By ADAM KUJAWSKI, Staff Writer

Four softball games featuring Metro-area teams were postponed due to inclement weather Tuesday.

Three games between District 32-6A teams were called off, including Los Fresnos at Harlingen High, San Benito at Brownsville Veterans Memorial and Harlingen South at Rivera.

The Lady Falcons instead will play their game against the Lady Hawks at 7 tonight in Harlingen, and the Rivera Lady Raiders have rescheduled their game for 6 p.m. Thursday at Rivera. The Lady Chargers have not yet determined a makeup time and date for their game against San Benito.

In District 32-5A, the Porter Cowgirls were scheduled to face the Pace Lady Vikings at Pace. The teams postponed their game but have not yet rescheduled.

The Hanna Lady Golden Eagles played the Lopez Lady Lobos on Tuesday. It was the only game that was played at its regularly scheduled time.

Adam Kujawski covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6663 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @adamkujo1.

By ADAM KUJAWSKI, Staff Writer

It has been apparent for some time that Kelcie Swink would play softball in college. That expectation became a reality April 6 when she signed with York College in Nebraska.

“They really welcomed me in as if I was family,” Swink said. “I got to stay in the dorms with the girls and I got to practice with them. They really treated me as if I was already a part of the team and I just fell in love with it.”

The prospect of playing softball at York was sweetened by the possibility of supplanting its current first baseman. Swink plays that same position for Port Isabel and owns an outstanding .514 batting average to go with 12 RBIs.

“There’s a senior,” Swink said. “She’s been there for a while, but the coach said that if I go in and I work hard that I might be able to take her spot.”

If she is going to make the starting roster as a freshman, Swink realizes she’s got to improve on her patience at the plate. Her batting average tells one story, but she would like to be a more balanced hitter.

“I’m really anxious in the box,” Swink said. “Sometimes I feel like I really want to hit it as hard as I can, and I just need to focus on hitting. I strike out a lot because of that.”

Swink has been a staple on the Lady Tarpons softball team since she was a freshman. Her coach, Jesus Garza, knew he had a special player since Day 1.

“I picked her up when she was a freshman,” he said. “We didn’t have a first baseman, and she came in and she had the tools and she’s been working on it every year. She’s had what it took since she started.”

Swink is a year-round athlete for Port Isabel. She plays volleyball in the fall, basketball in the winter and, up until this season, competed in track & field alongside her softball season.

Realizing her need to prioritize softball led her to forgo track & field this year, a decision that helps define Swink in the eyes of her coach.

“She put aside track for softball, which is a big step for a kid to do. Especially in high school,” Garza said. “In their senior year, a lot of kids want to do a lot of things, and she put something aside just for this, which tells me that there’s a maturity level there.”

Her multisport capabilities will likely carry over to York, where she intends to play basketball in some capacity.

But before she looks too far ahead, Swink wants to focus on finishing out the Lady Tarpons’ season. P.I. sits atop District 32-4A and appears poised to make a statement in the playoffs.

“I hope we go at least three rounds in the playoffs,” she said. “I think we can go even further, but I think that’s a realistic goal.”

Adam Kujawski covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6663 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @adamkujo1.

By ADAM KUJAWSKI, Staff Writer

The Port Isabel Lady Tarpons are hitting their stride at the right time.

After dropping their opening game of the District 32-4A season to Rio Hondo on March 6, the Lady Tarpons (15-3, 9-1 in district) have won eight consecutive games.

Port Isabel is led by first baseman Kelcie Swink, who is batting .514, and senior pitcher Victoria Cantu, whose 0.49 ERA accompanies a .412 average at the plate.

The team boasts a .330 batting average and Port Isabel coach Jesus Garza wants his team to maintain a high energy level as the season winds down.

“I’ve been talking to them and what I want to see is for them to have fun,” he said. “I want them to dance and sing and cheer and make every day count, not lose a single day or a single game due to the fact that they have other things going on. I want them to be focused and dedicated to this team.”

P.I. recently avenged its loss to Rio Hondo and are now in sole possession of first place with four games remaining in the season, including a game against Grulla that was played Monday.

“Right now it seems like we’re still going up, we haven’t peaked yet,” Garza said. “Last year, we peaked early and had a bit of a downfall, but this year it seems like we keep rising, and we keep doing better.”

SCRAMBLE FOR THE PLAYOFFS

The Brownsville Veterans Memorial Lady Chargers took a big step toward earning themselves a playoff berth with a win over the Hanna Lady Golden Eagles on Friday.

“This (win was) huge,” Brownsville Veterans coach Ray Cardenas said after the win. “We’re fighting for playoff positions here, and the fact that we beat them twice gives us the tiebreaker if it’s just us two. But the fact that we put ourselves in a position to now control our own destiny helps us as far as positioning. We know what we need to do, and that’s win one more game.”

The victory marked a sweep of the two-game season series by Brownsville Veterans (5-5 in District 32-6A), which could prove critical come playoff time. Should the teams share the same record at the end of the season, the 2-0 series lead grants the Lady Chargers the tiebreaker over Hanna (4-6 in district).

“We’ve got to win out,” Hanna coach Rey Lerma said after the loss Friday. “We’re just going to have to play much more solid softball to finish out.”

Brownsville Veterans’ remaining opponents include San Benito, Harlingen High, Los Fresnos and Lopez.

Hanna’s final four games will be against Lopez, Harlingen South, Rivera and Los Fresnos.

TOP DOGS

With a win over Los Fresnos on April 7, the San Benito Lady Greyhounds won their second of two district games against the Lady Falcons. The win against their next closest competitor in District 32-6A puts them in prime position to finish the district season undefeated.

“We’re a very young team,” San Benito coach Elias Martinez said. “We’ve got some great seniors, but we’ve got a handful of freshmen and sophomores so I’d like to see us keep evolving and getting better.”

Adam Kujawski covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6663 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @adamkujo1.

By ADAM KUJAWSKI,Staff Writer

The Brownsville Veterans Memorial Lady Chargers took a big step forward in their race to capture a spot in the playoffs.

With a 6-0 win over the Hanna Lady Golden Eagles on Friday night at Brownsville Veterans, the Lady Chargers pulled to .500 in District 32-6A with a 5-5 record.

“This is huge,” Brownsville Veterans coach Ray Cardenas said. “We’re fighting for playoff positions here, and the fact that we beat them twice gives us the tiebreaker if it’s just us two. But the fact that we put ourselves in a position to now control our own destiny helps us as far as positioning. We know what we need to do, and that’s win one more game.”

The victory marks a two-game sweep of the series for Brownsville Veterans and drops Hanna to 4-6 in the district.

“We’ve got to win out,” Hanna coach Rey Lerma said. “We’re just going to have to play much more solid softball to finish out. I told the girls, ‘It all begins with the heart, and if we lose the heart we’re not going to be (in the playoffs).’”

Freshman pitcher Cassie Valdez put together another stellar performance to help her team earn a critical win during the second half of district.

Valdez shut down the Lady Eagles’ offense by allowing two hits, three walks and notching nine strikeouts — six with runners on base — during a shutout effort.

“(Valdez) had a good performance,” Lerma said, “but we’ve been hearing that all season. I’ve had other coaches tell me, ‘Hey, watch out for that kid, everything is there.’ So we knew that she was going to come in and hit the corners. We swung at some bad pitches, and we let good pitches go by. You can’t put yourself in a defensive position when you’re trying to bat.”

Valdez also joined in on the scoring when she hit a leadoff home run during the top of the fifth to extend her team’s lead to three runs.

“(Valdez) is a freshman, but we’ve been talking about it at practice, and she’s no longer considered a freshman as far as experience,” Cardenas said. “She’s now a veteran, a part of our team, and she’s playing like it.

“She’s a phenomenal player. She has a fantastic attitude. Her work ethic is beyond belief, and the proof is when she plays. She’s going to be a fantastic player for us for the next three years.”

Hanna pitcher Juliette Gonzales had been the other half of what was a pitchers’ duel for the first three innings. But Harley Morales began the process of unraveling Gonzales’ effort by hitting the first of back-to-back doubles during the fourth. Kiana Silva, who drove in the first run of the game, accompanied her. Silva’s hit was the first of her three-RBI night.

“We got the ball up high, we didn’t keep it low enough and they started turning on it,” Lerma said. “The hits they were getting were solid hits, and they were falling where we weren’t. They’re a good hitting ballclub. They’re well-coached and everything. We just put ourselves in a position to where we didn’t make the plays.”

The runs quickly piled up after that for the Lady Chargers. Following Valdez’s home run in the fifth, Sarah Sandoval drew a walk, Thalia Perez hit a single and Silva hit her second double in as many innings to extend Brownsville Veterans’ lead to five runs.

The Lady Chargers added one more run during the sixth when Yisel Richeson hit a double to left field, advanced to third on a sacrifice popup and scored on a fielding error by Gonzales.

“We knew that (Gonzales) throws with a lot of velocity,” Cardenas said. “The last three or four days we gave up practicing on defense and everything was strictly offense: increasing the bat speed and increasing the hand speed.

“It took us a while, but that second time around (the batting order) we told the girls to back off a little bit, and finally all the hard work we put into it seemed like it started to pay off.”

The Lady Eagles were mostly silent offensively. They threatened but did not score on three occasions. Cassie Abrego hit a leadoff single during the second inning and reached second base on an error, but Valdez retired the following three batters.

During the fifth, Britany Rey hit a one-out double but the next two Lady Eagles struck out. And in the sixth, Itxel Martinez and Abrego each drew a two-out walk, but Valdez issued a strikeout to end the threat.

Adam Kujawski covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6663 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @adamkujo1.

By ADAM KUJAWSKI, Staff Writer

LOS FRESNOS — The Los Fresnos Lady Falcons have just two blemishes on their district record, and both came at the hands of the San Benito Lady Greyhounds.

San Benito pitcher Crystal Castillo was nearly perfect during a 4-0 victory in the second installment of the battle between the two teams at the top of District 32-6A.

After issuing a walk to Maya Guevara, the Lady Falcons’ first batter of the game, Castillo retired 18 of the next 20 batters she faced. For the remainder of the game, no Lady Falcons player advanced beyond first base. In all, Castillo allowed zero hits and three walks, and she struck out nine batters.

“These girls have worked hard since the very beginning,” San Benito coach Elias Martinez said. “They know it’s not about one person, it’s about the team concept. When (the other team does) hit the ball, (our team) is there defensively. It’s just a camaraderie. They play for each other. Crystal lays it on the line every game, and the girls lay it on the line for Crystal every game.”

Offensively, the Lady Greyhounds (17-1, 9-0 in district) were nearly as methodical as their defense. They began their scoring during the top of the first when Audrey Huerta hit a sacrifice ground ball to the shortstop, bringing in Mel Gonzalez from third.

San Benito maintained its 1-0 lead until the third inning, when it pushed across another run. Huerta drew a walk, advanced to second on a fielder’s choice and scored on a bloop single to left field by Alexxis Cavazos.

The Lady Falcons (12-8, 7-2) played strong defense for the next two innings. They neutralized a bases-loaded, one-out situation during the fourth, and Los Fresnos pitcher Marisela Gaytan retired the Lady Greyhounds in order in the fifth.

“I thought defensively we had a couple hiccups, but for the majority of the game I thought we played a solid defensive game,” Los Fresnos coach Traci Blackman said. “I just wish offensively we could have put some hits together. We did put more balls in play this time than we did last time we played them.

“I can’t be disappointed in them. They came out there and gave me all they had. “

San Benito added to its 2-0 lead during each of the final two innings. Destiny Hernandez reached base on a single to center field and scored when Gonzalez hit a sharp line drive down the left-field line.

During the seventh, the Lady Greyhounds tallied their final run. Huerta drew a leadoff walk and was driven in two batters later on a sacrifice ground ball by Cavazos.

Adam Kujawski covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6663 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @adamkujo1.

By ADAM KUJAWSKI, Staff Writer

Sometimes, players need to let their actions on the field do the talking.

It’s not always the most vocal player that motivates a team, but rather one who executes the fundamentals on a consistent basis that teammates look up to.

The Porter Cowgirls are fortunate to have such a player in Brissa Rivera, a junior shortstop who moonlights as a pitcher.

“She deserves a moment under the sun, and she needs to shine,” Porter coach Arial Arreganda said. “She’s one of our silent leaders. She’s not very vocal. She does what she needs to do. She’s not someone who breaks down emotionally or pumps everybody up by being the loudest cheerer, she’s a gamer.”

Rivera is currently in her second season as a full-time varsity player. She tore her ACL playing basketball as a freshman but has since evolved into a stronger athlete both mentally and physically.

“My biggest improvement has been my confidence in myself,” Rivera said. “Last year, I would put myself down, but now that our new coach came along, she helped us build up that confidence.”

Arreganda took over as the coach during the early stages of the season on an interim basis. She had been an assistant who worked with the pitchers and catchers prior to her new role.

Arreganda has been pleased with the impact Rivera provides on both sides of the ball. She complimented her smooth swing, her ability to take the mound in a pinch and her range at shortstop, citing times where Rivera has caught balls that even she couldn’t believe wound up in her mitt.

Thanks in part to Rivera’s anchoring of the infield and results at the plate, the Cowgirls own a 6-2 record in District 32-5A and are eager to restore Porter’s dominance.

Though the team appears to be trending in the right direction, Arreganda and Rivera each feel like there is still work to be done.

“There’s always room for improvement,” Arreganda said. “We’re at that crossroads where we can win district and not just go one or two rounds deep. Maybe we can go back to the Sweet 16 and put Porter back on the map.”

And if any player is going to grind out an at-bat or put forth the additional effort necessary to make the Cowgirls relevant in the postseason, it’s going to be Rivera.

“I’m extremely happy with what we’ve accomplished so far this year, but I know we can do so much more,” she said.

Adam Kujawski covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6663 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @adamkujo1.

By ADAM KUJAWSKI, Staff Writer

Few players want the ball in their hands with the game on the line. But that desire to be the difference-maker in critical situations is what makes Alex Herrera such a valuable asset to the Hanna Golden Eagles.

“I love being under pressure,” Herrera said. “Say, if you’re down two points, I love that feeling. That’s what I love the most about playing. Everything goes through the point guard.

“As a point guard you want to distribute the ball the most and get your teammates involved. You’re not going to win the game without teamwork. I think that’s the biggest role of the position.”

As a senior, Herrera has been groomed for four years to be the “quarterback” of the basketball team. Throughout the season, he was a threat on both ends of the floor.

Whether it was a crisp pass through a window seemingly too small to fit a basketball or an act of thievery that left an opposing point guard frozen, each of Hanna’s foes had to account for his versatility.

“He scares people the most with his defense, and also people know that he’s going to bring it every night,” Hanna coach Todd Barckholtz said. “You’re never going to get an off night from Alex, and he’s going to do everything he can to will his team to win.”

The depth of Herrera’s skillset is among the best in the Rio GrandeValleyand he has been crowned as The Brownsville Herald’s 2014-15 All-Metro Boys Basketball MVP. He led his team with 12.7 points, seven assists and 5.6 steals per game.

“I’m proud of myself,” he said. “I think I did well this season. I did as much as I could to help my team get further into the playoffs.”

The Eagles experienced three straight district losses late in the season but rallied to secure a share of the District 32-6A title and earn a bi-district victory over the Edinburg North Cougars.

Collecting accolades is not a new concept for the senior. He was the newcomer of the year as a sophomore, and this marks the second consecutive year he’s taken home the MVP award.

“Over his four-year career, he’s continually striven to improve his game and to improve his leadership abilities for the team,” Barckholtz said. “This year, he led the Valley in assists, he led the Valley in steals and he was one of our top scorers.”

Adam Kujawski covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6663 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @adamkujo1.

The Brownsville Herald’s 2014-15 All-Metro Boys Basketball Team

Superlatives

Most Valuable Player

Alex Herrera, Hanna

Defensive Most Valuable Player

Ed Messbarger, Hanna

Newcomer of the Year

Andres Salgado, Pace

Coach of the Year

Marco Hinojosa, Los Fresnos

First Team

Andy Lopez, Hanna

Esteban Garza, Pace

Hugo De La Cruz, Los Fresnos

Isaiah Torres, BrownsvilleVeterans

Sean Cantu-Rudder, St. JosephAcademy

Second Team

Alex Garcia, Los Fresnos

Chris Vasquez, Rivera

Jeremiah Meyers, BrownsvilleVeterans

Jorge Villarreal, St. JosephAcademy

Jose Mansilla, Los Fresnos

By ADAM KUJAWSKI, Staff Writer

When the Los Fresnos Falcons completed their fifth game of the district season — a loss to the Hanna Golden Eagles — they owned a 2-3 record in 32-6A.

Things looked bleak at that point, and coach Marco Hinojosa hoped his team could rally for a playoff berth.

Instead, the Falcons proceeded to string together eight straight wins, finishing the district season 10-4. The final record was enough to earn a co-district championship, their first since 1982 — 33 years ago.

“We struggled at the beginning to find our identity. We started 0-2 in district, but I knew we had a good team with good players,” Hinojosa said. “At the end of the day, I give all the credit to the kids.

“We just needed to get some wins just to get into the playoff hunt. That was our goal. I told the kids, ‘District might be out of reach, we’re fighting for a playoff spot now.’ But when we got on an eight-game winning streak, I told the guys, ‘We put ourselves in a very good position, now we just have to finish the job.’”

The second-year coach led his team to the postseason last year, but this season set a new benchmark for the Falcons’ basketball program. It played host to the PSJA North Raiders in the bi-district round and pulled ahead for its first postseason victory in team history.

“The most memorable game of this year would be the playoff win. It was a packed house, and we were down all game,” Hinojosa said. “The kids showed their toughness, keeping their heads up and not giving up.

“In the fourth quarter with less than a minute to go, two freshmen came up big for the team. We’ve had different guys step up all year, but for two freshmen to go 6 for 6 from the (free-throw) line and help Los Fresnos win a playoff game at home in front of our crowd was great.”

Youth will be key for the Falcons moving forward. Hinojosa anticipates his team’s recent success will carry over into future seasons. The younger players who had an impact this year will be expected to carry the torch.

“We’re losing five seniors overall, two starters that played a big role for our team,” he said. “I already told the kids that these seniors laid the foundation for them. I expect to compete for another district title, I expect to win another bi-district game and hopefully get an area championship this time.

“Each year from here on out, I expect to do great things.”

Adam Kujawski covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6663 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @adamkujo1.

By ADAM KUJAWSKI, Staff Writer

Defense wins championships.

The Hanna Golden Eagles earned a share of the District 32-6A title thanks in part to Ed Messbarger’s increased contribution on the defensive end of the court.

In years past, Messbarger had been more of a one-dimensional threat for the Eagles. But Hanna coach Todd Barckholtz sought more from his senior this season.

“We set out some goals and asked him to take on some different responsibilities and not just be a scorer and a shooter,” Barckholtz said. “We really wanted him to focus on being that defensive presence, especially on the inside.”

Messbarger averaged nearly a double-double this season and was productive in each defensive category. His 11.9 points per game complemented his 9.5 rebounds, 3.2 steals and 0.9 blocks.

His ability to effectively guard the inside has earned him The Brownsville Herald’s 2014-15 All-Metro Boys Basketball Defensive Player of the Year award.

“I’m honored to be defensive player of the year,” Messbarger said. “I worked really hard for it, it feels good.”

“I’ll do whatever it takes to get the ‘W,’” he added when asked what it takes to be solid defensive player. “You’ve got to have a lot of heart. You can’t be afraid to get hurt, you’ve got to be real physical, and for me I like to get into people’s heads. You’ve got to be mentally strong, physically strong, and you can’t be afraid to get dirty.”

The grit and determination displayed by Messbarger was a key component in the Eagles’ success this season. Hanna won a co-district championship and earned a bi-district win in the postseason.

“He did what we asked, and it maybe didn’t contribute to points or it wasn’t necessarily seen by the people that watch the game,” Barckholtz said, “but as coaches, we realized without having Ed doing all his stuff defensively, we would never have stopped people.”

Adam Kujawski covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6663 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @adamkujo1.

By ADAM KUJAWSKI, Staff Writer

Andres Salgado has flourished as a young varsity athlete.

As a first-year starter, he averaged 14.4 points, 2. 7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 3.1 steals per game as the Vikings finished second in District 32-5A. For his impact, Salgado has earned The Brownsville Herald’s 2014-15 All-Metro Boys Basketball Newcomer of the Year award.

“I want to thank my teammates for putting me in the position that I’m in today,” Salgado said. “Without them I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish this. I also want to thank the coaches. Coach Ramirez hasn’t been only my coach,he’s been like a father to me.”

Last season, Salgado was consistently outplaying his competition as a freshman. Now a sophomore, he not only fits in among his elder teammates but has become a leader as well.

“He does get after teammates for not pulling their weight,” Pace coach Jose Luis Ramirez said. “We’ve always preached team and not individual. He always encourages others to do better. He understands that it’s not just him, it’s everybody around him.

“His leadership on the floor and his willingness to do whatever it takes to win a ballgame, hopefully everybody else feeds off of that. That’s ultimately what we expect, for everybody else to do what we know they can.”

Salgado was scheduled to play Saturday in the Rio Grande Valley All-Valley Showcase alongside the top basketball athletes in the Valley. Being named a member of the team came as a surprise to Salgado.

“Most of the time in an all-star game, your best players are seniors,” Ramirez said. “To be chosen as a sophomore, he didn’t understand. He thought it was like (the rising stars competition) in the NBA. His first question was, ‘Well, who else from Pace?’ And I said ‘Nobody, maybe only a couple from Brownsville. They’re talking about the best of the best.’”

Having a young leader bodes well for Pace’s future. After a turnaround season this year, the future looks bright for the Vikings with Salgado entering his junior season.

“We are excited about having him for two more years. We’re working on getting ourselves better and improving his game as well because he has a lot, but there’s room to grow.”

Adam Kujawski covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6663 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @adamkujo1.