TJ GARCIA | SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR
McALLEN — McAllen High has a long and legendary football history. Not too long ago, quarterback Fred Hover added his name to oak plaques inside the Bulldogs football offices with one of the best three-year runs in program history.
The 5-foot-9-inch speedster is McHi’s career leader in all-purpose yards. His feet are as quick as his release and decision-making. He helped lead the Bulldogs to their first outright district championship in more than 30 years in 2013, when the team went 9-1 in the regular season of his junior year. He had nearly 2,300 yards of offense and 23 touchdowns.
Now, Hover enters his third year at Southwestern University in Georgetown with the mindset of doing the same. Already a 2016 honorable mention all-conference selection despite sharing time under center with another quarterback, Hover said he feels good about the upcoming campaign because of the game-time know-how under his belt.
“Experience is everything,” Hover said. “The more that comes, the more confident I become. I know what to expect from defenses, and the game slows down so I can just play ball without any hesitation.”
He did just that last season. The junior completed 52 of 84 pass attempts (62 percent) for 602 yards and four touchdowns. Hover, a dual threat, also carried the ball 129 times for 614 yards and five TDs. What’s more, he only turned the ball over five times all year.
“Well, playing only half the games surely helped out in that category,” Hover joked. “But it mainly comes down to eliminating risks, taking what the defense gives you… and excellent film study so you know what to expect.”
Division III Southwestern won six straight games to close out last season. But now a new challenge awaits Hover and his teammates, as the Pirates move to the tougher American Southwest Conference, where perennial power and 2016 DIII National Champion Mary Hardin-Baylor resides. But Hover said the team is excited and ready to line up against some of the best with their own mix of youth and experience.
Not too long ago, Hover was a star under the Friday night lights. And while he is thoroughly enjoying a new phase in life, he’ll never forget playing for the purple and gold.
“My favorite memories at McHi are the drum line, the intense rivalries with each school and playing in front of the entire community every Friday night,” Hover said.
PALMVIEW’S GUERRERO WILL LEAD UTA CROSS COUNTRY AS SENIOR
La Joya Palmview alum and University of Texas at Arlington cross country runner Michael Guerrero made a name for himself as a junior. A two-time state cross country qualifier for the Lobos, Guerrero continued his winning ways by helping the Mavericks win the Division I Sun Belt Conference Championship in 2016 by individually placing fourth.
He then followed up with a ninth-place finish in the NCAA South Central Regional on Nov. 11 that put UTA in third place as a team and qualified him for the NCAA finals. This year, Guerrero is a senior and a team leader. He also runs track for the DI Mavericks.
BROWNSVILLE VETS’ CARDENAS NOW STARRING FOR OLLU VOLLEYBALL
There’s no mistaking what Our Lady of the Lake University thinks of junior Mariza Cardenas. The Brownsville Veterans graduate’s photos are all over the Saints’ season preview material.
The former All-Metro MVP and All-Valley selection started 15 games last year to help lead OLLU to a 24-5 record and a Red River Conference (Division III) championship. The 5-foot-11-inch middle hitter had 58 kills and 47 blocks last year. Cardenas has been on the Dean’s list and a conference scholar athlete two straight years.
E-E’S DINNALL-GUERRA LOOKS TO IMPROVE ON UTPB FRESHMAN YEAR
Ray Dinnall-Guerra is a big boy. The 6-foot-1-inch, 300-pound University of Texas of the Permian Basin sophomore defensive lineman is a load. The Edcouch-Elsa alum is working his way up in a brand new football program.
The UTPB Falcons, whose campus is in Odessa, were 2-9 during their inaugural season last year. The former all-district defensive lineman made the best of it, playing in 10 games, snagging 10 tackles (four for losses) and two sacks.
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