By JOSHUA McKINNEY, Staff Writer
An insatiable hunger drives Cassie Valdez to be the best.
That’s why she’s on top of the Brownsville softball scene as a sophomore.
Valdez, a pitcher and third baseman for the Brownsville Veterans Memorial Lady Chargers (23-8, 12-2), has earned the Brownsville Herald’s All-Metro Most Valuable Player award after leading her team through its best season in school history.
“It just shows how much hard work can pay off,” Valdez said. “I practice more than I should, honestly. I probably don’t get enough rest. It’s a great feeling for all the hard work to finally pay off.”
Lady Chargers coach Ray Cardenas thinks Valdez is a rare breed of athlete for her age when it comes to her determination to be a high-level softball player.
“Honestly, I’ve seen other girls and coached other girls on other teams, and I’ve never seen anybody like this,” he said. “She’s a special kid. For her to have that dream and not let all these other things that she’s accomplished get to her head … she’s level-headed and doesn’t get too high or too low. She enjoys the accomplishments and all the recognition that she gets but she understands that she has bigger and better things that she wants to do and until that last pitch of her senior year, she’s going to work hard. I don’t think anybody can outwork her right now.”
Valdez’s area of expertise is pitching, where she excelled this season.
She finished with 202 strikeouts and a 0.97 ERA in 122 2/3 innings to go along with 14 of the Lady Chargers’ school-record 23 wins.
Cardenas says Valdez’s work habits stem from her desire to play Division I softball when she graduates from Brownsville Veterans. Reaching her goal has made her one of the best pitchers in the Rio Grande Valley, if not the entire state.
“That girl is a workaholic,” Cardenas said. “As good as she is and all the accolades she’s gotten and all the recognition she got last year and then this year, she’s still hungry. She’s extremely goal-oriented. All the district nominations and awards and her 200-plus strikeouts … that is not her driving goal. Her goal is to play for a Division I school and pitch for a Division I school.
“Until that goal is met, there is nothing that she wins and nothing she does in the field that is satisfying to her. That’s extremely rare … a girl that age and that young having that maturity and will to succeed.”
She’s also a polished hitter who bats in the Lady Chargers’ cleanup spot in the lineup.
Valdez won the District 32-6A’s offensive player of the year award after hitting six home runs, driving in 39 RBIs and posting a .473 batting average.
“It’s a little difficult (to hit and pitch well) because you have to be strict on what you do,” Valdez said. “The little things can make a huge difference. Repetition is what helps and makes things easier. It’s why I work so much and practice so hard.”
Cardenas insisted there’s room for Valdez to grow, but knows that no one will out-work her when it comes to playing the game.
And that’s just fine for Cardenas, as Valdez’s untapped potential might be the key to Brownsville Veterans elevating its program to a district-title winner.
“We’re just going to get better and better every year because we work in the summer,” she said. “We never stop playing. Our stats and stuff are going to keep going up.”
Most Valuable Player: Cassie Valdez, Brownsville Veterans
Offensive Player of the Year: Alexa Castro, Lopez
Defensive Player of the Year: Sarah Sandoval, Brownsville Veterans
Pitcher of the Year: Brissa Rivera, Porter
Newcomer of the Year: Mia Anzaldua, Brownsville Veterans
Coach of the Year: Ray Cardenas, Brownsville Veterans
First team
P – Juliette Gonzalez, Hanna
C – Samantha Padilla, Los Fresnos
1B – Marina Wise-Herring, Port Isabel
2B – Lydia Fernandez, Brownsville Veterans
3B – Stephanie Perez, Los Fresnos
SS – Maya Guevara, Los Fresnos
OF – Summer Bohn, Pace
OF – Karla Sosa, Porter
OF – Vivikah Pesina, Los Fresnos
DP/UT – Brenda Garcia, Porter
Second team
P – Christa Valdez, Port Isabel
C – Marquel Rivera, Porter
1B – Jianna Calvillo, Los Fresnos
2B – Natasha Ramirez, Port Isabel
3B – Guillian Garza, Port Isabel
SS – Rheana Gomez, Brownsville Veterans
OF – Naomie Barbosa, Brownsville Veterans
OF – Krista Quiroz, Porter
OF – Salone McManus, Hanna
DP/UT – Becky Galarza, Hanna
Joshua McKinney covers high school sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6663 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @joshuabvherald.