By ANDREW CRUM | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD
Brownsville Veterans Memorial had a season to remember last year.
While winning a school record 30 wins, the Lady Chargers captured the District 32-5A title without a blemish in district play (14-0) and advanced to the area round of the postseason for the fourth straight season.
However, it’s more about what Brownsville Veterans lost in the offseason if it hopes to repeat the feats from a year ago. Jordan Rudd, the two-time All-Metro MVP has graduated and the Lady Chargers must find a way to replace her scoring average and her leadership.
Two returning starters, senior Hannah Meyers and sophomore Lizzie Garza, will attempt to do both. Meyers averaged 12.7 points per game and Garza averaged 11.3. Both are former All-Metro Newcomers, Meyers (in 2015) and Garza (last year) and have shown that leadership on the court and during practices.
“Hannah has been more vocal, while Lizzie is still quiet and does everything by her actions,” Brownsville Veterans coach Valentin Paz said of his team captains this season.
Sophomore Alex Parchmont is expected to be in the starting lineup and help the Lady Chargers as a defender and on the boards.
“She’s a great compliment to Lizzie and Hannah,” Paz said.
Despite the loss of Rudd, the Brownsville Veterans coach said that his team’s goals remain unchanged, that includes building on the programs success by continuing to work hard on both ends of the floor.
Paz knows his team has a target on its back, but he welcomed the challenge with the experience and young talent that return on the Lady Chargers’ squad.
“We’re not changing our expectations … it’s about playoff success,” he said. “It’s still our goal to win district, but hopefully we can win that first playoff game and get to that second round (once again) … hopefully even further.”
LOS FRESNOS LADY FALCONS
Los Fresnos began a new era in the offseason.
Long-time head coach Kim Edquist retired after a successful 33-year career last season, including the past 27 with the Lady Falcons, winning seven district titles and reaching the postseason 17 times.
Los Fresnos fell just shy of the playoffs during the last two season in District 32-6A and new coach Rebecca Valdez plans to get the Lady Falcons back where her predecessor made her mark.
“The girls here work so hard. They believe in the word effort, every day they just get after it,” Valdez said. “Having that helps everything else fall into place.”
Los Fresnos returns three players that should make a big impact this season. Senior Britney Ruiz averaged 8.1 points per game last year and is one of the team’s best defenders. Also a team captain, Ruiz will be looked to for her leadership during her final season.
Junior point guard Jovanna Adame averaged 5.8 points as well as 3.5 assists a year ago and will be looked to run the show on the court. Sophomore Ariadna Gallardo was the team’s top scorer at 17.5 points per game last season and an All-Metro first-team selection as well as the district’s top newcomer.
New to varsity squad is Dominque Clemons, who will be looked to score and rebound, but also provide solid defense for the Lady Falcons.
Valdez feels her team can be in the mix for the top spot in District 32-6A.
“We’re striving for the district title, I truly believe my girls can compete for that title,” she said. “I just think they need that confidence and to believe in themselves.”
HANNA LADY GOLDEN EAGLES
After an inconsistent season, especially in District 32-6A, Hanna looks to bounce back and make a push toward a postseason berth.
With junior Mia Paz — last year’s All-Metro Offensive Player of the Year — returning and leading the way, it’s quite possible.
“We have a lot of experience coming back,” Hanna coach Luis Gonzalez said. “We’re looking for a playoff berth, but we know it’s not going to be easy, our district is tough top to bottom.”
Paz averaged a little better than 20 points per game a year ago, but the team was up-and-down defensively.
Along with Paz, two seniors, Jackie De la Rosa (six points and three assists per game) and Ryann Wood (four points and eight rebounds) return to the starting lineup.
The Lady Golden Eagles will also look to senior Reischeel Ocampo and junior Ariana Arceneaux to help the squad. Along with Wood and Arceneaux, another post player is Odalys Gonzalez that gives Hanna plenty of height in the paint.
A point of emphasis for the Lady Eagles coach has been on the defensive side, where he believes his team must improve.
“We have to play better defense, that’s been our Achilles heel the last couple of years,” Gonzalez said. “Offensively we can compete with anyone, but we have to improve our defense. If we do that, I think we’ll be a very dangerous team when it’s all said and done.”
PACE LADY VIKINGS
Pace is fresh off a postseason berth in District 32-5A that took it to the area round in Eddie Lozano’s first season as head coach.
After losing a talented handful of seniors, the Lady Vikings must find a new identity as a team.
“Our returners are trying to get in sync with our incoming girls,” Lozano said. “We’re almost there (after early season game and tournaments). We’re a very young team, but there is talent there and hopefully we can get it together when district starts.”
Pace returns juniors Lexy Arce (five points/two assists/three steals per game) and Rosa Salinas (four points/seven rebounds/two blocks) who will be expected to score and provide leadership to a younger squad this season.
The Lady Vikings will rely on a pair of seniors, Jade Rodriguez and Jasmine Rosales, a junior Stephanie Saenz and a sophomore Sofia Espinoza to play expanded roles on the team this season.
Even with a younger team this season, the goal to reach the postseason doesn’t change.
“The goal is always the playoffs, if your mindset isn’t there, it’s not right,” Lozano said. “We’re going to practice and play every day to make our goal.”
RIVERA LADY RAIDERS
Rivera faces an uphill battle in the tough District 32-6A. The Lady Raiders were winless in district play last year, but should rebound this season.
With a very young squad last season, Rivera is hoping that extra year of experience will help. The Lady Raiders are a junior-heavy team with the trio of Jacqueline Montes, Kaylyn Samano and Susan Baez expected to make an impact this season.
“We’re looking for someone to lead us,” Rivera coach Willie Brown said. “We haven’t had the leadership in the past two season’s (like in year’s past), but we have a very strong junior class.”
Junior Kourtney Shears also returns and sophomore Roxana Rodriguez will also be looked to provide valuable minutes this year.
Brown’s teams known for their defensive prowess will continue to use that to spark its offense. So far in the young season, it has worked and it has shown in the win column, already an improvement over last year.
The Rivera coach said the team must cut down on its turnovers to reach its potential this season.
“We looking for consistency,” Brown said. “When we don’t turn the ball over, we play well. We already play good defense, we just have to learn not to give it back … when we do, we win and when we don’t, we don’t.”
LOPEZ LADY LOBOS
Lopez hopes to find what pieces it has been missing.
It started midseason last year when Adam Castañeda took over for Lupe Perez. Castañeda, now in his first full season with the Lady Lobos is trying to turn the program around. It started with a better offseason and now it’s trying to find the right mesh of girls to play well together after the team went winless in District 32-5A last season.
“We’re a young team and we have a lot to prove,” he said. “We’re trying to get good chemistry and consistency on offense, but they’re buying into the system … we’re looking to being a lot more competitive (this year).”
Senior guard Nora Espinoza is the team’s top scorer and junior Briana Matamoros also returns as one of the team’s top defenders and rebounders. Sophomore Samantha Valdez is expected to start at point guard and move Espinoza to the two-guard position with the hope to get her more scoring opportunities.
A pair of freshmen, Brenda Savariego and Zayra Esquivel, is expected to fill some key roles for the Lady Lobos this season.
Castañeda said Lopez has a different attitude this year and the team chemistry has drastically improved over last year.
While competing for a postseason berth is always a goal, the Lady Lobos coach hopes to restore the program to what it once was.
“We’re looking forward to this year and proving some teams wrong,” Castañeda said. “I would love to get them into the playoffs, especially for the seniors who haven’t had much success during the last three years.”
PORTER COWGIRLS
Porter hopes to improve this season in District 32-5A with a new coach on the sidelines as Crystal Schmalzried takes over for Tony Saavedra.
The Cowgirls have very little experience returning, but Schmalzried said her team has a great attitude and a work ethic even though it’s a young team that is trying to learn some of the fundamentals of the game.
Porter has a mix of upper and lower classmen in the starting lineup led by seniors Paloma Garcia and Mary Ann Lara. A pair of sophomores Micaela
Garcia and Adamari Arteaga and freshman Katherine Salas round out the starting five.
Senior Karime Sulvaran and sophomore Desiree Treviño are expecting to provide important minutes off the bench for the Cowgirls.
It seems as though the new coach is already trying to change the culture of the program.
“I expect consistent effort and great attitudes from my players this season,” Schmalzried said. “To never to give up, regardless of the score. I hope to set new standards for the program making it a privilege to play. I hope to instill some discipline, determination, and a fighting spirit in these kids.”
ST. JOSEPH ACADEMY LADY BLOODHOUNDS
St. Joseph Academy is in a rebuilding mode with a new coach, a new system and players set to take on larger roles this season.
The Lady Bloodhounds lost its top two scorers in guards Valeria Tapia and Diana Garcia, both All-Metro first teamers; and new coach Nora Zamarrippa takes over for Cynthia Martinez.
St. Joseph has just one starter, senior Lauren Salazar, and one part-time starter, Camryn Gloor, that return and plenty of players that moved between the varsity and the JV last year. Senior Milandra Bosolo, juniors Carolina Del Pozo, Gisele Sampayo and Tania Garcia, and sophomores Allison Stachowiak and Camila Martinez have all moved up to varsity full-time and are learning what their roles are for the team.
“I’m really impressed with their effort to come and learn a new system,” Zamarripa said. “They work hard and play hard, but they’re trying to adjust to change. I’m thankful for the opportunity … I have a super group of young ladies. There’s talent there, but it’s a matter of learning and putting it all together, but I’m enjoying the process.”
Three freshmen, Maria Del Pozo, Rebekah Rodriguez and Juliana Trevino will also be in the mix learning a new system under Zamarrippa.
The new St. Joseph coach is optimistic about her new squad and what their potential could be.
“It’s a matter of gaining confidence,” Zamarripa said. “They are all learning … it’s a new offense.
“But I love how they compete.”
PORT ISABEL LADY TARPONS
Port Isabel also has a new coach on the sidelines, but it should be playing a similar style of basketball.
New coach Hannah Burleson takes over for Blake Ramsey and hopes to lead the Lady Tarpons back to the postseason using a similar defensive-minded scheme.
“We’re pretty young for the most part,” Port Isabel coach Hannah Burleson said. “But the girls have been extremely eager, excited, they’ve worked hard from the beginning. We’re more of a defense-oriented team … our defense generates our offense. We don’t have size, so we use our speed to work to our advantage.”
Port Isabel returns senior Ava Gomez, juniors Sabrina Garza (who was an All-District selection last year) and Gabby Murchison, and sophomore Ryley Galvan.
A pair of freshmen, Allison Gonzalez and Sabrina Gonzalez, who looks to get the nod in the starting rotation, will also play valuable minutes in their first varsity season.
The first-year coach said that the postseason would always be the goal and thinks her team could be in the mix toward the end of the season.
“If we play our style, I think we should be competitive in every game,” Burleson said. “(If we play that way) I think we should be contending for the playoffs.”
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.