Roy HESS | Staff Writer

Porter has a scrappy volleyball team that doesn’t give up.

Still, the Cowgirls were no match for Brownsville Veterans Memorial on Tuesday night in District 32-5A competition at the Porter gym.

The Lady Chargers breezed in the first two games and encountered quite a battle from the Cowgirls during the last set in prevailing 25-16, 25-11, 25-23.

“I told our girls before the match, ‘Porter is a good team,’” Lady Chargers coach Elizabeth Mares said. ‘“Porter is a scrappy team with some good hitters. We can’t take them lightly. I told the girls we need to focus on what we’re doing on our side of the net with our serve receiving and putting our first ball in play with consistency.

“We did well the first two sets considering one of my outside hitters was sick and one of my defensive players was hurt,” Mares added. “Our girls stepped it up.”

The victory gave Brownsville Veterans an 11-1 record, which keeps the Lady Chargers close behind 32-5A leader Edcouch-Elsa (12-0), a 25-4, 25-21, 25-9 winner against Valley View, also on Tuesday.

Brownsville Veterans plays host to E-E next Tuesday in what figures to be a district championship showdown on the final night of 32-5A competition. It was the same scenario last year.

Now with diminished playoff chances, Porter slipped to 4-8 in the standings.

“We didn’t play the way we wanted,” Porter coach Tiffany Capistran said. “When we finally turned on, it wasn’t until the end of the last set, and that was too late.

“Brownsville Vets played very well and kept it up the whole match,” the Porter coach added.

The Lady Chargers didn’t trail after ties at 1 and 2 during the opening set. They held leads of 11-6, 18-9, and 22-12 before taking the first set 25-16 on a crosscourt kill.

The second game was much the same as the first with advantages of 11-5, 19-6 and 23-8 for the Lady Chargers before a too-long serve by the Cowgirls allowed Brownsville Veterans to win the set 25-11.

The Cowgirls came alive after falling behind 8-2 during the third game. Porter tied it at 13 and again at 20 before going ahead 21-20 when the Lady Chargers hit the ball out. A hitting miscue by Brownsville Veterans put Porter ahead 22-20, but the visitors rallied even after trailing 23-21 on a ball that was hit into the net.

After the tie at 23, Porter hit the ball into the net and had another hit carry out on the final two points of the match.

Stat leaders for the Lady Chargers Tuesday included Dominique Mena (12 kills, 18 digs, three aces), Monica Garcia (11 kills), Daniela Espinoza (16 assists, eight digs), Rebekah Rodriguez (19 assists, 10 digs) and Aaliyah Calzada (27 digs, three aces).

VALLEY HS VOLLEYBALL RESULTS

Saturday’s Games

District 30-6A

PSJA High def. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 25-7, 25-8, 25-5

McAllen High def. PSJA North 25-14, 25-12, 25-16

Mcallen Memorial def. McAllen Rowe 21-25, 25-8, 25-14, 25-18

Mission High at La Joya High, not reported

District 31-6A

Edinburg High def. Donna North 25-9, 25-11, 25-11

Edinburg North def. Weslaco High, 25-18, 28-25, 25-12, 22-25, 15-7

Edinburg Vela def. Weslaco East 25-10, 25-19, 25-19

District 31-5A

Mission Veterans def. Roma 25-9, 25-11, 25-12

Sharyland High def. PSJA Memorial, 26-24, 25-17, 17-25, 25-10

PSJA Southwest def. La Joya Palmview 25-21, 25-11, 25-22

Rio Grande City at Sharyland Pioneer, not reported

District 32-5A

Donna High def. Valley View 25-14, 25-16, 25-19

Edcouch-Elsa def. Brownsville Veterans 25-18, 22-25, 19-25, 25-21, 15-12

Mercedes def. Brownsville Lopez 19-25, 21-25, 25-20, 25-12, 18-16

Brownsville Pace def. Brownsville Porter 25-21, 25-10, 25-12

District 32-4A

Zapata def. Grulla 25-15, 21-25, 25-20, 25-22

Hidalgo def. Rio Hondo 25-13, 25-16, 25-16

Port Isabel def. Raymondville 25-12, 25-21, 23-25, 23-25, 15-1

La Feria at Progreso, not reported

District 32-2A

San Isidro at La Villa, not reported

VALLEY HS VOLLEYBALL BOX SCORES

Saturday’s Games

District 30-6A

McALLEN MEMORIAL DEF. MCALLEN ROWE

21-25, 25-8, 25-14, 25-18

McALLEN MEMORIAL: Sydney Marburger 8 kills, 24 assists, 2 aces, 2 blocks, 8 digs; Jacky Treviño 24 assists, 9 digs; Lara 10 digs; Demy Banks 2 aces, 5 blocks, 4 digs, 13 kills; Bianca Ramirez 3 kills; Nat Silva 12 kills, 9 digs; Jocelyn Fernandez 9 kills, 2 blocks, 5 digs; Cori Talamantez 1 ace, 13 digs; Eliane Silberman 2 blocks, 4 kills; Macy Henderson 6 digs

McALLEN ROWE: Brianne Moroles 1 ace, 8 digs, 1 kill; Anna Honrubia 10 kills, 13 digs, 2 assists, 1 block; Victoria Enriquez 7 kills, 2 blocks; Ariana Castro 3 digs; Camanthan Sifuentes 13 assists, 1 ace; Yasmin Muñoz 4 blocks, 1 kill; Cassidy Salinas 5 kills; Mia Mata 5 kills, 11 digs; Jillian Pantillano 2 kills, 2 digs; Marina Cortez 11 digs; Alexa Muñoz 4 blocks, 1 kill

RECORDS: McAllen Memorial 7-0 in district; McAllen Rowe 4-3 in district

McALLEN HIGH DEF. PSJA NORTH

25-14, 25-12, 25-16

McALLEN HIGH: Ada Sadlier 5 kills; Olivia Tite 5 kills, 1 dig; Madison Halmcamp 1 kill, 22 assists, 8 digs, 2 aces; Sabrina Garza 11 digs; Madie Garza 7 assists, 3 digs; Haidee Moore 3 kills, 1 block; Andrea Tovar 5 kills, 1 dig, 1 block; Alexa Ramirez 2 kills; Celina Saenz 9 kills, 8 digs, 1 ace; Audrey Zamora 1 assist, 19 digs, 6 aces

RECORDS: McAllen High 34-2, 6-1; PSJA North, not reported

PSJA HIGH DEF. LA JOYA JUAREZ-LINCOLN

25-7, 25-8, 25-5

LA JOYA JUAREZ-LINCOLN: Amber Segura 3 digs; Arely Rodriguez 3 digs; Siddney Muñoz 1 assist; Wendy Portillo 1 kill; Ashley Rodriguez 4 digs; Naylie Chavez 1 block; Natalie Rodriguez 3 digs; Emely Hilario 1 block; Arlene Rodriguez 2 digs

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District 31-6A

EDINBURG NORTH DEF. WESLACO HIGH

25-18, 18-25, 25-12, 22-25, 15-7

EDINBURG NORTH: Jessica Dryer 37 assists, 14 digs; Evana Ramos 59-digs, 12 kills, 2 aces; Hannah Duffy 13 kills, 14 digs, 2 aces

EDINBURG VELA DEF. WESLACO EAST

25-10, 25-19, 25-19

EDINBURG VELA: Glenys Maldonado 18 kills, 2 points; Gabby Avila 19 assists, 10 points, 3 aces, 4 digs; Becca Cavazos 2 5 digs, 3 points; Kerin Rojas 5 assists, 6 digs, 5 points, 1 ace; Dayana Cantu 24 digs, 11 points; Danna Cantu 2 kills, 6 points, 4 digs; Hanna Larsen 5 kills, 4 points, 2 blocks; Fey Vasquez 1 kill, 3 blocks; Shannon De La Cruz 4 digs, 1 point; Izabella Rodriguez 2 kills, 2 sigs; Dylan Cantu 1 kill, 2 sigs; Amanda De Luna 1 dig; Mie De Leon 1 dig

RECORDS: Edinburg Vela 25-10 overall, 6-0 in district

EDINBURG HIGH DEF. DONNA NORTH

25-9, 25-11, 25-11

EDINBURG HIGH: Natalie Hernandez 11 kills 1 ace, 2 digs; Bryhane Salinas 8 kills, 11 digs; Zarina Rodriguez 5 kills, 1 dig; Julissah Santa Maria 4 kills, 1 assist 2 aces, 6 digs; Hannah Vega 7 kills, 37 digs; Kristen Salinas 2 kills, 30 assists, 11 digs; Vianney Treviño 1 kill, 8 digs; Arianna Guerra 1 ace, 14 digs

RECORDS: Edinburg Vela 4-1 in district

District 31-5A

MISSION VETERANS DEF. ROMA

25-9, 25-11, 25-12

MISSION VETERANS: Kassy Lerma 13 kills, 3 aces, 10 digs, 2 blocks; Rylie Barnett 14 kills, 2 digs, 1 block; Ronnie Cantu 20 assists, 8 digs; Bella Dominguez 28 digs; Allyson Anaya 15 assists, 4 digs; Stephanie Torres 4 kills, 5 digs, 3 blocks.

RECORDS: Mission Veterans 33-5 overall, 7-0 in district

SHARYLAND HIGH DEF. PSJA MEMORIAL

26-24, 25-17, 17-25, 25-10

SHARYLAND HIGH: Ana Paola Cerda 23 assists; Roxana Garcia 15 assists; Tristen Maddox 15 kills, 2 blocks, 3 aces; Mariana Jones 14 kills; Marissa Jones 3 kills, 3 blocks; Andrea Espinoza 14 kills.

PSJA SOUTHWEST DEF. LA JOYA PALMVIEW

25-21, 25-11, 25-22

PSJA SOUTHWEST: Angela Clerch 1 ace, 5 kills, 6 assists; Blanca Melendez 1 ace, 2 kills, 3 assists, 2 digs; Frances Sanchez 2 digs; Jacqui Soto 1 ace, 3 kills, 74 assists, 2 digs; Karen Prado 6 kills, 4 blocks, 1 assist, 2 digs; Kassy Bucioi 10 kills 1 block, 5 assists; Layla Estrada 1 ace, 2 assists, 3 digs; Natalie Garcia 2 kills, 1 dig.

RECORDS: PSJA Southers 5-2 in district

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District 32-5A

DONNA HIGH DEF. VALLEY VIEW

25-14, 25-16, 25-19

DONNA HIGH: Brianna Caldwell 10 kills, 2 blocks; Chloe Molina 10 kills; Ashley Rodriguez 15 digs; Ruby Villalobos 20 assists, 8 digs

RECORDS: Donna High 4-3 in district

EDCOUCH-ELSA DEF. BROWNSVILLE VETERANS

25-18, 22-25, 19-25, 25-21, 15-12

WINNING TEAM: Vida Ybarra 9 kills, 10 digs, 2 blocks; Endiya Devoe 13 kills, 5 digs, 1 block; Arissa Cavazos 1 kill, 1 ace, 31 digs; Sarah Flores 14 kills, 8 assists, 3 aces, 13 digs; Bry De La Peñ 8 kills, 1 assist, 2 aces, 7 digs, 5 blocks; Byanka Garcia 2 kills, 23 assists, 7 digs; Veronica Elizondo 12 kills, 1 assist, 1 ace, 18 digs; Meagan Acededo 6 kills, 32 assists, 3 aces, 26 digs, 1 block

RECORDS: Edcouch-Elsa 27-7 overall, 7-0 in district

District 32-4A

ZAPATA DEF. GRULLA

25-15, 21-25, 25-20, 25-22

ZAPATA: Kiveli Muñoz 12 kills, one block, 5 digs; Emilae Hill 9 kills, 4 digs; Annah Mae Wells 9 kills, 2 digs; Ileana Garcia 8 kills, 2 assists, 4 digs; Eryn Granger 36 assists, 17 digs; Kristyn Ramirez 3 kills, 1 ace, 5 assists, 116 digs; Cassandra Peña 4 aces, 12 digs; Kively Salinas 2 aces, 6 digs; Liliana Castillo 2 aces, 5 digs; Donna Garcia 2 assists; Claudia Cuellar 1 kill.

GRULLA: Claudette Canales 3 kills, 14 digs; Chlow Zarate 2 kills, 15 digs, 5 assists; Demizel Ozuna 3 kills, 3 digs, 5 blocks, 2 assists; Aleynie Martinez 5 kills, 1 dig, 5 blocks; Jennifer Gonzalez 7 kills, 9 digs; Camilia Morin 1 kills, 6 digs; Delani Galvan 9 digs, 1 ace, 4 assists; Jani Solis 25 digs; Annette Treviño 8 digs

MISSION — Having captured first place in all the meets they have competed in, the Sharyland girls cross country team looks to stay on pace as the season progresses.

Head coach Melissa Dearth, in her 20th year of coaching, says she has set the bar high and wants to stay focused on being undefeated as well as going to district, and furthermore going to state.

“The goal this year is definitely to be undefeated and we hope to stay undefeated as the season continues,” Dearth said. “We have been changing the terrain and going to parks twice a week instead of once a week to get the girls off payment.”

Danielle Salinas, Andrea Gallardo, Arianna Gomez, Carolyn Tudor, Sidney Bravo, Ana Hernandez, and Kayla Cepeda make up the team.

Salinas, a freshman, has led the way for the Rattlers and is closing in on the area’s top runner, Weslaco High’s Amity Ebarb.

Ebarb leads all girls with a time of 19 minutes, 31 seconds, but Salinas isn’t very far behind with a time of 19:36. Third among the top times in the Valley comes from Weslaco East’s Tessie Garcia, with a time of 19:42.

“I’ve been running since I was 10 years old,” Salinas said. “The team and I run about 10 miles every day to prepare for regionals and state. We just want to stay focused for every meet and take it a day at a time.”

Freshman Caroline Tudor has been contributing to the team as Dearth says she has made the biggest impression on her.

“Carolyn Tudor, has really fit right in with varsity. She is now my fourth man and only three seconds from my third man,” Dearth said. “She has been making big leaps every week in her time. She started out with her first 5k with a time of 21:33, then the second the second race of 20:56, and her third 5k ever ran at Mercedes she ran 20:22. (She is) just a happy and easy coachable kid

“I’m very impressed with how she is handling the load and how she is improving her time at every meet. I really think she will go well under the 20 minute 5K pace.”

Dearth says the Rattlers girls cross country team continues to show progress as they are falling under 21 minutes on their times.

“The underclassman have really stepped it up during this time and still are doing well as a team despite starting behind with our seniors,” Dearth said. “Andrea Gallardo, our second man, made a big drop this week and broke 20 minutes in the 5k as well as our third, Ana Hernandez, who made a huge drop in time from 21:00 to 20:19. So they are coming back.”

With the state meet only six weeks away, preparation will get more intense.

“The training pace is getting faster,” Dearth said. “We’re still packing on the miles and still dropping times every week.”

The Sharyland High cross country girls best finish in state was 10th. During the 2017 season, the girls went to region and placed fourth. That same year, they went to state and placed 14th. Before Sharyland ISD split, they won regionals 2009 and 2012. Last season was the first time winning district for the Sharyland High girls.

With the team currently undefeated, Dearth continues to reiterate the importance of maintaining proper health.

“We’re making sure the kids stay healthy and are encouraging them to get their flu shots and plenty of Vitamin C. Last year’s cross-country and track team kept getting plagued with head colds and flus,” Dearth said. “Along with health and wellness, we are making sure the girls are stretching as a team before and after every workout and icing twice a week.”

The girls will start training and preparing for the Islander Splash Sep. 21 which will be at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi.

Sharyland’s next meet is the Island Spash, Sept. 21 at Islander Texas A&M University Corpus Christi Sep. 21.

EDINBURG — With nerves and jitters being conquered by runners from Laredo, Corpus Christi, and across the Rio Grande Valley, the Edinburg High Cross Country Invitational was up and running Saturday at Ebony Golf Course.

Weslaco East’s Tessie Garcia crossed the finish line with a time of 19 minutes, 52.5 seconds to capture first place and help her team to a third place finish.

“I mentally prepare myself by running the race like it’s any other race. I always want to try and stay in the front no matter what,” Garcia said. “It’s hard to catch up in the middle of the race so I made sure and kept pushing through the pain. During the last lap, I gave it my all and I ended up winning first.”

Laredo United’s Valerie Garcia finished second with a time of 19:56.4, propelling her team to a first place with the lowest team score of 51. Laredo Martin’s Samantha Gonzalez was third with a time of 20:04.0, putting her team at fifth place overall, and a team score 139.

As the girls completed their race, the boys were set to compete. Edinburg Vela’s Mario Salas made his way to the finish line with a time of 16:18.7. Mario helped his team to second place overall and a team score of 78.

“Last week I didn’t open up very well and placed third. This week I wanted to capitalize,” Salas said. “As a team we always stay focused and everything will fall into place.”

Behind Salas was Edinburg Vela’s Jeremy Niño with a time of 16:26.9 and in third place was Christian Gonzalez from Corpus Christ Carroll. Gonzalez finished with a time of 16:30.7 helping his team to 10th place with a team score of 203.

The Progreso boys finished first overall with the lowest team score of 65. Hector Peralez led the way for Progreso with a time of 16:45.3. Following behind Peralez, was teammate Jonathan Vega who finished with a time of 16:53.3. The boys team took the district championship in 2017 in Zapata. The team is under head coach Margarito Jimenez and assistant coach Ivan Gonzalez.

VALLEY CROSS COUNTRY

South Texas Stampede XC Invitational

Boys Team Results

1. Nixon High School 52; 2. Eagle Pass 65; 3. Donna North 82; 4. United South 11; 5. Laredo Alexander 128; Laredo LBJ 133; 6. Laredo LBJ 133; 7. Laredo Cigarroa; 8. Zapata; (remainder of schools are incomplete)

Boys Individual Results (top 10)

1. Alex Canales, Rio Grande City, 16:20.2; 2. Jorge Ponce, Donna North, 16:33.2; 3. Edgar Reyes, Laredo Nixon, 16:34.2; 4. Gerardo Munoz, IDEA Pharr, 16:36.7; 5. Adan Jonhitud, Zapata, 16:41.0; 6. Diego Davila, Eagle Pass, 16:42.7; 7. Jesus Mora, Donna North, 16:50.4; 8. Chrias Navarette, Laredo LBJ, 16:53.2; 9. Arturo Garza, Laredo Nixon, 17:01.8; 10. Joseph Gonzalez, Laredo Alexander, 17:04.9

Girls Team Results

1. Eagle Pass 30; 2. Zapata 65; 3. Grulla 68; 4. Laredo Alexander 71; 5. Laredo United South 146; 6. Roma 161.

Girls Individual Results (top 10)

1. Yanel Garza, Eagle Pass, 13:03.7; 2. Odette Fernandez, Grulla, 13:16.2; 3. Jenna Roiz, Eagle Pass, 13:25.9; 4. Isel Garza, Eagle Pass, 13:33.7; 5. Kaelynn Gonzalez, Zapata, 13:37.2; 6. Maranda Garcia, Zapata, 13:39.5; 7. Claudia Garza, Zapata, 13:39.5; 8. Andrea Ramon, Laredo Alexander, 13:45.2; 9. Denise Rodriguze, Grulla, 13:51.3; 10. Victoria Bartlett, Eagle Pass, 13:52.2

Edinburg High Cross Country Invitational

at Ebony Hills Golf Course

Boys Team Results

1. Progresso 65; 2. Edinburg Vela 78; 3. Weslaco East 98; 4. IDEA Edinburg 18:11.2 Team score: 121; 5. Edinburg Economedes 132

Boys Individual Results

1. Mario Salas, Edinburg Vela 16:18.7; 2. Jeremy Nino, Edinburg Vela 16:26.9; 3. Christian Guzman, Corpus Christi Carroll 16:30.7; 4. Ramsey Moreno, Edinburg Vela 16:40.7; 5. Hector Peralez, Progresso 16:45.3; 6. Jonathon Vega, Progresso 16:53.3; 7. Rene Tamez, Weslaco East 17:08.0; 8. Hugo Chavarria, IDEA Edinburg 17:13.8; 9. Fabian Garcia, IDEA Edinburg 17:18.3; 10. Angel Avila, Sharyland Pioneer 17:19.8;

Girls Team Results

1. Laredo United 51; 2. Edinburg Economedes 61; 3. Weslaco East 70; 4. Edinburg High 127; 5. Laredo Martin 22:54.2 139

Girls Individual Results

1. Tessie Garcia, Weslaco East 19:52.5; 2. Valerie Garcia, Laredo United 19:56.4; 3. Samantha Gonzalez ,Laredo Martin 20:04.0; 4. Dayan Lozano, Edinburg Economedes 20:51.3; 5. Marina Villanueva, La Feria 20.54.0; 6. Nicole Gonzalez,Laredo United 21:04.0; 7. Alexa Mendoza, McAllen Memorial 21:11.5; 8. Melodee Marroquin,Edinburg High 21:12.6; 9. Emma Gomez,Laredo United 21:18.2; 10. Samantha Guajardo,Weslaco East 21:19.4

McALLEN — As the steam from the Harlingen South Hawks started to fade, the steamroller known as the McAllen High Bulldogs began to move.

The end result was a 25-18, 25-14, 25-8 victory for the home-standing Bulldogs in a match that pitted a pair of squads that met last year in the Class 6A area playoffs, also won by McHi. The teams began the day with a combined 47-4 record. At the end of the day, McHi improved to 27-1 and Harlingen dropped to 21-4.

Everything changed in an instant. Through the first half of the first set, the two teams played head to head, Harlingen South being led by its all-everything powerful hitter Mikela Mireles, who received every set for the Hawks until she went to the back row to serve with a 7-6 lead. The teams tied at 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 all before the Bulldogs’ Lexi Gonzalez nailed three straight kills and sophomore Sabrina Garza added a pair of aces and McHi suddenly led 16-12.

McHi went on to dominate the Hawks, 59-28, the remainder of the way to capture its 27th win of the season in impressive fashion.

“We do have some improving to do, some fine tuning,” said a cautious, but pleased, McHi head coach Paula Dodge when asked how good the Bulldogs could become. “But, I am loving what I’m seeing.”

McHi’s only loss of the season came at Laredo Alexander, dropping the fifth set 15-13. The Bulldogs were ranked for the first time this season on Monday, appearing at No. 22 in the Texas Girls Coaches Association Class 6A volleyball poll.

Gonzalez had a field day at the net for the Bulldogs, knocking down a game-high 22 kills. On one series, a strong South defense picked up two of her kills on back-to-back attempts, but only could watch as the senior sensation blistered a third attempt down the middle of the court, untouched. That’s when Harlingen South Anissa Lucio called timeout, but the steamroller had already started.

“Lexi is our big hitter and top attacker, but aren’t we lucky to have girls that can put the ball down from all three areas up front?” Dodge said. “The plan is to mix it up. We don’t want our opponent to know what side we’re to.”

That game plan seemed to work to perfection. Setter Madison Helmcamp was feeding sets — shoot sets, quick sets, the whole menagerie of them — to her hitters all over the court. Celina Saenz ended with nine kills, followed by Ada Sadlier with six and Andrea Tovar with five. Helmcamp also collected six kills when Madie Garza was dishing off some of her 19 assists.

At one point in the second set with McHi leading 18-11, Saenz registered three kills, Sadlier added a kill off a quick set and then a block and Tovar added a kill off a slide move and the Bulldogs finished out the set on n 8-0 run.

But it wasn’t all offense. What was maybe most frustrating for Mireles and the rest of the Hawks was the resilient back-row defense spearheaded by Garza and libero Audrey Zamora, who combined for 19 digs, many of then coming off Mireles’ attempts. On back-to-back occasions both defenders found themselves on the floor making saves.

“Those girls have been working hard together and they are working good together, reading the block and seeing where the blocks are and aren’t,” Dodge said. “They were laid out a couple times getting the back ball back up. That’s the fun part for me to see.”

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PHARR — Chelsea Salinas knows how she would pitch to herself if she had to face that daunting task.

“Well, I’d have to be smart and not throw the same pitches over and over. You have to be strategic,” the PSJA Memorial pitcher/slugger said. “I’d guess I would throw up and down, in and out curve drop. I’d throw it to myself. I know I’d swing at it.”

Likewise, she knows how she would approach batting against herself.

“I would scoot up and crowd the plate because I know she would go outside,” she said. “I’d look for a changeup inside and hopefully turn on it.”

It’s something she’s clearly thought about.

Fortunately for Salinas, she doesn’t have to face either one of those would-be intense scenarios. But, other batters/pitchers have gone through that and the results weren’t too good for those opponents.

After a tremendous year on the mound and the plate Salinas, a junior, has been named The Monitor’s All-Area Softball Player of the Year.

Salinas hit .409 at the plate in a lineup stacked with big bats. She led the team with 20 doubles, six triples and 51 RBIs. She was second on the team with four home runs. On the mound she held a 12-1 record with a 1.225 ERA, a .979 WHIP and struck out 195 in 125.2 innings pitched.

She helped guide the Wolverines to the third round of the playoffs, falling to powerhouse Calallen.

The rising senior, who has already committed to Texas A&M International in Laredo, admitted she had a good season before dropping a real bombshell.

“This was probably my worst year at the plate,” she said. “I guess I was in a slump.”

Last year, as in her sophomore year, she hit over .600. So, forgive her if she slumped her way to “just” .409.

“I pitched a lot this year, probably the most ever and had a good year,” Salinas said. “I focused more on pitching and knew I had to produce more on the mound because we had a lot of big bats in the lineup.”

Salinas didn’t start pitching until sixth grade, outside of winding up and firing grapefruits (and other circular objects) to her dad in the H-E-B aisles. That, wisely, led to pitching lessons.

“I started late pitching,” she said. “But since I was really little I would practice my pitching motion behind my house (or at H-E-B).”

She started playing softball a little earlier, as a hitter only and midfielder our or outfielder. She didn’t mention anything about bashing fruit in any produce section.

She said many of the big sticks from the team will be gone next season after graduating and she will focus much more on perfecting her pitching. She works with a pitching coach, especially on spins. While she has a fastball clocked at 60-61 miles per hour, she also has an arsenal of pitches. Her favorite is the changeup, often times inciting hitters to swing way too early, getting off-balance. Her go-to pitch, however, for a strikeout is her curveball.

“I like throwing the changeup but sometimes it’s not on,” she said. “And when it’s not it, it’s just not.”

She is working especially on perfecting her rise ball and getting more speed on her heaters.

“I’m going to need to produce more from the mound and the plate and we are hoping to get deeper into the playoffs,” Salinas said. “That’s our goal.”

She also is hoping to break out of her season-long batting “slump” and return to hitting in the .600 range.

So, how would she pitch against the .600 Salinas as opposed to the .409 Salinas?

“I’d probably just hit myself,” she said, “especially if there is a free base.”

McALLEN — Approaching the 2019 soccer season, Ava Alaniz was flying high.

The McAllen High midfielder was coming off a 2018 campaign in which her late goal during the regional final beat powerhouse Austin Lake Travis and vaulted the Bulldogs into the UIL state tournament — the first Valley girls soccer team to ever make it that far.

A few months later, the 5-foot-7 Alaniz also realized another dream when she verbally committed to play soccer Division I University of Houston.

Then, just before the 2019 season started, she crash-landed. The then-junior severely strained a tendon in the middle of her kicking foot. For an athlete who had never been hurt before, coping with the injury and missing two months of the season was a frustrating tribulation — even after she got back on the pitch.

“I remember during halftime of a game against Mission High, I had a total breakdown,” said Alaniz, who missed 20 games and was regulated to cheerleading from McHi’s side. “I felt like I was out of tune with my body and how to move on the soccer field, something that had before been so natural to me.

“I cried tears of frustration, but then decided that wasn’t going to make anything better.”

And that resolute, matter-of-fact approach to the game is a large part of what has defined Alaniz’s high school career. This season, her story, her comeback and her superior play on the field, even in a shortened season for her, led her to be named The Monitor’s All-Area Co-Soccer Player of The Year.

Although the Bulldogs were a formidable team without her at 15-2-3, McHi missed an Alaniz that not only was a pugnacious performer, but a team leader on and off the pitch.

Alaniz entered the game after intermission during her first game back against McAllen Rowe on Feb. 22. About 10 minutes in, she beat a defender and served up a perfect assist to Sophia Soto, who immediately found the net in the Bulldogs’ 3-0 victory.

“That really motivated me because I had hardly been walking for a week when it happened,” Alaniz said.

She’s known as much for her tenacity and toughness as she is for her technical talents. Alaniz can score, but she prides herself on controlling the midfield and getting the ball into her forwards.

Longtime friend and teammate Westyn Henderson, last year’s Player of the Year by The Monitor, said Alaniz has pushed her on the field, and her game elevates all the players around her.

“One of Ava’s biggest strengths is her ability to create scoring opportunities as she attacks players and works her best in situations where she is under pressure,” Henderson said.

Expectations for McHi were high in 2019 following 2018’s state semifinal appearance. The Bulldogs fell short, however, becoming the hunted, and every program in the RGV and up north gave them their best and used them as a measuring stick.

Even with Alaniz, McHi had its 50-game district winning streak snapped by an 11-1 La Joya Juarez-Lincoln team whose only loss was to McHi earlier in the season. Then, after they snuck past Brownsville Hanna in the second around of the playoffs, the Bulldogs were beaten by Harlingen South 1-0 in the third round.

“I do think that a lot of moving parts have to work perfectly in order to create the type of historic run we had in 2018,” said Alaniz, whose team fell short of reaching state this year. “I didn’t realize it until it was over, and I think my teammates would say the same. A lot of things have to go right for a team, off and on the field, to go far in the playoffs. It isn’t just a matter of pure talent.”

Grounded by her parents and friends, Alaniz is looking to next spring. She said the Bulldogs will focus on themselves and not worry about what other teams are doing. They want to compete, stay healthy and get back to state.

“I want to compete with what we did last season (in 2018),” Alaniz said. “I expect improvement and a deeper playoff run. As for myself, I hope to do as much as I can individually to ultimately contribute to the overall success of my team in whatever form that may be.”

Former Mercedes Tigers softball star Dalilah Barrera began the 2019 season as Texas State’s starting pitcher and promptly shut out Colorado State — an NCAA Division I Mountain West team that finished the year 39-12.

Barrera didn’t stop there. She shot out of the gates 5-0 with wins over major programs such as San Jose State, West Virginia and the University of South Florida. In her first season in the NCAA Div. I Sun Belt Conference, a year after leading Temple College to the NJCAA World Series championship in 2018, Barrera compiled an impressive 9-6 record.

“My No. 1 goal was to play collegiate ball at the Div. I level, and I knew it was going to be a challenge in order to reach that goal,” said Barrera, a first team NJCAA All-American last year at Temple. “College ball isn’t for everyone, and it doesn’t come easy. You have to work and prove yourself every day.”

More and more, Barrera’s performance illustrates the rising tide of Valley athletes succeeding with regularity on the diamond at the NCAA Div. I, II, III, NAIA and junior college levels. Winning, making all-conference teams and even picking up All-American nods are not anomalies for RGV softball players. They are also receiving scholarships and some are receiving an education when, due to financial or other constraints, it might not otherwise be possible.

In May, The Monitor reviewed more than 75 college softball rosters across Texas. For the 2019 season, about 50 young women from the RGV, like Barrera, played college softball in Texas, while even more are scattered on teams outside the state. Scores of them have earned all-conference and all-region accolades.

TRAINING, RECRUITING KEY FOR RGV PLAYERS

Valley players and coaches point to several reasons for the surge in successes. Some say a big factor is club teams that keep girls playing and training year round, while others point to college softball’s rise in popularity. It can now be frequently seen on conference networks and on social media platforms 24/7. Still, others believe the talent in the Valley is as good as anywhere else in the state. It’s just a matter of getting exposure and making contact with recruiters, they say, which Valley players are now doing more often.

“The Valley has so much talent and everyone has an awesome work ethic,” said Sharyland alum Roxy Chapa, who led the Texas A&M-Kingsville Javelinas to the NCAA Div. II championship this year as a senior, batting .376 with 14 home runs. “Not too many (college) coaches go down to see people play so most of our exposure is when we travel north and play in tournaments. We know we have to play our best at all times since we might not have many opportunities to play in front of college coaches.”

The trend is not entirely new. Valley girls have moved on to play college softball for years, but in the past five years, RGV power programs such as San Benito, Edinburg North, Rio Hondo, Mercedes, Weslaco, Sharyland, Edinburg Vela, Edinburg and others are populating college rosters at an impressive pace. In many cases, RGV players are playing big roles, not simply riding the bench.

Chapa was named All-American her freshman year in 2016. Crystal Castillo, the SWAC 2019 Conference Pitcher of the Year at Div. I Prairie View A&M University, said improved personal training, coaching and practicing have also led to new opportunities for area softballers.

“Us Valley athletes are not any different from the others around the world,” said Castillo, a San Benito product. “You just have to be hungry and want to better yourself. The RGV has always had talented softball players. It has been a pleasure to watch how all us Valley athletes have really developed and helped lead our programs to success.”

RGV SOFTBALL PLAYERS THROUGHOUT TEXAS

Texas State, Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern are Div. I schools with multiple Valley players. Joining Barrera in the highest ranks is Castillo, a junior, who for the second straight year earned first team all-conference honors. She was 13-5 with a 2.35 ERA. Former Edinburg Vela star Naomi Reyes went 13-8 with a 2.14 ERA as a freshman for Texas Southern, also in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

And the success is not just on the Div. I level. Freshman Alyssa Escamilla (Weslaco High) and sophomore Daisy Gonzalez (McAllen Memorial) led Temple College to its second straight JUCO World Series. Chapa’s Texas A&M-Kingsville’s teammate freshman Amber Reyes (Edinburg High) excelled, as did Huston-Tillotson University’s Taylor Tafolla (Weslaco High), who was named first team all-conference at the NAIA school as was her teammate Amanda Aguilera, a senior from PSJA High.

For the 2019 season, there were at least eight RGV players on Div. I softball rosters at Texas State, Texas Southern and Prairie View. On the Div. II level, there were four at TAMUK, Texas A&M International (Laredo) and St. Edward’s, and four more at the Div. III level at Concordia (Austin), Howard Payne and Sul Ross State in Alpine.

At the NAIA level, which is similar to NCAA Div. III, there were 18 at Huston-Tillotson, Jarvis Christian, UH-Victoria and Texas College. Huston-Tillotson, which is coached by Valley native Roxanne Rodriguez, carried eight RGV players on its roster, meanwhile, Jarvis Christian had seven. In the JUCO ranks, Laredo Community College had five RGV natives on its team led by McAllen Rowe’s Christina Garcia. Others competed at Ranger, Coastal Bend, Temple, Blinn and more two-year schools.

RGV SOFTBALL BEGAN IN 1992-93, TRAVEL TEAMS FOLLOWED

Softball became a state UIL sport during the 1992-93 school year. In Texas, it began with just one classification: 5A. That spring, Brownsville Hanna and Weslaco high secured playoffs spots coming out of District 32-5A, according to the UIL. The following year, the UIL added Class 3A for small schools, and then in 1995-96 Class 4A began and Mercedes and Sharyland High were tops in District 32-4A and made it to the area round.

With more schools starting softball, travel teams invariably followed. Today, there are multiple teams going strong in the RGV, cross-pollinated by girls from different schools. RGV Heat, RGV Thunder, South Texas Kaos and several others play months worth of tournaments here and around Texas and the country. That keeps girls on the field and in the batting cage, improving and gaining instruction.

“I believe the coaches we have at home play a huge part in so many people that come for the Valley flourishing at the next level,” Chapa said. “All of my high school and travel ball coaches have always pushed me to do my best and believed in me. They never let me settle for mediocrity.”

MORE PLAYERS AND MOTIVATION

It doesn’t stop there. More players are being produced. For example, this fall Edinburg Vela is sending outfielder Julia Cardone to the University of the Incarnate Word, shortstop Taylor Chavez to Prairie View A&M, and catcher Darissa Buenrostro to Div. II Newman University in Kansas.

The discovery of — ultimately, the success of — RGV players at colleges and universities in Texas and around the country can mean more than just glory on the diamond. The opportunity to play collegiate softball also means getting onto campuses that are institutions of higher learning. Translation: players are getting an education, and for many it’s on scholarship.

Gabrielle Fonseca, a junior shortstop at Prairie View A&M from PSJA High, said that the Valley support system of coaches and advisers can be very helpful. However, a player still has to have goals and be driven. Getting a college degree was key for her playing college ball.

“Education plays a huge role in all of this because we all don’t come from a family where they all went to college and are successful,” Fonseca said. “We come from lower middle-income families that worked hard to get us to where we are now. Some of us are first-generation graduates (high school) softball was a part of getting us to the finish line.”

A DOZEN DESERVING NOTICE

Amanda Aguilera, Huston-Tillotson, Sr., P, PSJA Memorial

Dalilah Barrera, Texas State, Jr., P, Mercedes

Crystal Castillo, Prairie View A&M, Jr., P, San Benito

Roxy Chapa, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Sr., C, Sharyland,

Alyssa Escamilla, Temple College, Fr., SS, Weslaco,

Gabrielle Fonseca, Prairie View A&M, So., SS, PSJA

Christina Garcia, Laredo College, So., OF, McAllen Rowe

Daisy Gonzalez, Temple College, So., 1B, McAllen Memorial

Amber Reyes, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Fr., OF, Edinburg

Naomi Reyes, Texas Southern, Fr., P, Edinburg Vela

Allyson Rodriguez, Ranger College, So., UT, Edcouch-Elsa

Taylor Tafolla, Huston-Tillotson, So., 1B, Weslaco,

BY TJ GARCIA | SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR

EDINBURG — Midway through the fourth inning of Friday night’s Region IV-5A championship game, Sharyland Pioneer pitcher Evan Maldonado didn’t so much hit a rough spot as he just wasn’t on point after throwing several straight balls off-target.

Even with a 5-1 lead, Pioneer junior catcher Angel Nuñez was concerned enough to call timeout, walking out to the mound at UTRGV Baseball Stadium with a capacity crowd on hand to talk with Maldonado for a minute.

“I told him, ‘Hey, we’ve gone this far. We can’t go out like this. We’ve worked so hard on this, so just keep grinding and let’s start off with a strike on this next guy,’” Nuñez said.

Pioneer came out of the inning unscathed, perhaps in part with Nuñez’s help, and went on to trounce Sharyland High 11-1, winning Game 2 and the series to earn a berth in the UIL Class 5A state baseball tournament. Maldonado said Nuñez’s pep talk helped him refocus and settle down.

Nuñez, who wears a large color-coded, game-info wristband, much like a quarterback in football, has been on point all year. He’s managed perhaps the best three-man pitching rotation in the region, committed a measly three errors in 41 games played, batted over .300 and is a team leader and the glue that holds the Diamondbacks together.

He also leads the team’s scouting efforts. Pioneer coach Casey Smith said Nuñez is the first one to get to practice and the last one to leave, calling him a “coach on the field.” Those efforts paid dividends as Nuñez has been credited by Smith and his pitchers for calling a flawless series.

“We knew coming in that Sharyland was going to be one of the toughest teams we’ve faced, and they really are a tough bunch,” Nuñez said. “As a catcher, you have to know how hitters are. You have to know how they stand in the box. What they can and cannot hit.”

Friday night, the Rattlers couldn’t hit much and Maldonado was solid, allowing no earned runs, just four hits and two walks in five innings with one strikeout. The previous night, although Sharyland was able to add three runs during the ninth, Pioneer pitcher Jacob Rosales limited the potent Rattlers to three runs in six innings and struck out six — again with Nuñez behind the plate.

“He does everything right,” said Maldonado, a junior University of Houston commit. “He does everything you want a catcher to do. He’s one of the best catchers I’ve ever seen.”

TJ Garcia

LA VILLA — This baseball playoff series nearly had it all.

There was hype, quality baseball, dueling Big 12 recruits and even a venue change because of bad weather.

In the end, however, the McHi-Edinburg Vela series boiled down to what baseball’s all about: pitching, hitting and fielding. Both teams put solid arms on the mound, but it was the SaberCats who were able to get more hits than McHi and minimize defensive mistakes to win Game 2 Saturday afternoon 3-1 and sweep the Bulldogs 2-0 in the area round playoff series.

Vela pitcher Isaac Lopez went the distance, allowing just seven hits in seven innings while striking out six and walking none to get the victory for the SaberCats (29-4-2). It vaulted them into the regional quarterfinals where Valley nemesis Laredo Alexander awaits. A rain-soaked UTRGV field forced Saturday’s game to be played at La Villa High School’s new all-turf stadium.

For the second time in two days, Vela struggled at the plate, managing just six hits, but it was able to be strategic, found a few key spots to grab bases and scored playing small ball.

“Any little base hit in these types of games is very important,” said Vela sophomore second baseman Ivan Mendoza, who picked up two hits and scored a run. “A single, double anything we need, anything we can get, is really important.”

The SaberCats were able to manufacture a few runs, while McHi, with nearly the same amount of hits, could not. Saturday’s game — as well as Friday’s contest — were that close. Ends up, UTRGV signee Ramsey Amador’s two-run, third-inning single was all the offense Vela needed. He ripped a 2-1 pitch from McHi pitcher Gilbert Mata to left center and scored Frankie Zuniga and Mendoza.

Mata, a Coastal Bend College signee, pitched well (five hits, seven strikeouts in six innings). However, like on Friday night when Vela scored all three of its runs in the first inning, he couldn’t prevent Vela from making a mini run in the third then allowed it to add another in the fifth. He held a team that was scoring about eight runs a game coming to the series to three. Normally, that might get a win, but the Bulldogs’ bats couldn’t find the ball, and it was their undoing.

SaberCats pitching, along with missed opportunities, may have had something to do with that. After being shut out by Kansas State signee Nico Rodriguez in Game 1, seldom used Lopez confounded the Bulldogs with an array of pitches and induced many of them to ground out or hit harmless pop flies. McHi Coach Eliseo Pompa said McHi (25-10-1) scuffled with offense in both of their playoffs series this year.

“We left the basis loaded three times (vs. Eagle Pass) and yesterday we did the same thing. We just couldn’t get that hit when we needed to,” Pompa said. “I want to wish the Vela SaberCats the best of luck. They’ve got a good ball club. We just couldn’t come through with the hits. Sometimes that’s just how baseball is.”

McHi’s Aaron Nixon and Caleb Killian accounted for four of the Bulldog’s seven hits with two apiece, meanwhile Hector Garcia had the team’s lone RBI when he scored Nixon.

With the area-round victory, the SaberCats extended their winning streak to 16, not having lost since March 9. The win also allows Vela to reach the regional quarterfinals for the second time in three years. Last year, the coach Jaime Perez-led team advanced to the fourth round where Vela succumbed to San Antonio Churchill.