By ANDREW CRUM, Staff Writer
Pace has won three straight games in District 32-5A in part because of balanced scoring.
During the past two games, the Lady Vikings have had at least three players with double-digit points.
Nadia Mendoza and Valeria Varela, who each have averaged 11.5 points per game during the past two games, have led Pace. Lexi Arce has averaged 10 points during the same period of time; she scored 12 and eight points, respectively. As a team, Pace has averaged 58 points on offense and allowed less than 45.
“Nadia never slows down,” Pace coach Kris Metzmaker said. “She never slows down and hates to come out of the game.”
More than anything, the momentum has given the Lady Vikings a boost of self-confidence.
“Absolutely,” Metzmaker said after a recent victory. “The top four teams (in district) are again, very, very close. So this is huge for us, for our confidence.”
REMAINING POSITIVE
Porter had struggled because of injuries in the early part of the season. Now with almost everyone back on the bench, Porter coach Tony Saavedra said it’s time to get better.
“The way you practice is the way you play,” he said. “We have to come in and start getting better. I tell the girls the only way we’re going to get better is if you want to get better.”
The Cowgirls are 0-4 to start the District 32-5A season, but the effort is still there. Despite a deficit of 20 points at halftime to Pace on Tuesday, Porter came out and outscored the Lady Vikings during the second half. The Cowgirls didn’t get the win, but the fight is still within them.
“It starts in practice,” Saavedra said. “In practice, we’re here to learn. When we play, let’s have fun.”
BIG GAME
It’s early in the District 32-6A season, but already Harlingen High and Brownsville Veterans Memorial are making the district title a two-team race.
Each is unbeaten through four district games. The Lady Cardinals are ranked at the top of the RGVSports.com poll, and the Lady Chargers are third after spending the majority of the season in second.
Harlingen High is the two-time defending district champion, and Brownsville Veterans has finished runner-up to the Lady Cardinals each time. On Friday night, the teams meet in district for the first time this season at Brownsville Veterans.
The Lady Chargers lost both games to the Lady Cardinals last season. A win by Brownsville Veterans certainly would make the race for the district tighter and make their next meeting Feb. 2 even more important as the season draws to a close.
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.