Kirtland Central coach Dillon Mason works with all-star seniors

Kirtland Central coach Dillon Mason got one more chance to work with two of his own seniors when he was chosen as one of four head coaches for the New Mexico High School Coaches Association all-star softball games in Rio Rancho.

Mason coached the Red team at V. Sue Cleveland High School on Friday, May 29, and Saturday, May 30, 2026. His roster included Kirtland Central pitcher Rory Benally and outfielder Amelia Gomez, giving McKinley County a visible place in a statewide showcase built around the best graduating players in New Mexico.

For local softball, the selections carried weight beyond one weekend. Kirtland Central has long been one of the programs people in McKinley County track when postseason brackets and summer honors roll around, and Benally and Gomez earning all-star nods showed that the program still has players who can stand out beyond the home field in Kirtland. Mason's role added another layer of recognition, putting a familiar local coach in charge of seniors from across the state.

Gallup also had a representative in the game. Leia Tso was the lone Gallup High School player selected, which made McKinley County's footprint in the event stretch beyond the Broncos and into the county seat as well. For younger players in Gallup and Kirtland, those names matter. They show that all-star invitations can come from the same gyms, fields, and summer leagues where the next crop of players is already watching.

The all-star weekend was more than a ceremony. The NMHSCA provided each selected athlete with an all-star jersey, an all-star medal and meals, while transportation and lodging remained the responsibility of the players. Athletes were also required to wear turf shoes or molded cleats, and the games were not authorized for live streaming.

Mason described the assignment as an honor and said he was there to coach the girls as best he could. His presence, along with Benally, Gomez and Tso, underscored a familiar truth for McKinley County softball: the pipeline is still producing seniors good enough to be recognized on a statewide stage.