By ANDREW CRUM, Staff Writer
Brownsville Veterans Memorial ended last season with the school’s first playoff berth after defeating Hanna in a play-in game to earn the fourth seed.
The Lady Chargers took down Weslaco High in bi-district but fell short in the area round to Laredo LBJ.
Now Brownsville Veterans is ready to pick up where it left off.
“Anytime you end the season on a positive note, it kind of propels you to next season,” said Brownsville Veterans coach Ray Cardenas, last year’s All-Metro coach of the year. “The girls saw the potential that they had in them and worked really hard over the summer. That motivated them to work to keep building on what happened last year.”
The Lady Chargers return two All-Valley selections from last season, senior third baseman Sarah Sandoval and the newcomer of the year, sophomore Cassie Valdez. Sandoval had 20 RBIs while hitting a team-high .377, and Valdez scored 28 runs, had 36 hits that included 14 doubles and three triples, 20 RBIs and a .364 average.
They also return every starter from last year’s squad, including senior shortstop Rheanna Gomez, who was second on the team with 24 runs scored.
Cardenas said the team played together as a travel team and played nearly every weekend in the summer around the Valley. That dedication has the team playing sharp in the early season, rather than shaking the rust off.
“I think we’re in midseason form because of the commitment the parents made to the program,” he said. “It shows that the girls and the parents are really dedicated.”
The Lady Chargers’ coach expects a tough district season much like last year.
“I know we’re in a extremely competitive district, many of the programs have improved,” Cardenas said. “We’re trying to do what we do, but understanding our district is probably one of the most competitive in the Valley.
“It’s going to be a struggle from top to bottom. No team is to be taken lightly anymore.”
LOS FRESNOS
Los Fresnos felt it has some unfinished business after it was upended early in the playoffs last season.
The Lady Falcons came undone with too many errors during two games of a bi-district series loss to Edinburg North.
Los Fresnos lost four seniors from last year’s squad but plenty of talent returns, including a pair of seniors who were All-Metro selections last season: shortstop Maya Guevara and first baseman Stephanie Perez.
The Lady Falcons are also experiencing a youth movement, as six of their players are new to varsity this year, including two freshmen and four girls who played on a JV team that captured the district title during the past two seasons.
“We’re working through some struggles right now, but every scrimmage we’re getting better and seeing lots of improvement,” Los Fresnos coach Traci Blackman said. “We’re more comfortable with each other and there is more team chemistry, but it’s a process.”
Blackman said the team has a few things to work on early in the season.
“We just need to focus on mental toughness,” she said. “Going out there and playing a full game and being consistent.”
Despite their youth, the Lady Falcons’ coach and her team are ready to continue that march back to the postseason this year.
“I think we should be one of the top contenders,” Blackman said. “We’re building that tradition and now these girls want to continue that tradition.
“They’re not going to roll over. They’re going to go out there and fight.”
HANNA
Hanna tied for the final playoff spot with Brownsville Veterans and Harlingen High last season in District 32-6A. The Lady Golden Eagles beat the Lady Cardinals but fell short against Lady Chargers.
Hanna is eager to get the season started to get another shot at the postseason.
“We’ve been very anxious (to get started),” Hanna coach Rey Lerma said. “We’re still young, I only have four seniors on the team, the majority of the team is freshman and sophomores. The kids are working hard. Their attitude is the best I’ve had in a long time.”
The Lady Eagles return a pair of All-Metro first-team players, junior pitcher Juliette Gonzalez and senior catcher Cassandra Abrego, and senior third baseman Samantha Ibarra, a four-year starter who was on the All-Metro second team.
Lerma knows that District 32-6A will be just as tough this season.
“Every game that we play is going to be a playoff game,” he said. “It’s a competitive district, I expect it to be no different (than last season).”
RIVERA
Rivera didn’t have a memorable season last year for interim coach Bobby Rocha. But the Lady Raiders hope the experience they gained will help this season.
Rivera returns a senior-laden team that includes twins and outfielders Darcy and Jenny Cardenas, catcher Natalia Pereida, third baseman Monica Lamas, outfielder Sheila Aviles, shortstop Ayleen Perez and a transfer from Brownsville Veterans, Mayte Gonzalez.
Junior pitcher Cassandra Guajardo also returns with two years of varsity experience and will be looked on to become a leader for the Lady Raiders.
“We’re looking for leadership from them,” Rocha said. “We’re looking for them to lead the way for the younger girls.”
Rocha said the team needs to cut down on the mental errors from last season to be more competitive. With District 32-6A expected to be tough again, Rocha knows the Lady Raiders have their work cut out for them.
“I tell the girls you have to give it your all, you don’t know what can happen,” he said. “When we play these (district) teams, we have to be spot-on perfect to beat them. We’re trying to build up this program and get back to the playoffs.”
LOPEZ
Lopez starts the new year with a new coach in Jesse Martinez, who was an assistant at Porter.
“It’s been a smooth transition. I’ve got a really good reception from the parents, and we have a good group of girls,” he said. “But we have a lot of work ahead of us. I’m excited, though. We have a good group of sophomores that we’re going to build around and a pair of freshmen that are coming in that are talented. I’m eager to see what these girls can do.”
The Lady Lobos certainly are a young team. Sophomores Kasi Rubio, Adryana Arredondo, and Leslie Solis return, and newcomers and twins Alexa and Alexi Castro are expected to contribute this season. Just one senior, Yadia Mejia, returns, and junior Aileen Castillo is back in center field for the Lady Lobos.
Lopez returns everyone from last year’s squad. The hope is that with experience and the talent coming in, this team could surprise some people.
Martinez is confident from what he’s seen so far in the early season.
“I think we can hang with everybody, but 32-6A is probably the toughest district in South Texas,” he said. “We have a lot of respect for those teams, but we’re not going to lay down and die either. We hoping to stay in every game as long as we come out and fight.”
PORTER
Porter is coming off a season which it made the playoffs and finished with Ariel Arredondo at the helm. Arredondo returns, and several players from last year’s squad do, too.
All-Metro selections Danielle Sanchez (first baseman), Karen Garcia (second baseman) and Karla Sosa, Krista Quiroz, and Britt Garza outfield) look to get back to the playoffs and compete for a District 32-5A crown.
Another All-Metro pitcher, Sabrina Garcia, has graduated, but her younger sister, freshman Brenda Garcia, is slated to step into a starting role on the mound.
“This sounds funny with a team full of seniors, but I look at it as a rebuilding year,” Arredondo said. “Getting the girls to believe in me and the coaches, our program and the way we want to push them. Since they were freshmen, the girls have always been right there. So we’re trying to make sure we get everything that we can out of them.”
Arredondo, the former assistant, knows that the team has the potential and set its goals higher this season.
“We’re not just striving for the playoffs, we’re striving for (a) district (title),” she said. “We’re looking to go a lot further (in the postseason).”
PACE
Pace fell short of a postseason berth last season in District 32-5A, but with seven returning starters it’s looking up for the Lady Vikings.
Pace returns a pair of juniors who also have been three-year starters and all-district selections each season, pitcher Brianna Nunez and center fielder Ebony Casanova. Senior catcher Jessica Aguilar has been on varsity since her freshman year and has been all-district the past two seasons.
The Lady Vikings struggled with hitting last year, but so far that has been their most improved asset.
“One of our weakest areas was batting,” Pace coach Jesus Jaramillo, Jr. said. “This year we’ve worked very hard on that. I’m excited for our progress.”
With so much experience returning, Jaramillo is optimistic that his team can be in the mix for the postseason this year.
“I think we’ll surprise some people,” he said. “I think we can play with anybody. We’ll see who wants it more. I think we can be playing for that fourth-place spot, maybe third if things fall into place.”
PORT ISABEL
Port Isabel shared the District 32-4A title last year with Rio Hondo, and the expectations remain just as high with former assistant Danno Wise now the P.I. coach.
The Lady Tarpons return five seniors who have been on varsity since their freshmen season: third baseman Guillian Garza, shortstop Alex Martinez, catcher Michelle Martinez (was in the outfield the past three years), second baseman Natasha Ramirez and pitcher/first baseman/outfielder Marina Wise-Herring.
Despite the talent returning for the Lady Tarpons, the district expects to be just as tough as last year.
“I like where we’re at, but we’re going to have our hands full,” Wise said. “We should be one of the teams in the mix.”
The senior class has enjoyed success winning or sharing district two out of the past three years and finishing runner-up the other season. But they are looking to make a postseason run.
“My focus is going deep in the playoffs,” Wise said. “We want to win district, but the main thing I’m looking for is us progressing through the season and hitting our stride once the playoffs come around. We started strong and finished weak as the season ended last year.”
Andrew Crum covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6629 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter, he’s @andrewmcrum.