By Carlos Salazar and Edgar Thompson

A couple of high school sports teams are struggling this week to cope with the deaths of teammates.

St. Pius X sophomore Ramon Antonio Berry, 15, the soccer team's "teddy bear" in the words of his coach, died in a car accident Saturday while going home after a game at the school.

Alburquerque High junior Edwin Chávez-Carr, 16, a center on the football team, died of unknown causes sometime during the night of Oct. 17.

Each team is honoring its lost player.

Sartan soccer players will wear the initials "R.A.B." on black armbands on their uniforms, starting with tonight's game against Hope Christian, their first since Berry's death. Berry's number, 1, will never be worn again by a St. Pius X boys soccer player.

Bulldog football players retired Chávez-Carr's locker in a moving ceremony, and have his uniform. number, 70, painted on the backs of their helmets. A moment of silence was observed at Milne Stadium on Thursday night before Alburquerque High's game with Valley.

Berry's death robbed his parents, Dante and Margaret, of their oldest child, his seven siblings of a big brother, and the Sartans of a teammate they had treated like a little brother.

"He was only 15, he was our only sophomore, he was our teddy bear," head coach Jorge Tristani said. "It's that natural instinct to take a younger person under your wing.

"But he's one of those kids who had a presence about him. He was a jewel both as a soccer player and a person."

Berry was traveling to his home in Jarales, just south of Belén, after his team's 4-0 win over Bernalillo on Saturday afternoon. He is thought to have fallen asleep at the wheel during his 40 mile commute home, Tristiani said.

The funeral was Wednesday. Berry is the fourth St. Pius player to have died in a car accident since 1989, beginning with Ben Ríos, a member of the 1988 title team and the player for whom the Sartans' home field is named.

Chris Canlon died in 1990, and Dominico Márquez, the captain of the 1990 state title team, died in a wreck in California in 1993. As for the current Sartans grieving for Berry, Tristani said, "They try to help each other. They try to act tough, but they broke down."

Chávez-Carr had aspirations of attending West Point and pursuing a military career, said Norman Kasser, his godfather and family spokesman. The athlete's mother, Julia O. Chávez-Carr, once served in the Army and his father, Gerson Carr, was in the Air Force, Kasser said. Chávez-Carr died of unknown causes. The Office of the Medical Investigator could not be reached for comment.

He played as AHS was beaten 57-0 by Manzano on Oct. 16. Chávez-Carr attended classes the following day and died in his sleep the that night. Chávez-Carr was an active member of his high school's JROTC and MESA groups. His football teammates and members of his JROTC unit were pallbearers as many people attended an emotional memorial service Tuesday at Congregation B'nai Israel with Rabbi Isaac H. Celnik and Cantor Josh Perlman officiating. "He was a hard-working kid. He never gave up, he never complained," said his football coach, Dick Archuleta. "He was not a big kid and played on the line against a lot of big players. "These things aren't supposed to happen but it did. We have to try to deal with it one day at a time. He will be missed."

Chávez-Carr, an honors student, lettered as a sophomore at center and Also played defensive end this year. He also lettered in varsity wrestling this past spring. He was like a son to me, said his favorite uncle David Chávez. He liked to be around and help me in whatever I did. Chávez-Carr played the trumpet when he attended Jefferson Middle School. He enjoyed classical, pop and rock music and some Spanish tunes. He also sang and played a part in a school play.

Edwin Chávez-Carr got the most out of his small size, lettering in football and wrestling at Alburquerque High School.

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