As Coby Baer soared through the air on his way to a 19–foot, ¼ inch long jump in Grand Junction on May 1, coaches and teammates could not help but be impressed.
After all, the powerfully built sophomore was competing in just his third track meet of the season after spending the vast majority of his spring on the baseball diamond.
“I was playing baseball, so I wasn’t going to many track meets, but the boys’ team is doing really well,” Baer said. “I’m hoping that our 4x100–meter relay can qualify for state. We’re only half a second away and we can cut that down just by having good handouts.”
As a member of the M–CHS varsity baseball team this spring, Baer split time at shortstop, third base and on the pitching mound while amassing a .273 batting average and 10.50 ERA.
He also served as a leader for many of M–CHS’s underclassmen, who will look to take the M–CHS baseball team to new heights in the future.
“Our season didn’t turn out how a lot of the guys would have liked it to, but it was a really fun experience and it was fun to play at the upper level,” said Bair. “We have quite a few kids coming up and whenever they get to be upperclassmen, the team could be good.”
In addition to lending his athletic talents M–CHS’s baseball team, Baer will look to play a key role for the Panthers football team next fall.
A quarterback in middle school, Baer transitioned to wide receiver and caught a 93–yard touchdown pass during a junior varsity game against Dolores last season. He sustained a concussion later in the game however, and was forced to sit out the remainder of the season.
“It was very disappointing to sit out, but next year I’ll come out and contribute,” said Baer. “We’d like to make it state again and maybe go a little bit further than we did last year. I think we can do it.”
When not dedicating his time to athletic endeavors, Baer has been a solid performer in the classroom where he currently maintains a 3.8 GPA.
Listing Spanish and history as his favorite classes, the sophomore said that he would like to attend college and possibly work as a chiropractor.
Asked what he enjoys most about attending high school in Cortez, Baer mentioned M–CHS’s small–school atmosphere and friendly students.
“I like the small school and I like all the kids,” Baer said. “The coaches are also really cool. I’m excited for my next two years.”