Former Carlsbad Cavegirl softball pitcher Faith Aragon named All-State, All-American Team
Postseason honors continue to roll in for former Carlsbad High School Cavegirl pitcher Faith Aragon as a nationally known prep sports website recently named her All-State and All-American Team.
MaxPreps named the May graduate and University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) bound softball player as Second Team All-American and New Mexico’s Softball Player of the Year.
MaxPreps has recognized high school softball student-athletes in each state since 2008.
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“Selections are based on team success and individual excellence, in addition to local and state accolades,” according to MaxPreps.
Aragon led the Cavegirls to its second straight consecutive 5A state softball title this past May.
During the state tournament on May 13, Carlsbad defeated Farmington Piedra Vista in a decisive third game 6-0.
Aragon struck out nine and gave up one hit in the shutout. During the 2023 softball season, she had a 16-1 record with an earned run average of 0.61.
She also walked 23 batters and struck out 189 hitters during her final season in a Cavegirl uniform.
"I'm grateful for all of it," Aragon said of her postseason awards. "All of the hard work I've done has paid off."
She credits her family and her teammates for help in attaining the honors during high school.
Her domination was not limited to the pitching circle. As a hitter, she had a .632 batting average with 13 home runs and 52 runs batted in.
Aragon earned a spot on the varsity roster in the eighth grade and had a 34-2 record during her career at Carlsbad High School.
She had a career earned run average of 1.63 she walked 79 hitters and struck out 395.
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Aragon had a .603 career batting average with 28 home runs and 100 runs batted in.
In addition to softball, Aragon played soccer for the Cavegirls for three seasons, said head coach Misty Long.
"She didn't play in her 10th and 12th-grade years," she said. "She is a great athlete that would have definitely helped us."
Payoff coming to UTEP?
Aragon's high school success might carry over when she starts play in El Paso in 2024.
The Miners, coached by T.J. Hubbard, had an overall record of 11-34 in 2023. UTEP was 2-22 in Conference USA play.
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Aragon reports to El Paso on Aug. 18 and since her last game as a Cavegirl she has reflected on her time at Carlsbad High School.
"It's a big eye-opener. I'll miss it," Aragon said, "I'm grateful I got to make the best of my high school career."
She joins her cousin Johnna Aragon as a freshman. Faith’s oldest sister Gracie was on the UTEP roster as a freshman in 2023. She did not play.
Gracie Aragon was one of 16 UTEP softball players who earned Easton/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America Scholar Athlete for 2023.
Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 or by email at MSmith@currentargus.com or @ArgusMichae on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: Cavegirl softball player Faith Aragon All-State All-American
