Harlingen High head coach Ashley Moncivaiz called herself a stickler for defense after her Cardinals defeated Los Fresnos to end the first round of District 32-6A unbeaten last Friday.
The Falcons were held to only seven points in the fourth quarter by the Cardinals, allowing them to come out with a 55-42 victory. Harlingen High’s defense has stifled teams in important moments.
The Cardinals needed stops after falling behind to Weslaco High in their first meeting of district play. Harlingen High outscored the Panthers 32-10 in the second half to win 55-42.
“I tell them, make stops and you are able to contribute on offense,” Moncivaiz said after the Los Fresnos game.
| Harlingen High’s Juli Bryant (14) goes up for a block on Weslaco High’s Raemie Medina (24) in the first round of District 32-6A on Jan. 6, 2023, at Harlingen High School. Photo courtesy of Andrew Cordero. |
The Cardinal (17-10, 5-0) are ready for Round 2, Moncivaiz said. The second meeting against the Panthers (22-6, 4-1) is at 6 p.m. today at Weslaco High.
The Panthers have outscored their opponents by an average of 26 points in their last four games to set up a familiar scenario as last season, when the two split games in the district. Weslaco High won the first game last season and Harlingen High took the second.
The 2020-21 District 32-6A co-champions settled first place on the court with Harlingen High coming out on top.
| Weslaco High’s Girls Basketball Team(Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald) Denise Cathey |
The Cardinals and Panthers District 32-6A showdown is not the only important game Tuesday in girls basketball throughout the Rio Grande Valley.
District 32-5A’s title can be wrapped up by the Brownsville Veterans Memorial this week. The Chargers sit atop the district standings at 13-0 with a three-game cushion on the Weslaco East Wildcats.
The Chargers and Wildcats meet at 6 p.m. today at Brownsville Veterans High School. Brownsville Veterans can clinch the title with a win against Weslaco East today and a win against Donna North on Friday.
| Brownsville Veterans Memorial’s Alexa Torres (14) drives by a defender in the first District 32-5A meeting against Weslaco East at Weslaco East High School Tuesday Dec. 20, 2022. Photo courtesy of Andrew Cordero. |
The Chargers have breezed through district play this season. The most points the Brownsville school has given up in a game during district was 31, to Brownsville Lopez twice.
Harlingen South was able to hold Brownsville Veterans to 49 points in the first game of district, other than that it has been smooth sailing for the Chargers.
It has also been a breeze for Edinburg Vela. The Sabercats are 13-0 in District 31-5A and take on McAllen Rowe, 12-1 in district, also at 6 p.m. today at Rowe High School.
Edinburg Vela senior Emma Lucio is averaging 24 points per game in 25 games for a SaberCats team that has only lost four games this season, all to out-of-Valley competition.
| McAllen Rowe’s Yulissa Yebra (24) snags a ball away from Edinburg Vela’s Janai Coleman (33) during a District 31-5A game at Robert Vela High school gymnasium Tuesday Dec.20,2022 in Edinburg, Tx. (Delcia Lopez/The Monitor | [email protected]) |
Lucio scored 22 points and Janai Coleman finished with 20 points to lead the SaberCats to a 58-37 win over the Warriors in their first meeting in district.