COOL, CALM AND COLLECTED: Alief Taylor’s Calderon Poised to Shape Program’s Turning Point
04 Mar, 2026
MOMENTUM AND BELIEF ARE BEGINNING TO TAKE SHAPE AT ALIEF TAYLOR AS THE LIONS MOVE TOWARD A NEW SEASON — AND EVER CALDERON FIGURES TO BE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
Contributing on both the mound and in the infield, Calderon heads into his senior season at a pivotal moment for the ball club. The Lions are still working to reestablish themselves in the district conversation, but the team has an opportunity to start piecing wins together under first-year head coach Arthur Jenkins.
The game has not always been part of Calderon’s life, but once it entered the picture, it quickly became a driving force.
“Baseball first became a passion of mine when I watched the 2017 Astros win the World Series, which made me want to start playing,” Calderon said. “I’m usually a competitive person, so my drive to be the best has kept me in that pursuit.”
That fandom still shows today, with Calderon citing Astros stars Jeremy Peña, Yordan Álvarez, and Jose Altuve among the players he has admired.
Like many young athletes, Calderon’s early years came with growing pains.
“It hasn’t been easy, but I’ve been able to trust in my ability more as the years have gone by,” Calderon said. “Going from middle school ball to high school varsity as a freshman, I was very nervous. But the more I played, I just got used to the rhythm.”
That confidence culminated in one of the defining moments of his high school career a year ago – a campaign that saw the RHP receive an all-district honorable mention.
“There have been multiple highlights in my time at Alief Taylor,” Calderon said. “But I’d have to say that my favorite one was throwing a perfect-game shutout last season against Willowridge. Moments like those don’t come often, so you have to savor it when they do.”
From a team standpoint, Calderon has a clear picture in mind as the Lions look to get a competitive streak started.
“It starts with discipline and commitment,” he said. “We have the dependable players we need to win, so this is our chance to start putting it together with a new coach.”
As for what comes next, Calderon remains focused on both his athletic and professional future.
“Hopefully, I can begin to get scouted for baseball and start to make a career out of it,” he said. “If not, the plan is to go to a trade school, get a certification in HVAC, and go right into the job field.”
But in the short term, Calderon’s attention remains on the season ahead — defined by opportunity.
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LEESI VI-URA IS NEARING THE FINAL STRETCH OF HER SENIOR YEAR AS ONE OF THE MOST VERSATILE SPRINTERS IN DISTRICT 20-6A, AND HASTINGS WILL UNDOUBTEDLY LOOK TO HER AS A FRONT-RUNNER. A STANDOUT IN BOTH INDIVIDUAL EVENTS AND RELAYS, VI-URA HAS CONSISTENTLY MADE HER PRESENCE FELT IN HIGH-STAKES COMPETITION, AND THIS SPRING PROMISES TO BE NO DIFFERENT.
Last season, Vi-Ura finished third in the 200-meter dash at the 20-6A Meet with a time of 25.28 seconds, advancing to the Area Meet while also contributing as a key leg on the Lady Bears’ relay team. Though not a personal best, her performance highlighted her knack for resilience — a quality that has become a hallmark of her high school career.
“Track is my first and only sport,” Vi-Ura said. “It all began the summer before 8th grade, when my brother encouraged me to get involved in athletics. So, I started practicing and enjoyed the training. Once I took everything seriously, it just clicked, and I ended up winning the district in middle school.”
Her brother, Golden Vi-Ura, who competed in football and track at Hastings before graduating in 2017, remains a significant influence.
“He was always my biggest supporter,” Leesi said. “He’d go to my track meets if he was able, pay for my AAU training and events, and continue to give me advice on the technique of my races. But above everything else, he taught me to never give up in the end, which has helped me push through a lot and trust myself when I compete.”
Varsity track comes with its challenges, she noted. “It doesn’t take much to weigh yourself down, mentally, when you’re going against a bunch of other people. You can’t do your best when fear or nervousness gets in the way, so that’s something that can make this sport challenging,” she said.
Still, the highs of the sport outweigh the struggles.
“The support that my teammates and I give each other makes it all worth it,” she said. “Also, there’s usually a rush you get from winning or setting a new PR that is hard to beat.”
Off the track, Vi-Ura balances a part-time job at Sonic with downtime spent watching shows like Martin or horror movies such as I Know What You Did Last Summer. Beyond high school, she hopes to continue running in college while pursuing a degree in dental hygiene or psychology.
Combining speed, grit, and a bold approach to competition, Vi-Ura enters her senior season ready to leave her own mark on Hastings’ program and set the tone for the team’s future.
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