San Luis Valley Football Stars Shine in 2025 All-State Teams

The Colorado High School Activities Association made a big announcement on Monday. They revealed the 2025 All-State football teams. Guess who made the cut? A whopping 24 athletes from the San Luis Valley! That's a lot of talent right there. Let's talk about the eight-man teams first. Sanford High School really stood out. They had seven players recognized. Four of them made it to the first team. Ryan Cordova, a senior lineman, was one of them. J. D. Faucette, a senior running back and defensive end, also made the cut. Trason Gartrell, a senior quarterback and linebacker, and Lucas Miller, a junior lineman, were also first-team picks. William Malouff, a senior lineman, made it to the second team. Bryce Keck and Rylan Mortensen were honorable mentions. Now, let's move on to Class 1A. Eleven local players made it here. Six were from Centauri, and five from Monte Vista. Carson Shawcroft, a senior wide receiver and free safety from Centauri, was a first-team pick. Spencer Smith, a senior lineman, made it to the second team. Marcos Atencio, Leland Chacon, Cole Jackson, and Dallyn King were all honorable mentions.Monte Vista had two players on the second team: Zach Gallegos and Kelby Mondragon. Chayse Bouet, Azariah Hurtado, and Manny Jiron were honorable mentions. Alamosa, playing in Class 2A, had three players recognized: Josh Gonzalez, Tony Griego, and Brennan Maez. They were all honorable mentions. Lastly, Sierra Grande in the six-man category had three players recognized. Jadyn Martinez was a first-team pick. Rolando Najera made it to the second team. Carlos Lopez was an honorable mention. It's clear that the San Luis Valley is a hotbed for football talent. These players have worked hard and deserve this recognition. But let's not forget, there's always room for improvement. Keep pushing, keep practicing, and who knows? Maybe next year, even more players will make the All-State teams.