What’s next: Villarreal is signed with the UA to run both cross country and track. He was also the Star’s boys track and field athlete of the year last spring as Rio Rico won the team title, so this won’t be the last time you hear his name.

Runner-up: Nathan Thomas, Salpointe Catholic. The senior won the boys Division II championship and was the closest one to knocking off Villarreal. The two finished first and second at the Rattler Invitational in October.

Girls cross country runner of the year 

Name: Bridgette Doucet 

School: Canyon del Oro 

Year in school: Senior 

Sport: Girls cross country 

What she did: Two years removed from finishing as the girls Division II state runner-up, Doucet won the championship in 18 minutes 7 seconds, finishing 36 seconds ahead of anyone else. Making her season even more impressive is the fact that the CDO senior did not run cross country as a junior because of health reasons.

Top performance: Doucet ran a career-best 5K at the Desert Twilight Invitational when she placed third in 16:55.95. She was one of just three girls to run a sub-17 time.

What’s next: Doucet is signed to run cross country and track at Lipscomb University. She will also be one of the top athletes to watch on the track in the spring. She finished second in both the girls 1,600 and 3,200 meter runs last spring.

Runner-up: Allie Schadler, Rio Rico. The sophomore two-time champion was named the Star’s girls cross country runner of the year last season and had a strong case to earn the honor again this fall. However, Doucet had a faster time at the state meet by seven seconds and beat Schadler at both the Desert Twilight and Rattler invitationals.

Boys golfer of the year 

Name: Chris Meyers 

School: Canyon del Oro 

Year in school: Senior 

Sport: Boys golf 

What he did: The senior led the way as the Dorados finished as the runner-up and Southern Arizona golfers claimed the top three spots at the boys Division II state championship. Meyers, the son of two former UA golfers, shot an 8-under 136 at Aguila Golf Course in Phoenix to win the individual crown by six strokes.

Top performance: Although it wasn’t associated to his high school season, Meyers had a walk-off double-eagle to win the Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach with a 22-under 193. The stunning shot earned the No. 2 play on ESPN’s Top 10 that night.

What’s next: Meyers is signed to play golf at Stanford and will be one to keep an eye on as professional golf is surely in his future. However, he said he’s in no hurry to get to that stage and wants to enjoy the college experience with the Cardinal.

Runner-up: Trevor Werbylo, Salpointe Catholic. The sophomore finished second at state behind Meyers with a 2-under 142. Werbylo also ranked second heading into the championship while Meyers was fourth.

Girls golfer of the year 

Name: Sydney Colwill 

School: Ironwood Ridge 

Year in school: Senior 

Sport: Girls golf 

What she did: The four-year player finished off her career by helping the Nighthawks place third at the girls Division I state championship for the second time in the last four seasons. Colwill shot an even-par 72 in the first round and a 1-over 73 a day later to finish sixth individually.

Top performance: Fittingly, Colwill turned in one of her best performances at the Nighthawks Invitational hosted by I-Ridge. She shot a 1-under 145 to finish second by seven strokes behind Phoenix Xavier’s Madison Kerley, who went on to win the Division state title.

What’s next: Colwill, accepted a scholarship and signed to play for the University of Memphis last month. Not bad for someone who didn’t start golfing competitively until she started high school.

Runner-up: Haylin Harris, Salpointe Catholic. The freshman finished as the top-ranked girls golfer in Division II ahead of Sahuaro senior Desiree Hong. Harris also edged Hong by two strokes at state with an even-par 144.

Boys swimmer of the year 

Name: Matt Lujan 

School: Catalina Foothills 

Year in school: Senior 

Sport: Boys swimming and diving 

What he did: Had a hand in winning three state titles – two individual and one relay – as the Falcons repeated as boys Division II state champions. Lujan was also on the 200-yard medley relay team that placed second by less than two seconds.

Top performance: The state championship meet. Lujan, a senior, repeated as the 200-yard IM champion with a win in 1 minutes 56.19 seconds, more than three seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. He also claimed the 100 backstroke title in 50.79 and was part of the first-place 400 relay team that won by more than five seconds.

What’s next: Lujan signed to swim for the UA last month and will specialize in the backstroke with the Wildcats. It’s the third straight year Arizona landed a local high school swimmer.

Runner-up: Brooks Fail, Foothills. Like Lujan, Fail had a hand in three individual titles this fall. The sophomore also swam on the 200 relay team along with Lujan and won both the 200 and 500 free events.

Girls swimmer of the year 

Name: Taylor Nations 

School: Sabino 

Year in school: Junior 

Sport: Girls swimming and diving 

What she did: Nations, a junior, was Southern Arizona’s lone girls swimmer to win multiple individual championships at the Division II state meet. She finished first in the 100-yard backstroke in 56.89 and won the 100 free in 52.21, edging Catalina Foothills senior Hannah Orbach-Mandel by .35 of a second.

Top performance: Nations won four events for the Sabercats at the Marana Tiger Last Chance Invitational a month before the state meet. Nations was first in the 100 free and 100 back. She also helped the 200 medley relay and 400 relay teams to first-place finishes as Sabino’s girls finished second behind Salpointe Catholic, the eventual state runner-up.

What’s next: Of the seven fall sports athletes of the year honored today, Nations is the lone underclassman and will certainly have Sabino as one of the top girls swimming teams to watch next season.

Runner-up: Orbach-Madel, Foothills. The senior was the closest one to Nations when it came to winning multiple individual championships. Orbach-Mandel won the 200 free in 1:53.51 and was second in the 100 free behind Nations; she also anchored the 200 relay team to a win and helped Foothills take second in the 400 relay.

Boys basketball player of the year 

Name: Jorge Carrasco 

School: Cholla 

Year in school: Senior 

Sport: Boys basketball 

What he did: The 5-foot-10-inch senior captain was Southern Arizona's most electric player. Carrasco helped the Chargers to one of their best seasons in program history with a 25-2 record and a trip to the Division II state quarterfinals. Cholla won 21 straight games and went undefeated against local competition as Carrasco, a point guard, averaged 22.7 points, 4.3 assists and 2.9 steals per game. He scored 25 points or more 10 times and surpassed 30 on three occasions.

Top performance: With a first-round bye in the state tournament on the line, Carrasco sank a go-ahead basket in the final seconds of the Division II, Section VI championship game on Feb. 14 to help secure Cholla's 54-52 win against Tucson High. Carrasco finished with a game-high 26 points, 10 of which came in the fourth quarter capped off by his game-winner. “This is like a dream come true,” Carrasco said after the game. “Big shot in a big game, for the sectional championship. This is overwhelming, I can't really talk right now, but I love my team.”

What's next: Carrasco doesn't have his plans set in stone yet but Cholla coach Masai Dean said it's likely that he'll end up playing for coach Brian Peabody at Pima College before trying to move on to a four-year program. Cholla teammates Lual Magot and Ruai Ruai are likely to sign with Tohono O'odham Community College, Dean said, meaning they could be forced to defend Carrasco after sharing the court with him for the last several years.

Runner-up: Deion James, Empire. The 6-8 swingman averaged a double-double as a senior with 21.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game as Empire went 17-10 while playing in one of the state’s toughest sections. James verbally committed to play for North Carolina A&T following the season.

Girls basketball player of the year 

Name: Sydni Stallworth 

School: Palo Verde 

Year in school: Senior 

Sport: Girls basketball 

What she did: Stallworth may have been a small 5-foot-3-inch point guard, but that didn't stop her from putting up some huge numbers. The senior, who spent all four years on varsity, averaged a team-high 20.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 5.6 steals and 5.0 assists for the Titans, who reached the second round of the Division III state tournament. The senior drained 42 three-pointers and left as the program's all-time leading scorer with 2,182 points. Over her four-year career, Stallworth helped the Titans reach the playoffs three times, including a trip to the Division II state semifinals her freshman year.

Top performance: Stallworth scored a season-high 39 points in the first round of the Division III state tournament as 19th-seeded Palo Verde knocked off No. 14 Window Rock on the road for its first postseason victory since the 2011-12 season. The captain also had five assists, four rebounds and four steals. She shot 15 for 25 from the field and 7 for 8 from the free-throw line on her way to surpassing the 30-point mark for the fourth time of her senior season. While it was quite the performance, Stallworth's career high actually came during her junior year when she scored 43 points in a 61-50 win against Morenci.

What's next: Along with several other of Southern Arizona's top players, Stallworth is signed to play for coach Todd Holthaus at Pima College. The Aztecs are coming off a 17-14 season and earned the No. 1 seed in the Region I, Division II tournament.

Runner-up: Alexis Cortez, Tucson. The 5-11 junior was one of the state's top scorers with 25.2 points per game. She also averaged 5.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 2.4 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. Cortez helped the Badgers win 14 straight games on their way to winning a section championship and earning the No. 5 seed in the Division II state tournament. But, following a first-round bye, Tucson was upset in the second round by No. 12 Maricopa, which went on to win the state title.

Boys soccer player of the year 

Name: Jeremy Siwik 

School: Catalina Foothills 

Year in school: Senior 

Sport: Boys soccer 

What he did: The senior captain and midfielder scored 19 goals and had 11 assists for the Falcons, who had one of Southern Arizona's best records at 21-3-1. Siwik helped the Falcons close out the regular season with six straight wins and earn a spot in the Division II state playoffs. He scored in 14 different matches and had four with multiple goals. Siwik also notched Foothills' lone goal in the first-round playoff game at Nogales and nearly hit a second that could have helped the Falcons advance.

Top performance: Siwik turned in a career performance in the championship game of the Brandon Bean Kickoff Classic with a hat trick that lifted Foothills to a 3-0 win against host Salpointe Catholic.

What's next: He plans on studying physiology at the University of Arizona and, although it is hard giving up on soccer, Siwik said, he doesn't plan on trying to play competitively at the next level. He will, however, continue to play at a more recreational level, such as intramural sports or city leagues.

Runner-up: Caleb Sanchez, Canyon del Oro. The sophomore striker emerged as Southern Arizona's leading scorer with 28 goals and helped the Dorados qualify for the postseason for the first time since the 2009-10 season.

Girls soccer player of the year 

Name: Emily Parker 

School: Catalina Foothills 

Year in school: Senior 

Sport: Girls soccer 

What she did: Parker, a senior captain, finished off a stellar career at Foothills with another big season, scoring 30 goals and notching 18 assists. The Falcons came within inches of advancing to their sixth straight state championship game but lost 4-3 in penalty kicks in the Division II state semifinals to Scottsdale Notre Dame, the eventual champion. Parker scored a combined four goals and had two assists in Foothills' two postseason victories.

Top performance: Parker did the unthinkable and scored six – yes, six – goals in a 6-0 win at home against Mountain View early in the season. She had two more matches with four goals and another six with two goals.

What's next: Parker, the daughter of former UA and NFL star Glenn Parker, is signed to play for Oklahoma. She'll join her sister, Maddie, in the college ranks, as she plays at New Mexico. Also, Emily will have a familiar face to greet her in Norman: Ironwood Ridge grad Madison Kinzer is a junior defender for the Sooners.

Runner-up: Allison Raniere, Sahuaro. The star senior had a whopping 31 goals and 26 assists for the Cougars, who earned the No. 6 seed in the Division II state tournament. Raniere was a human highlight reel and had nine matches with multiple goals, including five outings with three or more scores.

Wrestler of the year 

Name: Danny Vega 

School: Ironwood Ridge 

Year in school: Junior 

Sport: Wrestling 

What he did: The 113-pound junior went 34-0 and repeated as a Division I state champion. Vega, who captured the 106-pound crown as a sophomore, pinned his way to the finals at the state meet and finished off his season by pinning Tucson High's Joseph Delorme in the third period of their title match for his 18th pin of the season. Vega has won 77 straight bouts, with all but three of victories coming by pin or tech fall in that stretch – the remainder were major decisions, wins by eight points of more. He was named most outstanding wrestler at the Las Cruces Invitational, the Las Vegas Holiday Classic and the Flowing Wells Invitational. 

Top performance: Vega pinned his first two opponents at the Flowing Wells Invitational and won by tech falls over the next three to win at one of the biggest at most prestigious meets of the season. He was also named the tournament's most outstanding wrestler over undefeated counterparts Roman Bravo-Young of Sunnyside and Travis Howard of Marana.

What's next: Vega will be back with the Nighthawks next winter, trying to win his third straight state championship. Before that, Vega can defend his triple crown this summer by winning the Greico-Roman and free style titles at the Junior and Cadet National Championships this summer. He was Arizona's first wrestler to accomplish the feat when he did it last year and kicked off his quest for a repeat last week by winning a folkstyle national championship in Iowa. Oklahoma State and Missouri have shown interest in Vega, I-Ridge coach Tim Berrier said, but he still remains undecided on where he'll wrestle after next year.

Runner-up: Roman Bravo-Young, Sunnyside. The 106-pound freshman turned in an unreal first season by going 43-0 and winning a Division I state championship. It was the first of likely four straight state titles for one of the nation's best wrestlers and a teammate of Vega's with the Tucson Cyclones.

Baseball player of the year 

Name: Max Smith 

School: Canyon del Oro 

Year in school: Senior 

Sport: Baseball 

What he did: Smith was the leadoff hitter for CDO’s explosive offense and also proved to be the team’s ace, going 8-1 on the mound. The right-hander and center fielder batted .380 with 35 hits, 32 runs and 33 RBIs. He led off a state quarterfinal game against Salpointe Catholic by hitting his final of seven home runs this spring and went on to double and finish the game with three RBIs as the Dorados held on for a 16-15 win. 

Top performance: A week after CDO outlasted Salpointe in that quarterfinal shootout, Smith produced a strong outing both at the plate and on the mound in a 3-1 win against Tucson High, putting the Dorados within reach of their first state championship appearance since 2009. Smith doubled twice, drove in the go-ahead run and held the Badgers scoreless through the first three frames on his way to earning the 4.1-inning win. Smith played center field when the Dorados faced Tucson again in the state final but still made an impact by scoring a run in CDO’s 3-1 victory to cap off a 32-2 season.

What’s next: Smith is signed to play for UNLV along with CDO teammate Nick Ames.

Runner-up: Zach Malis, Desert Christian. The senior four-year starter played a huge part in helping the Eagles win three straight state championships. Malis, who is signed with Grand Canyon University, was a two-way force who went 10-0 on the mound and had a .569 batting average. He racked up a state-high 62 hits, 64 RBIs and 22 doubles as Desert Christian went 31-1 and outscored opponents 430-58.

Softball player of the year 

Name: Shelby Kennedy 

School: Cienega 

Year in school: Senior 

Sport: Softball 

What she did: Kennedy was an error-free center fielder and the sparkplug for Cienega’s offense. The senior four-year starter and leadoff hitter batted .591 with a whopping 65 hits, including 12 doubles, three triples and one home run. The speedster held a .653 on-base percentage, scored 51 runs and had a knack for stolen bases, as she was successful on 35 of 37 attempts this spring, giving her the single-season program record.

Top performance: With Cienega facing Salpointe Catholic in the Division II state final this spring, Kennedy knew it was important to get her team off to a quick start. She did just that by leading off the bottom of the first with a walk, stealing second and third and then scoring the first run of the game on a botched attempt to throw her out. He scored the first of three runs that inning as the Bobcats went on to easily win 9-2, claiming their second state championship in program history.

What’s next: Kennedy is signed to play for Yale, where she plans on studying cognitive science or statistics.

Runner-up: Delfina Morales, Salpointe Catholic. She was the ace for a team that went 30-9 and reached its first state title game since 1999. Morales had a 2.35 ERA and struck out 162 batters in addition to batting .300 and driving in 28 runs. 

Boys tennis player of the year 

Name: Nate Rasmussen 

School: Catalina Foothills 

Year in school: Senior 

Sport: Boys tennis 

What he did: Rasmussen repeated as the Division II doubles champion and helped lead Foothills to its second straight team championship to cap off a perfect 18-0 season. The four-year player went 12-0 in singles play this spring and 18-0 in doubles action.

Top performance: A year removed from winning the a doubles championship with Quinn Garner, Rasmussen teamed up with fellow senior Dalton Reisig to repeat. The duo entered the state tournament as the top seed and didn’t lose a set in six matches on their way to beating the second-seeded pair from Cave Creek Cactus Shadows 6-3, 6-2. Rasmussen was also the first singles winner the following week in the team championship when he took down Salpointe Catholic’s Jack George 6-0, 6-1.

What’s next: Rasmussen is heading to Azusa Pacific University in California where he is planning on studying physical therapy. He is still unsure if he’s going to continue playing tennis competitively.

Runner-up: Mike Lee, Catalina Foothills. The junior reached the Division II singles state championship match for the second time in three years but fell just short of a second title. Lee notched a win against Salpointe Catholic defending champion Yash Parikh during the regular season but fell to Carlos Hassey of Surprise Shadow Ridge in the title match to finish the season 12-1.

Girls tennis player of the year 

Name: Caroline Amos 

School: Salpointe Catholic 

Year in school: Senior 

Sport: Girls tennis 

What she did: Amos bulldozed her way to a perfect season and her first-ever singles state championship. The star senior earned the No. 1 seed in the state tournament and took down the No. 8, 4 and 2 seeds on her way to the crown. Amos also helped Salpointe reach the second round of the Division II team tournament where she took down Ironwood Ridge’s Kelsey Brown 6-0, 6-1, for the lone win in the season-ending 5-1 loss.

Top performance: After cruising to a relatively easy win in the first set of the championship match, Amos had to fight off Phoenix Arcadia’s Sabrina Barkdull for a 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 win at Paseo Raqcuet Center in temperatures nearing 100 degrees. Amos said winning the title was a big accomplishment but admitted that the high stakes made it one of the most nerve-racking matches she’s ever played.

What’s next: Amos is headed to Yale to continue her tennis career but she is still undecided on what she wants to study.

Runner-up: Kirtana Bhat, Catalina Foothills. Her name will not be forgotten any time soon as she capped off her illustrious career by winning her fourth straight individual championship this spring. Bhat won back-to-back doubles championships with her sister in her first two seasons before winning the singles crown as a junior. Then, this spring, she teamed up with freshman Abby Watson to take down defending champions Kelsey Brown and Allie Knox from Ironwood Ridge.

Boys track athlete of the year 

Name: Carlos Villarreal 

School: Rio Rico 

Year in school: Senior 

Sport: Boys track and field 

What he did: Just as Villarreal did as a junior, he won both the boys Division III 800 and 1,600-meter runs and anchored his 3,200 relay team to a first place finish. But this time, he managed to do all that in an even more impressive way. The cross-country champion also displayed his distance potential when he won the 3,200 at the Scottsdale Distance Classic in 8:59.09, the fastest time in the state this spring.

Top performance: Without a doubt, Villarreal’s best showing came at the state championship meet when he won the 1,600 in a state-record 4 minutes 3.97 seconds for his first of three titles. That same evening he won the 800 in a speedy 1:54.23 and the next day he anchored Rio Rico’s 3,200 relay team to its second straight state crown in 8:03.05.

What’s next: Villarreal is signed to run cross-country and track for the Arizona Wildcats; he committed to the UA in the spring of 2014 as a junior.

Runner-up: Lawrence Wallace, Tucson. The Alabama-bound senior won the boys Division I long jump championship and anchored the Badgers to an unprecedented first-place finish in the 400 relay; he also had the second-fastest qualifying time in the 200 but didn’t race in the final because of an injured right hamstring. Tucson claimed the state runner-up trophy for its best finish since 1971, when the Badgers won their second of two straight 5A state crowns.

Girls track athlete of the year 

Name: Taylor McClelland  

School: Sahuarita  

Year in school: Senior 

Sport: Girls track and field 

What she did: Just one year removed from suffering a torn right hamstring, McClelland had a hand in winning three championships and helping Sahuarita to its best finish in program history at the Division III state championship meet. The Mustangs, coached by Joe Prince, had previously finished no higher than third at state but tied with Fountain Hills for the runner-up trophy.

Top performance: The speedy senior won the 400-meter dash in 56.43 seconds, which ended up being the second fastest time at the state meet among all four divisions. McClelland also anchored both the 400 and 1,600 relay teams to wins in 49.32 and 4:02.62, respectively. Two weeks before state, McClelland won the open 400 at the Southern Arizona Championships and anchored Sahuarita’s 400 relay team to a first-place finish.

What’s next: McClelland is hanging up both her track spikes and soccer cleats for good; she’s headed to Pima College in the fall and will transfer to the UA to study nursing.

Runner-up: Allie Schadler, Rio Rico. Just a sophomore, Schadler has already won multiple state championships in both cross county and track. She repeated as the 1,600 champion in 4:45.15 and won the 800 in 2:15.20 after finishing second in the event as a freshman. Schadler also helped anchor Rio Rico’s relay team to a second-place finish and finished the season with the No. 2 times in both of her individual events.  

Boys volleyball player of the year 

Name: Nick Ogden 

School: Rincon/University 

Year in school: Senior 

Sport: Boys volleyball 

What he did: Ogden, a 6-foot-4-inch outside hitter, helped Rincon become Southern Arizona’s top team as the Rangers went 34-5, won two local tournaments and lost just one regular-season games against a local team. Ogden led the Rangers with 430 kills, 194 digs and 33 aces; he also had 34 blocks. Rincon went a perfect 8-0 in sectional matches and finished the season ranked ninth in the division. The Rangers joined No. 10 Ironwood Ridge as the only other team to reach the second round of the state playoffs.

Top performance: The senior turned in one of his best performances when the stakes were the highest, in the opening round of the Division I state tournament. Ogden produced a match-high 22 kills and had nine digs as the host Rangers topped Gilbert Campo Verde 3-1 (25-21, 21-25, 25-15, 27-25) to extend a 17-match winning streak.

What’s next: Ogden will be studying business management at the University of Arizona in the fall and said he’s hoping to play on the school’s club volleyball team.

Runner-up: Damian Lumm, Tucson. The senior was a do-it-all player for the Badgers, the only local squad to earn a regular-season win against Rincon this season. Lumm had the second most kills in the state with 451 along with 222 digs, 57 assists, 46 aces and 15 blocks.

Click the photo below to check out more athletes of the year in our "High School Reunion" series. 

2014 girls volleyball player of the year 

Name: Jordan Weatherless 

School: Ironwood Ridge 

Year in school: Senior 

Sport: Girls volleyball 

What she did: The team captain helped the Nighthawks go 18-1 in regular-season matches and reach the state finals for just the second time in program history. Weatherless, a senior setter and three-year player, led the team with 788 assists, was second with 41 aces and third with 58 blocks. I-Ridge lost just one set against a team from Southern Arizona this season.

Top performance: With the Nighthawks in the state semifinals for the third straight season, Weatherless turned in a career performance against Scottsdale Notre Dame to send I-Ridge to its first championship match in 10 years. Weatherless had a team-high 35 assists to go along with nine digs, seven kills, four blocks and two aces as the Nighthawks beat Notre Dame in four sets to snap a seven-match losing streak in the semifinal round.

What’s next: Weatherless graduated from I-Ridge and heads to Illinois State University in early January to begin her college career. The Redbirds had a 23-match winning streak last season and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Runner-up: Aunesty Jantz, I-Ridge. The 5-foot-10-inch senior outside hitter and team captain was also a big reason for I-Ridge’s success with a team-high 393 kills. However, Jantz would not have been able to put up such big numbers without the strong play from Weatherless.

2014 defensive football player of the year 

Name: Derik Hall 

School: Sahuaro 

Year in school: Senior 

Sport: Football 

What he did: Hall was a playmaker to say the least — no matter what side of the ball he was on. The 6-foot-1-inch, 200-pound senior returned two interceptions for touchdowns, had three sacks and three tackles-for-a-loss and averaged 3.0 tackles per game. He also rushed for 1,270 yards along with 21 touchdowns.

Top performance: In a road game at archrival Sabino, Hall made a play that won’t be forgotten any time soon. He intercepted a pass and returned it 75 yards for a touchdown as Sahuaro went on to beat Sabino, 21-13, for the first time since 2003.

What’s next: Hall signed to play for NAU and is expected to be a linebacker.  

2014 offensive football player of the year 

Name: Francisco Dicochea 

School: Cienega 

Year in school: Senior 

Sport: Football 

What he did: Dicochea was a two-way force who never left the field. Not only did he rush for 1,582 yards and 21 touchdowns, he also played nearly every down on defense. The 6-foot, 195-pound senior helped Cienega come within one game of the state final and had a career day in the second round of the playoffs. 

Top performance: After helping his Bobcats out to an early lead, Dicochea had to dig in late to help lead Cienega to a dramatic 50-49 double-overtime win against Tempe Marcos de Niza in the Division II state quarterfinals. He rushed 39 times for 278 and six touchdowns and then came up with a blocked extra point in the second overtime that proved to be the difference.

What’s next: Dicochea signed with Pima College originally but was offered and accepted a spot as a preferred walk-on with the Arizona Wildcats.

2014 girls cross country runner of the year 

Name: Bridgette Doucet 

School: Canyon del Oro 

Year in school: Senior 

Sport: Girls cross country 

What she did: Two years removed from finishing as the girls Division II state runner-up, Doucet won the championship in 18 minutes 7 seconds, finishing 36 seconds ahead of anyone else. Making her season even more impressive is the fact that the CDO senior did not run cross country as a junior because of health reasons.

Top performance: Doucet ran a career-best 5K at the Desert Twilight Invitational when she placed third in 16:55.95. She was one of just three girls to run a sub-17 time.

What’s next: Doucet is signed to run cross country and track at Lipscomb University. She will also be one of the top athletes to watch on the track in the spring. She finished second in both the girls 1,600 and 3,200 meter runs last spring.

Runner-up: Allie Schadler, Rio Rico. The sophomore two-time champion was named the Star’s girls cross country runner of the year last season and had a strong case to earn the honor again this fall. However, Doucet had a faster time at the state meet by seven seconds and beat Schadler at both the Desert Twilight and Rattler invitationals.