Hitter of the Year: Casey Vidal, Harlingen High
Harlingen High senior Casey Vidal learned how to play volleyball in the streets. Her neighbor would set up a net in the street and the neighborhood would play.
Vidal admits she has an awkward swing, nurtured by the streets and not manufactured by money. However, Vidal turned into one of the best hitters, not only in the Harlingen area, but the Rio Grande Valley.
The tatted up gritty senior is the Valley Morning Star’s Hitter of the Year.
Vidal was a natural leader on the court of a senior-heavy team where winning was expected. Vidal and the Cardinals captured the District 32-6A title, a bi-district victory and Vidal, herself, took home the district’s MVP award.
Harlingen High head coach Joslynn Torres called Vidal a different breed.
“I never had a leader like her before,” Torres said. “On and off the court, in the group chat holding girls accountable. She was the first person at practice every single day and making sure the net was setup every single day. She took so much pride in that. All the girls knew, we could not slack because Casey is here.”
Vidal’s maturity was on display in a match at Los Fresnos where she defused a situation where a fan was arguing with the referee over a call.
Vidal persuaded the ref to let the fan remain in the game and went on to help her team pick up a vital win against a district rival. Vidal finished the season with 363 kills.
“My senior year ended the way I wanted to end,” Vidal said. “We could have gone further in the playoffs, but my senior year with and without the girls was perfect. Cardinals spirit never dies.”
| Harlingen High School’s Casey Vidal (5).(Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald) Denise Cathey |
Setter of the Year: Juliana Valdez, Harlingen High
Setting up Casey Vidal and Juli Bryant was senior Juliana Valdez.
Valdez, a state-qualifying powerlifter, was the distributor for one of the best hitting tandems in the area and is the Valley Morning Star’s Setter of the Year.
A volleyball must have felt like a feather to the high schooler with a 165-pound bench. Valdez had range on her pass and when defenses frantically tried to fill holes when Bryant and Vidal prepared to drop heat on them, Valdez would catch them out.
“It does not matter to me if I get the glory,” Valdez said. “We all play a big part in the sport. As long as we win together, that is what truly matters to me. I am their setter, it takes me for them to do it as well, to finish the job together.”
Valdez set her teammates up directly and indirectly by keeping the defense honest. Vidal and Bryant were lucky to have her as setter, Harlingen High head coach Joslynn Torres said.
“I think I had the best setter of all time,” Vidal said. “We both got moved up to varsity our freshman year and she always knew how to read me.”
| Harlingen High School’s Juliana Valdez (2).(Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald) Denise Cathey |
Libero of the Year: Danae Garcia, Lyford
Only a freshman, Danae Garcia came in and stepped up for the Lyford Bulldogs at libero.
As quick as lightning, Garcia adjusted to the varsity level and tallied 240 digs, 20 aces and 15 assists to help the Bulldogs to a District 32-3A championship and an area championship.
Garcia is the Valley Morning Star’s Libero of the Year.
“Playing this position is hard, there is a lot of pressure on you,” Garcia said. “Especially me at a young age going against 18-year-olds, and I am only 14, so there is a lot of pressure, but I like it.”
Lyford head coach Rebekah Perez called Garcia a blessing in disguise.
“I saw a little bit of something in her, her athleticism is unmatched,” Perez said. “I knew that if I put her in any position, she would flourish.”
Perez initially threw Garcia in the back row, not at libero, but as tournament season progressed Garcia took the job.
“I am pretty pumped,” Perez said. “I think she will be a well-known name the next four years at the libero position.”
| Lyford High School’s Danae Garcia (0).(Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald) Denise Cathey |
Utility Player of the Year: Malloree Meireles, Harlingen South
In her two years of playing varsity volleyball Malloree Meireles has been a standout for the Harlingen South Hawks.
Meireles played as a middle her freshman year and transitioned to the back row her sophomore year. Meireles can play anywhere and has established herself as one of the best all-around players in the area.
Meireles is the Valley Morning Star’s Utility Player of the Year.
“Last year you would never see me in the back row,” Meireles said. “This was brand new, and I really enjoyed it. It was really fun this season.”
The left-handed hitter finished with 262 kills, 348 digs, 50 aces, 39 blocks and eight assists as a sophomore.
Harlingen South started District 32-5A slow, but had a late resurgence to finish 9-9, missing out on the playoffs by two games.
“We could have done better,” Meireles said. “I think, as a team we grew, it was an overall good experience.”
Meireles is likely to be a key player again for the Hawks as a junior.
“She is very important player,” Harlingen South head coach Doryann Perez said. “She definitely sets the tone and is a great leader on-and-off the court for the girls.”
| Harlingen South High School’s Malloree Mireles (7). (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald) Denise Cathey |
Newcomer of the Year: Daniela Rincon, San Perlita
San Perlita advanced to the third round of the Class 1A playoffs, and spophomore Daniela Rincon was the jack of all trades.
Rincon was awarded the District 32-1A Newcomer of the Year as well as the Valley Morning Star’s Newcomer of the Year.
“Daniella will play a key role in the years to come,” San Perlita head coach Criselda Rubalcaba said. “She got some great experience behind some really good senior leaders. We are losing some very powerful players and Daniela will be one of those girls that will have to step up and fill those roles.”
Rincon is excited about the prospect of becoming a key player for the Trojans after having to do a bit of everything this season, a role she enjoyed.
“I get to play the whole game and I get to see everything,” Rincon said.
Rubalcaba praised the work ethic of Rincon, who averaged 3.2 kills per set and two aces per set as well.
“I have no doubt that she will come into the next two seasons and exceed expectations,” Rubalcaba said. “She is an all-around player, which will add to her role on the team.”
| San Perlita High School’s Daniela Rincon (6).(Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald) Denise Cathey |
Sub-5A MVP, Marley Perez, Lyford
Lyford made it to the third round of the playoffs this season, capturing an area championship, and a District 32-3A championship along the way.
Senior Marley Perez played a big part in the success and is the Valley Morning Star’s Sub-5A MVP.
“This was one of the best seasons I had,” Perez said. “We have not had a run like that in Lyford in a long time.”
Perez picked up 190 kills, 205 digs, 47 aces and 12 assists her senior year.
“She was super,” Lyford head coach Rebekah Perez said. “Last year, she had the potential to be there. This year coming in, I think she understood the responsibility she had, especially with the younger kids.”
In the area championship, a five-set thriller against Hebbronville, Perez and teammate Heather May stepped to help the Bulldogs pick up the victory. Perez’s timely kills helped motivate her teammates.
“She was a very firm leader,” Perez said. “When you see her off the court, she is not like that all the time, she is usually laid back, on the court she is completely different. Some of the kids do not want to mess up because they did not want to let down Marley.”
| Lyford High School’s Marley Perez (12).(Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald) Denise Cathey |
Coach of the Year: Joslynn Torres, Harlingen High
Harlingen High head coach Joslynn Torres finished her sixth season as the head coach of the Cardinals.
Torres grew up on the other side of the town as a Hawk. Torres played volleyball, softball, track and basketball, all four years at the varsity level for Harlingen South, but has embraced the culture at Harlingen High and is now a Cardinal.
Torres led a senior heavy team to a District 32-6A championship, a bi-district playoff victory while being named the district’s coach of the year. Torres is the Valley Morning Star’s Coach of the Year.
“It took some getting used to,” Torres said. “I was a Hawk, a real Hawk. Coming here was interesting because you have to truly buy in, so your kids do. After, a year or two, I do not want to be anywhere else. I want to be a Cardinal. I love the athletes and the culture.”
Torres considers herself a Cardinal more than a Hawk now, she said.
“This season was amazing,” Torres said. “I credit these girls with everything we do. Yea, I get to be the leader of the pack, but it is the drive, the want and the pride that these girls have, you cannot beat it. Unless you are physically better than us.”
| Harlingen High School’s Head Volleyball Coach Joslynn Torres.(Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald) Denise Cathey |
First Team
Alan Rouquette, Harlingen High; Mallory Sauceda, Harlingen High; Rubi Martinez, San Benito; Cassandra Guzman San Benito; Kamryn Castillo, Harlingen South; Raeanna López, Harlingen South; Daniella Ramos, San Perlita; Arabella Rodriguez, San Perlita; Heather May, Lyford; Diana Zuniga, La Feria
Second Team
Sydneanna Strader, San Perlita; Naomi Barrera, San Perlita, Scout Medley, Harlingen High; Mariah Patlan, La Feria, Alena Benjamin, La Feria; Mia Sayas, Raymondville; Alyssa Gonzalez, San Benito; Laura Garcia, Harlingen South; Ella Ramirez, Harlingen South; Selena Martinez, Lyford