Post by Bulldog11 on Oct 26, 2011 9:27:01 GMT -7
Montoya a class act
by Manuel Lucero/Richard Tripp
How do you cope with being a legacy of athletes, in a town that is known as “Title Town”? How do you cope with expectations from your coaches and family that could seem to be unrealistically high? Well, Zeke Montoya handles it with pride, work ethic and class. Montoya, a junior runningback for the perennial power house Artesia Bulldogs football team, has had to face the pressure of playing high level football at a new position and has handled it with grace. Montoya, who has played quarterback for the ‘Dogs since seventh-grade, was converted to runningback for the 2011 season because that is where the program needed him most as is a practice that is commonly done by legendary coach Cooper Henderson. In his first seven games Montoya carried the ball 128 times for a total of 782 yards for an average of 6.1 yards per carry. When you consider the level of competition Artesia faces week in and week out, those are some pretty amazing stats. Montoya can also catch the ball, as he has 11 receptions for 201 yards, which is an average of 18.3 yards, all this with a total of 11 touchdowns for the season. .
With highly touted runningbacks across the state like Valencia’s Noah Brown (1,199 yards) Deming’s Anthony Ramirez (819 yards) and Aztec’s Michael Perry (800 yards), Montoya hasn’t quite gotten the respect or notoriety that you would think with a runningback with those kinds of stats. With the likelihood that Montoya may go back to his original position of quarterback next year there is a chance he won’t go down as one of this state’s great runningbacks but he will certainly make his mark as one of this state’s bests athletes on the gridiron. .
Back to the Legacy, well in most recent years many around the state will remember Zeke’s brother Derek, who caused havoc on playing fields, gyms and tracks in his high school career, in Deming and Artesia, where he has titles in football, basketball and track. Montoya’s father, Ike, is the head basketball coach in Artesia and is a former “Greatest Ram ” award winner at Portales High School, an award given to the top Athlete each year, Ike has state titles in football and basketball both as a player and as a coach. His mother Kristie was also a very successful athlete, who played Tennis and Volleyball for St. Pius in the mid 80’s. His godparents, Benny and April Ortiz, played collegiate basketball at New Mexico Highlands University, a place where April was named an All-American for the Cowgirls. .
lastly, I can’t finish this story without naming Zeke’s grandfather, legendary coach Ray Giannini, many of you remember him as a longtime educator and coach at St. Pius High School, with a storied career, compiling a record of 147-52-2, Giannini led the Sartans to a 3A state title in 1973, capping a 12-0 season defeating the St, Michaels Horsemen 27-16. Ray’s younger brother Rick (Zeke’s great uncle) was the quarterback for Pius..
Zeke has all the attributes and guidance to be one of this state’s premier athletes, and with continued work ethic, pride and class his is on the right track. Not bad for a quarterback converted to runningback, imagine next year when the ball is in his hands on every snap. .
There is no doubt that Montoya is quickly becoming known around the state because of his ability both on the field and on the court as he is one of the Bulldogs scoring machines on his dads team. Zeke a three year starter for the Dogs averaged double figures in his freshmen and sophomore years. “He has matured into a great leader,” said Coach Ike Montoya, Zeke’s head basketball coach and father; “he is now seeing the dividends of the weight room and work ethic”. Zeke doesn’t worry too much about the comparisons to his family mainly his brother, although their styles and personalities are true contrasts, Zeke Montoya will certainly make a name for himself.
by Manuel Lucero/Richard Tripp
How do you cope with being a legacy of athletes, in a town that is known as “Title Town”? How do you cope with expectations from your coaches and family that could seem to be unrealistically high? Well, Zeke Montoya handles it with pride, work ethic and class. Montoya, a junior runningback for the perennial power house Artesia Bulldogs football team, has had to face the pressure of playing high level football at a new position and has handled it with grace. Montoya, who has played quarterback for the ‘Dogs since seventh-grade, was converted to runningback for the 2011 season because that is where the program needed him most as is a practice that is commonly done by legendary coach Cooper Henderson. In his first seven games Montoya carried the ball 128 times for a total of 782 yards for an average of 6.1 yards per carry. When you consider the level of competition Artesia faces week in and week out, those are some pretty amazing stats. Montoya can also catch the ball, as he has 11 receptions for 201 yards, which is an average of 18.3 yards, all this with a total of 11 touchdowns for the season. .
With highly touted runningbacks across the state like Valencia’s Noah Brown (1,199 yards) Deming’s Anthony Ramirez (819 yards) and Aztec’s Michael Perry (800 yards), Montoya hasn’t quite gotten the respect or notoriety that you would think with a runningback with those kinds of stats. With the likelihood that Montoya may go back to his original position of quarterback next year there is a chance he won’t go down as one of this state’s great runningbacks but he will certainly make his mark as one of this state’s bests athletes on the gridiron. .
Back to the Legacy, well in most recent years many around the state will remember Zeke’s brother Derek, who caused havoc on playing fields, gyms and tracks in his high school career, in Deming and Artesia, where he has titles in football, basketball and track. Montoya’s father, Ike, is the head basketball coach in Artesia and is a former “Greatest Ram ” award winner at Portales High School, an award given to the top Athlete each year, Ike has state titles in football and basketball both as a player and as a coach. His mother Kristie was also a very successful athlete, who played Tennis and Volleyball for St. Pius in the mid 80’s. His godparents, Benny and April Ortiz, played collegiate basketball at New Mexico Highlands University, a place where April was named an All-American for the Cowgirls. .
lastly, I can’t finish this story without naming Zeke’s grandfather, legendary coach Ray Giannini, many of you remember him as a longtime educator and coach at St. Pius High School, with a storied career, compiling a record of 147-52-2, Giannini led the Sartans to a 3A state title in 1973, capping a 12-0 season defeating the St, Michaels Horsemen 27-16. Ray’s younger brother Rick (Zeke’s great uncle) was the quarterback for Pius..
Zeke has all the attributes and guidance to be one of this state’s premier athletes, and with continued work ethic, pride and class his is on the right track. Not bad for a quarterback converted to runningback, imagine next year when the ball is in his hands on every snap. .
There is no doubt that Montoya is quickly becoming known around the state because of his ability both on the field and on the court as he is one of the Bulldogs scoring machines on his dads team. Zeke a three year starter for the Dogs averaged double figures in his freshmen and sophomore years. “He has matured into a great leader,” said Coach Ike Montoya, Zeke’s head basketball coach and father; “he is now seeing the dividends of the weight room and work ethic”. Zeke doesn’t worry too much about the comparisons to his family mainly his brother, although their styles and personalities are true contrasts, Zeke Montoya will certainly make a name for himself.
