East Valley Softball: Brownsville Veterans, Lyford play on
By EDWARD SEVERN, Staff Writer
HARLINGEN — Only two East Valley softball teams remain in the third round of the playoffs, the Lyford Lady Bulldogs and the Brownsville Veterans Memorial Lady Chargers.
Both teams will be in action tonight in single-elimination games against opponents from the Corpus Christi area.
Lyford takes on the London Lady Pirates after dispatching playoff rival Santa Gertrudis Academy last weekend. The game against London will be in Bishop.
“The girls were emotional after the win,” Lyford coach Albert Garza said. “Santa Gertrudis has been a wall they could not get past in the playoffs. They have been a competitive and well-led softball team over the years.
“To be able to come out on top was an emotional one for our seniors. I am very proud of the hard work and commitment the team and coaches have put in this year.”
Garza said the Lady Bulldogs will not be taking anything for granted against London and will stay humble.
“Everyone has earned their spot, and all the teams left are great,” Garza said. “All we can do is focus on us, how we can execute and be better than we were the day before.”
Brownsville Veterans faces a very good Corpus Christi Flour Bluff team in Rio Grande City. Flour Bluff went undefeated in District 29-5A this season.
“We feel really confident, we are playing very well,” Lady Chargers coach Rayner Cardenas said. “I know that (Flour Bluff is) a really talented team and they won their district in Corpus, but we feel good. We feel really confident. It is going to be a great game, a good battle, and I think that we have a shot.”
The Lady Chargers defeated Rio Grande City in the second round to set up the game against Flour Bluff.
“I have not seen (the Lady Chargers) this loose in a long time,” Cardenas said. “The girls feel like they have a good shot at this. They know we are facing a really good team, but we feel like we are pretty good ourselves and we put a good season together.”
Cardenas was ill this season and recently returned to the dugout against Rio Grande City. The Lady Chargers’ coach thanked his players as well as his coaching staff for stepping up, especially assistant coach Heriberto Rodriguez.
“The reason we are here is my assistant coaches,” Cardenas said. “You have to have a good staff to begin with, and my assistant coach Heriberto Rodriguez did a tremendous job, he kept the girls composed. The girls also, they have played inspired and are the reason why we are here. They deserve the credit.”