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3Four Corners SPORTSMAY 2016
content| 4 | Luke Mehall
luke Mehall, 37, reaches with his left
hand to take hold of his right bicep just
below the sleeve of his sun-faded T-shirt.
| 8 | Get on theGreen
The San Juan County area has many stun-
ning — and widly affordable — golf
courses that boast magnificent vistas
and a selection of mountain, desert or
links layout.
| 16 | Beer + Yogabeer and yoga — it’s a trend that is rock-
ing the nation, including Farmington.
| 28 | Basin ChampsIn the basketball crazy town of Kirtland, a
special season evolved for a group of 7th
and 8th grade boys at Kirtland Middle
School.
| 24 | Never too oldDrop by Civitan Golf Course any given
weekday around 9:45 in the morning and
there’s a chance that you’ll see 93-year-
old Don Ice drive into the parking lot and
get ready to tee up for 18 holes.
| 20 | Knothole DayDodger executive branch Rickey is known
as the man who brought Jackie Robinson
to the majors.| 30 | NASCAR Nellie
| 12 | Gargantuan UndertakingWhenever you mention the gargantuan un-
dertaking of running the Hardrock 100-
mile course, a 100-mile circuit that boasts
over 34,000 feet of ascent beginning in Sil-
verton, Colorado, reaching almost to lake
City, wrapping its way over 14’ner Handles
Peak to Ouray.
| 33 | Catching up with the county
| 26 | Editorial Columnistby Rick Hoerner
| 22 | The First Teeby Tom Yost
Don Vaughan
PublISHER
Cindy Cowan Thiele
EDITOR
Rick Hoerner
Dorothy Nobis
Tom Yost
CONTRIbuTING WRITERS
Josh bishop
Curtis Ray benally
CONTRIbuTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Suzanne Thurman
DESIGNER
Clint Alexander
Tonya Daniell
SAlES STAFF
lacey Waite
ADMINISTRATION
For advertising information
Call 505.516.1230
www.fourcornerssports.com
Four Corners Sports magazine is published six times ayear by Majestic Media. Material herein may not bereprinted without expressed written consent of the pub-lisher. Opinions expressed by the contributing writersare not necessarily those of the publisher, editor or FourCorners Sports magazine. Every effort has been madeto ensure the accuracy of this publication. However thepublisher cannot assume responsibility for errors oromissions. © 2016 Four Corners Sports magazine.
Majestic Media
100 W. Apache Street
Farmington, NM 87401
505.516.1230
www.majesticmediausa.com
STORY IDEAS and PHOTOSPlease send to
4 Four Corners SPoRTS MAY 2016
Ben BrashearStory and photos
Luke Mehall, 37, reaches with his left hand
to take hold of his right bicep just below the
sleeve of his sun-faded T-shirt. Residual climb-
ing chalk stains his knuckles. He sort of hugs
himself as he settles against the small dining
booth at his place of work, Zia Taqueria, and
into the conversation about the debut of his
latest book and memoir, “American Climber.”
"Look at the way people are pushing the
sport to its extreme, you don't have to stick
around that long to become old school just by
the simple fact that you stay alive," he says as
he recalls one of his personal heroes, Dean
Potter among several others. Mehall is an old
timer; he's made it through 17 years of climb-
ing. He says simply, "it's because I'm just an
average climber."
"Every climber that has followed the path I
have has done what I have done," he says.
"They've gone to Yosemite, Potrero, the Creek,
J-Tree; everyone has done it. There is nothing
interesting about it. What makes it fantastic if
it's average?" he questions as he conveys the
narrative arc of his memoir as it follows his
salvation from depression by way of finding
climbing and discovering that the desert is
something sacred to him. “It’s the metaphor,
the meaning you give to your life,” Mehall
says.
He gestures with his arms spread wide as
though to encompass the taqueria in its en-
tirety. He's living his dream. He has become
what he calls a “workbag.” “You're still a dirt-
bag, you live simply and play a lot but you
work a lot too, you know,” he laughs.
He works in the service industry for the
freedom it affords him. And for the relaxed
schedule that has allowed him to publish and
operate as senior editor at the Climbing Zine
and to pen his first two books, Climbing out of
Bed and The Great American Dirtbags. And of
course it affords him the ability to climb at
the Creek or any of the top places in the coun-
try at a moment’s notice. He swears right now
though, the Colorado Plateau is the best
climbing in the nation.
The smell of handmade tortilla chips and
tacos fill the air bringing his focus back to his
current book. He rattles off a litany of difficul-
ties he has encountered trying to get it off the
ground. It's been a battle worth the wounds,
Luke Mehall: Getting to know
the American climber
5Four Corners SpoRTSMAY 2016
since he hopes to inspire and transform the
climbing culture from within – to become a
writer of this generation whose words might
fill the ever-present void left by the likes of Ed-
ward Abbey, Bob Dylan, Jon Krakauer, and John
Long.
“I want to shape the culture. I feel this obli-
gation to say ‘you have this now but it was this
before.’ Climbing is not just this thing that you
do, it is this more comprehensive thing that
the younger climbers have to learn about first
because they don't see it or live it the way we
did when we first started,” Mehall says.
His blue/green eyes, like the desert after a
rainstorm, don’t flinch as he delves into the
memories of his struggles to get where he his
is now, to achieve all that he has up to this
point in his climbing and writing career. He re-
calls his desperate 20-year-old self. His
thoughts flow rapidly, a stream of conscious-
ness that reflects the lyric styling of Kerouac.
He pauses between bites of his taco, “I was de-
pressed and on a substance at all times,
you know,” he says. “I
was on Ritalin for A.D.D
and I was smoking a
ton of pot, chain smok-
ing cigarettes and drink-
ing soda and alcohol and
doing LSD and other psy-
chedelic drugs which is all
fine in moderation but I
was doing them all of the
time.”
Twice a college drop-out
with habits that literally had
him sitting in the dark of his
parent's basement in Bloom-
ington-Normal, Illinois, Mehall
had reached his limits and
knew that if he did not leave,
did not abandon that world, he
would soon be dead or in jail. He
left notes with friends and a note
for his parents letting them know
he was leaving. He got into his car
with little direction other than
tracking down a “hippie girl” he
once knew and escaping the de-
pression and rage that was welling
up within him. For a month or longer,
he was suicidal. He would drive
through the night until falling asleep
at the wheel not caring whether he lived or
died. Without Instagram, Facebook, or a cell-
phone, Mehall says, it was a month before any-
one knew where he was.
His memoir has
been ten years in the making. He argues
it's not meant to be a downer but something
that might give others hope as they go through
similar trials. "I didn't want to start in those
dark places, the book is meant to inspire peo-
ple and starts at a high point in my life in
Yosemite with my climbing partner Dave
Ahrens of Ridgeway, Colo. at the top of the
Salathe Wall and ends on a high in Indian
Creek," Mehall says.
Living in his truck at rest-stops and the
campgrounds of Arizona, Utah, and Colorado,
he got back in touch with his parents and de-
cided to enroll at Western State. He had found
his new home in Gunnison, Colo. where the
rock formations and the mountains would
begin to transform his character, to shape who
he was becoming. It was climbing that pulled
him from his depression, replacing his need
for psychedelics, cigarettes and Ritalin. It ful-
filled that need for a "substance high" while
giving him purpose and a close-knit group of
colorful friends like Two Tent Timmy.
6 Four Corners SPORtS MAY 2016
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He pushes his lunch tray aside and folds his hands on the table. “I
tried to write my memoir before I had enough experience to write a
memoir, I couldn't have written it if I didn't have some crazy things hap-
pen in my life," He says. "I was trying to write an On the Road Kerouac
kinda thing. I probably had six or seven starts and I would get 15,000
words into it and then it would just fall apart."
Much like climbing though, as it is in writing, it’s persistence that pays
off. One week a climb will feel impossibly hard Mehall says as his hands
grip onto imaginary holds, and then the next time you try it the hands line
up just right and that crux move, well, it's easy. “In Climbing you can fail so
many times, but there is this redemptive quality to it. A climb that you've
been working for years, that was maybe too hard, or you were over grip-
ping or whatever, and then you go back and send it and it's easy. It's the
same in writing and now I finally have this book,” he says.
He tried to publish his memoir through traditional publishing houses,
though and it became a struggle it was like he was battling a 5.13 R and
taking some nasty 30-foot whippers. As he did in the past with his previ-
ous books he took it upon himself to publish his memoir through his
own Benighted Publications. Mehall jokingly laments the negative con-
notations of “self-publishing” a work.
"I was hoping to have the book picked up by a traditional publisher
but I quickly got jaded on that. I had one editor tell me to not publish it,
that it was not a good idea, but to just chop it up into short stories and
submit them to magazines," he says. “I basically told them ‘no’ in the
nicest possible way that I could. Someday I'd love to have a book pub-
lished by a traditional publisher, though.”
* Mehall 34
8 Four Corners SPORTS MAY 2016
The San Juan County area has many stun-
ning,and widly affordable, golf courses that
boast magnificent vistas and a selection of
mountain, desert or links layouts. Below is a
run-down of price changes this year.
RIVERVIEW GOLF COURSE505.598.0140
www.riverviewgolfnm.com
Nearly 60 years ago El Paso Natural Gas
Company constructed a modest nine-hole
golf course for their employees and guests to
play in Kirtland, New Mexico. The course, de-
signed in a parkland style on mostly flat ter-
rain with tree-lined fairways, soon became a
catalyst for growing the game of golf in the
Four Corners region.
In the 1990s El Paso Natural Gas Company
donated the course to San Juan College.
Shortly after taking over management, the
college decided to add another nine holes.
Noted architect Baxter Span wasted little
time in designing and building a links style
course to take advantage of the natural ter-
rain and elevation changes as well as the
beautiful vistas of Shiprock and the sur-
rounding area.
In addition, a double-ended driving range
with over 100 hitting stations was added, along
with an upgrade to the irrigation system on
the original nine. Riverview Golf Course was
complete and could now boast to be an 18-hole
championship golf course with one of the best
practice facilities in the Southwest.
Thanks to the efforts of San Juan County,
who took over ownership of the course in
early 2010, golfers of all ages are enjoying
playing conditions that are vastly improved
and in line with top level public facilities.
And players are able to test every aspect of
their game on a course where one side re-
quires a ground game or bump and roll ap-
proach to the greens, while the other side
challenges golfers with risk or reward
through an aerial pursuit.
With all 18 holes over-seeded in bentgrass,
the putting surfaces rank among the best in
the area.
Riverview hosts over 30 tournaments an-
nually and offers many bargain rates that
Spring golf course overview
Get on the GreenPinon Hills Golf Course
9Four Corners SPORTSMAY 2016
run as low as $25 for 18 holes and a shared
golf cart. Since rates are based on both time
of day and day of week, players are encour-
aged to call for the current fee schedule.
The Riverview Grille is a perfect comple-
ment to the practice and playing facilities
with a full service restaurant offering break-
fast and lunch items before during and after
your round.
Riverview also hosts the Four Corners only
Foot Golf course combining the wonderful
sports of soccer and golf for an entertaining
family oriented outing.
Riverview looks forward to kicking off the
golf season with their annual Cinco de
Scramble golf tournament on Saturday, April
30.
PINON HILLS GOLF COURSE /
CIVITAN GOLF COURSE(505) 326-6066 (Piñon Hills) / 505.599.1194
(Civitan)505.326.6066
www.pinonhillsgolf.com
Piñon Hills is a par 72 18-hole champi-
onship golf course. It is set in the high desert
terrain of Farmington, New Mexico, and
winds through sandstone rock and native
piñon and juniper trees. It measures about
7,200 yards from the tips, and is noted for its
tiered greens and elevation changes. It is
consistently rated as one of the top munici-
pal courses in the country, as well as a top
course in New Mexico.
Junior golf will be big this year at Piñon
Hills. Programs include PGA Junior League
and The First Tee. The First Tee programs will
take place in June and July. These programs
are great for experienced junior golfers as
well as kids who have never picked up a golf
club. Adult instruction is also available on an
individual basis or in a group setting, with
two PGA instructors on staff.
Piñon Hills is working hard to make the
Piñon Hills Classic a great event this year.
The Classic is an amateur stroke play event
that is open to anyone with an active USGA
handicap. The dates for the tournament are
July 23 and 24. The various golf associations
(men and women) have many exciting tour-
naments that are also open to anyone with
an active handicap.
The rate structure at Piñon Hills varies de-
pending on the time of year. During peak sea-
son, a San Juan County resident can play 18
holes with a cart for $43 on weekdays and
$47 on weekends. There is also a twilight
rate starting at noon every day for $35. This
rate is good for either 9 or 18 holes and a
cart.
Civitan Golf Cource
Civitan Golf Course is also operated by the
city of Farmington and offers a 9-hole par 3
course that is great for junior golfers and
adults alike. If you are strapped for time and
need to play a quick round, or just want to
practice your short game, then Civitan is the
place for you.
AZTEC MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE(505) 334-3248
www.aztecmunicipalgolfcourse.com
Aztec Municipal Golf Course, opened in
1950 with a nine-hole layout designed by Jim
Casey. It was expanded to 18 holes in 2001,
then rebranded (formerly Hidden Valley Golf
Club) in 2015 when the city of Aztec took over
operations and management.
The three-tee course is 5,852 yards from
the tips. It has a traditional style with paral-
lel bentgrass fairways, push-up greens, penal
shot values, numerous elevation changes and
towering cottonwood trees that significantly
enhance the rolling desert skyline. It’s also a
pure-golf experience – there is no housing
anywhere on the course.
Golfers this season can look forward to an
upgraded golf experience, including a brand
new fleet of gas-powered carts, refreshed
clubhouse, PGA instruction, rental clubs, and
an enhanced tee-to-green maintenance pro-
gram. The clubhouse grille features the deli-
cious fare of longtime favored Aztec
Conquistador Golf Course
10 Four Corners SPoRTS APRIL 2016
restaurateur Ruby’s, outdoor patio, free Wi-
Fi, Pay Per View events, and a state licensed
bar that serves craft beer, wine and cock-
tails. The entire venue is available for corpo-
rate events, charity tournaments, team
building, groups, parties and special events,
and is a program location for The First Tee of
San Juan County, NM.
Rates are as follows:
• Daily Greens Fee, including cart: $30 for
18 holes; $15 for 9 holes
• 10-Round Coupon Book (18 holes in-
cludes cart; no expiration date; fully transfer-
able): $250
• Adult Membership (age 19-54; 12-month
validation): $500
• Senior Membership (age 55 and older;
12-month validation): $400
• Government/School Employee Member-
ship (12-month validation): $250
• Corporate Membership (12-month vali-
dation): $1,250
Aztec Municipal Golf Course is a worth-
while experience. It’s a family environment
with easy tee time access, excellent mainte-
nance and course conditioning that offers Piñon Hills Golf Course
11Four Corners SPORTSMAY 2016
PHILIPS GOSAFE GOES EVERYWHERE YOU DO!
No Doctor’s Order Required
In-Home Care Services at A?ordable Rates
San Juan County’s Best Choice for Home Care
Philips Lifeline Medical Alert System
People are our greatest resource
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111 N. Behrend • Farmington, NM 87401 • �������������������� ��������
505-325-9600#OneCall Connects
LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED • BACKGROUND CHECKS • CONTINUING EDUCATION • BONDED • INSURED
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consistent challenge to all levels of golfers.
The 6,000-yard layout can be played 25 per-
cent to 50 percent faster than a standard
7,000-yard course.
The entire golf industry is fixed on efforts
to bring back, retain and attract golfers.
Only a few ideas seem to be working. One
method is to dramatically shorten a 7,000-
yard track, which makes it much more fun
for kids, beginners, couples and time-sensi-
tive players. Aztec fits that bill.
CONQUISTADOR GOLF COURSE (Cortez, Colorado)
970.565.9208
www.fourcornersgolf.com
Conquistador is an 18-hole par 72 champi-
onship golf course in Cortez, Colorado. It
boasts a challenge with rolling hills, large
trees, water that comes into play on eight
holes, small undulating greens and pristine
panoramic views of the La Plata Mountains,
Mesa Verde and the Ute Mountain.
Conquistador’s friendly professional staff,
affordable rates, beautiful panoramic views,
and well-maintained championship golf
course is a destination you do not want to
miss.
The golf rates are:
Monday through Thursday: $19 for 9 holes
and $28 for 18 holes.
Weekend and holiday rates are $22 for 9
holes and $34 for 18 holes.
They offer 25 percent off green fees
March 1 through April 15 and October 15
through November 1.
Conquistador offers many events on the
calendar each year. The two major events
are the Firecracker Classic and the Pinto
Bean Classic. The Firecracker is a team
event that is held in July and even offers a
professional division. The Pinto Bean is an
individual stroke play event that is always
played each year on the third weekend in Au-
gust. These two popular events attract
golfers from all over the country.
Conquistador is extremely excited about
the continuing changes on the course for
2016. The bunkers have been reshaped and a
few extra have been added to challenge all
players. They are also adding new forward
tees to each hole and a new championship
tee on the ninth hole stretching the par 4
hole from 390 yards to 440 yards. The greens
are very challenging, and with the purchase
of a new greens roller the speed of the
greens will be kept consistent from 9.5 to
10.5 on the stimpmeter.
12 Four Corners SPOrTS MAY 2016
Ben BrashearStory and photos
Whenever you mention the gargantuan un-
dertaking of running the Hardrock 100-mile
course, a 100-mile circuit that boasts over
34,000 feet of ascent beginning in Silverton, Col-
orado, reaching almost to Lake City, wrapping
its way over 14’ner Handies Peak to Ouray and
then ascending to Telluride and going beyond
the glacial blue water of Ice Lakes finally mak-
ing its way back into Silverton, most people
stand in awe of such a feat. The look in most
people’s eyes is a look that seems to say any-
one attempting the course must possess some
mythical strength, some supernatural en-
durance or must be, at the very least, insane”.
gargantuanundertaking
Athletes complete the first crossing of the Winter Hardrock 100
13Four Corners SPORTSMAY 2016
What then can be said of a winter at-
tempt at the Hardrock on skis? If you’ve
ever had the opportunity to meet interna-
tionally accomplished runners Jason
Schlarb, Paul Hamilton, ski mountaineer-
ing competitor Scott Simmons or camera-
man Noah Howell in person, their humility,
humor, and stoicism is unassuming. If you
have met them in the mountains – well,
you might be more inclined to believe that
their strength is something worthy of myth
and tall tales. Yet, their successful comple-
tion of the Hardrock on skinny “skimo”
gear in four days served more to reveal
their humanity.
“We didn’t do it for a fast time, we just
did it for the adventure,” Schalrb said.
Their exploits can be seen in Howell’s
upcoming documentary film, Skiing the
Hardrock 100.
It is 45 minutes past 6 a.m. and the start
of the first of four days. Schlarb, Hamilton,
Simmons and Howell negotiate a rotten
and unsupportable snowpack through the
thick timber near Blair Gulch, only miles
from Silverton. They are struggling to fol-
low the summer Hardrock trail and near
impossible conditions have forced them to
descend to the valley floor to parallel the
Animas River until they can safely ascend
Arrastra Creek toward Little Giant Peak.
“We got cliffed-out and it was either
climb up the rotten snowpack or cross the
river at that point,” Simmons said. “We de-
cided to cross the river and Howell, in-
stead of shouldering his skis, tried to
throw them across. One ski didn’t make it
and it bounced back into the river and
Howell went splashing in after it. After that
we all decided we’d get wet and cross the
river there. Our feet were wet and that’s
when we knew that we were in for an ad-
venture,” Simmons laughed.
Only miles into the day the men realized
that they were several hours off of their in-
tended pace. The first day was shaping up
to finish by headlamp into camp Sherman,
going from a 9-hour day to a 15-hour slog
through the mountains.
Schlarb and Simmons both put in count-
less hours of reconnaissance months be-
fore the trip. They skied and scouted
nearly every line of contention. They knew
“We didn’t do it for a fast time,
we just did it for the adventure..”
— Jason Schlarb
14 Four Corners SporTS MAY 2016
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how demanding the San Juans were, but that
difficulty only seemed to dawn on the group
after meeting several setbacks. “There were a
few spots, though, that we didn’t have the time
to check out, and that’s where the unknown –
the adventure – comes in,” Schlarb said.
By 11:30 a.m. the men slowly picked their
way through the high consequence “no fall”
zones with hundred-foot high cliffs and only a
thin ribbon of snow bounded by exposed grass
and quartzite that allowed them to ski the
3,000-foot face of Little Giant peak.
The team arrived at Cunningham Gulch,
their one re-supply for water and food that day
nearly three hours behind schedule. Schlarb
experienced hobbling foot pain and, according
to the group, was skiing like a “bow-legged
cowboy.”
At the impromptu aid station Schlarb, gri-
macing, pulled off both ski boots and grabbed
Howell’s multi-tool out of desperation and
began to aggressively “modify” his footbeds by
sawing them in half to relieve the acute pain in
his arches. Schlarb was in such great pain that
the group doubted that he would be able to
even finish out the day.
With his entire body shaking with pain,
Schlarb managed to put his ski boots back on
and the team headed out from Cunningham
Gulch to face a 4,000-foot climb up Green
Mountain. The wind-buffeted snow in conjunc-
tion with a strong melt-freeze cycle presented
the men with verglas, frozen water ice, over an
unconsolidated snowpack, which meant that
their skins and skis were ineffective for for-
ward progress. The 50-degree slope and ice
forced them to shoulder their skis and throw
on their crampons.
Simmons, while traversing a steep but short
couloir suddenly fell through the unconsolidated
snowpack into a six-foot-deep well and left
Schlarb yelling back at Hamilton and Howell
“Scott’s gone! He’s disappeared!” Schlarb said.
15Four Corners SPOrTSMAY 2016
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Simmons, uninjured, was able to climb out
of the snow-well – of course after Howell cap-
tured his predicament on video. “Yeah, I was a
little scared there for a moment,” Simmons
said.
A heated disagreement over route finding
late in the day split the group into two pairs.
The argument arose when Simmons and
Schlarb were sure that they were on route as
they chose to descend below the confluence of
the Middle and West Fork of Pole Creek, though
Hamilton was insistent that the group needed
to remain above the confluence.
“We brought the right map for 90 percent of
the route but 5 percent of it was not on the
map, which might have helped us,” Simmons
said. “Schlarb and I had it set in our heads that
we knew where we were going and Hamilton
actually knew the right way to go. So, there
was a little shouting back and forth,” He re-
called.
Schlarb and Simmons finally regrouped with
Howell and Hamilton only to face a harrowing
descent by headlamp through the dark into
camp Sherman along a “tight-twisting ice luge
and big frozen pillow-drops on trashed legs,”
Hamilton said.
“It’s only been my second trip to Colorado
skiing and I had the worst day I’ve ever had on
skis,” Howell said as he remembered trying to
ski on quads that were fried 14 1/2 hours in of
15.
The barrage continued on day two as route
finding up Handies Peak once again had the
group in disagreement over the “best route.”
Slow transitions, waiting for camera shots, 50-
mph gusts, a chest cold and broken ski pole
for Hamilton, and a poor choice in Bear Creek
that left Simmons swimming with his skis on
brought the men to the lowest point on their
journey.
Once in Ouray, Hamilton expressed that he
did not think he would be able to continue the
trip. Schlarb asked Hamilton to speak his
doubts on film. “He was all in after that,”
Schlarb smiled.
Day three was a “rest” day with only 17-
miles from Ouray to Telluride. They were able
to casually walk the Camp Bird Mine road and
then faced breaking trail through fresh pow-
der up Governor Basin. Although the day was
supposed to be easy, it still took the group
eight hours to complete the segment. However,
their humor had returned.
The best laughs came as the men de-
scended Liberty Bell Trail into Telluride proper.
Perhaps it was the oddity of four men in skin
suits surrounded by the glitz of alpine skiers,
but it was, as Simmons recalled, four men in
stinky skin suits going straight for the wine
and cheese in the lobby of their hotel along-
side the glamorous clientele that really got
them laughing.
Day four, 15 hours and 25 miles were all that
remained from Telluride to Silverton. The
group resupplied their water and food at mile
88 of 100 at the Hardrock KT aid station, lo-
cated six miles up South Mineral Creek, before
taking on their last big 2,000-foot climb to the
summit of Putnam Basin.
“Just a few days ago this seemed so far
away,” Schlarb marveled.
* Hardrock 34
16 Four Corners SpoRTS MAY 2016
BEER + YOGAEmily Faulkner, Three Rivers
embrace national trend
17Four Corners SPoRTSMAY 2016
Beer and yoga – it’s a trend that is rocking the nation, including Farm-
ington.
An article on the Yoga Journal website in February states, “New re-
search shows that drinking beer might have more health benefits than
we once thought. Breweries that offer yoga classes followed by beer tast-
ings may be serving up more than a practice and post-class cama-
raderie.”
Sipping a pint may have health advantages too, according to a recent
study published in the Journal of Cereal Science. That research offered,
“A Finnish research team analyzed barley grains (a common brewing
starch) and beer samples and discovered ample hordatines, phenolic
compounds that may possess big-time antioxidant power. Plus, hor-
datines have been found to help keep digestion humming by triggering
smooth muscle contractions.”
Three Rivers Brewery in historic downtown Farmington has enthusias-
tically embraced the trend. Emily Faulkner has taught yoga for 12 years
and formerly owned a Pilates and yoga studio, and now offers beer yoga
classes at the popular brewery at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday
nights. Classes are $10, which includes a pint of your favorite brew.
BEER + YOGAStory by Dorothy NobisPhotos by Josh Bishop
18 Four Corners SPORTS MAY 2016
“Beer yoga is taking root all over the country, taking form in many
ways and different styles,” Faulkner said. “I personally teach a fun, all-
level ‘yoga flow’ class (moving fluidly from one pose to the next). People
sign in five to ten minutes before it starts, order a beer, and it’s deliv-
ered after we’ve started. Typically, we might take a couple of sips every
ten minutes or so.”
“At the end, people usually hang out for a bit and catch up with their
friends while they finish their beer,” Faulkner added.
Faulkner admitted to being skeptical of the beer yoga concept at first.
“I thought, ‘That can’t be right.’ Once you experience it, you think,
‘Where has this been all my life?’” she added with a laugh. “The promise
of a beer creates a relaxed atmosphere. The unique environment of the
brewery provides a lot of fun, good beer and a lighthearted – but chal-
lenging – yoga class. What could be better?”
Faulkner usually has between 10 to 12 students at each class. The va-
riety of personalities and different levels of experience keeps the class
interesting. “No one is there to judge,” she said. “We’re all there to get a
good workout and laugh.”
Monica Leaming is a regular at Faulkner’s beer yoga classes.
“I enjoy beer yoga mainly because Emily makes it a really fun environ-
ment,” Leaming said. “It’s a draw for men as well as women, and also for
children who enjoy Three Rivers homemade root beer ‘brew.’ Beer yoga
is a chance to get a great stretch and to do your practice while listening
to upbeat music, instead of the more typical spiritual practice that other
19Four Corners SpORTSMAY 2016
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yoga studios offer.”
“Most of the time, I crave a spiritual
practice of yoga, but sometimes I just
need to get my body into those stretches
without the prayerful intention,” Leaming
added. “Of course, the cup of beer doesn’t
hurt either! It’s a great location, pulling
the community to downtown Farmington.
Emily is a great guide and understanding
of wherever you are in your practice, and
always giving modifications for those who
are just starting yoga for the first time or
who are too tight to get into deeper
poses. She is a blessed soul to share a
room with.”
Classes are held in the banquet room
at Three Rivers, which is between the
pizzeria and the Tap Room. “The restau-
rant and brewery are constantly introduc-
ing new, tasty food and fresh craft beer,”
Faulkner said. “I enjoy recommending my
favorites to newcomers. It’s popular for
students to head next door after class for
Taco Tuesday or Mug Club Wednesday.
Beer yoga is a great way to unwind at the
end of the day with friends.”
20 Four Corners SportS MAY 2016
21Four Corners SPORTSMAY 2016
Story by Rick HoernerPhotos by Josh Bishop
While Dodger executive Branch Rickey is
known as the man who brought Jackie
Robinson to the Majors to integrate profes-
sional baseball, he was also the man who
popularized the concept of Knothole Day.
Knothole Games or Knothole Gangs were
part of baseball lore with ballparks being
surrounded by wooden fences, much like
Ricketts Park today.
As the inevitable knotholes would fall out
of the fences, kids would gather at the fence
to get a glimpse of their diamond heroes.
As early the 1880s, baseball teams such
as the New Orleans Pelicans were offering
Knothole Days to “youths of sound behavior.”
The St. Louis Cardinals, under the direc-
tion of Rickey, began their first Knothole
Gang in 1938, a tradition he continued with
the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1940s and ’50s.
In Farmington, Knothole Day is the official
beginning of youth baseball, a tradition that
goes back to the days of Lefty Fox as head
coach at Farmington High and continues
today.
Initially, Knothole Day was the opening
ceremonies for the Farmington Amateur
Knothole Day
in a
baseball townThe present meets the future on Farmington’s field of dream
* Knothole 32
As we progress further into the spring,
most of us have shaken the fall/winter cob-
webs and made our way out to the golf
course. Whether players are hitting balls in
preparation for the summer season, or have
played countless rounds, one thing holds
true – and will until the weather once again
turns cold.
The one constant in the game of golf is
that your swing will feel different from day to
day or week to week. one day everything will
be in synch and you will hit glorious shot
after glorious shot. The next day it will feel as
though you never swung a golf club in your
entire life. The ebbs and flows of your golfing
experience will look like the stock market
over the past few months. Some days you will
feel infallible and the next you will question
the very reason you play the game.
So what do you do when your swing feels
foreign and your body isn’t responding? You
play with what you have that day. remember,
the object of golf isn’t to make it look pretty,
but it is to get the ball into the hole in the
fewest number of strokes – period. There are
no stroke deductions for beautiful draws
that head right toward your target. And con-
versely, there are no stroke penalties for
“worm-burners” that end up 10 feet from the
hole. The only thing that matters is your
score.
Take for example, a player (whom we will
call Jordan) who usually shoots 85 and hits a
consistent fade. Jordan doesn’t hit it long,
but is in the middle of the fairway every time
(to the point that the people with whom Jor-
dan plays gets sick of watching it). Jordan
shows up and hits a small bucket of range
balls and notices something amiss. The con-
sistent fade has become a consistent slice
and the ball is moving from the left to the
right and landing 25 yards off target. Jordan
finishes the driving range session and is
about to be called to the number 1 tee.
miffed by the slice, Jordan walks to the tee
box with two options.
option No. 1:
Jordan can start questioning the move-
ment of the golf ball and attempt to make
mechanical swing changes right before the
tee time. Jordan starts changing the grip and
ball position to make the slice go back to the
fade. What Jordan then realizes is a night-
mare of in-round adjustments that cause the
slice to get better, then worse, and then be-
come a pull hook going to the left instead of
the right. Jordan is now in limbo not knowing
22 Four Corners SPorTS MAY 2016
TomYOSTThe First Tee
Play with what you have that day
23Four Corners SPOrTSMAY 2016
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swing. Jordan now has no clue what is hap-
pening, and instead of focusing on where the
ball needs to go, the focus has now shifted
from making swing changes to making the
ball go a certain direction. Jordan has made
the “holy grail” of mistakes – focusing on me-
chanics and swing changes during a round
leads to catastrophic results of the not-so-
good nature.
Option No. 2:
Jordan realizes that something is a bit off
with the timing of the swing and makes an
aiming adjustment on the first hole. Jordan
aims a bit farther left to play for the in-
creased slice and movement of the golf ball
from left to right. As the round goes further
along, Jordan’s timing returns and the slice
has now come back to become a manageable
fade that the group and player have become
accustomed to. Jordan played the game with
what the body was capable of on that given
day at that given time. Instead of making in-
game swing adjustments, Jordan made in-
game aim adjustments and did the best with
what he had. Eventually, the normal swing
came back mid-round and no further harm
was created.
I could probably count on my left hand the
number of players (including myself) that opt
for Option 2 rather than Option 1.
It is human nature to try to fix what ails us
as players. The problem is that the human
body reacts differently on different days – so
what you might feel as a swing problem is in-
stead a body or timing problem. By taking what
your body and swing give you on that particu-
lar day you will save yourself weeks and
months of swing adjustments to get back to
where you were. Place trust in the fact that in-
round swing adjustments will cause more
harm than good, and play with what you have
that day.
In other words, quit tinkering with your
swing and just get the ball into the hole!
2nd Annual Clubs For Kids presented
by Merrion Oil and Gas
Just a reminder that The First Tee of San
Juan County, NM will be hosting their 2nd An-
nual Clubs For Kids Event at Piñon Hills Golf
Course on Thursday, May 12 from 3 p.m. until 7
p.m.
The first 200 youth in attendance will receive
a free club to take home and use. Golf profes-
sionals, coaches, high school player and volun-
teers will be in attendance to offer free swing
instruction and pass out materials regarding
summer youth golf programs throughout the
county. For more information, call The First Tee
of San Juan County, NM office at 505.334.4291
or go to their website at www.thefirstteesan-
juancounty.org.
High school tournaments
The spring high school golf season is under-
way at various golf courses throughout the
county. The varsity golf season will wrap up
with the state tournament on May 9 and 10. We
are lucky enough to host the Class 5A state
event in Farmington at Piñon Hills Golf Course.
If you would like more information on the Class
5A state tournament, would like to watch, vol-
unteer or help out in any capacity – please give
Tom Yost a call at The First Tee Office
505.334.4291 or shoot him an email at
May 9th and 10th – Class 5A State Golf
Championships at Piñon Hills Golf Course.
24 Four Corners SPortS MAY 2016
Drop by Civitan Golf Course any given
weekday around 9:45 in the morning and
there’s a chance that you’ll see 93-year-old
Don Ice drive into the parking lot and get
ready to tee up for 18 holes. Fifteen minutes
later Don’s playing partner, George Kiddie,
signs in and the two friends head to the first
tee with George pulling his golf cart and his
senior of over 25 years carrying his bag.
Growing up in a West Virginia steel town,
Don Ice never saw himself as a golfer. Golf
was for the local doctors, lawyers and upper
echelon of the steel mill. It would be 20 years
after high school before Ice would pick up a
club and begin his addiction.
After graduating from high school in 1939
Ice took on the town trade and began work-
ing at the steel mill for $100 a week. After ap-
plying to the Air Corps he joined the military
in 1940. Ice began in the motor pool before
transferring to a newly formed fire brigade,
finally joining the flying sergeants. He soon
joined navigation school where he learned to
fly the P38 and the B26 Marauder before it
was retired toward the end of World War II,
and eventually the A26 Invader. As the war
progressed, Ice began training navigation
Never too oldFor Don Ice, 93, nothing is better
than a daily game of golf with friends
Rick Hoerner
25Four Corners SPOrTSMAY 2016
crews to fly four-hour attack missions on
both the Atlantic and Pacific fronts. In 1945
Ice was assigned to an attack bomber crew
waiting to be assigned in the Pacific when
the news of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the
end of the war returned Ice to civilian life.
Over the next four decades Ice flew for pri-
vate companies and was a private pilot flying
for various executives and families. Eventu-
ally, in 1959, he landed with El Paso Natural
Gas where he worked until he was forced to
retire at the age of 60. After living in a multi-
tude of cities throughout his career, Ice de-
cided to move to Farmington.
It was during his time as a private pilot
that Ice picked up golf. While flying execu-
tives up and down the East Coast one of his
clients recommended that Ice play a little
golf to kill time between dropping off and
picking up a client. He was hooked Immedi-
ately. On a regular basis Ice began to play as
his clients worked, playing the likes of White
Sulfur Springs where the legendary Sam
Snead was the golf pro.
After taking years off to attend to his ailing
wife, Ice picked up the game again, playing
Piñon Hills regularly when it opened in 1989.
In the late ’90s Ice got the opportunity to see
the pro game up close. His son-in-law con-
vinced Ice to come to Thousand Oaks and vol-
unteer at the Greg Norman Shark Shootout at
the Sherwood Oaks Country Club. When Tiger
Woods moved his World Challenge tourna-
ment to Sherwood Oaks, Don was there too.
Don had the honor of working the 13th tee
box. There he built a working friendship with
his favorite player, John Daly.
Friendship is the reason Don loves the
game still today and still gets out as much as
he can. His friendship with George Kiddie
began on the golf course. For Don’s part, he
appreciates George’s “patience and friend-
ship” for putting up with Don’s pace and play.
George is just happy to be out there with Don
listening to stories of his time in the military
and his amazing life. In actuality Don is no
slouch on the course, still shooting around
35 for nine holes on the Par 3 course.
Don knows his game may never be what it
once was, but he loves coming to Civitan.
“This place is important. It’s great for the
young learning to play and the old who still
want to play.” When asked what he loves
about the game Don simply says, “You get to
meet people and have a new experience
every time you play.
After a round the 93-year-old packs his
bags in his trunk and proudly drives off with
his valid license that he gets checked on an-
nually. After 44 years as a pilot and 60 years
on courses across the country, Don Ice still
loves to play. “I get to be outside and play
with my friends.” There can’t be much better
than that – at any age.
“This place is important. It’s great for
the young learning to play and the
old who still want to play.”
— Don Ice
26 Four Corners SpORTS MAY 2016
Any high school junior – well, most high
school juniors – know that in 1920 the19th
Amendment was ratified finally providing
women their constitutional right to vote. So
imagine, if you will, how long this took. That
is 146 years after the Declaration of inde-
pendence, 135 years after the constitutional
convention, and even 55 years after newly
freed slaves were granted the right after the
civil War. Obviously change is slow. it’s no dif-
ferent in sports for women. After all, my
mother-in-law used to tell tales of her high
school basketball experience in South
Dakota, playing three on three half court in a
full length skirt.
With the help, and sometimes hindrance,
of Title iX, women’s athletics have changed in
the public schools and universities. i never
saw a women’s college basketball game on
television when i was growing up, or even
knew there was a women’s National Team in
soccer. As suffrage, equality on the field has
been slow. But even the most ardent of
sports fans had to be a little shocked by the
announced lawsuit from our Women’s Na-
tional Soccer Team that was suing for equal
pay from the U.S. Soccer Federation. Actually,
the lawsuit itself should not be surprising,
but the details of the suit were the real
shocker.
The pay equity debate really should be no
wonder. Women still are not paid what men
in the same position do, and that alone
should be solid grounds for this lawsuit.
However, there was far more. Other discrimi-
natory issues listed within the suit moved be-
yond the pocketbook. While men have
absolute control over their playing condi-
tions, women have no such power. While men
insist their World cup games be played on
grass, women play on artificial turf despite
their – and the rest of the world’s – objec-
tions. Travel accommodations are not the
same. The women are expected to take
cheaper flights in shorter amounts of time
than the men.
How is this still Ok in our society?
Of course money is the primary issue. The
Is thIs stIll a thIng?
RickHOERNEREditorial columnist
27Four Corners SpORTSMAY 2016
women’s team
raised $20 million
more than the men’s
team last year, yet
were paid nearly 25
percent of what the
men made. That’s 25
cents to every dollar.
The women aren’t
even paid for inter-
national friendlies
unless they win,
while the men take
home a minimum of
$5,000 a game – win,
lose or draw. The
women’s team is not
even guaranteed
compensation if they
play over the con-
tractually obligated
20 international
friendlies. Even their
daily per diem is
slanted. The men’s
team gets $75 per player per day, the women $60. Do women need
less to live on? Do they eat less? Have fewer personal use items?
Doubtful.
Even in today’s divisive political climate this should be an easy sell
on both sides of the aisle. For the liberals, there is the obvious will to
form a level playing field for all, and the conservatives, who believe
the market dictates all, should recognize that the women’s team has
outperformed the men in the market, yet are receiving less. It is a
true political win-win to make this right.
Of course those involved from the United States Soccer Federation
would argue that this is what was collectively negotiated by both
sides. That may be true. However, for me that makes it even worse.
The USSF negotiated as a starting point a discriminatory contract.
Just to be clear, that is why the men celebrate moving on to the next
round at the World Cup, while the women have won it – three times!
For their win, the team earned $2 million while the men received $9
million for going 1-2-1. That doesn’t even include the Olympics where
the women have won four times and the guys can’t even qualify. The
USSF’s basic stand is that the women should be lucky just to be play-
ing.
From the perspective of a husband and a father, I find any argu-
ment behind the whole idea that you should be lucky just to play is a
joke. Athletics meant an awful lot to my daughter and for a vast num-
ber of girls across this country. How can it be that our society still
devalues the efforts of female athletes over their male counterparts?
On the athletic field there has always been the argument that
women’s athletics are just not as good as the men’s.
The criteria usually consist of speed of the game and athleticism.
While this argument may hold true is some instances, why can’t the
women’s game be held on its own ground and not in comparison with
the men? Consider the
most dominating team
in American sport, the
Connecticut Huskies.
When they go on a his-
toric run, it’s bad for
the game. When UCLA
did it, it was a dynasty.
The most dominant
American tennis star
is Serena Williams. The
biggest MMA draw is
Rhonda Rousey. Even
America Ninja War-
riors’ most dominant
star is the diminutive
Casey Cantanzaro. It’s
time sports fans keep
up with the times and
give the proper recog-
nition and equality to
women. Or maybe it’s
not the fans, who seem
to be ahead of the
curve, but the male-dominated upper echelon of sport that looks to
take care of themselves and their old world thinking.
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28 Four Corners SpORTS MAY 2016
Tom Yost
In the basketball crazy town of Kirtland, a
special season evolved for a group of 7th and
8th grade boys at Kirtland Middle School. Both
the junior varsity and varsity teams won not
only Basin Championships, but in doing so
achieved perfection for the entirety of the sea-
son.
Chris Ledek, a math teacher at the middle
school and the varsity boys coach for the past
two years, got to enjoy the feat from the side-
lines. And while the expectations were set at
an extremely high level at the beginning of the
season, he didn’t expect what unfolded.
“Expectations for the varsity team were re-
ally high as they had won the 7th grade cham-
pionship the year before,” explained Ledek.
“We had a very talented bunch of guys return-
ing and added a few more so I was excited
from the get go.”
“Having both teams go undefeated was the
furthest thing from my mind,” added Ledek.
“We have an excellent girls program and I
thought if anyone could go undefeated it
would be the girls teams, but lo and behold it
was our year to accomplish it.”
Despite coming into the year with a champi-
onship team returning, the team continued
their winning ways through hard work and
continued dedication to make the dream sea-
son a reality this year.
“Basketball is the most popular sport in
Kirtland,” said Ledek. “So it is fun to see how
much they love their basketball. They have a
lot of expectations, but they work hard and
are always playing and practicing to get bet-
ter. Our guys have a lot of experience, they
have played a lot of basketball and have very
high basketball IQ’s. They got the most out of
their size and ability, and that is what I am
most proud of.”
After a hard fought battle with Shiprock
late in the season, where he saw his squad
come back from being down 13 points at half-
time and 12 points after three quarters, the
thought of an undefeated season started to
creep into his head as they entered the Basin
Tournament.
“The tournament is always tough and you
never know what is going to happen so I
didn’t really think about it again until after the
boys had won the championship.
It wasn’t too long ago that the Heights Mid-
dle School varsity boys basketball team won
the Basin Championship by going undefeated.
When asked to compare his teams to that
squad, Ledek looked to the future in hopes
that his boys could have the same success at
the high school level.
“I have a tremendous respect for the
Heights team that went undefeated a few
years back,” Ledek reflected. “And anytime you
have a group of boys like this you would love
for them to be together at the high school
level, because getting them ready to partici-
pate and compete at state would be the ulti-
mate reward for me.”
And looking to next year Ledek loses a var-
sity squad that lost one game in 7th and 8th
grade, but receives a 7th grade team from
Coach Ryan Nelson that finished their season
undefeated.
“Coach Nelson did such an outstanding job
with the 7th graders, and the goal of this team
is to complete both seasons as undefeated
Basin Champions,” said Ledek. “We are in a re-
ally good spot for the program right now –
and we hope to keep it rolling.”
Kirtland 7th and 8th grade boys basketball teams go undefeated
Basin Champs
8th Grade Champions
29Four Corners SPORTSMAY 2016
7th Grade Champions
Kirtland Middle School JV Basketball
Record 17-0 — Coach Ryan Nelson
Opponent Score
Hermosa 36-12
Mesa View 55-4
Tibbetts 47-8
Heights 35-31
Aztec 65-37
Shiprock 52-21
Bloomfield 49-14
Hermosa 50-13
Mesa View 48-8
Tibbetts 36-23
Heights 34-27
Aztec 60-22
Shiprock 44-30
Bloomfield 40-10
Tournament Games
Quarterfinals - Mesa View 57-17
Semifinals - Aztec 56-34
Finals - Heights 41-30
7th grade roster
Ivan Allen
John Amago
Liam Beckstead
Cameron Crawford
Ryan Griffith
Jaxon Manning
Deyon May
Jonas Miller
Derrick Russell
Kameron Tsosie
Troy Allen White-David
Ethan Yazzie
Jayred Yazzi
Kirtland Middle School Varsity Basketball
Record 17-0 — Coach Chris Ledek
Opponent Score
Hermosa 45-40
Mesa View 46-15
Tibbetts 42-39
Heights 47-15
Aztec 49-19
Shiprock 40-23
Bloomfield 58-32
Hermosa 55-38
Mesa View 37-21
Tibbetts 38-30
Heights 45-26
Aztec 41-26
Shiprock 41-40
Bloomfield 30-26
Tournament Games
Quarterfinals - Mesa View 46-25
Semifinals - Bloomfield 41-27
Finals - Hermosa 55-35
8th grade roster
DeAndgre Barber
Sharam Benally
Isiah Charles
Brock Dowdy
Bailey Foutz
Wade Hatch
Hakaan Hewey
Ty Jenks
Jacoby Love
Mikal Monclova
Justin Sandoval
Roland Shorty
Joshua Smith
Lathan Watson
Kobe Yazzie
Hyrum Yonnie
Managers:
Mykal Nocki
Joseph Hernandez
Ethan Pierro
Dallin Mangleson
30 Four Corners SPORTS MAY 2016
‘K – so what else in the whole, entire,
wide world could create the buzz and
excitement that Dale Earnhardt Junior’s
most favorite sandwich did this week?
Nothing, NN’s tellin’ ya – NOTHING!
And, if NASCAR Nellie had any money that
wasn’t marked and could be used against
her in a court of law, she’d be buying stock in
Hellmann’s mayonnaise and banana trees or
bushes or bunches. Who knew that mayon-
naise (Junior is pretty specific it must be
Hellmann’s, on accounta Hellmann’s mayo is
a major sponsor of Junior’s car and Junior
prob’ly gets all the mayo he wants from the
Hellmann’s people on accounta Junior is the
sports most popular driver for the
gazillionth time in a row) and ba-
nanas would create a sandwich
sensation that hasn’t happened
since the “Where’s the beef” lady
from Wendy’s looked at a Big
Smack and decided the beef was
missing.
Wendy’s enjoyed a big boost in
sales, the Big Smack got a beef
overall, and the little old lady who
couldn’t find the beef make a gazil-
lion dollars, even though she ad-
mitted later, over a coupla glasses
of wine, that she, herownself, pre-
ferred the veggie burgers from the now-de-
funct Veggie Burger Queen, which featured
burgers made of pickled beets, ginger root,
dried pumpkin and a sauce made with
tequila, rum, and fireball whiskey.
NN always suspected it wasn’t the veggie
burger the little old lady liked, but the sauce
– a LOT of the sauce, which she paired with a
sauce of her own, which was mostly Crown
Royal, Sweet Cherry Pie wine and a shot of
Wild Turkey. Just sayin. . . .
Tweet heard round the world
So Junior “tweeted” (NN doesn’t tweet. She
tried to tweet once and her tweet was re-
jected by the tweet police at Twitter and Twit-
ter PD blocked her from tweeting or twitting
or twelling for the next 500 years. NN would
tell ya what she tweeted, but the Twitter peo-
ple made her sign a “legal document” stating
she would never, ever, in the next 500 years,
utter, write or attempt to tweet those words
again.
Ya try to have a little fun with tweeting and
twooting and twarting and they get mad and
take your tweeter away from you. Whatever)
that a banana and Hellmann’s mayo sand-
wich is his favorite and he adds a little video
of hisownself making said sandwich, then
eating it (without gagging, which NN thinks
deserves a nod by the Academy of
Tweets, Twerks and Commercial
Videos). There was a stampede by Junior
Nation as every single one of the 50 gazil-
lion members of JN stormed every grocery
store, convenience store, WalMart, Target
and neighbor’s fridges, looking for Hell-
mann’s mayo and bananas.
There is now a shortage of bananas, which
will make the apes in all the zoos all over the
world mad, which could create another inter-
national crisis as the USofA cries out for
more bananas from its friends in the UN. It
could happen, ya know. For reals. It’s Junior
Nation and it’s Dale Earnhardt Jr., the sports
most popular driver. Junior Na-
tion reveres its general and
does as he does. Just so’s ya
know.
Sandwiches for charity
Once Junior found out that
there was no more Hellmann’s
mayo to be found anywhere in
Junior Nation, he called his
buddies at Hellmann’s and
asked them to make more on
accounta Junior started a do-
nation site –
DaleJrSandwich.com, where
everyone can donate money
and all the money will go to charity, Bless-
ings in a Backpack, which packs lunches for
kids who are in need.
That website rocked not only Junior Na-
tion’s world, but NN heard from someone
who isn’t banned from tweeting, that all of
the presidential candidates are donating all
the money they received for their campaigns
to Blessings in a backpack. NN isn’t real sure
about that, though, on accounta the one who
tweeted it was Gary Johnson, who is running
for president on the Libertarian ticket. Mr.
Johnson may have been on medicinal banana
peels and may or may not have known what
he was tweeting. It happens.
JUNIOR’S BANANA & MAYONNAISE SANDWICHES
Tweet causes uproar; NN favorites other than just Junior
31Four Corners SPORTSMAY 2016
NN enjoyed a medicinal banana peel once
and called the White House and asked if they
delivered something other than bad news. NN
was thinking of pizza, but the White House
wardens didn’t like it and sent local wardens
to “confiscate” NN’s medicinal banana peels.
NN heard ‘em giggling in their “unmarked
unit” all night and found banana ashes all
over her driveway the next day. She’s pretty
sure the peels never made it back to the evi-
dence room at the White House or the Round
House or the Big House. Whatever.
Junior’s PR people sent out a media re-
lease saying he was “shocked – in a really
good way -- at how much attention this pic-
ture received,” and even said he appreciated
the people who saw the photo of the sand-
wich and made nasty remarks about it after
they ate it. NN, her ownself, is a huge Junior
fan and is a founding member of Junior Na-
tion, but will pretty much stick to her peanut
butter and banana sandwiches and leave the
mayo to the sports most popular driver of all
time. Just sayin. . . .
For those of you who think NASCAR Nellie
is just all about Dale Earnhardt Jr., the
sport’s most popular driver, you are wrong.
Kinda.
More favorites than just Junior
NN has her ‘nother favorite drivers – she’s
a big fan of Martin Truex Jr., Tony Stewart
(who just HAS to recover from his back boo
boo and get back in the car again – forcryi-
noutloud, it’s his farewell season, doctors!),
Ward Burton (you all remember Ward Burton
– he hadda sit on a phone book and have lit-
tle wood blocks added to the pedals in his
car when he raced, and if he’da just had a
chance he’da won a championship. For reals.
NN LOVES Ward Burton,) and, from the
younger generation, NN loves, loves, LOVES
Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson and Trevor Bayne,
who NN saw in Vegas after he won the Day-
tona 500 in 2011. NN accidentally broke the
protection barrier, which is s’posed to keep
fans from grabbing at drivers, but it couldn’t
stand the weight of NN and gave way like a
Jello smoothie, and NN, trying to regain her
balance, grabbed Trevor and he panicked,
thinking NN was going to never let him go
and he hollered for security, which happens
to follow NN whenever she’s at a NASCAR
track and/or race.
Security did believe NN’s “fluffiness of
body” broke the barrier, but pretty much did-
n’t buy the fact that she didn’t actually grab
Trevor’s backside on accounta it was his
backsid. She grabbed at it, hoping to break
her fall. Security hauled her “fluffy backside”
off to the security hauler, where she hadda
wait for the security mafia to “question her
and her actions” before they let her go. What-
ever.
Martin Truex Tony Stewart Ward Burton
Kyle Larson Chase Elliott Trevor Bayne
32 Four Corners SPOrTS MAY 2016
And, as much as it pains NN to say it, she no
longer boos Kyle Busch every time she sees
him. For lotsa years, NN referred to Kyle as
“Boo Hoo” Busch and said things about him
that weren’t necessarily nice, but where true.
Boo Hoo was arrogant and insufferable and
NN put her extensive M&M collection – on
which she spent her Perfect Child’s inheri-
tance on – in storage, including the one share
of M&M stock she found on Me-Bay.
Then Boo Hoo got married and had a cute
baby and NN found out he is a big Denver
Bronco fan. NN LOVES her Denver Broncos, she
loves love stories and cute babies and all of a
sudden, Boo Hoo wasn’t Boo Hoo anymore. He
was Kinda Kind Kyle. NN doesn’t say not nice
things about KKK anymore and she is consid-
ering bringing what’s left of her M&M collec-
tion out of the wine crawl space and
displaying it in her wine room/aka garage. NN
is a forgiving person, especially if the one she
is forgiving bleeds blue and orange. Just
sayin. .. .
NN is also happy that Jeff Gordon is happy
in The Booth, where he shares his experience
and knowledge with Darrell Waltrip, who
thinks he knows everything. There were ru-
mors that DW and JG weren’t getting along
well in The Booth, but they have assured
everyone they love each other and respect
each other and hug each other and we, as
fans, must believe that. It’s like Santa at
Christmas time – if you don’t believe in Santa,
he doesn’t let you sit on his lap after you
stand in line with a gazillion little kids, just
so’s you can sit on his lap and tell him what
you want for Christmas. So NN believes DW
and JG share the love and The Booth and the
ego wall. Yeppers, she does (cough, cough).
So, it isn’t just about Dale Earnhardt Junior,
the sport’s most popular driver. For NN, it’s all
about the cars, the fuel, the tires, the tight dri-
ver’s suits, the way the drivers get in and out
of their cars and the mayo and banana sand-
wiches they eat. For reals.
Knothole continued from 21
Baseball Congress with the Scorpions welcoming the new baseball
year.
With the opening of Piedra Vista, Knothole Day has evolved to
merge opening ceremonies with a game that will most likely be one
of two games for a district title.
On Knothole Day every ballplayer that suits up for the summer gets
the chance for their team to be introduced and to high-five all of the
Scorpions on one baseline and the Panthers on the other.
The players are then welcomed to an afternoon of lunch and, usu-
ally, a beautiful day at the ballpark watching our local pastime. For
the high schools, they get a chance to play in front of a full house be-
fore August.
PV wins district title 9 to 7
This year on Saturday April 30 the game, as usual, did not disap-
point, as the Panthers topped Farmington 9-7 and earned their sev-
enth straight district championship title.
Prospects were bleak for the Panthers for the first couple of in-
nings with the Scorps up 4 to 0. PV fought back and ended the sixth
inning tied at 7-7. By the ninth the Panhters got the best of FHS and
walked away with a 9- 7 victory.
Once in Farmington’s recruitment brochure for new teachers,
Farmington was labeled as a baseball town. A simple look at Knothole
Day shows baseball is alive and well here at the home of the Connie
Mack World Series where on a beautiful Saturday afternoon the fu-
ture meets up with the present.
33Four Corners SPoRTSMAY 2016
Piedra Vista graduate Zach Johnson, a junior
at the Air Force Academy, set a new Academy
record in the 100-meter dash with a time of
10.43 seconds beating the 10-year-old record by
.03 of a second.
Dance & Cheer State ResultsAfter basketball, the 2nd most attended event
in state competition is the State Dance & Cheer
championships. The local teams made a solid
showing at state bringing home two trophies.
The Farmington Kelly Greens took home an im-
pressive second place trophy in 5A placing just
behind Roswell’s Charlie’s Angels. Piedra Vista
placed 5th while Aztec finished 10th. In cheer,
Piedra Vista brought home the green trophy
placing 3rd behind Los Lunas and Centennial.
Aztec came in 7th while Farmington was 13th. In
4A, Bloomfield cheer placed 4th and in Co-ed
cheer, Kirtland was 4th while Navajo Prep came
in 8th place.
New Mexico - Arizona All Star GameThe New Mexico All Star team swept a pair of
games from Arizona in the Navajo Times All Star
game. Shiprock’s Elijah Harry and Andre Joe led
a three-point barrage leading New Mexico to a
117-99 win in game one and completed the
sweep with a 116-93 win. PV’s Keegan Acosta
chipped in six points for the New Mexico squad.
BaseballThe traditional start of the summer baseball
season began with Knothole Day as Piedra Vista
hosted Farmington at Ricketts Park at 11 a.m.
State tournament opening round was May 1
and 2 with a best of three series at the higher
seed’s home park. The quarterfinals begin the
following Thursday, May 7, with the state cham-
pionship on May 9 in Albuquerque.
SoftballState softball began with the single elimina-
tion game on May 6 or 7 at the home of the
higher seed. Class 4A double elimination final
eight begins on May 11 at Rio Rancho High
School with the championship game at UNM
Lobo Field on May 13. For 5A schools the double
elimination quarters begin on May 12 at Cleve-
land High School with the championship round
at Lobo Field on May 14.
TrackThe track season runs to an end in May as
teams head to the district and state meets. Dis-
trict meets was May 6 and 7 with the State
Championships the following weekend at UNM.
GolfThe 5A state championship returns to San
Juan County as Piñon Hills hosts state golf on
May 9 and 10.The District 1AAAA and 5A meet
will take place at Riverview Golf Course on May
2. The 4A state meet takes place May 9 and 10
at Spring River in Roswell.
SigningsCongratulations to Aztec’s Elana Kresl who
just signed her letter of intent to attend New
Mexico State to run cross country and track
Piedra Vista’s Cassandra Crowell signed her
letter of intent to run cross country and track
for Lubbock Christian University
Peyton Rasmussen of Farmington High has
signed to play soccer at the University of East-
ern New Mexico
Aztec Senior Kinsey Gomez has committed to
play soccer at Western Texas College in Snyder,
Texas, this fall. Her male counterpart, Bailey
Walkins, recently committed to Yavapai Junior
College in Arizona
CampsNavajo Prep’s Rising Stars Basketball and
Volleyball camps will begin the first week that
school is out with volleyball running May 31
through June 4, Boys basketball June 7
through June 11. Midschool girls basketball
runs June 14 through June 18, with high
school girls running June 21 through June 25.
The cost for camp is $200 which includes,
camp, dorm stay, food service and night activi-
ties. For more information contact Rainy Crisp
at Navajo Prep 505.326.6571.
Panther Summer Basketball Camp for ages
7 through 14 will be held June 1 through June
3 at the Piedra Vista Main Gym from 1 to 4 p.m.
each day. Cost is $45 for pre-camp signup and
$55 at the door. Contact Michelle Russo at
505.720.6059 for details.
The Farmington Boys & Girls Club Epic Sum-
mer Adventure begins on May 31 with sessions
beginning at the beginning of each month. The
club will offer mini-sports camps daily that will
include soccer, volleyball, basketball, cheer,
golf and tennis, and a football passing acad-
emy. Call 505.327-6396 for more information
Benefit Golf TournamentsAztec High School Golf Team Fundraiser, The
Don Greenwood Annual 4-Person Scramble,
will be held Saturday, May 14, at 9 a.m. at the
Aztec Municipal Golf Course. For more informa-
tion contact Irene Barry at 970.903.9285.
The 12th Annual Robbie Ward Scholarship
Tournament takes place June 11 at 8 a.m. at
the Aztec Municipal Golf Course. For more infor-
mation contact Bob Ward at 505.947.1954
CatChing Up
with the CoUnty
34 Four Corners SPorTS MAY 2016
“It was,” Hamilton laughed.
“Well, sitting really lets the aches and pains
show up,” Schlarb said looking to Simmons as
the group stood to put on their skins and skis
ready to ski down into Porcupine Creek, the last
big climb and finally to home.
The team arrived at the South Mineral Creek
crossing, the “home stretch” right at dusk with a
full moon cresting Kendall Mountain. They ex-
changed their wet ski boots for running shoes,
crossed the pavement of Highway 550 and
pushed hard into the last two miles and Silver-
ton by 9 p.m.
“I’m amazed at all that could have gone
wrong. Skiing in the dark, avalanche terrain, and
so many variables. It’s amazing it all came to-
gether,” Schlarb said.
“That was a mighty big loop, boys!” Simmons
said, high fiving his team.
The streets were deserted except the bark of
a neighborhood dog. Lights in homes lit the
street as the men and their support crew of one,
Hannah Green, sat contented on a cinder block
wall eating cold burgers and beer. There were no
crowds of cheering fans; their families were at
home in bed. Simmons was so tired that he
barely reacted when he knocked his full beer to
the ground. When asked how victory tasted,
Hamilton replied between mouthfuls of burger,
“It tastes sweet. And meaty,” he laughed.
Hardrock continued from 15
Mehall continued from 6
His setbacks in getting the book published had little negative effect on
him, it simply pushed him to see his project through to the end. Ultimately
it has opened him up to pursue publishing other authors' work, to become
his own publishing house. Promoting his own work has always felt weird,
even egotistical, he confesses. "I really want to publish other peoples'
work, to collaborate on their projects," He says.
Mehall sits up straight and runs his hand through his short cropped
hair as he tangentially moves between the profundity of climbing
metaphors in Andre 3000 to his great appreciation of the counterculture
and the unique characters that have helped to shape his world view,
"those who choose to be a dirtbag out of an intellectual, philosophical and
informed choice, those are the most interesting people out there. And
then there are people my age having families and moving on but they still
live their lives through the philosophy they learned while leading the
lifestyle," He says.
American Climber is the dirtbag phiolosphy embodied in Mehall's striking
and honest prose, in the lyrical sprawl of the Beat Generation and the envi-
ronmental fascination of Abbey. He takes his readers through to his per-
sonal acquisition of all that it is to be a dirtbag climber. "It's not some b.s.
marketing when I say climbing saved my life, it's very real and changed my
life," he says. It's a tale of suicidal tendencies, drugs, sex and the salvation
of souls through climbing. It's a collection of honesty that Mehall confesses
will probably shock his mother, even his closest friends. He stands up from
the small dining booth and in place of rag wool and Sundowner boots are
the soft flex of approach shoes and denim– Kerouac shouting to this genera-
tion, get out and "climb that goddamn mountain."