JOSEPH TELLO | Staff Writer

CORPUS CHRISTI — With a bi-district win earlier in the week, the Harlingen South Lady Hawks took a step further in the playoffs and squared up against the San Antonio South Lady Bobcats in a Class 6A area playoff game on Friday at Flour Bluff High School.

Unfortunately, the Lady Hawks’ season came to an abrupt end as they fell to the Lady Bobcats 75-59.

South head coach Kelly Garrett made it a point of emphasis before the game that her players needed to rise up to the challenge if they wanted to have a shot at winning.

“We didn’t want to play to their tempo, which we got caught up in at times, and that hurt us a bit,” said Garrett on Friday. “I think we prepared as best as we could in practice, trying to duplicate their style of play, but it’s always tough to do that, regardless.”

The Lady Hawks gave the Lady Bobcats a good run in the beginning, but missed opportunities that proved costly later.

“At halftime we were 6 of 16 from the free-throw line and we couldn’t convert our easy shots, which we can’t have,” Garrett said.

Harlingen South missed a total of 19 free throws in the contest, which ultimately led to the Lady Bobcats’ 16-point victory.

Karla Reyes lead the Lady Hawks in scoring with 24 points and seniors Trisha Lopez, Cameron Del Angel each contributed with10.

Although the defeat will linger in Garrett’s thoughts for a while, she remained optimistic about the future.

“It’s going to be tough shoes to fill, but we have a good group coming back,” she said. “The future looks bright, especially with our freshman group that just won district, so there’s plenty to look forward to.”

JOSEPH TELLO | Staff Writer

The Harlingen South Hawks will begin their 2017 playoff journey with a trip to Edinburg High as they challenge the Bobcats in a Class 6A bi-district contest at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

The Hawks, who finished as the No. 4 seed out of District 32-6A with an 8-6 record, will be well prepared for their upcoming matchup, said head coach Brian Molina.

“Playing in a tough district like we did this season has really helped our team, and I feel like we are battle-tested and ready to take our chances in the playoffs,” he said. “Edinburg High is a really good team and I know that they are going to be ready to play us.”

Edinburg finished as the top seed out of District 31-6A only because Edinburg Vela had to forfeit several games earlier in the week due to playing an ineligible athlete.

PANTHERS SET FOR JAGS: Vela’s situation also allowed the Edinburg Economedes Jaguars to make the playoffs. Their reward: A very good Weslaco High squad.

The Jaguars will face off against the Panthers, who clinched a share of the District 32-6A title this season along with Los Fresnos.

“Of course nobody wants to share, but to be a part of one is great in itself so we don’t mind sharing it with a team that’s deserving,” said Weslaco head coach Gabriel Valdez. “Economedes is a fast team, a very athletic team and we’re going to have to execute on both ends in order to get a win.”

Weslaco will host Economedes in a Class 6A bi-district game at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

THE QUEST BEGINS: As expected, the Santa Rosa Warriors are back in the playoffs after claiming their 13th straight conference title earlier this week.

Warriors head coach Juan Cipriano knows his team is ready for the road ahead.

“I told the team that they clinched a district (title) and got no emotion out of them,” Cipriano said. “It’s kind of expected around here with all the success we’ve had.”

The Warriors, who advanced all the way to the Region IV-3A finals last season, open the postseason against Bishop at 8 p.m. on Tuesday at Texas A&M-Kingsville.

“It’s playoff time now and anything can happen,” said Cipriano. “We’re going to continue to do our best and we can’t afford to take anyone lightly.”

JOSEPH TELLO | Staff Writer

SANTA ROSA — On the verge of claiming the District 32-3A title on Tuesday, the Santa Rosa Warriors first had to take care of business against the visiting Lyford Bulldogs.

With little trouble, the Warriors accomplished their goal of becoming league champs as they stampeded the Bulldogs 105-59.

But not only did the Warriors clinch the conference crown, they did so for the 13th straight time and capped off a perfect district season at 8-0.

“It’s a great accomplishment anytime we are able to achieve something like this,” said Warriors head coach Juan Cipriano.

Senior guard Leo Lara lead the team in scoring with 37 points, snatching four steals and grabbing 10 rebounds as well.

“I’ve had a lot of great players before and the thing I like about Leo is that he remains humble,” Cipriano said “Most of all, he cares about his teammates and instead of focusing on stats, he’s more concerned with getting a win.”

Although Santa Rosa won by a hefty margin on Tuesday, Cipriano made it a point of emphasis for the Warriors to establish themselves early on and finish strong.

“I told the team before the game that Lyford had slowed them down (earlier in the season) and to play with some pride tonight,” said Cipriano “For the seniors, it’s the last of something, and every game from here on out could be their final time playing in a Warriors uniform.”

With that being said, the Warriors never let their guard down against the Bulldogs and led by as many as 31 points in the contest.

Santa Rosa finished with a total of 13 steals – nine of which came in the first half – and grabbed 32 rebounds to finish the game.

Warriors shooting guard Matt Garcia finished second behind Lara in scoring with 25 points, one steal and eight rebounds.

Moving ahead, the Warriors now will rest for a short while before starting their playoff journey next week. Last season, the Warriors came within one point of advancing to the state’s final four.

“Coaching a team like this makes my job a bit easier because the athletes give it all they have every game,” said Cipriano “That’s all I can ever ask of them, but we know bigger and better things are ahead of us.”

JOSEPH TELLO | Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — After dropping a game earlier in the week, the Harlingen Cardinals were looking to get back in the win column with a victory over crosstown rival Harlingen South.

With playoff contention at hand, the Hawks, meanwhile, had a lot at stake coming into the game and delivered in their efforts with a win over the Cards, 69-48.

“We needed to keep our momentum going and the win tonight certainly helps us with our confidence heading into next week,” said South head coach Brian Molina “But credit to Coach Yates for Harlingen. He always has his guys ready to play and we were fortunate to come out victorious.”

South’s Aaron Briones lead the team in scoring with 21 points, grabbing six rebounds and coming away with one steal along with one block.

The Hawks were lights out from shooting beyond the perimeter with Briones hitting five of the team’s nine three pointers in the contest.

“I told them we needed to be more aggressive on offense in attacking the basket because we started out slow,” Molina said “Since they penetrated well the guys on the outside were open and were able to sink their shots.”

Other notable contributors to South’s victory were Brandon Bennett, who had 15 points, along with Noah Perez and Grant Lowery, who each finished with 10 points.

The win pushed South to 9-5 in District 32-6A play and they will host Los Fresnos on Tuesday to end the regular season.

“This game couldn’t have come at a better time with playoffs right around the corner and Los Fresnos will provide us with great experience to cap it off,” said Molina.

As for the Cardinals, Tony Aguilar lead the team in scoring on the night with 13 points and right behind him was Michael Arellano with scoring 12.

Harlingen will travel to Brownsville on Tuesday as they take on a Rivera team that they defeated earlier in the season.

JOSEPH TELLO | Staff Writer

The La Feria Lions (12-0) are on the verge of clinching their second straight District 32-4A title tonight when they host the Hidalgo Pirates (11-1).

With a one-game lead over the Pirates, Lions head coach Dario Sanchez said his team is ready to perform.

“Hidalgo is consistently at the top of our district and because of that I feel like there seems to be a bigger emphasis on (tonight’s game) than most other games,” Sanchez said.

“We’re going to stick to our routine and control what we can as far as effort, individual responsibilities and maintain a positive attitude whatever happens.”

Should the Lions lose tonight, they will find themselves in a two-way tie for first place with one game remaining against Zapata on Monday.

HEADED FOR A PHOTO FINISH: With the Los Fresnos Falcons cooling off the Weslaco Panthers on Tuesday, the race for the District 32-6A title will now come down to the wire as two games remain in the regular season.

Weslaco head coach Gabriel Valdez believes the loss to Los Fresnos will help his team in the long run and the Panthers are now focused on crosstown rival Weslaco East, who they play tonight.

“The loss was tough for our boys, but it takes some of the burden off of trying to go undefeated. We just have to regroup and finish off the season strong,” Valdez said.

As for the Falcons, they host the San Benito Greyhounds, who are coming off a huge win against the Harlingen Cardinals.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals host a Harlingen South squad that would like to keep its momentum rolling after a victory over Brownsville Rivera.

The Hawks are currently 7-5 in league play and are fighting to secure a playoff spot.

“Tuesday’s win was big for us, in the fact we needed to get back on the winning track,” said South head coach Brian Molina “But I know when it comes to crosstown rivalries, all records go out the door and anything can happen.”

After suffering the devastating loss to San Benito earlier in the week, the Cardinals would love nothing more than to redeem themselves against the Hawks tonight.

“Obviously, any win during the season is good but to get a victory against one of the top teams in our district would be great,” said Harlingen head coach Greg Yates.

JOSEPH TELLO | Staff Writer

In the sports world, it’s the athletes and coaches that steal the spotlight with their success that comes from hours spent in preparation of their craft.

No one ever notices the people who tirelessly work behind the scenes, helping team operations run smoothly. People like La Feria’s Synthia Ramirez, who has been the glue for La Feria’s basketball, track and football programs for the past two years.

Ramirez, who was a cheerleader at one point, decided last year that she would fully commit to being a team manager. With the Lions right in the middle of the hoops season right now, Ramirez is currently focused on the round ball, but track & field is just around the corner.

And when she’s not performing her duties as team manager, she likes to practice her cosmetology skills on family and friends.

Ramirez, who is a senior and will graduate this spring, wishes to pursue a career in cosmetology and one day wants to operate her own beauty salon.

The Valley Morning Star recently sat down with Ramirez to discuss what it takes to be a team manager and find out a few other things about her.

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Q: What made you want to take on the position of becoming a team manager?

A: I’ve always liked watching guys play sports; you can also see and feel the intensity. But I believe since I didn’t do sports, I really just wanted to be around them. What better way to do it than having front-row seats and taking care of the guys?

Q: What are your duties as team manager?

A: For basketball, my main priority is to make sure everyone and everything is taken care of and kept in order; making sure everyone is ready for the game. I am also in charge of getting the scorebooks ready, making sure the (water) bottles stay filled, that we have at least four towels, that the roster for the visiting team is filled out and returned to the scorers table, and keep the shooting shirts folded throughout the game.

Q: How did you find out about the position?

A: Knowing the basketball coaches had a big part in becoming a manager. I knew they wouldn’t mind the help and I wouldn’t mind giving it.

Q: Describe your experience as team manager?

A: It is honestly an experience like no other. You never know what to expect with the guys or even the coaches. They’re all very welcoming and make me feel like the work I do is appreciated. They take care of me.

Q: How does your service help the team?

A: I like to think I keep the games flowing. If it’s not with the work I do, then it’s with support. I have crazy love for my boys; they continue to make me proud. After every game, I make sure to tell everyone that they had a good game. Sometimes it’s hard to stay quiet or even stay sitting down when one of them gets hurt during the game.

Q: What’s something people wouldn’t know about the job?

A: It’s not just about going to the games and sitting down watching the guys play, although it might seem like it. There is actually a lot of work done behind the scenes.

Q: Is it difficult handling school and the responsibility of being a team manager?

A: I don’t find juggling all the extracurricular activities and school to be difficult. It makes me push myself to try harder and keep my grades up.

Q: How has this job helped you in school or other areas of your life?

A: I feel like being a manager has helped me with my communication skills and working well with others. It has also taught me to be more responsible, in the sense of taking care of what needs to get done.

Q: What’s your favorite memory in your time as team manager?

A: Given that I’ve been with the guys since last year, there are so many memories. My favorite would have to be after getting a win in the Lyford tournament. The coaches, players and I all had a little picnic outside in the grass under a big tree with Chick-fil-A. The memorable part was we all sat in a circle, holding hands and we waited until everyone was there before one of the guys started praying for the food.

Q: What’s something people don’t know about you?

A: That’s a hard question because my life is an open book, but it would have to be that I’ve been in two car accidents. They have taught me that we aren’t immortal and it’s made me realize how precious life really is. Also, most people don’t know that I can hit three-point shots all the way around. When playing with a couple of my friends, I went all the way around hitting my threes not missing once. I have yet to do it again, though.

Q: What are you going to miss about being a team manager?

A: I’m going to miss EVERYTHING! From the guys, the coaches and the intensity of the games, to the bus rides, when everyone eats together and even the practices. It’s a great feeling to see the guys grow and mature not only as basketball players, but as people in general. I’m very glad I was able to be apart of this great program. I can honestly say it has been awesome.

JOSEPH TELLO | Staff Writer

SAN BENITO — There may be no better sports rivalry in the Valley than the one that exists between the San Benito Greyhounds and the Harlingen Cardinals.

Harlingen had defeated San Benito earlier in the district season, which gave the Greyhounds more incentive to defend their home court against the Cardinals in their grudge match on Tuesday.

“Anytime we play against Harlingen, it’s always a competitive game but athletes always want to compete no matter the circumstances,” said Greyhounds head coach Edward Abrego.

“Harlingen has some big players, so we made it more of an emphasis in this game to match up against their guys in crashing the boards.”

Needless to say, San Benito got their revenge by defeating Harlingen 61-58 on in their last matchup of the District 32-6A season.

San Benito’s Nick Lucio lead the Greyhounds in scoring with 15 points and teammate Ryan Reza finished right behind him with 14 points, four rebounds and one block as well.

Lucio and Reza also had the tough task of matching up against the premiere players at Harlingen in point guard Michael Arellano and power forward Matthew Sesler.

“Coach Abrego wanted me to lock up on No. 5 (Arellano) the whole game, so I was all over the place trying to guard him,” said Lucio “But it feels good to get the win against Harlingen and do it in front of our home crowd.”

Coach Abrego praised Lucio for his efforts.

“Nick is our returning second-team all-district player and we’ve worked with him in touching up his game, but he definitely rose up to the challenge today,” said Abrego.

Other notable contributors to the Greyhounds’ victory were Jacob Sauceda, who scored 12 points, and David Sanchez, who pitched in 10 points.

“We have a young team that is mainly dominated by juniors, but our guys are learning to come together as a unit” Abrego said.

JOSEPH TELLO | Staff Writer

RIO HONDO — With Rio Hondo head basketball coach JR Guzman on the verge of earning his 600th career win on Friday, the Bobcats wanted nothing more than to get it for him in front of their home crowd.

The Bobcats accomplished their goal by defeating the Progreso Red Ants 58-42 in a District 32-4A matchup.

When asked about notching the 600th win of this career, the longtime Bobcats coach was at a loss for words and humbly replied with, “It feels pretty good.”

Rio Hondo’s Nick Uresti led the team in scoring on the night with 19 points and was honored to get the victory for his coach.

“It feels great to be a part of a team that helped their coach reach 600 wins,” Uresti said. “Playing for coach Guzman is awesome and he is never about himself. He always puts the team first.”

The Bobcats were in a tight contest with the Red Ants early on when Progreso made it rain from outside to trail Rio Hondo 14-11 heading into the second quarter.

“We had to change our defensive strategy a bit and I told them to step up or they would continue to beat us with their shots,” Guzman said.

That’s when the Bobcats emerged onto the scene putting up 24 points, and also limiting Progreso to seven, giving Rio Hondo a 38-18 lead before the half.

Uresti lead the surge for Rio Hondo in the second quarter, scoring 11 of the Bobcats’ 24 points in the quarter and that momentum carried the Cats the rest of the way.

“We focused more on rebounding since we have been slacking off lately and I think we made up for it in this game,” said Uresti.

Bobcat teammates Albert Adames, Gonzalo Ortega and Joey Garza all pitched in with seven points.

Rio Hondo will travel to Port Isabel on Monday in search of their sixth district victory on the district season.

JOSEPH TELLO | Staff Writer

With Weslaco’s victory over Harlingen South on Tuesday, the Panthers extended their winning streak to 10-0 on the season and remained atop the competition in District 32-6A.

The Panthers have a great mixture of talent on their roster and will face the San Benito Greyhounds tonight to try to extend their winning streak.

“The team this year has played great, unselfish basketball and we’ve had a number of guys who’ve stepped up throughout the season,” said Weslaco head coach Gabriel Valdez “We still have a lot of games left to be played with Los Fresnos right behind us, so we can’t let our guard down.”

Meanwhile, the La Feria Lions have been feasting on the competition in District 32-4A with senior guard Jalen Morrell leading the surge.

The Lions are 10-0 on the season and will travel to Raymondville to face the Bearkats tonight.

“We’ve been very fortunate to have a successful season and not have any major injuries along the way,” said Lions head coach Dario Sanchez “There’s plenty of ball left to be played and we’re hoping to finish the season on a strong note.”

Last but not least, the Santa Rosa Warriors are wrecking havoc in District 32-3A with a perfect 5-0 record. They have an open night today but play Monte Alto next Tuesday.

“We have high expectations and we are trying to meet those expectations,” said Warriors head coach Juan Cipriano. “We have three district games left, with our goal being to win them all and stay healthy.”

IN NEED OF A WIN: Harlingen South will be aiming to notch their seventh win of the 32-6A season as they take on the Weslaco East Wildcats tonight. The Hawks need a victory in order to stay alive in the playoff race.

The Hawks are currently 6-4 in league play and will host Brownsville Rivera next Tuesday.

“After the loss to Weslaco (on Tuesday), I told our team that we needed to stay focused and prepare as best we can for the next couple of games ahead,” said South head coach Brian Molina.

Another team in need of a win tonight is Rio Hondo. Not just for the team’s playoff hopes, but for head coach JR Guzman, who remains one win shy of career win No. 600.

The Cats, who are 4-6 in District 32-4A, have dropped their last two in a row to Zapata and La Feria, respectively. Tonight they host Progreso.

“Progreso has already played against the tough teams within our district and are a pretty good team,” said Guzman “Hopefully we can get the win against the Red Ants, but our main goal is to be playing ball come March.”

JOSEPH TELLO | Staff Writer

HARLINGEN— With everyone gunning to dethrone the league-leading Weslaco High Panthers, the Harlingen South Hawks were next in line to take down the current District 32-6A leader.

Unfortunately, South fell victim to the Panthers’ crisp shooting and lost 57-45 at home on Tuesday.

“I knew coming into South, it was going to be tough for us and that we needed to be on top of our game,” said Weslaco head coach Gabriel Valdez “Coach Molina does a great job with his boys but luckily our guys responded well and we were able to get the win tonight.”

Weslaco’s Braxton Bloomquist led the Panthers in scoring with 20 points and right behind him was teammate Justice Free, who pitched in eight points while also snatching six rebounds.

“Braxton has done a great job for us all year long. He’s one of our captains and he’s a real student of the game,” said Valdez. “He played really well tonight and hopefully he can continue to play big for us.”

Bloomquist exploded onto the scene in the first quarter, scoring seven of his 20 points that helped the Panthers establish an 18-7 lead.

The Panthers continued to roll with their momentum throughout the game and were able to distance themselves from the Hawks with a 41-25 lead entering the fourth quarter.

Although the Panthers created a comfortable lead heading into the final period, the Hawks clawed their way back into the contest and cut the Weslaco lead to 39-49 in the final minutes.

The game came down to free throws where Weslaco converted 12 of 16 shots from the charity stripe compared to South’s 4 of 8.

Bloomquist was a perfect 6 of 6 on his free-throw shots that ultimately lead to the Panthers’ 12-point victory.

South will travel to Weslaco East on Friday where they will look to redeem themselves from their last matchup against the Wildcats.