The Miami Herald from Miami, Florida • 25

Sports Noriega shines as Eagles' triple-threat man Three-sport standout Rey Noriega plays three sports at Southwest High two during the spring Football: As a defensive back Noriega intercepted four passes Baseball: Noriega has a 3-1 record and two saves Track: Noriega finished seventh in the state last year in the high jump clearing the 6-2 mar' every day" our starters I had hoped we have a so I could use him says Canevari "But didn't do as well as With him starting chance to win now I probably By MIKE PHILLIPS Herald Sports Writer When Rey Noriega wants to relax he turns on the television and radio at the same time gets something to eat and makes phones calls "I like doing five things at once" says Noriega a junior at Southwest High School "When I have the TV and radio on at the same time my family thinks I'm crazy "But I just tell them it's not that hard All you have to do is concentrate" The same philosophy applies to Noriega's sports and extracurricular activities The 18-year-old goes through life like a juggler on a tightrope as he bounces back and forth from the gridiron to the track to the baseball field while winning recognition as an artist His pencil drawings have earned him a position on the National Art Honors Society his knuckleball has garnered him three victories and his leaping ability took him to the Class 4A state track and field meet last year In his first competitive season of football last fall he intercepted four passes as a starting defensive back He returned one 55 yards for a touchdown to lift Southwest to its first victory in more than two years a 9-3 triumph over Coral Park "He's an amazing kid" said baseball Coach Dan Canevari Noriega may or may not be the best athlete at Southwest High but he's definitely the busiest While three-sport athletes aren't unusual there aren't many who compete in two sports at the same time Earlier this month he collected two hits in a baseball game on Monday won three events in a track meet Tuesday picked up two more hits Wednesday and won four events in a meet Thursday The following week he won five events in a dual meet against South Miami High on Thursday and two days later won his first start as a pitcher against Southridge then ranked No 2 in the state He's the only pitcher with a victory against the Spartans 15-1-1 waited to late to make the change though" Canevari and track Coach Dave Kendall arranged their teams' schedules this year to fit Noriega's talents There was one conflict On Feb 25 Noriega won the high jump long jump and triple jump in a dual meet against Homestead and collected two hits and a stolen base against Coral Park "If I had to choose it would be baseball" Noriega says "But I know I don't have to think about it now When I'm in college I'll have to decide but I'm not going to worry about it until then" No one is complaining about his performances on the field Noriega leads Southwest In pitching with a 3-1 record two saves and a 218 earned run average When he doesn't pitch he plays first base where he is batting 369 with a team-leading runs batted In Last year Noriega who is 6-0 and 165 pounds cleared 6 feet 2 inches to finish seventh in the state in the high jump He has cleared 6-6 this year and hopes to reach either 6-8 or 6-10 He also competes in the 120- and 330-yard hurdles and the long and triple jumps "I would do a little better at track but the main thing is that I compete" he says I like winning and as long as I stay up there that's what counts" a (5 5 a 3 How does he do it? "I wake up at 7:15 and get to school at 7:25" he says "I don't know I just like to play My mother tells me that I will burn out but I'm not worried about it" Noriega's three-hitter against Southridge changed the pitching rotation at Southwest now 7-10-1 RICK McCAWLEY Miami Herald Star! When Rey Noriega isn't pitching for Southwest High he's probably competing with the Eagles in track and field I planned on using Rey in relief oe- 2 JC Try a wonder-working lr Ly I IlirflC classified want ad today Phone 891-9630.