2026 Kenny Taylor Spirit of Sport Award Winners

May 27
8 min read

Madera Coyotes

Fall Spirit of Sport

Alex Prim — Water polo

Sports: Water Polo, 3 years, Swimming, 4 years

GPA: 3.80

Awards: 4-time Scholar Athlete; 4.0 Award-Sophomore and Junior year; MVP for water polo-Freshman year; Water polo Champ Award.

Volunteer: My church as the church’s video man; Block M club for all 4 years of high school; FCA club for all 4 years; FCCLA club for all 4 years; Link Crew club for 1 year of high school.

Annaiya Franco — Tennis

Sports: Tennis, 4 years, Soccer, 4 years, Softball, 1 year

GPA: 4.39

Awards: Tennis — 2025 MVP Award; 2024 Coach’s Award; 2024 1st Team All-League; 2025 1st Team All-League; 2025 Grapevine Classic Singles, 1st place; 2025 Grapevine Classic Doubles, 3rd place; 2024 Grapevine Classic Singles, 3rd place; 2023 Grapevine Classic Doubles, 3rd place; 2025 League Tournament Singles, 2nd place; 2025 Area Tournament Singles Semi-Finalist. Softball — 2024 Most Improved .

Academic: 4-time 4.0 GPA award; 4-time Scholar Athlete award; 4-time Athletic award; 2024 Academic Decathlon Math 3rd place; 2025 Academic Decathlon Economics 3rd place; 2026 Academic Decathlon Interview 2nd place; California State Seal of Biliteracy; AP Scholar.

Volunteer Work: Started volunteering at 13. Gathered 100-plus cans around the neighborhood to donate to church; Leads toddler and baby section during service biweekly service; Volunteer work through MHS Clubs: Link Crew and Mexican-American Club; Summer programs for Tennis and Soccer for children.

Winter Spirit of Sport

Luke Ervin — Wrestling

Sports: Boys Varsity Wrestling, 4 years, Boys Golf, 1 year

GPA: 4.40

Awards: Wrestling — All League CMAC; Div 2 CIF Individual Champion; Coaches Award; Div 2 Team Duals Champion; CIF State Wrestling Championship qualifier.

Volunteer Work: 4 year volunteer M.U.L.E.S. wrestling referee; volunteer wrestling coach for John Adams Elementary; Madera City Park cleanup.

Willow Roberts — Soccer

Sports: Soccer, 4 years, Flag Football, 2 years

GPA: 3.29

Awards: Soccer — 2-time team MVP; Team Defensive Player of the Year; CMAC Defensive Player of the Year.

Volunteer Work: Referee/Facilitator for MYSL; Handing Food out to the homeless; Kids Clinic (Soccer and Flag Football); Coaches Clinic, MYSL.

Spring Spirit of Sport

Vincent Rodriguez — Boys Golf

Sport: Boys Golf, 4 years

GPA: 4.28

Awards: 4-time All League Golfer; CMAC Boys Golf League Champion; 4-time CIF Area Championship qualifier; MVP Boys Golf; Team Captain.

Volunteer Work: CARD Golf Camps; Jr. Golf Camps; FBLA.

Destinee Avila — Softball

Sports: Softball, 4 years varsity, Volleyball, 2 years varsity

GPA: 4.18

Awards: 7-time Scholar Athlete Awards; C.H.A.M.P Award; Defensive player of the year 2023; 2nd team all league for softball; 2 honorable mentions for softball; D2 Valley Champion Softball 2023; CMAC league champs 2025 and 2026 (softball); 4.0 award all 4 years; Student recognition 2023 and 2026; CSF life member.

Volunteer Work: ROP Sports Medicine; Block M- community service club; Link Crew; Trunk or Treat; Coyote Tree Lane; Eggxtravaganza; Freshman Orientation

Madera South Stallions

Fall Spirit of Sport

Belen Hernandez Martinez — Golf

Sports: Girls Golf, 3 years, Softball, 2 years

GPA: 4.2

Athletic Awards: NYL Champions in Golf, 3rd overall in the Qualifier; Eagle Award for Girls Golf.

Extracurricular activities and clubs: Public Safety Pathway for four years and competed in the Skills USA Criminal Justice at the State level. She was one of two students in Madera to qualify at the State level. AVID for 1 year.; Volunteers for wrestling events; Belen does tons of community work with her public safety pathway. All four years did graduation parking representing public safety.

Future plans: Belen is joining the Navy. Basic training is in Chicago, Illinois on the Great Lakes. She plans to become an FBI agent.

Winter Spirit of Sport

Hasani Heard — Basketball

Sports: Basketball, 3 years, Track, 2 years

GPA: 3.05

Athletic Awards: Long Jump School Record 22’1”; Tied the MSHS school record for 100m with an 11.14; 2nd All Time at MSHS in the 200m and the triple jump; MVP in 2025 for track; Most improved 2025 in Basketball; 2nd Team all League in Basketball.

Extracurricular activities and clubs: Involved in Basketball AAU in the off season. Volunteers to help run track meets for MULES and Nethertan Relays.

Future plans: Hasani plans to go to Fresno City College to be an Electrician and get certified in Electrical Systems Technology. He plans on doing Track and Field in college as well.

Crystalina Buitron — Basketball

Sports: Basketball, 3 years, Flag Football, 1 year

GPA: 3.1

Athletic Awards: Athlete of the month 2 times; 1st team All League two-times for Basketball; Glue Player Award 2024; All-Tribune, 2026.

Extracurricular activities and clubs: AAU Next Generation for 3 years; Volunteer to help with running AAU tournaments, MULES flag football and basketball referee.

Future plans: Crystalina will attend Merced College and continue to play basketball. Crystalina would like to pursue a career involving CSI.

Spring Spirit of Sport

Jonathan Brown — Swimming

Sports: Water Polo, 4 years; Swimming, 2 years; Esports, 2 years

GPA: 4.39

Athletic Awards: Broke school record 50 Free 23.78; Scholastic Athlete Award 4 years; 1st Team All League for Water Polo; Athlete of the Month, 7 times. School Record, 100 Freestyle, 52.49.

Extracurricular activities and clubs: CSF member, FFA Small Engines team 2 years, VP of the Fishing Club.

Volunteer and outside of school involvement: Works at McDonalds, Community Service with Holy Family Table through St. Joachims Church.

Future plans: Attend San Diego State University to major in Business Administration with an emphasis in Information Systems. Intramural sports with swim.

Daniel Martinez — Tennis

Sports: Tennis, 4 years

GPA: 3.5

Athletic Awards: 2nd in the NYL singles 2026; NYL Team League Champion 2026; Grapevine Tournament Champion; CIF North Area Qualifier; D5 CIF Central Section Boys Tennis Champion, 2026.

Extracurricular activities and clubs: Photography business (Dani.flickz). Helps with the CARD tennis camps.

Future plans: Daniel plans to attend Fresno City and play tennis for FCC. He is undecided of his major and career choice.

Alexandra Pablo-Legaria — Track

Sports: Soccer, 4 years, Track, 2 years, Cross Country, 2 years

GPA: 4.08

Athletic Awards: 1st Team All League Soccer; 4-time 800 Masters Qualifier; XC- Coaches Award; Helped team win 2 Soccer Tournaments (Corcoran and McLane) in 2026.

Extracurricular activities and clubs: Member of the school club- Catholic Youth United Club

Volunteer and outside of school involvement: MULES volunteer for soccer and for Cross Country and Track and Field, Soccer Team — Madera Fair to help park cars.

Future plans: Attend Clovis Community to study Kinesiology to become a Physical Therapist. She will also play soccer and, potentially, run for the XC and track team at Clovis Community.

Matilda Torres Toros

Fall Spirit of Sport

Crystal Giron — Tennis

Sports: Tennis, 4 years, Softball, 3 years

Grade: 12th

GPA: 4.43

Athletic Awards: Tennis 3-time 1st team all-league; Tennis 2nd team all-league; NYL Team League Champion; Doubles Champion NYL and CMAC 2 back to back years; Softball Section Champion.

Extracurricular activities and clubs: Assisted students at Tennis Camp.

Volunteer and outside of school involvement: 90 hours of community service for St. Joachim, which included festivals, events and serving for those in need.

Future plans: She plans on attending UC Davis next year to major in Human Biology to become a pediatrician.

Benjamin Fernandez — Cross Country

Sports: Track, 4 years, Cross Country, 4 years

GPA: 3.72

Athletic Awards: He is a 4-time Section champion in cross country and a two-time individual Section champion. Benjamin and his team have qualified for state 4 times, and placed 6th, 5th, 3rd and 3rd. He placed 6th twice as an individual at state. He also holds the 2nd fastest time in Madera history running 14:59 at Woodward Park and is part of the No. 1 fastest team All-Time in the Central Section. Benjamin and his team are 4-time league champions and he is a 3-time individual league champion. He broke the CMAC league record for the 3,200 meters and is currently 2nd in the valley. Also, at the CMAC championship, he was the 1,600 meter champion. In track the 4-time 1,600 meter team is currently ranked 1st in the valley, 3rd in CA and 5th in the U.S.

Extracurricular activities and clubs: He helps out with Project Run Madera the past 4 years.

Future plans: Benjamin plans on attending Utah State University to continue his academic and athletic career on an athletic scholarship.

Winter Spirit of Sport

J’lynn Mitchell — Basketball

Sports: Basketball, 4 years, Softball, 4 years, Volleyball, 4 years, Flag Football, 2 years

GPA: 3.98

Athletic Awards: Volleyball — 2-time 2nd team all league. Basketball — 2-time 2nd team all league and 1st team all league, SJVOA Athlete of the year Scholarship; recorded 1,000 points and rebounds, 2026 Section Champion in Basketball. City County All Star Section Champion MVP Basketball; 14 time Scholar athlete. Softball — 1st team all league

Extracurricular activities and clubs: FCA member.

Volunteer and outside of school involvement: Assisted with Little Hoopsters, Hoop Shoot Tournament and helped at other tournaments on campus.

Future plans: Plans on attending College of Sequoias to continue her education and athletic career.

Angelo Adame — Wrestling

Sports: Football, 3 years, Wrestling, 4 years, Track, 4 years, Golf, 2 years

GPA: 4.00

Athletic Awards: Wrestling — 4 League Champions; 4 individuals section championships; and 2 team Section championships, 2 time state qualifier. 14-time Scholar athlete, CMAC/NYL CIF Scholar Athlete Award recipient, FCA Athlete of the year, Holds the school record for 5 Touchdowns and 324 yards in one game, CMAC 2 Wrestler of the year,

Extracurricular activities and clubs: He has worked Football and wrestling camps with the youth for the past 4 years. He has also been an active member of FCA for 4 years.

Volunteer and outside of school involvement: He also volunteered with the Catholic youth group.

Future plans: He plans to attend Fresno City college next year to continue his education and athletic career.

Nevaeh Chavez — Softball

Sports: Basketball, 4 years, Softball, 4 years, Flag Football, 2 years

GPA:3.50

Athletic Awards: Basketball 1st All League, 3-time All Madera Tribune, 2-time Section Champion Basketball and Softball, School record most passing yards in a season flag football, 9-time scholar athlete

Extracurricular activities and clubs: 4 years Madera Elks.

Volunteer and outside of school involvement: Assisted with Hittle Hoopsters, softball camps and hoop shoot tournaments.

Future plans: She will plan on attending Kansas Wesleyan University to play flag football.

Alfonso Del Toro — Track

Sports: Track, 4 years, Cross Country, 4 years

GPA: 3.59

Athletic Awards: Cross Country — 4 time XC team Section Champion, 4 time state qualifier (6th, 5th, 3rd and 3rd), Placed 2nd at the Valley Championship as an individual, Track and field — 2nd at Valley for the 4-time 1,600 meter, Ranked 1st for the 3,200 meter, 4-time 1,600 ranked 1st in the Section, 3rd in CA and 5th in the U.S. He also holds the school records in the 1,600 meter, 800 and the 3,200 meter.

Extracurricular activities and clubs: XC car wash fundraiser and assisted with Mules track.

Volunteer and outside of school involvement: Harvest festival fundraiser for church, Walk of life.

Future plans: He plans on attending the University of Portland to continue his academic and athletic career on an athletic scholarship.