Socorro Bulldogs Collect Diplomas
SOCORRO, Texas –Eighteen Socorro ISD student athletes collected their diplomas on Tuesday night.
They missed their graduation ceremonies because they were busy taking part in state and regional tournaments.
The athletes included the 15 seniors from the State Champion Socorro High School baseball team.
The ceremony may have been a little smaller than normal, but all the usual pomp and circumstance was present, including a very rowdy and appreciative crowd!
Fans, friends and families crammed into the SISD boardroom to watch their heroes graduate.
“I am ecstatic,” said mom Becky Molina.
She and her husband Manny were there to watch their son Marcus Molina get his diploma.
“I’m just so proud of him,” she said.
Marcus, who was an outfielder on the Socorro baseball team, had a pretty good excuse when it came to missing his official graduation ceremony.
He was helping bring home the state championship.
“All the players, I’m sure, were kind of upset cause they weren’t at graduation, but they would rather be at the game…no doubt about it,” said Becky.
So we wondered what felt better, winning state or getting that diploma.
“Probably winning state, but then also graduating because this is a great achievement for my academics,” Marcus said.
“School’s way better than winning. You get your degree out of this and stuff,” said Socorro outfielder Cory Falvey.
“No way, no way is this better than winning. Not even close, but it feels good,” disagreed Socorro pitcher Bobby Mares.
It was a bittersweet moment.
“I know this will probably be the last time all of us will be together,” Bobby said, fighting back tears.
“We’re all going to different colleges…this is our last time to be together so it’s kind of emotional,” Marcus agreed.
“We’ve played together for so long and this is it,” Bobby said.
This may be it, but Becky Molina says she knows the lessons this team learned together will not soon be forgotten.
“The winning…..they’re never going to take that away from them,” she said. “If you’re in sports then you’re headed the right way.”
Three other SISD student athletes received their diplomas late as well. All three were track athletes. Two were from Montwood High School, the other from El Dorado High School.
