LOS FRESNOS — Harlingen High senior point guard Rosa Zapata scored 10 of her 20 points in the fourth quarter to push the Cardinals past the Los Fresnos Falcons on Friday night.
With the 55-42 win, the Cardinals finish the first round of District 32-6A undefeated at 5-0.
“It was a good, competitive game,” Harlingen High head coach Ashley Moncivaiz said. “This is what we need, we need to be able to play against teams that are willing to push each other and make it a great game. They pushed us to the end, to the fourth quarter.”
Up only two points entering the final quarter, Zapata started the quarter with a 3-point play, then euro-stepped for a layup and capped off the run with a 3-pointer to give the Cardinals an eight-point advantage midway through the quarter.
“She did a great job,” Moncivaiz said. “When you have a lead, you have to take control. Each person here knows their role, and she comes in there and leads with the ball handling and running the offense. Defense as well, if you noticed she was trying to take the charge … she is an all-around player.”
Zapata added a couple of free throws to put the Cardinals up even more. Zapata said she can work on her shooting from the line.
“I stepped up, yes,” Zapata said. “Overall, I think I did pretty good.”
Harlingen High senior Athena Linnartz scored 12 points and Layla Salas chipped in with eight.
The Falcons had a run in the third quarter to move within two points. Los Fresnos senior Olivia Parra scored six of her 11 points in the quarter to help fuel the run. Falcons senior Aylene Ortega also finished with 12 points, and junior Shiloh Jones added 11 points.
Moncivaiz preached defense to her team after the Falcons’ run as the teams went into the fourth quarter, she said.
“I tell them it always starts with defense,” she said.
Harlingen High trailed 12-6 in the first quarter before going on a 9-0 run that stretched in the second quarter and never trailed again. The Cardinals led 24-19 at the half.
Harlingen High (17-10, 5-0) faces Weslaco High at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Weslaco High School. Los Fresnos (23-8, 2-3) takes on Brownsville Rivera at 6 p.m. Tuesday at home.