By ROY HESS | Staff Writer
MISSION — The best of the best high school athletes, coaches and teams from the 2018-19 school year in the Rio Grande Valley were recognized at Thursday’s All Valley Sports Award Banquet at Mario’s Banquet & Conference Center in Mission.
There were 33 awards in 12 UIL sports handed out at the annual event presented by RGVSports.com, which is the website of the Valley’s three daily newspapers — The Brownsville Herald, the Valley Morning Star and The Monitor.
Among those honored with an All Valley award from the Brownsville area were Rivera’s Andrea de la Rosa (Girls Cross Country Athlete of the Year), Hanna’s Mia Paz (Girls Basketball Player of the Year), Brownsville Veterans Memorial’s Mark Boswell (Boys Soccer Player of the Year), Pace’s Alexis Guajardo (Girls Soccer Player of the Year), Brownsville Veteran’s Fahtima Avila (Girls Golfer of the Year), Los Fresnos’ Luis Osuna (Boys Swimmer of the Year), Brownsville Veterans’ Mia Anzaldua (Softball Player of the Year), Hanna football (Class 6A Boys Team of the Year) and, Hanna football coach Mark Guess (Boys Coach of the Year).
Also, Brownsville Veterans tied with Sharyland Pioneer for Sub-6A Program of the Year.
Thursday’s award was a perfect way to transition from high school to running in college in Tennessee for de la Rosa.
“It’s amazing to win this award, I feel it’s such an accomplishment,” said the recently graduated standout Rivera runner who went to state in cross country three times and to state in track once. “I’ve worked really hard for four years, so it feels really good. It’s a great way to go on to college. I’d like to thank God and all my coaches for their support.”
Regarding his award in boys soccer, Boswell, a senior-to-be, said, “I’m pretty speechless, but most importantly, I’m blessed and thankful for all the opportunities I’ve been given. All glory to God.”
Paz, a recent Hanna graduate who has signed to play basketball at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley, was nominated for the top girls basketball player award last year, but didn’t receive the top prize. She was happy to be the winner this time around.
“It was a little nerve-wracking because I was up against some real strong competition,” said Paz, who finished her Hanna career as the all-time Brownsville scorer with 2,968 points and with a Valley-record 410 3-pointers. “To win this award is amazing.”
Los Fresnos’ Osuna was a standout boys swimmer who qualified for state during each of his four years swimming for the Falcons.
“After all these years of dedication (as a swimmer), it feels amazing (to win this award),” said Osuna, who just graduated from Los Fresnos. “I was in practice every day, so it’s truly an honor to be recognized for this award.”
Some of the other top awards went to McAllen High’s Lexi Gonzalez (6A Female Athlete of the Year), PSJA High’s Trey Guajardo (6A Male Athlete of the Year), Mercedes’ Mika Vento (Sub-6A Female Athlete of the Year), Mission Veterans’ Landry Gilpin (Sub-6A Male Athlete of the Year), Harlingen South soccer (6A Girls Team of the Year), Lyford softball (Sub-6A Girls Team of the Year), Sharyland Pioneer baseball (Sub-6A Boys Team of the Year), Harlingen South soccer coach Omar Pedroza (Girls Coach of the Year), Edinburg Vela (6A Program of the Year) and Brownsville Veterans and Sharyland Pioneer ( a tie for Sub-6A Program of the Year).
The final and most highly regarded honor of the night, the Tom Landy Award, went to Los Fresnos’ Isis Delgado, who was a four-year standout of the Lady Falcons’ volleyball team as a libero and was the valedictorian of her school’s 2019 graduating class of 917.
Delgado was chosen based on her extensive athletic and academic achievements along with her character and community service.
Randy White, former NFL All-Pro for the Dallas Cowboys, NFL Hall of Famer and Super Bowl XII Co-MVP, was the banquet’s featured speaker.