LYFORD — For a third straight season, Lyford softball is in the fourth round of the Class 3A playoffs. And even though it is a young team this season, it is playing as good as teams have from previous seasons.

The Bulldogs face Columbus in a three-game series starting at 6 p.m. Friday in Sinton. Game 2 starts at 2 p.m. Saturday in Sinton, with a possible Game 3 shortly after Game 2.

Lyford has graduated key players the past two seasons, which might have resulted in a dropoff. The Bulldogs have only three seniors on the roster, yet here they are in the fourth round.

“They lead in a different way,” Lyford head coach Albert Garza said. “The whole team is just bred different, period. Us making it back to the fourth round speaks volumes of the program that we have and the dedication of the girls that we have. I am excited for it. This what we do. This is what we train for.”

Lyford overcame a tough Corpus Christi London team in the third round and was down 6-5 when the lights faltered and forced the game to be moved to Cabaniss.

Garza said he gave his team a pep talk and the girls responded, coming back to win 13-9 and taking the series after losing Game 2.

Lyford’s Chelsey Ramirez said it was a nervy game, especially because the team wanted to make sure the seniors returned to the Sweet 16. Ramirez said the team played the game how it knows how to and is ready to do the same in the fourth round.

“I think we just have to be prepared for what comes next,” Ramirez said. “Take each game on its own and work for it.”

Bulldogs catcher Ella Wetegrove said the London series was the most exciting series she participated in. The catcher highlighted hitting as something the Bulldogs need to work on this week for the upcoming series.

“Definitely work on batting and the offspeed pitch,” Wetegrove said. “That is something we have been struggling on. If we just keep at it, we will be good.”

Ramirez, Wetegrove and Alisa Cortez batted four, five and six in the lineup for Game 3. Cortez had two hits and runs down the stretch in Game 3.

“We need to be able to fight, have a lot of energy and just come out and play,” Cortez said about the upcoming series.

Columbus is 23-8 on the season and finished second in District 25-3A behind Hallettsville.

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WESLACO — Weslaco High is looking to return to a regional final for the second time in three years when it faces Lake Travis in a three-game series starting Friday.

The Panthers travel to Beeville for the series, with Game 1 set for 7 p.m. Friday at Jones High School and then Game 2 at noon Saturday and Game 3, if needed, shortly after.

Weslaco High breezed past Mission High in the bi-district round, dropped a game against San Antonio Holmes then won the next two, and swept La Joya High to set up the series with a young Lake Travis team.

“Our girls are excited, we have been at this stage before — at least half of them — and they know what is expected of them,” Weslaco High head coach Mario Rodriguez said.

The Panthers were young last season but peaked at the right time to make it to the third round, Rodriguez said. Weslaco High was close to beating San Antonio O’Connor in a Game 3 that went to nine innings. Had the Panthers won, they could have faced San Benito in the regional final last season.

This year, they have plenty of experience and have been one of the best teams in the Valley with a 31-5 record and an impressive tourney win over Katy High, MaxPreps’ No. 1 team in the nation.

Panthers seniors catcher Romy Nuñez said the season has been very memorable so far. The camaraderie is great as they prepare for the fourth round.

“We just have to keep doing what we are doing with our bats, our lineup is stacked and our pitcher is great,” Nuñez said. “We just have to take it one game at a time, and we will get back there.”

Weslaco High pitcher Madelynn Cantu praised the lineup for providing run support in games that she needs. Cantu, The Monitor’s Newcomer of the Year in 2023, has been terrific in the playoffs.

Cantu has outdueled two fantastic pitchers the past two rounds and will be throwing against a solid freshman pitcher from Lake Travis.

“My arm is feeling good,” Cantu said. “I have a great defense behind me. They help me get out of the innings fast, so I really have not had to work that hard.”

Cantu is ready to do the hard work and pitch every inning if needed, and do a back-to-back game like what could be possible Saturday if it goes to a Game 3.

Weslaco High is currently ranked No. 4 in Class 6A, according to the Texas Girls Coaches Association state poll.

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CORPUS CHRISTI — Harlingen South had its chances to take Game 1 against Leander, but left runners in scoring positions on a couple of occasions in a 3-2 loss at Cabaniss Thursday night. 

Harlingen South and Leander meet for Game 2 at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Cabaniss in Corpus Christi.

The Hawks gave up all three runs in the first against a really strong top of the lineup for Leander and then settled down. 

Harlingen South pitcher Lexi Sandoval struck out 10 batters while Amira Rodriguez and Yezenia Perez made great stops to keep the Lions at 3 runs, but the runs never came for the Hawks when they needed it. 

“Their first inning is really what hurt us,” Harlingen South head coach Joey Rios said. “We gave up three and that’s all we gave up. Lexi was dialed in. Defensively, we missed a ground ball, they did a great job bunting and moving runners over. We just got to be able to make plays. We had one go off the glove and then the ground ball, that is more than enough.”

Leander pitcher Scarlett Geurin threw some nice pitches in tight situations, forcing the Hawk batters to fly out especially in crucial spots late in the game. Leander center fielder Rachel Grundei drove in two runs in the first with a well hit triple and then scored on a squeeze. 

That’s all the Lions needed.

Harlingen South grabbed early runs thanks to hits from Emily Ruiz in the first and from Rodriguez in the third. Rodriguez made a fantastic play on a squeeze attempt in the bottom half of the third to keep the score at 3-2 by tagging the runner going home.

Hawks center fielder Kara Jensen went 3-for-3 on the night and was left on second base twice. Rios praised Jensen for making adjustments at the plate.

“We got to score runs,” Rios said jokingly, because it was as simple as that. The Hawks had situations that they needed to score runs and on the contrary Leander had moments where they could have scored runs also.

“At the end of the day credit to our girls, 3-2 ball game in the sweet sixteen and they are  a good team – we know that,” Rios said. “But, we have to manufacture runs. It is a must, not a want to or need to.”

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HARLINGEN — Harlingen South seniors might be experiencing senioritis in the classroom, but on the diamond they are helping lead the Hawks into the fourth round of the 5A playoffs.

Harlingen South is the first of the three remaining teams from the Valley to start its series when they take on Leander at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Cabaniss in Corpus Christi.

Harlingen South has four seniors on the team — Yezenia Perez, Natalie Martinez, Haley Vasquez and Emily Ruiz — playing a pivotal part in the Hawks’ success this year as they have established themselves as one of the best teams in South Texas.

The job might be done in the classroom as it typically is for seniors around this time of the year while they wait for graduation next week, but business on the softball field is far from done with the Hawks likely to face their biggest test of the playoffs so far.

Harlingen South head coach Joey Rios has been with these seniors the past three seasons after coming over from Lyford.

“Just seeing them grow as individuals and players overall has been a great sight,” Rios said. “Their mindset has changed since I came here. They were a little hesitant at first, but seeing them grow into their roles and not only grow, dominate those roles, and being the players that they are is a true testament to them.”

Ruiz is the latest Hawks player to sign to play college ball. Ruiz signed with Huston-Tillotson University out of Austin and will play NAIA softball next season.

Ruiz enjoyed her time in the Hawks’ program and, like the other seniors, is hoping to continue going.

“It has given me a lot of friends,” Ruiz said of the program. “It has been a place where I can escape from every thing else, so I have really just enjoyed being here and hanging out with my softball sisters.”

Ruiz is batting .379 with 36 hits, 30 RBIs and four home runs with a perfect fielding percentage from second base.

Joining Ruiz in the middle infield is Perez. The shortstop is a silent leader, Rios said, and when she speaks everyone listens.

Perez also is going to play college softball at OLLU, joining plenty of other girls from the Valley on the team.

“Since I have been here we have been really successful, and even the years before me,” Perez said. “It is a good program, a lot of hard -working girls come through here, everyone is super nice to each other and just good energy to be around.”

Vasquez echoed Perez’s sentiments of the program. Vasquez transferred from Harlingen High and said she was warmly welcomed at Harlingen South.

“It is just a big family here,” Vasquez said. “When you come in you are accepted and everybody gets along.”

Vasquez, a catcher, led off the seventh-inning rally against Corpus Christi Carroll with a hit. It was pivotal in helping the Hawks come back and win Game 3.

Martinez, a designated hitter on the team, also had a hit in the seventh inning against Carroll when the score was 5-4. Martinez is seeing the ball really well, extending her at-bats, and picking up walks and hits because of it.

Vasquez is the nine-batter and Martinez is the seven-batter in the lineup as the whole Hawks lineup threatens at the plate. It will need to against Leander.

“I have heard that they are a good team,” Martinez said. “But all teams are good. You just have to find that.”

The seniors all know what they have to do against a tough Leander team that finished third in its district but has only lost to teams from that district. Leander swept Buda Hays after finishing second behind it in District 25-5A.

District 25-5A champion Liberty Hill also is in the fourth round.

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HARLINGEN — Harlingen South’s Diego Garcia and Ethan Carter have been playing doubles together for three years and now return to the state meet with an eye on the podium.

Carter and Garcia head to the Class 5A state meet this week as Region IV champs after picking up the gold medal last week in Corpus Christi.

It was redemption for the duo. Last spring season, Garcia and Carter lost in the regional championship to a team from Sharyland High that featured two seniors. This season, they beat the Rattlers’ duo of Diego Sanchez and Eduardo Gonzalez for the title.

Garcia and Carter said it felt good to win it this season. Garcia, a junior, was relieved all of the hard work paid off in their final season playing together, because Carter is a senior.

“We have grown a lot,” Garcia said. “He has improved, we both have, and our chemistry has also improved since last year. We have gotten closer as friends as well.”

The duo teamed up in the spring portion of tennis, but their tandem formed in the team tennis portion of 2022 when Carter was a sophomore and Garcia was a freshman.

“Ethan and Diego have come along way,” Harlingen South head coach Ernesto Escamilla said.

Escamilla said the duo only lost once all year in the team tennis portion of the season to a team from Sharyland High, but they also avenged that loss. Escamilla went on to point out that Carter and Garcia have not even dropped a set during spring tennis.

“That is impressive. They have done a great job and have made tremendous gains,” Escamilla said.

Carter and Garcia complement each other in many ways on the court. Escamilla said their personalities mesh well with Carter being cool, calm and collected and Garcia being aggressive.

On the court, both are terrific players on their own. They also complement each other in that Garcia is a lefty and Carter a righty. Carter said that could be an advantage for them.

“If a team is not as experienced they will serve it right to his forehand, expecting to have backhand, and he can hit amazing returns that either set up the point for me to put it away or he just hits a winner,” Carter said. “It is free points, basically.”

The Harlingen South pair faces a team from Frisco Centennial. The duo lost to a team from that school last season but comes in this season as a No. 1 seed because of the regional win.

Carter and Garcia said they hope to just win that first match and go from there. Winning the first round guarantees at least a third-place medal in state.

The two take to the court at noon Thursday at the Annemarie Tennis Center in San Antonio.

State-Bound

Edinburg North’s Maya Chen is the other regional champ from the Valley after she won the 6A girls singles title. Chen finished third last year and faces off against an experienced Ally Lin from Katy Taylor.

Sharyland High is only sending Sanchez and Gonzalez this year. They face Frisco Centennial’s No. 1 boys doubles team in the top half of the bracket. Garcia and Carter are on the bottom half.

McAllen Memorial’s No. 1 girl, Dania Casas, qualified with a second-place finish at the regional tournament and will meet a girl from Argyle at 8 a.m. Thursday.

The Valley has a representative in the Class 3A tournament being held at Blossom Tennis Center in San Antonio. Weslaco IDEA Pike’s Loui Guteirrez and Natalie Rivera meet Groesbeck’s Kadyn and Johnae King in mixed doubles.

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BROWNSVILLE — Brownsville Veterans Memorial’s Daniela Sauceda only needed two seasons of varsity basketball with the Chargers to become the best player in the Lower Valley.

Sauceda’s abilities yielded her a scholarship at Texas A&M University-San Antonio and The Brownsville Herald/Valley Morning Star 2023-24 Most Valuable Player award.

Sauceda helped lead the Chargers to another District 32-5A title during their final year of Class 5A basketball. The Chargers also picked up a first-round playoff victory, with Sauceda being key. The forward averaged a double-double, putting up 15 and 10 a night, and chipped in two assists, two steals and a block per game.

Sauceda said she was happy about the distribution aspect of her game growing this season as she looked to find open teammates instead of always going back up off of a rebound.

“We had ups and downs, but overall we learned how to play with each other,” Sauceda said.

Sauceda took pride in elevating her game after going from All-Metro newcomer of the year to the MVP of the Lower Valley, but also in helping the underclassmen on the team improve.

The MVP was ready to play any position at Brownsville Veterans this season, and she did. Sauceda played a point forward role at times and will need to adjust to a perimeter player in college after spending majority of her time down low as a junior.

“We knew coming into the year people were going to have their eye on her and make it rough for her,” Chargers head coach Arnold Torres said.

Sauceda had a good attitude despite being frustrated because of the attention from defenses, Torres said.

“She kept her composure and kept playing for the team and doing what she had to do. That made everybody else better,” Torres said.

Torres said she will be missed, but knows she will do well at Texas A&M University-San Antonio.

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McALLEN — Edinburg High was one of the best teams in South Texas for the 2023-24 season, and a huge reason for its success was guard Kimora Fagan.

Fagan is The Monitor’s Player of the Year for the 2023-24 season.

The senior guard is quick to give her teammates credit, and rightfully so. Madison Martinez and Emily Carranco were spectacular as well, and the trio was unstoppable in the Valley.

Fagan was easily the most explosive player in the Valley as she averaged 23 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals a game as the Bobcats coasted to a District 31-6A title and a third round playoff appearance.

The senior guard’s best ability was her leadership, with a co-sign from head coach John David Salinas.

“Sometimes the game could get a little intense, but having a level-headed mindset definitely helps,” Fagan said.

Salinas raved about all of the technical abilities of Fagan, and there was plenty. Ball handling, guarding the most athletic player from the other team, the ability to create her own shot, finishing at the rim, etc. — Fagan did it all.

“But, you know, the one thing that I love about Kimora, that girl is a vocal leader,” Salinas said.

Fagan had the mental toughness and ability to do the hard work with a smile on her face and pushed her teammates to be successful at practice.

“That’s leading by example,” Salinas said.

The senior guard nearly reached 2,000 career points, putting up 899 this season on 48% shooting.

Fagan is still undecided about where she will play basketball next after qualifying for the regional track tournament, but says she wants to play college ball.

“I am honestly just so blessed to be awarded this because there are so many great girls in the 2024 class like Raemie from Weslaco, JaNai from Vela, (Carranco and Martinez) from our school and Ashley from Harvest. These girls are so talented,” Fagan said. “Having this title to my name makes me feel a little special.”

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HARLINGEN — Harlingen South looked flat for six innings as they trailed visiting Corpus Christi Carroll 4-1 with one final at bat in a decisive Game 3 Saturday afternoon. 

The Hawks rallied in the top of the seventh to win 5-4 and advance to the fourth round of the Class 5A playoffs where they will meet Leander at a time and place yet to be determined. 

“Definitely praising the Lord right now,” Hawks head coach Joey Rios said. “Knowing my walk, my journey and the things we have been through as a team, staff and program does not go wavered. Being able to hang tough, remain faithful and do the little things right pulled through.”

The chances of a comeback had to be slim, but they could have been slimmer if not for a few defensive stops by Harlingen South that kept the score down. The Hawks could have scored more runs also and had a few calls go against them. 

Harlingen South always had a chance to comeback, no question, especially with the top of the order up after nine-batter senior Haley Vasquez. 

The Hawks needed things to go their way and it did. 

Vasquez did her part to start the inning strong with a strong hit. Yezenia Perez walked and Lexi Sandoval grabbed a single to load up the bases for Amira Rodriguez. 

“I think it started a rally going and it started the girls going,” Vasquez said of her lead off single. Vasquez said she thrives in the pressure situations like her teammates and added that she stuck to her mechanics.

Rodriguez brought in a run on a sac-fly and then things … happened. 

Senior Emily Ruiz hit what looked like a routine grounder to third with a runner on first and second that was mishandled, but the fielder recovered to tag the base. Carroll’s third baseman opted to throw out Ruiz, but missed wildly and then the first baseman had a bad throw to third. 

Sandoval scored and Ruiz ended up at third when it was all said and done. Next up, Jaylin Mata.

Mata was nearly punched out, but Carroll’s pitcher just missed and on the next pitch Mata put it over the left fielder to tie the game.

“I thought of my seniors, and I thought of my team and I am like I got to do this for the seniors,” Mata said. “I put all of my effort into that.”

Carroll had a chance to make it out of the inning tied when Kailee Silva hit a pop fly high in the infield. The Tigers’ infielder could not make the catch and Mata scored.

The game was not over even though Harlingen South is the host. They flipped for home and visitor in Game 3, so Carroll had one last at bat in the bottom of the seventh against a determined Rodriguez.

Rodriguez clutched up to pick up the win and send the Hawks to Round 4 where they will face what looks like a really tough opponent in Leander next week.

“Before the seventh I held them up and said hey, we are the visiting team and we got three outs so lets come together and leave no stone unturned and lets make sure it is one at a time,” Rios said.

Photos by Andrew Cordero

 

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KINGSVILLE — La Joya Palmview’s best season in program history ended in the third of the Class 5A playoffs.

The Lobos lost to Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial 1-0 in Kingsville Friday night in a pitchers duel that ended with a walk-off win by the Eagles.

Palmview ace Arianna Alaniz has been superb all season and was once again in top form against an Eagles team with a dangerous lineup. Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial left it late though, really late.

Eagles catcher Maddie Aguilar clutched up with a runner on second and two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Aguilar hit a blooper that found a spot in right field to win the game.

“It was just as I expected, it was going to be a back-and-forth battle and at the end of the day I knew it was going to come down to one play and that is what it came down to,”  Lobos head coach Jessica Cardenas-Russell said.

Alaniz finished with seven strikeouts and allowed four hits. Alaniz pitched extremely well against an Eagles team that has plenty of power in the heart of their lineup.

Cardenas-Russell praised her ace for being a key player during the Lobos’ best season in school history. Alaniz finished the season 413 strikeouts and over 1,000 career Ks.

“She held us through a lot, offensively and defensively – she will be missed,” Cardenas-Russell said.

Eagles pitcher Meredith Cavazos was just as brilliant in the circle as Alaniz and on the day picked up the win. Cavazos only gave up one hit to Palmview’s lead-off hitter Yailyn Trevino and finished with five strikeouts.

Cavazos mixed up her pitches well and the Palmview hitters never adjusted. Cavazos did not give up a walk as there were a lot of clean outs for the Eagles’ defense that was also up for the task.

La Joya Palmview’s season ends with its first district title and a first area championship.

“It was amazing, we still did something that has never been done in our school history,” Cardenas-Russell said. “We were able to finally pull through and make something happen. It leaves our girls coming back hungry to get back to where we are right now and hopefully go further.”

 

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HARLINGEN — Harlingen South picked up runs early and pitcher Lexi Sandoval had a strong outing in the circle against Corpus Christi Carroll to win Game 1 at Harlingen South 9-3 Thursday night. 

The series heads to Cabaniss in Corpus Christi for Game 2 at 6:30 p.m. Friday. If needed, the series would come back to Harlingen on Saturday. The Hawk fans packed the house Thursday evening, with many people having to stand.

Sandoval only gave up five hits in six innings pitched and was perfect until she gave up a home run in the top of fourth to Tigers pitcher Clarissa Valdez with two outs. Valdez also hit a two-run homer in the sixth.

Harlingen South’s Amira Rodriguez came in for the save in the seventh. Sandoval finished with 5 strikeouts. 

“Lexi has been doing this all season long, being able to go the distance, throw certain pitches that we want her to make and it is a beautiful thing knowing she can rely on her teammates and have Amira Rodriguez come close it out,” Harlingen South head coach Joey Rios said. 

Rios praised outfielder Kara Jensen for a terrific catch in the sixth. Fellow outfielder Jaylin Mata also had a solid game in the outfield as did Lauren Gonzalez. 

“There was no play that we were not communicating and it was just a random catch,” Jensen said. “Our communication has come along way and I am grateful for my outfield crew.” 

Harlingen South scored sporadically, something Rios hopes to clean up in Game 2 in Corpus. The Hawks always had the Tigers on their back foot as nearly every inning had runners in scoring positions. 

The Hawks scored two in the fifth with RBIs from Rodriguez and Raelynn Grimaldo. Mata could have ended the game but her well hit shot into the outfield was caught and so was Rodriguez at second to end the inning. 

Harlingen South put five in the second when Natalie Martinez walked, Jensen got on with a bunt, Haley Vazquez also was safe on a but and scored a run because of it. Future OLLU player Yezenia Perez singled and then Sandoval helped her cause by driving in two runs. 

Mata drove in Rodriguez and Perez in the first after they reached with singles. 

“I think I could have done better, but I did my part on the team,” Mata said. 

The starting left fielder said her team needed the runs early to jump start the team. It worked and the crowd was fired up despite temperatures being well over 100 degrees as the Hawks grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first. 

If the Hawks close out the series tomorrow they await the winner of Leander and Buda Hays in the Region IV semifinals. 

Extra photos courtesy of Victor Dominguez

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