A sea of red bandanas filled the crowd, bearing one fighter’s name – “Poision” Ivy Enriquez. The 18-year-old stepped into the ring at Memorial Gym in February to begin her professional boxing career. Years worth of training and motivation led her to be co-main event of the night.
In four furious bouts, Enriquez’s hand was raised declaring her a winner, and inscribing Enriquez’s first professional win onto her book. Following her win earlier this year, Enriquez was bound to be the star of another main event, her high school graduation.
Currently a senior at Bel Air High School, the Lady Highlander carved a strong path both in her boxing and academic career.
“I would say I’ve just gotten used to it, because I grew up boxing and going to tournaments, (while) still in school. I’ve always had my priorities, which is school and then boxing,” Enriquez said. “But it’s definitely a lot more different now that I turned professional because the trainings are more intense and longer. So, it’s a lot more discipline; it’s a handful, but it’s nothing that I can’t do.”
Ivy Enriquez plans to attend El Paso Community College to become a dental hygienist and hopes to open a boxing gym with her dad. (Diego Cruz-Castruita)
Even with graduation nearing, Enriquez recently tallied her second professional win in Odessa, Texas. Enriquez said being able to balance both aspects of her life stemmed from her family’s support.
“My family is my motivation, my dad always tells me, ‘I know one day, you’re going to be a world champion,’” Enriquez said. “This pushes me and keeps me on that path to where I want to be.”
Soon walking the stage to her high school graduation, Enriquez said she aspires to be a dental hygienist. Beginning her education at El Paso Community College (EPCC), Enriquez hopes to build her way up to an orthodontist.
Looking far into the future, Enriquez would like to open a gym with her dad in El Paso to train others. Several friends of Enriquez have begun to box as well; she said garnering attention for the sport brings her joy.
“I’m glad I can share (boxing) with (my friends) because boxing is not for a lot of people, so we need to share my passion with someone else and help them. It really does make me happier,” Enriquez said.
A passion for boxing is also rooted in Moises Rodriguez’s livelihood. Boxing since he was 8 years old, the amateur with over 200 fights on his record, said going to school while juggling boxing was not an easy feat.
“When I would go to nationals, I would miss a week or two weeks. I’ll come back, and have a bunch of work,” Moises Rodriguez said. “So, on top of the work, I still have to work out, and I have to make sure I’m eating good. I wake up before school and train and when I get home, I have to train as well. It’s definitely hard, but you have to sacrifice if you want to be good at the sport.”
Dedicated to boxing, Moises Rodriguez said he is training for bigger opportunities.
Moises Rodriguez wants to pursue a career in the military under the World Class Athlete Programs to train for the 2028 Olympic games.
“I can’t wait to get out of school and see because I feel like I have a lot of opportunity in boxing, and also other job careers,” Moises Rodriguez said. “I’m hoping to go into the 2028 Olympics with Team USA, it’s a goal of mine. I want to also go professional making it as far as I can because I’ve been doing this for 10 years, and I can’t stop now.”
Once he graduates El Dorado High School, Moises Rodriguez would like to continue his education with the U.S. Military under the World Class Athlete Program – where soldiers abide by their military careers while also training for Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Moises Rodriguez said he has been boxing for so long, it’s now instilled into his blood.
“I’ve been in boxing so long, that I can’t even remember what I would do without it,” Moises Rodriguez said. “Boxing has made me who I am, it’s kept me doing good things, and I’m not out doing bad things.”
Discipline and strength are skills all boxers echo, including Dominic Rodriguez. The Montwood High School senior has been boxing since he was 7 years old, yet as he grew older, he shifted to other sports. Yet, the spark for boxing reignited thanks to Warrior’s Edge Gym.
Dominic Rodriguez has been boxing since he was 7-years-old and hopes to continue to grow his boxing career in the Borderland while attending El Paso Community College. (Diego Cruz-Castruita)
“(Boxing) made me more focused and more disciplined with myself,” Dominic Rodriguez said. “My family says, ‘No boxing if you do bad in school,’ so I got to get good grades. There were times where I felt like giving up, but you know any boxer goes through that, even pros, so I kept discipline and kept going and made it to the next level.”
Throughout high school, Dominic Rodriguez kept quiet about his boxing career but hopes to soon build his name amongst the others in the Borderland.
“I’m really humble, so I don’t really talk about it, I’m like a quiet kid,” Dominic Rodriguez said. “So, if people do ask, (I’ll say), ‘Oh, yeah, I do some boxing,’ but I’m not really like (bragging about it) – I want to be humble all the time.”
The Montwood High School senior said he would like to continue his education at EPCC as well.
Grit, discipline, and strength are common themes amongst high school boxers. Having a slew of things to handle, including hours of training mixed with hours’ worth of homework, these boxers have shown dedication to their craft. And as the tassel shifts from right to left, these soon-to-be graduated high schoolers will continue to persevere with their sport, despite all the obstacles.
Sofia Sierra is the sports editor and may be reached at [email protected].
Adel-DeSoto-Minburn senior Elise Coghlan recently played in her final volleyball season of her high school career, hitting many achievements, but is leaving an encouraging message for the younger girls who will be carrying the program from here on out.
Coghlan is leaving a legacy behind for Tigers volleyball, as she is now sixth all-time in school history with 601 Assists in a season, and has a total of 1,273 assists over her four-year career. In addition, Coghlan concluded the season with 57 kills, 181 digs, and 32 blocks. As she’ll be graduating in the spring, Coghlan wants to remind the girls to never forget who they are.
“Just being yourself and showing your actual personality, and just being friends with everyone honestly.”
ADM finished the season with a 23-9 overall record (7-1; 2nd inside the Raccoon River Conference) and fell to Dallas Center-Grimes in the Class 4A Region 4 Championship on October 28th.
The Cheboygan area saw several volleyball players earn nods on the Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association teams, including three all-state honorable mentions.
Leading the way were Onaway’s Amya Janusky and Brooklyn Boughner, who secured spots on the MIVCA Division 4 all-state team as honorable mentions. Joining the two Onaway stars was Pellston’s Lanie Irwin, who earned honorable mention accolades.
The Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority faced a challenge rehabilitating a major interceptor line in Wilkes-Barre because it is beneath the Wyoming Valley Levee.
This aging reinforced concrete line, known as the authority’s East Side Interceptor, had to be addressed because it was installed in the 1960s and had reached the end of its service life. It carries wastewater from approximately 100,000 residents in 19 municipalities to the authority’s treatment plant in Hanover Township.
The traditional approach — excavating to remove and replace the line — would have cost an estimated $75 million or more and required extensive permitting and protective measures to ensure the flood control system along the Susquehanna River was not compromised, authority officials said.
Instead, the authority recently deployed a new engineering technology to restore the one-mile line for $14 million.
Authority Chief Technical Officer Samantha Albert said the solution involved steel-reinforced PVC that interlocks as it is fed through manholes into the pipe, creating a new standalone pipe within the existing line.
A machine was used to wind the large spools of PVC through the line, she said. The diameter of the line ranges from 4 to 6 feet, allowing crews to get inside during the installation, Albert said.
The authority could not use a different type of liner that requires a “curing” process with heat to dry and harden because the interceptor line would have to be completely dry for that option, Albert said.
The interceptor line could not be deactivated to dry because it handles a high volume of both wastewater and stormwater when it rains, she said.
“That was a huge advantage of the solution we chose because it still has to flow during the installation,” Albert said.
For the safety of crews, the contractor set up a temporary sewage bypass system — a large black pipe on the ground — to reduce the load passing through the line during installation, she said.
The section of line tackled in this project runs from the area of the Luzerne County Courthouse south to Riverside Drive, Albert said.
Albert said the line is “critical infrastructure” that must remain functioning to service residents and also protect the levee.
“We did not want this line to ever become compromised and impact the integrity of the levee,” Albert said. “It’s all about protecting the environment and the public.”
Georgia-based Ruby-Collins Inc. completed the project. The company has a specialized “trenchless division” to rehabilitate underground lines, its site says.
Luzerne County Council allocated $2 million of its federal American Rescue Plan Act funds toward the project. The authority also received a federal STAG Clean Water Community Project Funding Grant and secured a Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority, or PENNVEST, loan.
Albert said the authority will continue seeking grants to help fund work on other segments of the interceptor.
Christopher Belleman, executive director of the Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority that oversees the Wyoming Valley Levee, said his authority allowed access to land at the site to complete the project.
“They got us involved at the very start. They were a good partner,” Belleman said of the sanitary authority.
Belleman spoke favorably of the sanitary authority’s solution, saying the flood authority has used a lining to address damaged piping — an option available if the original pipe still has structural integrity.
“Fortunately, technology has advanced over the years so this type of work can be done in a way that saves costs without having to excavate,” Belleman said.
Approximately 170 pipes of varying dimensions run through the levee system, officials have said.
Belleman said the flood authority must inspect these pipes every five years in compliance with a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers mandate to keep the levee certified.
Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.
REINBECK – The Gladbrook-Reinbeck PTO is partnering with eight current members of the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) Panthers volleyball team in an effort to raise funds for a new, inclusive elementary school playground.
“We were trying to think of (fundraising) ideas. We’re pretty fortunate that [UNI] is so close to us and we knew that there were some girls from the area that play on the team. … We did some virtual meetings and here we are,” G-R elementary principal Shaun Lehmann told the newspaper about the inaugural three-day camp’s origins.
The all-skills camp is open to any girl – no matter the school district – in grades 3-8. Camp will take place on three consecutive Saturdays this coming January, including Jan. 17, Jan. 24, and Jan. 31, at the secondary building located at 600 Blackhawk St. in Reinbeck. Campers may register for a single session or multiple sessions at a discounted rate. Each session will be capped at 48 players. Grade groupings are as follows: grades 3-4 from noon to 1 p.m.; grades 5-6 from 1:30-2:30 p.m; and grades 7-8 from 3-4:30 p.m.
While G-R is hosting the camp, UNI volleyball players are running the show, Lehmann said, including freshman defensive specialist/libero Payton Askelsen; sophomore setter Reese Booth; redshirt freshman middle blocker Maryn Bixby – a Dike-New Hartford alumna; freshman defensive specialist/libero Sophie Buysse; senior opposite hitter Calia Clubb – a Clear Creek Amana alumna; freshman defensive specialist/libero Jadyn Petersen – a Dike-New Hartford alumna; redshirt sophomore middle blocker Kaitlyn Sellner; and redshirt freshman opposite hitter/middle blocker Kamryn Vogt.
The registration deadline for the volleyball camp is Dec. 31, 2025. More information, including cost and registration, can be found by visiting https://tinyurl.com/GRvbcamp. A spring camp for girls in grades K-2 is also in the works.
Profits from the camp will be split between G-R’s playground fund and the UNI volleyball players.
A playground for every child
G-R’s new, inclusive playground will be located on the south side of the elementary building in Reinbeck.
“There’s not really much there right now,” Lehmann said before adding that both the existing zip line and climbing apparatus will be removed to make way for the new equipment which will all be ADA-compliant. While Lehmann declined to disclose how much had been raised so far for the new playground, he did tell the newspaper the district will be contributing some funding and that they have “a ways to go” to meet the fundraising goal. But his hope is to have the new playground ready for the 2026-27 school year.
“Our playgrounds are used throughout the year by the community. We don’t have a fence. [An ADA-compliant] playground will be beneficial to all kids.”
To donate directly to the playground fund, contact Lehmann at 319-345-2822 or email shaun.lehmann@gr-rebels.net.
Green ranked first in the area in kills per set (5.40), sixth in digs per set (2.95) and eighth in aces per set (0.68). Class 4 State, Region 4D and Northwestern District First Team selection. Northwestern District and Winchester Star Player of the Year.
Brenna Corbin
James Wood — Senior
Outside hitter
Corbin led the area in total aces (96) and tied for first in aces per set (0.99). Ranked third in digs per set (3.69) and fifth in kills per set (2.94). Class 4 State, Region 4D and Northwestern District First Team selection.
Kennedy Spaid
James Wood — Senior
Outside hitter
Spaid ranked first in the area in total kills (458) and third in kills per set (4.87). Ranked seventh in digs per set and aces per set. Class 4 State, Region 4D and Northwestern District First Team selection.
Isabel Aliveto
Clarke County — Junior
Outside hitter
Aliveto ranked second in area in total kills (428) and kills per set (5.16). She ranked ninth in aces per set (0.66) and tied for 12th in digs per set (2.37). Class 2, Region 2B and Bull Run District First Team selection. Bull Run District Player of the Year.
Breeze Johnson
Handley — Sophomore
Outside hitter
Johnson ranked 4th in the area in kills per set (3.73) and digs per set (3.65) and placed 3rd in aces per set (0.82). Class 4 State Second Team and Region 4D and Northwestern District First Team selection.
McKenna Homans
Millbrook — Freshman
Setter/hitter
Homans ranked 14th in kills per set (1.62), sixth in assists (4.32), seventh in blocks (0.57), 11th in digs (2.42) and 12th in aces (0.61). Only area player to rank top 15 in all five major statistical categories. Region 4D and Northwestern District First Team selection.
Bryn Franzen
Clarke County — Senior
Middle hitter
Franzen ranked 5th in area in blocks per set (0.65) and 11th in kills per set (1.89). Class 2 State Second Team. Region 2B and Bull Run District First Team selection.
Avery Curtis
Sherando — Freshman
Middle hitter
Curtis led the area in total blocks (78) and blocks per set (1.05) and ranked 6th in kills per set (2.45). Region 4D and Northwestern District First Team selection.
Kate Madden
Millbrook — Junior
Libero
Madden led the area in total digs (368) and digs per set (4.91). Ranked 13th in aces per set (0.60). Region 4D and Northwestern District First Team selection.
Jillian Emmart
Clarke County — Senior
Setter
Emmart led area in total assists (596) and assists per set (7.64) and averaged 1.94 digs per set.
The Gainesville Sun is releasing its All-Area teams for five fall high school sports.
Fans have the opportunity to vote for the Player of the Year in polls accompanying each team.
The poll for the Big School Volleyball Player of the Year is now open for voting.
Gainesville High’s Rowan Kage was named the official Player of the Year by the publication.
After months filled with excitement and tears of happiness and sadness, the fall sports season is officially over in the Gainesville area.
The end of the season marks the release of the Gainesville Sun’s All-Area teams. As such, we’ll be releasing 12 All-Area teams for five fall sports (football, volleyball, swim and dive, cross country and golf).
All teams can be viewed on Gainesville.com/sports/high-school. For all these sports, we’re picking a Player of the Year — the athlete we and area coaches thought was the best.
However, we want to give you, the fans, the chance to make your voice heard.
That’s why we’re releasing Player of the Year polls to accompany each All-Area teams. Each of the first-team nominees in a respective sport will be a candidate.
Below is the poll for who the best Big School Volleyball Player was in 2025. We released this team Tuesday and picked Gainesville High’s Rowan Kage as our Player of the Year. There are 8 nominees to choose from, and you can vote as many times as you’d like. The poll closes at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, December 31.
Please share this poll with family and friends, and congratulations to all those on the All-Area teams and their families!
Noah Ram covers Florida Gators athletics and Gainesville-area high school sports for The Gainesville Sun, GatorSports.com and the USA TODAY Network. Contact him at nram@gannett.com. Follow him on X @Noah_ram1 and on Instagram @Ramreporter. Read his coverage of the Gators’ national championship basketball season in “CHOMP-IONS!” — a hardcover coffee-table collector’s book from The Sun. Details at Florida.ChampsBook.com
