10 Fort Lupton Press
LOCAL
May 19, 2022
SPORTS
Fort Lupton’s Chavez aims for college ball BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
AURORA – Fort Lupton’s senior catcher Zavian Chavez stood in the wind alongside his team’s dugout after a 12-6 loss at Aurora Central High School on May 11. He’s one of seven seniors – Isaac Rodriguez, Christian Lechleitner, Manny Sandoval, Romero Garcia, Dominic Chavez and Hunter Harris are the others – who will graduate later this month. “We were doing well. But then, I feel like we always lose at the end,” Chavez said. “We have a great team here. It’s been a great career here. Sometimes, the outcomes don’t come. I feel like how I play, I come out and ready to play every game.” Chavez hit two home runs and drove in 13 runs for FLHS this season while batting .452. He also had a perfect fielding percentage behind the plate. “I’ve learned to keep on going and not quit,” Chavez said. “If the other team is talking, just keep doing you. Play for the team. But if the other team is talking, you shut them up by showing them. I learned to stay calm, humble and keep going.” Chavez said that part of the game was hard to learn at first. “I just wanted to go out there and
Congratulations to the Graduating
Class of 2022
Fort Lupton’s Jesse Ceretto backs away from an inside pitch during an at-bat against Aurora Central High School May 11. ACHS ralPHOTO BY STEVE SMITH lied for a 12-6 win.
talk back. But at the same time, it was making me play worse,” Chavez said. “I was in my head talking the whole time. And now that I’m listening, it makes me want to play better. I’m more relaxed.” Given his position on the field, it’s easy to hear everything from everybody. “I’m behind the plate, so I hear pretty much everything from the fans and the players,” Chavez said. “Usually, I tell the players to let them
talk and you do you. You shut them up by playing well.” FLHS has had three baseball coaches in the last two seasons, including two since the first of this year. “It’s hard getting chemistry from the coaches, knowing how they coach,” he said. “Getting used to their program is the only hard thing about it. We have good coaches. We just haven’t shown it yet. The game is the same, no matter which coach it is. You play how they coach.”
Chavez has his eyes on college baseball. One such place that interests him is North Dakota at Bottineau. “I’m interested. I want to play college ball,” Chavez said. “The only thing that’s stopping me is I don’t know what to study. I’m scared about leaving Colorado. That seems kind of far. I’ve never been anywhere else. It’d be a new adventure. “And maybe I can go out there and play my hardest.”
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Football Joey O’Connor is the new football coach at Horizon High School. O’Connor had been the coach at Fort Lupton High School. Girls basketball Former Frederick High School girls basketball coach Brett Andersen is the new girls basketball coach at Fort Morgan High School.
College softball Fort Lupton native and former Brighton High School player Sarah Tiffany earned a spot on the second-team, all-Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association team this spring. She led Fort Hays (Kan.) State in batting (.352) and in slugging percentage (.483). She finished the season with 10 doubles, three home runs and 25 RBIs.
Umpires needed The city of Fort Lupton is looking for umpires for its youth baseball program. Training will be available Saturday, May 14, Games run from June 1 to July 15. The pay is $25 to $35 per game. Email Skeanaaina@fortluptonco. SEE BRIEFS, P11
Congratulations, CLASS OF 2022!
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