McALLEN — It started as one tiny giggle, squeaking out during a wrestling photoshoot of twin sisters Serenity and Eternity De La Garza.

Soon, the laughing and joviality of the moment was contagious and nearly gutwrenching as those involved helped escalate what looked similar to a movie set series of bloopers.

“She’s making me laugh,” Serenity, in front of the lens, accused her sister. “She’s looking at me.”

When Eternity (who had already completed her portion of the shoot) looked away, the room exploded with laughter again, calming only after everyone was dried up of silliness, for the moment.

It was a quick reminder that these sisters were teenagers. They were teens enjoying each other and enjoying the time.

Soon, their grappling personas as the Valley’s wrestling mat assassins would be on full display, taking their opponents apart in little to no time en route to a combined 70-0 record this season alone.

Both undefeated. Both regional champs. Both ready to capture the state championship in their respective weight classes — 138 for Serenity and 165 for Eternity.

They share that dream along with 39 other Valley wrestlers — boys and girls — who begin that quest today at the Berry Center in Cypress during the first day of the 2022-23 UIL state wrestling championships.

Nine girls and five girls won their respective regional weight class. Twenty-seven others finished in the top four to reach the temple of Texas high school wrestling.

Last year, two girls captured state crowns, including Serenity De La Garza. She hasn’t lost a match since the state tournament during her sophomore year. She’s ranked No. 1 in the state and considered the hands down favorite to do it again.

Eternity has lost two matches in two years — her last one in the state final last year. The No. 2 wrestler in the state at 165 has toyed with opponents all season. Both have methodically taken the opposition apart and hope to do it four more times this weekend.

Their effect on the sport locally doesn’t make a blip on their radar, but it definitely has made a difference to other wrestlers who look to emulate that blazing path the sisters have trenched.

“They are such role models to a bunch of girls in the Valley, wrestlers or no matter who they are,” Edinburg Vela’s Danielle Silva said. She is the 114-pound Region 4 champion, a junior with a 33-2 record and a family bloodline of wrestlers, including brothers Robert and Nicholas.

“We don’t see a whole lot of wrestlers come out of the Valley as state champs or those who get the attention like them. It opens up to give so many opportunities,” Silva said. “Nobody pays attention to girls wrestling, and then we’re in the Valley on top of it so we are thrown to the side all the time. But we want to be like them, we look up to them and want that recognition and success, so it motivates us. So many girls are always talking about them … Serenity and Eternity.”

While most wrestlers were resting comfortably — or anxiously — or getting in some final practice time Thursday night, less than 12 hours from the tournament at the apex of the wrestling schedule, Serenity and Eternity were playing in the Class 5A basketball tournament with their Mustangs teammates. After the game, held in Alice, they were scheduled to head to Cypress for what has become their Hollywood stage.

“I think it’s phenomenal, they are skilled athletes,” Memorial head coach Eddie Gonzalez said. “They are dual-sport athletes, and they can handle it.”

Three other female wrestlers also look to keep their perfect unbeaten seasons alive. Cassandra Medrano, a sophomore from Edinburg High, is 37-0 in the 100pound division, Economedes junior Marla Jimenez is 15-0 at 185, and senior Brooklyn Garza is 41-0 for Juarez-Lincoln in the 126-pound division.

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Vela wins, improves to 2-0 in district

Edinburg Vela jumped out to a 3-0 lead during the first half and claimed a 3-2 victory over McAllen Memorial on Tuesday in Edinburg.

Vela, in its first year in the powerful District 31-5A, improves to 2-0 in district play while McAllen Memorial falls to 1-1.

The SaberCats, who beat PSJA Southwest 13-0 in the district opener, return to action at 6 p.m. Friday at home against another predicted playoff contender in Sharyland High. The Rattlers defeated PSJA Southwest on Tuesday to improve to 2-0.

Senior Alayna Rodriguez scored twice, giving her seven goals in the first two district games, and fellow classmate Mia Ponce scored the other goal for the SaberCats.

“It was a very tough, a very good game,” Vela head coach Americo Cortez said. “We created a lot of times to score and missed a lot of opportunities. We were up 3-0, and I think we relaxed a lot.”

Memorial, which opened the district with a 4-0 win over PSJA North, falls to 1-1 and plays at 6 p.m. Friday at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium against McAllen High.

“(Memorial) started putting long balls and we made several mistakes, but the teams created so many good plays. Memorial is a very good team and we knew it was going to be a battle, and that’s what every night in this district is like.

“But our girls played always with the intention to attack.”

Chloey Mejia scored the first goal for Memorial on an assist from Jasmine Olivas and Jade Arredondo pulled the Mustangs to within one on an unassisted goal.

Edinburg Vela opened a 3-0 lead during the first half and won 3-2.

McALLEN ROWE 3, SHARYLAND PIONEER 0

In McAllen, Camila Gil, Ayloni Garcia and Mia Mata each knocked in a goal as the Warriors improved to 2-0 in District 31-5A with a shutout of the Diamondbacks.

Gil and Mata have both scored in the first two district games for Rowe.

Rowe led 1-0 at the half. Rowe travels to PSJA Memorial on Friday while Sharyland Pioneer hosts PSJA North. Both games start at 6 p.m.

McALLEN HIGH 9, PSJA NORTH 1

In Pharr, Milan Diaz scored five goals and McHi jumped to a 6-1 lead before claiming a 9-1 win, bouncing back from an opening district loss to McAllen Rowe. Julianna Millin scored two times, and Haley Nixon and Maisen Dubrule each found the back of the net once each for the Bulldogs. McHi hosts city rival McAllen Memorial at 6 p.m. Friday while PSJA North travels to Sharyland Pioneer at 6 p.m. Friday in search of its first district win.

PSJA MEMORIAL 2, VALLEY VIEW 0

In Pharr, Victoria Esparza and Miranda Jimenez each scored as the Wolverines improved to 1-1 in District 31-5A play following a 1-0 loss to Sharyland High to open district.

PSJA Memorial hosts McAllen Rowe at 6 p.m. Friday while Valley View travels to PSJA Southwest, also at 6 p.m. Friday, with both teams looking for their first district win.

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EDINBURG — The RGV Vipers are planning to name Kevin Burleson as their new head coach during a news conference later today, according to officials.

Burleson, most recently a player development coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves, will become the ninth head coach in the history of the team, which started operations during the 2007-2008 season.

The Vipers, an affiliate of the NBA’s Houston Rockets, are the defending NBA G League champions after head coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah led them to league-best fourth title, last season. Abdelfattah was hired as a Rockets’ assistant coach during the offseason.

Prior to that title, Joseph Blair coached the team to a third title. Blair is now an assistant coach with the Washington Wizards, after holding similar positions with the Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers.

Burleson has been with the Timberwolves since 2019 after spending the 2018-19 season with the Memphis Grizzlies. He began his coaching career with the Iowa Wolves of the G League in 2017.

A Seattle, Washington native, Burleson played for the University of Minnesota from 1999-2003. After not being selected in the 2003 NBA draft, Burleson began his professional career in Germany for USC Heidelberg in 2003. The Charlotte Bobcats signed him in 2005 but cut him later that season.

He played in the G League for the Idaho Stampede. He finished his playing career with Al-Ittihad Alexandria of Egypt.

Burleson comes from an athletic family that the Seattle Post Intelligence called “the first family of Seattle sports” in a 2006 article.

“The Burlesons — specifically Al Sr., Al Jr., Kevin, Nate and Lyndale — provide bloodlines, if not sweat glands, that locally have no equal in terms of collective success rate and competitive balance,” wrote Dan Raley in the Sept. 12, 2006 edition of the Seattle P-I.

“Coming close are the Tuiasosopos, if not the Richardsons. Yet beginning with Dad, a much-decorated defensive back for the Washington Huskies and CFL’s Calgary Stampeders, the Burlesons boast the most accolades, even offering a sports rarity.

“Nate Burleson, a starting wide receiver for the Seahawks, and Kevin Burleson, a reserve point guard for the Charlotte Bobcats, are believed to be just the second set of siblings to make it to the highest levels of pro football and basketball, joining the now-retired Cris and Butch Carter, Ohio natives and also a pass catcher and playmaker.”

“It’s a unique situation, where there are four boys, close in age, and you could compete against each other every day,” the then 27-year old Kevin Burleson said. “Our dad, being in sports, bred that into us. It’s a competitive household.”

The Vipers have won titles in 2022 (Abdelfattah), 2019 (Blair), 2013 (Nick Nurse) and 2010 (Chris Finch). Nurse also became the first coach to win both a G League and NBA title, taking the Raptors to the championship in 2019. Finch is the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Vipers will open the 2022-23 season on the road Nov. 6 against the Mexico City Capitanes, who will be joining the G League throughout the full season. Then, the Vipers will host the Birmingham Squadron for the home opener at Bert Ogden Arena on Friday, Nov. 11. This season’s home opener will consist of a ring ceremony to celebrate the 2021-22 NBA G League Champions. The Vipers will be presented with their championship ring, while also witnessing the unveiling of the fourth championship banner.

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McALLEN — Frank Addington Jr. recently stepped into a jewelry store, not to buy diamonds but rather to look at them.

With his bionic-like 20/8 vision, “I can see flaws that a jeweler needs a 10x lens to see the same thing,” he said.

Likewise, when he’s shooting a tiny 81 milligram aspirin out of mid air with his bow and arrow behind his back, “sometimes, if the lighting is right, I can see a bull’s eye on the 81.”

Addington will wow the audience with his “razzle-dazzle” trick shot archery beginning today through Sunday at the 31st annual Texas Hunters & Sportsman’s Expo at the McAllen Convention Center. The show runs from 5-10 p.m. today, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.

Addington was born with a sunken chest and underdeveloped lungs and couldn’t participate in any sports.

“I had a couple of strikes against me,” said Addington, a West Virginia native and Texas resident. “But God gave me these eyes and my mentors kind of in their unique way encouraged me to be a contributor to society and then use that talent and skill.

“I tell kids all the time, ‘You can achieve any goal. God gave you a talent, now find it and contribute. Spend time as a family and stay away from drugs and things that would harm your life.’”

Addington will perform at 7 p.m. tonight, 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday.

The Expo will also be packed with hunting and fishing exhibits and products, opportunities to book trips, purchase outdoors equipment and see some of the top wildlife mounts from around the world. There will also be food and drinks, along with some exquisite and maybe exotic samples to try from various vendors.

Addington grew up within a family of archers and who ran an archery business. He received his first bow at age 4, and by the time he was 11 he wanted something more than competitive archery, especially after winning pretty much every event he attended.

“I grew up around the sport’s big names and major people. I had access to them and didn’t want to waste that,” he said. “I wanted to learn from them.”

Among the archery greats who had a major impact on a growing young Addington was exhibition shooters Ann Clark and the late Rev. Stacy Groscup. Clark asked him to be her assistant on stage at a local sports show and Groscup often had Addington toss targets for him.

Two other archers were shooting aspiring in the mid-80s and Addington wanted to be the only one. In 1990 he hit a baby aspirin and in 1994, after those other two followed his lead and stared “poofing” the powdery tiny aspirins, Addington took the trick to another level and started striking them from behind his back.

“I remember everything,” he said. “I was doing a live show and they threw a baby aspiring and I took it behind the back. I missed it. I miss the second shot, but then I hit the thing with the third one.”

His popularity grew immensely and he traveled all over the country to perform. Country music megastar Toby Keith heard of “the aspirin killer” and wanted to see him do it live.

“I ended up going to Columbia, South Carolina to set up back stage and did a Toby Keith private show,” he said.

Addington said he looks forward to this weekend’s show and seeing the looks on the audience’s faces.

“The world tends to be meaner and darker than back then when I was growing up,” Addington said. “But for 15 to 20 minutes, we are going to laugh and have a good time and talk about all the talent everyone has. If something I say or do helps someone or gives them a boost, that’s what I want to do. The fact that I make money doing it is an added bonus.

“God gave me the talent and I use it and try to give Him the credit. It’s been a fun 37 years.”

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The UIL wrestling state meet begins today at the Berry Center in Cypress. Here is a glance at the seven girls wrestlers from the Rio Grande Valley who qualified for state by winning the regional title in their weight class.

CLASS 5A REGIONAL CHAMPS

Celeste Exiga

Edcouch-Elsa

Junior

Record: 36-3

Weight class: 119

Hype Song: “For Whom the Bell Tolls” by Metallica

Celeste Exiga exploded onto the wrestling scene and that’s exactly how she describes her style of wrestling.

“I just want to pin my opponent as fast as I can,” Exiga said. “I like to shoot in quick or do a quick arm drag.”

Her hobbies outside of wrestling are not quite as explosive. She enjoys knitting and crocheting and has made sweaters and other gifts for family members.

Exiga is another wrestler who took a year off due to COVID-19, and her freshman year “wasn’t very good,” she admits.

“But now I’m at state,” she said. “I worked a lot on cardio and worked on trying to gain muscle mass and add technique.”

It didn’t take long for her to realize that this year wasn’t going to be a repeat of her freshman year.

“I think it was my first tournament, the Grapefruit Bowl,” she said. “I took third but I did well and I started to believe in myself and it gave me a confidence boost.

The youngest of five siblings, Exiga said she was impressed during the wrestling photo shoot, seeing seven Valley girls as regional champs.

“It was amazing being there,” she said. “Now, I’m aiming for the top four.”

Lorena Torres

PSJA Memorial

Senior

Record: 24-2

Weight Class: 185

Hype Songs: “Lift me Up” by Kanye West, “Now or Never” by Kendrick Lamar

Torres is making her third appearance at the state tournament, going “two and done” during her sophomore year but then reached the podium and with sixth place as a junior.

“That was very exciting. I felt like a little kid who got a lollipop right then,” she said. “I’ve learned that when you set goals and try your hardest you can achieve things. That’s the mindset I have going in. I’m going to leave everything on the may.”

Torres wants to not only bring a state championship home for her and her community, but for her head coach Joe Clark, who is retiring after this year, she said.

“I want him to be able to add state champion coach to his title,” she said. “And make the Valley proud.”

Even though this is her third time around at state, Torres said she still gets nervous and nauseous before the big matches.

“Last year I was in the bathroom crying because I was nauseous, but a nervous excitement,” she said. “There was a lady in there who came over to me and asked if I was ok and ended up praying over me and giving me a big hug. She said, ‘God gives the biggest nerves to His biggest champions. I’ve remembered that since then.’”

Eternity De La Garza

McAllen Memorial

Junior

Record: 28-1

Weight Class 165

Hype: “Remember the Name” by Fort Minor

Eternity De La Garza learned a lot from one match — the only one she lost this season.

“I learned I need to be smart about everything I do,” she said. “I was winning the match when I lost focus. I got reversed and got pinned.

“It was really bad, I got lazy and I let her go. It taught me to stay focused and keep going.”

The best way to stay focused is to stay in control of the match, something Eternity excels at and it is how she cruised her way to today’s state tournament.

“When I’m in control now, I know I’m able to do it,” she said.

Eternity suffered an injury last year as a sophomore after the district tournament and prior to regionals, thus ending her season. This year, she wasn’t sure how she would react on the mat and had concerns about getting injured again.

“I didn’t think I’d be able to get on track with how I was last year,” she said. “When I was able to get back on the mat and think about nothing but wrestling and winning, that’s when I was able to focus on the match more than on me and do whatever it took.”

Serenity De La Garza

McAllen Memorial

Junior

Record: 27-0

Weight Class: 138

Hype: “Lose Yourself” by Eminem

Confidence exudes from Serenity De La Garza, the state’s top-ranked girls Class 5A wrestler in the 138-pound category. It’s not a massive ego; she doesn’t fit that mold, even though nobody could blame her. It’s a tangible air that surrounds her from the moment she’s on the mat. It’s more akin to a sharpshooter who has the target locked in his sights.

There’s no escape.

The same could be said this year for De La Garza’s opponents. All 27 of her wins have come by way of pin. All 27 pins have taken less than two minutes.

“My confidence is very high now,” Serenity said.

Last year as a sophomore she compiled a 16-1 record during a COVID-19 shortened season. Her only loss came in the state semifinals and she came back to capture third place. It doesn’t hurt that her sister, Eternity, and teammate, Maya, have created a triumvirate of sheer power and authority on the mat, using each other for strength and motivation.

“Having two teammates here is better,” she said. “It feels like it’s going to be a great next two days. I started realizing it once we started practicing together. We were talking more about wrestling and we came to district and regional and felt like something good is going to happen.”

Serenity is a hyped up maestro on the mat, totally in control, dictating her opponent’s moves, or lack of moves, and being in control. Compared to the past two years, she’s stronger, faster, more technical and, maybe most important, more calm.

“I’m more confident now (compared to two years ago) and I’m not scared of anything,” she said.

Maya Marroquin

McAllen Memorial

Senior

Record: 27-2

Weight Class: 148

Hype Song: “Outta There” by Moe

Maya Marroquin missed the wrestling season last year and was worried she may have lost a step during that extended break. Doubt seeped into her head.

She’s 27-2 and the Region IV-5A champion at 148 pounds.

It doesn’t look like any steps were missed. Her physicality and technical skills may have needed sharpening, but that took little time. So she focused on her mental preparedness.

“With my mindset, I have a habit of getting in my head and doubting myself and I have to challenge myself,” she said. “So I’ve been practicing with my brother, who reassures me that I know what I’m doing and he will drill the moves with me. It helps because he knows a lot about wrestling. Then I listen to a lot of music (to keep thoughts out).”

Marroquin also shows animal — a heifer, a steer and a breeding goat — for Future Farmers of America. Her day begins before wrestling, getting up at 5:30 a.m. to take care of her animals, and ends well after the mats are rolled away.

Somewhere in between school, wrestling and FFA, she also gets in a mile run to help with her endurance.

“I feel like what we’ve done as a team is a big accomplishment,” she said. “To be able to push each other and get to the state level as a team shows all the work we’ve put in.”

CLASS 6A

Jessica Villanueva

PSJA High

Senior

Record: 36-0

Weight Class 185

Hype Song: “Stay On Your Grind” by SPM

Jessica Villanueva is in her fifth year wrestling, starting as an eighth grader. This is her third trip to the state tournament and is one of two RGV wrestlers with an unblemished record.

“I want to make myself and my family proud,” she said of this weekend’s state championship meet. “That’s everything.”

Villanueva won the Region IV-6A title with a hard-fought and entertaining 9-4 decision over Isabella Alva (38-7) of San Antonio Churchill.

“We were both on top of it,” said Villanueva, who is also a cheerleader, in orchestra and part of a club wrestling program. “We were just moving and moving. It was a non-stop match.”

Villanueva is wrestling for herself, her school and community but also for her mother and her mother’s co-worker. Every time she gets ready for a match, she is reminded of who the season is really for.

“I usually pray before a match, and wear my lucky socks, these specific socks when I have a finals match or anything like that,” she said. “I have a meaning behind it, too. One of my mom’s co-workers was diagnosed with breast cancer and I know her pretty well too so I’m dedicating my season to her.”

Like the others, Villanueva was part of the girls regional champions photo shoot. The event gave her a different perspective of where her place is in the sport.

“I felt very honored. I’ve never been a part of that,” she said. “It was a room full of championship and girls a – it was a roomful of champions and the girls who are at the top right now. Now the goal is to get on the podium and win it all if I can. I’m going to put up a fight and see where it gets me.”

Marla Jimenez

Edinburg Economedes

Sophomore

Record: 17-2

Weight Class: 215

Hype Song: “Dying Dog” by Gizmo, “Pulse of the Maggots” by Slipknot, “Experiment on Me,” by Halsey

Marla Jimenez decided to wrestle this year, after her mother said she’d rather her not play high school football.

After a few practices, Jimenez was hooked, and good.

“Mostly in practice I realized I wasn’t that bad, going to the other schools and winning made me think, ‘OK, I’m good at this,’” Jimenez said. “I’m happy I checked out wrestling.”

Wrestling isn’t easy, with extreme physical demands. For Jimenez, however, it was an escape a hiding place from the dark reality she dealt with during the past seven months has made the wrestling mat a safe haven.

In August, her 24-year-old brother, Adam, died after catching pneumonia while incubated with COVID-19.

“I grew up watching him play football,” she said. “That’s why I played.”

Late in 2021, her father was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer. He died in December.

“I had to juggle my wrestling life with my school life and my home life,” Jimenez said. “I wouldn’t get home until 11 and go to sleep.”

Jimenez said she competed in sports to give her an outlet. Staying at home and doing nothing wasn’t an option.

“I went through a depression stage growing up, but didn’t want to do anything to harm myself,” Jimenez said. “I tried sports — all physical sports, soccer, football then wrestling.

“I think what helped me is that I had everyone believing in me, even my dad who was sick and couldn’t even get up to do anything would tell the nurses, ‘My daughter is in wrestling. She is so good. She’s all the motivation I need to get better and I want to go see her.’”

Now, after what can only be described as an extremely emotional year, Jimenez has one goal.

“I guess I just want to place,” she said.

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The Monitor’s Henry Miller talks with McAllen Rowe’s Mia Mata gearing up for the 2021 volleyball season.

McALLEN — Jada Ashford felt confident going into her first year with the Los Fresnos girls swim team.

“I’ve been swimming since I was 2 and competitively since I was 5,” the 15-year-old Falcons’ up-and-coming star said. “Plus, I’ve been swimming with all of the swimmers down here since I was little. I knew I could do well.”

Even though she wasn’t thrilled with her times Saturday, Ashford still won the 50 freestyle, the 100 freestyle and anchored the winning 200 medley relay as Los Fresnos rolled with 521 points to capture the girls division of the McAllen ISD New Year’s Classic on Saturday at the McAllen Rowe Natatorium.

Mission High finished second with 354 points and McAllen High took third at 292.

Individual results for the meet were not made available Saturday. They will be published once they are provided.

Laredo Alexander and Laredo United boys finished first and second with 435.5 points and 336 points, respectively. McAllen High took third with 282 and Los Fresnos finished fourth with 234.

Ashford said she picked the 50 and 100 freestyles because they were fast and quick events.

“It’s just in and out,” she said. “Today, my 50 free was OK. I could’ve went harder but it’s after the holidays so now I’ve got to get back to work and get ready for district.”

Ashford leads all girl swimmers in the 50 free (24.37 seconds) and is second in the 100 free (53.83), behind only Sharyland High’s Gabriela Gonzalez (53.67). Ashford also has the best time in the 100 breast stroke (1:10.66) and the 200 freestyle (2:02.07).

“I gained some time and that’s always a bad thing,” Ashford said. “There’s no time to be wasting, you always have to be improving. My goal is to get back to my speed and drop times.”

The district meet is Jan. 24-25 at Rowe.

McAllen High head coach Juan Gutierrez described Saturday’s event was “all around a good day.”

“We still have some finishing touches to work together,” he said. “We still need to move some things around for the last minute to see if we can get some more kids into district and get some points so are putting some kids in events they are not used to.”

Nilton Dos Santos, who has a top five Valley time in six different events according to the RGV Coaches Swimmers Association, helped guide the Bulldogs to the best finish of Valley teams with third place. The junior finished first in both the 500 freestyle and 100 breaststroke. McHi’s boys finished 48.5 points ahead of the nearest Valley squad, Mission High. They will both compete, along with McAllen Memorial, McAllen Rowe, La Joya and La Joya Juarez-Lincoln for the district title.

“We don’t underestimate anybody,” said Gutierrez, in his second year coaching the Bulldogs. “People will tell me, ‘It looks like you have it,’ but I’ve said since the beginning, nothing is set in stone. There are kids who may not be out yet. There were teams here competing that are not in our district, so we could move up or down. This is a whole team effort.”

Also looking to claim district for both the boys and girls is the Mission High Eagles, whose head coach, David Colunga, in his eighth year at the Eagles’ helm, said he’s excited to watch his swimmers drop time.

Jaquelyn Seledon had a 10-second drop in the 500 freestyle Saturday, her second in the past two events, doing the same two weeks ago in Corpus Christi. Teammate Carleigh Castillo also came away with a 10-second faster time in the 500 at Corpus.

Hector De Leon and Gael Rodriguez, both freshmen, have worked themselves from the relay “B” team to the “A” team during the season.

“Those two have stepped up,” Colunga said. “We had some pretty good performance and those two have a whole lot of potential.”

Mission High’s Ramiro Borrego also had an impressive performance, knocking four seconds off his 100 breast stroke in Corpus and another three seconds on Saturday, finishing sixth. Mission’s girls finished second and boys fifth, only behind McHi within district competition.

“We knew we would have a pretty tight district race and right now we are trying to stay focused and follow through with the season,” Colunga said. “We will get a lot of information out of today and use the data to see where we can bring home another title.

“This is the most exciting part of the season for me. Seeing the newcomers — whether it’s a new school, new to the sport, new to the event — see those big drops and get out of the pool all ecstatic — that feeling is contagious within the entire team.”

McALLEN — During her first week teaching physical education outside at J.T. Canales Elementary in Brownsville, Paula Dodge vividly remembers how hot it was.

“It was 108 degrees that first week,” she said. “The heat was hard for me to adjust to that first year.”

Coming from Red Wing, Minnesota, it would be understandable if Dodge, now head volleyball coach at McAllen High, would high-tail it back to her home state.

She gutted it out, however, and hundreds of athletes have had the opportunity to be mentored by the woman whose first coaching job was track at Brownsville Hanna, at age 23.

In 1996, Dodge made the move to McHi, where she took over the volleyball program. And this year, she led the Bulldogs to a 46-3 record and a spot in the Class 6A regional semifinals, garnering her The Monitor’s All-Area Volleyball Coach of the Year award for the second time in four seasons, winning it also in 2016.

Next year, Dodge could close in on her 600th career volleyball coaching victory. She said those numbers remind her of the people she’s been surrounded by.

“Those numbers are because of the great young women I’ve had the opportunity to work with,” she said. “I’ve had some really great teams — and that means really great young ladies who work hard and are dedicated.”

Dodge said she never dreamed back in 1984, when she arrived in Brownsville, after a 24-hour drive with her older brother, that she would remain in the Valley, away from all that was familiar (including beautiful summers and autumns) and all of her family, for 35 years. She said, however, that just like she is surrounded by what she calls the “McHi family,” she also fell into open arms as a 23-year-old just looking to gain some work experience.

“The first day I walked on campus in Brownsville there were people there to help me and assist me in that transition from being a college student then a teacher than coaching,” Dodge said. “The same thing happened with my first job at Hanna, coaching track: it was another family and a tight staff. We did a lot of things together professionally and socially.”

The Bulldogs were ranked as high as No. 3 in Class 6A in the state this season by the Texas Girls Coaches Association. They lost their first match of the year in five sets at Laredo Alexander and then ripped off 27 consecutive victories before rival McAllen Memorial ended that streak on the Bulldogs’ court.

Dodge said the Laredo loss set the tone for an impressive season.

“I think that was a big piece of motivation for the girls,” Dodge said. “I’m blessed to have a real competitive group and they were not happy losing that first. They were not happy at all and they set their minds to it and went to work after that.”

Laredo Alexander finished second in its district, behind Laredo United, and McHi ended up paired with the United powerhouse in the regional quarterfinals. They dropped the first set and, just as it looked like it was going to be a short match for the Bulldogs, something clicked. And after being behind in the second set, they came back to win that set and the next two. It left a deafening silence in a gym that had a much larger Laredo crowd, the only noise coming from the euphoric celebration led by Dodge, who admits that match was one of the most intense matches she had coached. In fact, she told her team that she would let them dye her hair purple, and theirs as well, if they made it to the “Sweet 16.”

“They forgot about it, I guess,” Dodge said, laughing. “It’s too late now, though. It’s basketball season now.”

Dodge — whose first love as a player in high school was basketball, but she also played volleyball and softball — will return to the volleyball court next year.

She, however, hasn’t determined her future beyond that.

“Right now, I just know that I will be here next year,” she said. “I will make that decision after that in probably February or March. Volleyball really, really makes me happy. I love coaching, I love the girls. That’s what keeps me here.”

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ZAPATA — With McAllen High leading 23-20 over Laredo United in the critical third set of a Class 6A regional quarterfinal, Lexi Gonzalez killed the ball so hard cross court that no one from Laredo had a chance to move.

They just looked at one another in disbelief.

Meanwhile, after a rough start, it was the Bulldogs who had regained their belief.

In a match that featured crushing blows, strategic tips and pushes and defense sprawling all over the court, McHi claimed an 18-25, 28-26, 25-20, 25-20 victory to advance to the regional tournament Friday and Saturday in San Antonio. Earlier in the evening, McAllen Memorial punched its way into the Sweet 16, as well, with a five-set win over Laredo Alexander in Alice.

McHi will play Clemens at 7 p.m. Friday at the Alamo Convocation Center in San Antonio in the Region IV semifinal.

Trailing by a set after falling quickly in the first set to the Longhorns, the Bulldogs looked like they were going to have a short night, down 13-7. That’s when sophomore hitter Celina Saenz took control with four massive kills and the Bulldogs went on an 8-2 run, culminating in an ace from Ada Sadlier. McHi suddenly led 16-15.

Both teams battled back and forth with long rallies and each taking on crushing blows from the other. The tipping point may have been an iron curtain created by Sadlier as she blocked four attacks by United, and Haidee Moore and Gonzalez blocked another attempt for a 27-26 advantage. On the ensuing point, Gonzalez collected another one of her team-high 24 kills for a 28-26 win. The inability to put away the resilient Bulldogs, led defensively by libero Audrey Zamora, came back to bite the Longhorns.

“We made some adjustments after that first set,” McHi head coach Paula Dodge said. “We buckled down, focused and executed.”

McHi trailed for most of the third set, as well, until Moore and Saenz paired for a block to tie the game at 17. Then, setter Madison Helmcamp found an open space on the floor with a perfectly placed tip. Alexa Ramirez added a kill and Sadlier put one away off a quick middle set and McHi led 22-19. At 22-20, Gonzalez spiked a diving save from Zamora deep to the line in back row and it was 23-20.

“We wanted to focus on moving out feet and position ourselves by watching the hitters and react fast,” Zamora said. “They tried to change it up on us to throw us off and score points on us, but we just came back stronger.”

Dodge said the match may have been the best all-around performance by her squad, which improved to 46-2 on the year.

“They all stepped up to the plate, and got the job done,” Dodge said. “Ada played awesome. What more can I say? She was strong at the net, she blocked, turned her hands in and kept her wrists tight. It’s what we’ve been working on all season.”

“This was the best,” Dodge said about the performance. “It was the best of the season and that’s the way it should be.”

Gonzalez also had 24 digs and four blocks, while Saenz ended her strong night with 20 kills and Ramirez had seven kills. Sadlier finished with five of her team’s 12 blocks. Helmcamp had 50 assists. Zamora notched 27 digs.

EDINBURG — Taylor Campbell had a breakaway up the left sideline. She was a scorer and could’ve easily taken the shot, even though she was on her weak side of the field and it would be a tough angle.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw her teammate streaking up the middle with a slight lead on her defender.

Without missing a beat — and using her weaker left foot — she crossed the ball, which was just out of the defender’s reach and in orchestral step with her teammate who dribbled and drilled the ball past the goalie for a score.

This is Taylor Campbell 2.0, also The Monitor’s All-Area Girls Soccer Co-Player of the Year.

Campbell, who just finished her sophomore campaign for Edinburg Vela, came onto the soccer scene with a bang as a freshman, scoring 36 goals to become District 31-6A’s Offensive Player of the Year. This year, however, didn’t start off quite the same way.

“The team started off on fire, but I started off a little bit rocky,” she said. “My style of play changed and instead of attacking, attacking, attacking, I was distributing the ball more. But as I did that and kept distributing the ball, the shots just opened up and the goals just happened.”

This season she scored “just” 34 goals, but added 26 assists, making her a danger from all over the field and making her teammates better, knowing that if they got open they probably had a ball coming their way. This past season, Campbell was named the district’s most valuable player.

While Campbell was, and still is, an explosive goal scorer, she is now an offensive game-changer from virtually anywhere on the playing field. Much of that has to do with the fact that she’s been playing the sport for 12 years — since she was 3. But it also has to do with her improving her technical skills and being more comfortable dribbling the ball through traffic or as a defender fast approaches.

“I think my teammates had more and more confidence in me as the season continued,” she said. “For the most part, I give them balls they can control and do stuff with. They knew something would happen when I got the ball and they would go out wide and get good spacing. I was a player they looked to for passes.

“As a freshman, all I did was attack and try to score,” Campbell said. “I had the privilege this year of working with a trainer and we worked on the technical skills and my weaker side so I had more confidence taking on players and distributing the ball.”

Campbell would hear the naysayers when the year started.

“I didn’t start off well and I could hear others saying things like, ‘She hasn’t gotten better,’ or, ‘She’s not as strong as last year,’ and that motivated me,” she said. “I just kept my head up and kept working.”

She’s not done yet. Campbell said her goal is to play college soccer and she knows she still has work to do.

“Right now I’m working more on my defensive side of the ball,” she said. “I have to be more of a complete player.”

Campbell comes from an athletic family. Her father played football and ran track. Her mother played volleyball and ran track. Her brother, Chase, played soccer and was the quarterback on the JV team last season before being moved up for the playoffs.

She said she and her brother would go kick the soccer ball around a lot when he played. She said even though he hasn’t played competitively, he still can take her one-on-one.

Now that the offseason is in full swing, Campbell is training at a vigorous pace. The SaberCats lost to Brownsville Hanna in the first round of the playoffs, and one can hear the bitterness in her voice when she talks about that game. Her plan is not for a repeat this year.

“Anything can happen in this sport and you can’t get cocky,” she said, remembering losing to Edinburg High at one point during the year.“Maybe that’s what happened to us. It was a wakeup call and we all started working harder and had to get everything in order.”

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