Gang Green: South Hills duo Dakota Behr and Melinda Gomez earn athlete of the year honors

By Fred J. Robledo, Staff Writer
It would take multiple letterman jackets to sew on all the accomplishments of South Hills High School standouts Dakota Behr and Melinda Gomez, who have been selected the 2009-10 Tribune athletes of the year. Not only did the duo finish their senior season in style, but the two shared a brilliant prep career that shows the multiple-sport athlete is alive in well during an era of specialization in high school sports. (To continue, click thread).


“Playing more than one sport is something I would encourage everyone to try,” Gomez said. “I learned things in basketball I wouldn’t of learned in volleyball and vice versa. It helped make me not just a well-rounded athlete, but a well-rounded person.”
Gomez, headed to Loyola Marymount University on a basketball scholarship, earned her second-straight San Antonio League girls basketball most valuable player award, and was named to the CIF-Southern Section Division 3-A first-team list for the second straight year too.
Gomez also was a McDonalds All-American nominee and the most valuable player in the Tribune/Star-News all-star basketball game.
In girls volleyball, Gomez was named the San Antonio League most valuable player for the second consecutive year.
She also was a Tribune first-team selection in both sports her senior year, and is a three-time all-valley first-team selection in both sports, having earned the girls volleyball player of the year award her sophomore season.
“Honestly, it all blows my mind,” Gomez said. “I’m not surprised because I put in so much effort and hard work, but it’s humbling to know that God put me in this position.
“It’s a great honor (to be athlete of the year), and I will look back on my high school career with so many great memories.”
Behr’s career at South Hills includes 12 league titles combined in football, wrestling and baseball, which include two dual-meet CIF-Southern Section team championships in wrestling, an individual wrestling CIF title, and a Division III baseball title his junior year.
During Behr’s senior season he earned San Antonio league second team honors at tight end for the league champion Huskies’ football team, setting a school record for blocked field goals with nine.
Behr also was the 171-pound San Antonio league champion in wrestling, and was named to the Tribune second-team all-area wrestling team.
Behr also had a huge season in baseball, earning San Antonio first-team honors as a pitcher, helping the Huskies win another league title.
“To win the championships, the individual awards, it was all great because everyone said you couldn’t do it, you can’t play all three and have that type of success,” Behr said. “That’s part of why I did it, because so many said I couldn’t.”
Although Behr’s biggest individual success came in wrestling, he said winning a CIF title his junior year in baseball was the greatest moment of all.
“That’s because you do it with teammates, and because we had lost in the championship game the year before and had that sour taste in our mouth,” said Behr, who is likely headed to Mesa State College in Colorado.

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