GONZALES — Three-sport athletes Ozzie Garcia and Ashley Ochoa were selected as the Gonzales High School Athletes of the Year.
The Male Athlete of the Year and Female Athlete of the Year are chosen for their performance on the playing fields, success in the classroom and commitment to their sports teams.
Garcia played three years of basketball, three seasons of football and four seasons of track and field, in addition to running one season for the Spartan cross country team.
Garcia maintained a solid 3.7 GPA as a three-sport athlete throughout his four years at Gonzales High. On the football field, he played receiver and defensive back in the 2019-20 season that finished with a 7-3 record.
Garcia played guard on the Spartan team that qualified for the playoffs in his junior year and was undefeated this season in the 400 on the track and field team.
Ochoa also carried a 3.7 GPA and was a member of the Gonzales cross country, soccer and track and field teams. She was a three-time midfielder for the Gonzales soccer team and helped lead the Spartans to a Central Coast Section playoff berth this year.
Ochoa was a three-time All-League runner and represented Gonzales High at multiple CCS championships as a runner. On the track, she did the 800, 1600, 3200 trifecta and ran a leg on the 4 x 400 relay team.
Ochoa is the school record holder in the mile and ranks in the top three in the 3,200.
CROSS COUNTRY AWARDS
The Gonzales cross country team had an awards presentation on the night of the track and field banquet at the high school cafeteria on July 1.
“The Spartan cross country team had a very short-lived season, but nothing short of hard work and dedication,” said Gonzales head cross country coach Margie Daniels. “I was honored to have presented them with their well-deserved awards.”
Receiving special team award winners were: Arturo Castro, Boys MVP; Ashley Ochoa, Girls MVP; Gyselle McFarland, Outstanding Runner; JJ Cervantes, Spartan Spirit; Matthew Santos, Captain’s Award; Ignacio Valdez, Most Inspirational; and Marcelo Landeros, Most Improved.
