MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
Even as her team closed out district last year with a 6-10 record, missing the playoffs, Donna High coach Cindy Viesca had reason to believe good things were ahead for her program.
She had four seniors set to return. The rest of the team, filled out by juniors promoted from JV, were familiar with the program. And through their offseason strength and conditioning program, the Bravettes began to build some continuity. And now at 25-8 overall and 4-0 in district, Donna High is off to its best start since Viesca took over the program three years ago.
“It’s just leadership and a little more of maturing,” she said. “They’re hitting more aggressively, serving more aggressively. They’re coming out, attacking the ball. It’s just the girls being determined to have a successful year.”
Donna High, No. 4 in the latest RGVSports.com ranking, stands as the only undefeated team in District 32-5A. It’s quite the turnaround from last season, when it finished in fifth place, missing the playoffs.
Not since 2007 have the Bravettes made the playoffs. Now, they appear primed to snap that skid.
“I think that’ll mean a lot to them,” Viesca said. “At first, our goal was mainly getting in the playoffs, being in a new district. And once we saw how well we were doing, obviously our goal was (to win) a district championship and to get into the playoffs, getting that first seed.”
Marina Martinez, a senior captain, has helped the lead the way at outside hitter. As one of the top hitting players on the team, Martinez serves up the most aces. She solidifies a group with Yvette Tamez in the middle and Kara Yanez at libero.
Together, they’ve helped lead a focused group from Day 1.
“From the start of two-a-days, they came in very determined,” Viesca said. “They’re the ones pushing the younger girls, right off the bat with scrimmages.”
With a full district season ahead, Viesca said she’s relying on her players to continue with the competitive spirit that has sparked them.
“Even when we’re not doing well, we just have to regroup and refocus and know that we have to get after it,” she said.
STAYING ON TOP
Because of an open date, McAllen Memorial (27-6, 3-0), the No. 3 team in the latest RGVSports.com top 10 ranking, has played one less match than every other team in district.
The competition has been mixed. While it has played and beaten fifth-ranked McAllen Rowe (28-4, 3-1) early in district, McAllen Memorial has also faced a pair of struggling programs in in La Joya Lincoln-Juarez and La Joya Palmview.
On Saturday, the Lady Mustangs face another sturdy challenge, though, with sixth-ranked McAllen High (27-5, 2-1).
“We’re very familiar with them because they’re all returning,” said Memorial coach Lorena Lopez, whose team lost to McHi once this season in tournament play. “It’s going to be a battle of who plays the hardest and who makes the least amount of errors.”
FOCUSED
After beating Sharyland Pioneer on Tuesday, Mission Veterans (23-6, 3-0) stood as the only undefeated team in district. The Lady Patriots’ D.D. Ibarra feels her team’s going to be protective of that mark.
“We’ve been really focused now because our coaches said, ‘Everybody’s after you,’” she said. “‘You have the hugest target on your back and everybody’s trying to knock you down.’ And since (losing to) Los Fresnos, we’ve been more determined to win and we’re trying to get No. 1 in the Valley.”
Since that game, Los Fresnos (24-9, 4-0) has held the No. 1 ranking in the Valley. The two teams are not scheduled to play again this year, unless they meet in the playoffs.
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VALLEY VOLLEYBALL STANDINGS
Over Dist
Team W L W L
McAllen Memorial 27 6 3 0
McAllen Rowe 28 4 3 1
McAllen High 27 5 2 1
Mission High 13 14 2 1
La Joya High 10 19 1 3
LJ Lincoln-Juarez — — 0 3
La Joya Palmview*— — — —
DISTRICT 31-6A
Over Dist
Team W L W L
Edinburg North 24 10 4 0
PSJA North 13 9 2 2
PSJA Memorial 11 17 2 2
Edinburg High 21 8 2 1
Weslaco High 10 15 1 2
Ed. Economedes 1 18 0 3
Weslaco East* — — — —
DISTRICT 32-6A
Over Dist
Team W L W L
Los Fresnos 24 9 4 0
Browns. Veterans 23 9 4 0
Brownsville Hanna 23 12 3 1
Harlingen South 19 14 2 2
Brownsville Rivera 10 19 0 4
Harlingen High* — — — —
Brownsville Lopez*— — — —
Over Dist
Team W L W L
Mission Veterans 23 6 3 0
Sharyland Pioneer 22 9 3 1
Roma 23 7 2 2
Edinburg Vela 18 12 2 2
Sharyland High 16 9 1 2
Rio Grande City* — — — —
Valley View* — — — —
Over Dist
Team W L W L
Donna High 25 8 4 0
PSJA Southwest 13 11 2 2
Brownsville Porter 7 9 2 2
Mercedes 15 13 1 3
Brownsville Pace 6 12 1 3
Donna North 5 19 0 4
PSJA High* — — — —
Edcouch-Elsa* — — — —
*not reported
RGVSports.com top 10 volleyball
School, overall, district, prev.
1, Los Fresnos 24-9, 4-0 (1)
2, Mission Veterans 23-6, 3-0 (2)
3, McAllen Memorial 27-6, 3-0 (3)
4, Donna High 25-8, 4-0 (7)
5, McAllen Rowe 28-4, 3-1 (6)
6, McAllen High 27-5, 2-1 (4)
7, Edinburg North 24-10, 4-0 (NR)
8, Roma 23-7, 2-2 (5)
9, Brownsville Veterans 23-9, 4-0 (NR)
10, Sharyland Pioneer 22-9, 3-1 (9)