By Roy Hess | The Brownsville Herald
Bus accidents are something no one wants to see happen.
Yet, they still do.
The good news from Tuesday’s accident in Pharr involving a bus carrying 20-plus members of the Rivera volleyball team is there apparently were no serious injuries beyond bumps and bruises. Players and coaches were taken to two hospitals in McAllen to be checked out.
Parents and school officials traveled to McAllen as soon as possible to make sure everything was OK.
There are bound to be the normal emotional effects people experience when suddenly cast into a multi-vehicle accident situation.
That’s why the Rivera coaching staff gave the players a day off today. The team will come together again Thursday and decide for sure if the Lady Raiders will participate in the Mission Tournament starting Friday.
It appears Rivera will be playing in the two-day tournament, but it won’t be determined for certain until Thursday’s practice.
Tuesday’s Rivera at McAllen High non-district match was canceled.
The UIL season is a little more than two weeks old since the first day of practice on Aug. 1, so there is still plenty of volleyball to be played with District 32-6A, starting Sept. 18 for the defending champion Lady Raiders.
For now, it’s about getting back into the normal routine of practicing and playing matches for the Rivera girls.
Rivera coach Elizabeth Avelar-Guerra is beginning her 26th season of guiding the Lady Raiders. Richard Guerra, her husband, is also her assistant coach.
“We are OK for now and we will play it by ear,” Guerra said. “We’ve never had anything like this happen before.
“As of right now, we should be there (playing at the Mission Tournament),” Guerra added. “We gave the girls the day off (today). We will see them Thursday and evaluate how we
are feeling.”
PORT ISABEL TOURNAMENT
The eighth-annual Volley at the Beach Tournament begins Thursday and runs through Saturday at Port Isabel.
Along with the host Lady Tarpons, there are 12 other teams participating with pool play scheduled Thursday and Friday followed by bracket play in Gold and Silver Divisions on Saturday. Port Isabel’s main and practice gyms will be used.
Pool play begins at 1 p.m. Thursday and at 9 a.m. on Friday.
The Gold Division championship match is scheduled at 5 p.m. Saturday.
Hanna is the defending champion. The Lady Golden Eagles defeated PSJA Southwest 21-25, 25-16, 15-10 in last year’s final.
Hanna and PSJA Southwest are both back. Rounding out the tournament field are Corpus Christi Carroll, Los Fresnos, Lopez, Weslaco East, St. Joseph Academy, Progreso, Santa Rosa, Rio Hondo, La Feria and Monte Alto.
“We’re always excited about going to the Port Isabel Tournament,” Hanna coach Ansgar Hagemann said. “We look forward to playing teams such as Los Fresnos, Corpus Christi Carroll and the others. It’s good competition.”
Hanna is coming off Tuesday’s 25-16, 25-19, 20-25, 25-17 non-district win at home against Pace.
ONLY TWO SENIORS
St. Joseph Academy coach Dolores Olguin-Trevino said she has two more players who should be listed with the others on her varsity team for 2018. They are seniors Juliet Reyes and Arely Fonrouge.
“They’re the only seniors in the program this season,” Olguin-Trevino said.
The Lady Bloodhounds are coming off Tuesday’s 25-9, 25-19, 25-17 non-district road victory against San Isidro.