A trio of local athletes will represent the Rio Grande Valley at the 2021 TGCA Basketball All-Star game at 7 tonight at Lamar High School in Arlington, with Sharyland Pioneer’s Jordan Bravo and Natalie Reyes and McAllen Memorial’s Iasia Goldman selected as a part of the Class 5A/6A Blue team.

More than 300 incoming seniors will be honored at the Texas Girls Coaches Association Summer Clinic in Arlington this week, with All-Star games in volleyball, basketball, softball and cheer, and All-Star recognition in track and field and cross country.

Each game will consist of a red and blue team. Twelve incoming seniors selected for each squad during the basketball all-star game.

Bravo earned the all-star nod after a dominating junior season, averaging 14.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 5.3 steals per game during the regular season, earning her The Monitor’s 2021 All-Area Girls Basketball Player of the Year award. Meanwhile, Reyes helped anchor the Diamondbacks inside the paint while serving as their top playmaker, averaging 9.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game, both ranking No. 1 on the team.

With the duo on the court, the Diamondbacks made school history, winning their third straight district title, while making their first appearance in the Class 5A regional semifinals.

Goldman helped the Mustangs make history during her junior campaign as well, averaging a near double-double with 10.8 points and 9.9. rebounds per game, while leading her team to their first ever area-round victory and an appearance in the Class 5A regional quarterfinals.

Joining the trio on the blue team are Beaumont United’s Princess Anderson, El Paso Chapin’s Briana Montoya, Crosby High’s Sequioa Carroll, Corpus Christi Flour Bluff’s Kennedy Curtis, Medina Valley’s Ileana Morales, Wichita Fall Rider’s Addison Self, Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial’s Katelen Brooks, Houston Memorial’s Mackenzie McKown and Oak Ridge’s Allison Owens.

The red team is made up of Cedar Park’s Shelby Hayes, College Station’s Aliyah Collins, Frisco Liberty’s Jazzy Owens-Barnett, Lubbock-Cooper’s Catalina Cortez, Frisco Memorial’s Jasmyn Lott, Saginaw’s Suni Davis, Denton Braswell’s Alisa Williams, Cedar Ridge’s Lexi Alexander, Wolfforth Frenship’s Addison McClure, San Antonio Legacy’s Aaliyah Campbell, Cibolo Steele’s Sidney Love and Leander Vandergrift’s Skye O’Rourke.

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Audrey Smith joined the Texas Tech volleyball program as a preferred walk-on following a standout four-year career with the Sharyland Pioneer Diamondbacks. She spent the past three years with the Red Raiders as a setter, appearing in 18 matches.

Now, Smith is bringing her talents closer to home, officially joining the UTSA Roadrunners volleyball program June 26.

Smith joins a program led by longtime head coach, Laura Neugebauer-Groff, who just completed her 19th year at the helm for the Roadrunners.

Neugebauer-Groff has amassed a head coaching record of 580-295 through 24 years, including 308 victories with UTSA, making her the winningest coach in program history.

Rio Grande Valley middle school and high school volleyball athletes will have a chance to learn from Neugebauer-Groff, just like Smith, with UTSA hosting a two-day camp July 8-9 at Cavazos Sports Institute in McAllen, featuring Neugebauer-Groff among others from the Roadrunners’ coaching staff.

The camp marks the second time a Division I volleyball program has hosted an event at CSI, with Texas Tech coming to the Valley in 2019. CSI owner and founder Jaime Cavazos said Smith has been integral in getting both programs to come to the RGV, giving her most of the credit.

Cavazos also believes the rise in talent in RGV athletes has been a huge contributing factor in attracting programs to recruit down South.

“I think they (RGV athletes) are evolving,” Cavazos said. “Their training is evolving. Their dedication is getting to a higher level and the results are showing. Now we are getting our D-I football players here and there. Track is big down here too. Just the athlete in general in the RGV are changing and evolving.”

The camp will feature individual skills training for multiple positions, including transitioning, blocking defense, passing, serve receive, hitting and competitive games. Campers will also be able participate in a free recruiting seminar and a question and answer session with the UTSA coaching staff.

Two training sessions will be offered, with a maximum of 32 athletes per session. Middle school athletes will participate in the first session, taking place from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. High school athletes will follow, beginning at 1 p.m. and ending at 3:30 p.m.

Sharyland Pioneer senior setter Natalie Reyes, who took over Smith’s position for the Diamondbacks after her graduation, is one of 21 athletes signed up for the high school session. Reyes said getting the chance to perform in front of Division I coaches is a rare opportunity she couldn’t pass up.

“To be able to showcase my skills and for other athletes as well, it’s a dream,” she said. “It’s something kids want to do. It’s enjoyable and new, especially for kids in the Valley.

“By the grace of God, we’re just lucky for them to come down here and give us their time. For them to show interest in us kiddos down here, we’re just blessed. I’m just glad they’re starting to make their way down here more often.”

Registration for UTSA’s Roadrunner Volleyball Camp at CSI is available at https://csitrain.com/, with only 11 and 12 slots remaining in the middle school and high school sessions as of July 1, respectively.

Santa Rosa’s Christian Vela signed his national letter of intent Friday at the Elma Barrera Elementary gymnasium, committing to continue his academic and basketball career at Dallas Christian College, a National Christian College Athletic Association Division II university that competes in the Southwest Region.

He helped guide the Warriors to their 17th consecutive district title as a senior, leading the league in points scored with 274. Vela’s top performance of the regular season came during a Feb. 5 matchup against the Brownsville Jubilee Titans, tallying 34 points and 19 rebounds during the Warriors’ 100-61 victory.

Vela was a driving force for the Warriors during the postseason, averaging 20 points per game while guiding the team to an appearance in the Elite Eight, including a 32-point, nine-rebound performance against the San Diego Vaqueros during the Region IV-3A quarterfinals.

He finished the season averaging 17.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game, earning him District 32-3A first team honors for the second time in his career, his first coming during his sophomore campaign.

Vela joins the Crusaders following a three-year career with the Warriors, spending all three seasons as a starter for the team, including earning the District 32-3A Defensive MVP award as a junior.

McAllen Memorial track and field athletes Galilea Espinoza, Nailea Espinoza and Carolina Regalado signed their national letters of intent May 21 at the McAllen Memorial Gymnasium, committing to continue their academic and athletic careers at Upper Iowa University, an NCAA Division II school that competes in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

Regalado — who attended Achieve Early College High, a McAllen school that doesn’t offer sports — was a four-year letter winner for the Mustangs, competing in the 100- and 400-meter dash as a senior, while also being a part of the 4×100, 4×200 and 4×400 meter relay teams.

Regalado posted a personal record of 1:07.54 in the 400-meter dash during the Jacket Quad Meet on Feb. 6. She earned a spot at the Region IV-5A meet as a part of the 4×100 meter relay team, finishing in sixth place with a time of 50.35 seconds.

She capped off her senior season by earning McAllen Memorial’s Heart and Hustle award and a spot on the District 31-5A second team.

Galilea and Nailea, who are twin sisters, join the Peacocks after three-year careers with the Mustangs. Galilea competed in multiple events during her time at Memorial, specializing in the long jump, setting a personal record of 16 feet, 10 inches as a junior.

She also made an appearance in the Region IV-6A meet as a sophomore as a part of the 4×200 relay team, finishing in 16th place with a time of 1:50.23.

Meanwhile, Nailea made a name for herself as a sprinter and jumper, qualifying for the Region IV-5A meet as a senior in the long jump, 100-meter dash and 4×100 meter relay. She earned District 31-5A second team and McAllen Memorial Co-MVP honors during her final year, setting personal records of 16-8.75 and 12.71 in the long jump and 100-meter dash, respectively.

Now, the trio takes their talents to Northern Iowa University, where they will compete for the Peacocks under the tutelage of head coach Nate Rucker.

MISSION — It has been more than one year since the Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2020 inductees were announced. Their induction ceremony was postponed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Saturday, the wait came to an end, with the inductees officially joining the ranks of the Valley’s best at the 33rd annual induction ceremony at the Mission Event Center.

The seven newest members included Edinburg High football standout Paul Alsbury, San Isidro basketball coach Rolando Garza, McAllen High volleyball coach Paula Dodge, McAllen Memorial football coach Bill Littleton, Mission track and field coach Larry Howell, longtime official Mario Reyna and award-winning sports journalist Greg Selber.

Alsbury, who was a four-sport athlete during his time at Edinburg High, said sports saved his life, adding he would not be here today if it were not for them.

“My father was in prison most of my life — as a matter of fact he died in prison,” Alsbury said. “I grew up getting in trouble often. Sports kept me in line. I remember very distinctly in sixth grade I was in the principal’s office with some coaches and they said, ‘You’re an all-star in everything, but if you continue to get in trouble, you can’t be in sports.’ And, well, sports saved my life. Instead of going in that direction, I went in the sports direction and here I am today.”

Alsbury made a name for himself on the gridiron with the Bobcats, starting at safety and punter for three years. After graduating in 1987, he went to Southwest Texas State on a full scholarship, lettering four years as the team’s punter.

After five years of chasing his dream of professional football — including stints with the New England Patriots, the London Monarchs of the World League of American Football and the Dallas Cowboys — Alsbury decided to follow a new dream of being a coach.

Now, Alsbury’s at Brewster Elementary in Edinburg, where he has served as a physical education instructor for 20 years. During his free time, he’s on the field, passing on his punting and kicking knowledge to the next generation at no charge.

“I believe in giving back,” he said. “I believe in giving back and helping you achieve your dreams in sports just as I did as I stand here today.”

Garza remembers falling in love with the game of basketball on his father’s ranch, shooting baskets into an L-shaped basket welded into the ground. Since then, he knew where he wanted to be.

“I’m from the ranch,” he said. “I was born a cowboy. Not a lot of people know that. I was brought up as a cowboy. I was a part-time rancher in the summers. My weekends were working on the ranch. I grew up playing basketball there at the ranch. That’s how I learned to play ball all by myself. My brother took me to a winter practice as a fourth grader, and that was it. I have him to thank for that.”

Now, Garza joins the hall of fame following a 28-year coaching career at San Isidro High School, serving 25 years as coach of the boys and three years as the girls head coach. He tallied a 607-256 career record before retiring in 2019, including 12 boys district championships, 20 playoff appearances and six area championships.

Saturday’s inductees also included Dodge, who recently retired as the McAllen High volleyball coach. She tallied a 584-280 record during her 25 years at the helm for the Bulldogs. Former Mission High track and field coach Larry Howell, who produced four state champions in the discus and shot put while with the Eagles, was also inducted.

Littleton was the fourth coach inducted Saturday, having recently retired as the McAllen Memorial football coach. He tallied a 155-80 record in his 22 years as a head coach, including nine district titles and 14 playoff appearances.

Also joining this year’s class was Reyna, the longtime official who just completed his 44th year of officiating sports. During his career Reyna has called over 2,000 high school games, including five UIL state championship games and one TAPPS championship.

Selber, began covering sports in 1989, spending time with both the Valley Morning Star and the Edinburg Review. In 2011, Selber was awarded the Putt Powell Sportswriter of the Year by the Texas High School Coaches Association.

With that, the RGV Sports Hall of Fame count rises to 272 total inductees, with no class chosen for 2021 due to the pending 2020 inductees.

Edinburg High’s libero Hanna Vega signed her national letter of intent Friday at the Edinburg High Gymnasium, committing to continue her academic and volleyball career at Howard Payne University, an NCAA Division III school that competes in the American Southwest Conference.

Vega served as team captain of the Bobcats during her senior season, organizing practices and strength and conditioning sessions at local facilities for her teammates amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the court, she was a force defensively, tallying 562 digs while receiving and handling 85% of serves that came her away. For that, Vega earned defensive player of the year in District 31-6A while also being selected as a part of The Monitor’s 2021 All-Area Volleyball First Team.

She made her presence felt offensively as well, tallying 24 kills and 18 aces during her senior campaign. Vega capped off her final year by earning a spot in the TASO All-Star Senior Showcase, while also being a part of the Texas Girls Coaches Association Academic All-State Team.

Vega, a three-year letter winner for the Bobcats, finished her high school career with 1,808 digs, 959 serves received, 64 aces and 146 kills in 249 sets played.

LA JOYA — La Joya High’s J.C. Barrientos felt a spark when he first stepped onto the hardwood as a third grader. Since then, Barrientos has lived and breathed basketball, spending most of his free time with a ball in his hands.

He decided in middle school he wanted more from the game, joining a travel team and participating in summer leagues in hopes of earning a scholarship to continue playing after high school.

On Thursday, Barrientos achieved his goal, signing his national letter of intent at the La Joya High School Gymnasium, committing to continue his academic and basketball career at Central Christian College of the Bible, an National Christian College Athletic Association Division II university that plays in the Midwest Christian College Conference.

“I’m blessed,” he said. “There are no words to describe this right now. All the hard work has paid off. All the early morning practices, every tournament, every game, it’s just a blessing. My teammates got me to this level. I trusted them and they trusted me. They believed in me to knock down the shots. My coach believed in me. Everybody believed in me. My family and friends, just everybody believed in me.”

Coyotes head coach Eric Montalvo said Barrientos, a three-year letter winner, came into the program as a shooter, averaging less than half an assist per game during his sophomore season.

This year, Barrientos developed into a playmaker for the Coyotes, averaging 9.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game during his senior campaign, while helping the team to their first district title since 2005.

He also helped the Coyotes to their first playoff victory in 22 years, scoring 17 points during their 67-51 victory over Harlingen South in the Region IV-6A bi-district round.

Montalvo said his ability to create for his teammates was Barrientos’ biggest impact on the court this year.

“A lot of people saw him as just a shooter,” Montalvo said. “But we knew that he could also create plays for the other kids. I think over the years that is what he started doing a little bit more of. He started attacking the basket. He knew when his shot wasn’t going in, so he’d try to make plays for other people and other players as opposed to when he first came in and was just a straight shooter.”

Montalvo added that it’s Barrientos’ laser focus that has helped him grow into an all-around player on the hardwood.

“He has great character and is very disciplined in what he does,” he said. “But most of all, he’s focused. That’s one thing about him. He came in every day and was focused.”

Barrientos finishes his career as a Coyote with 793 points and 161 3-pointers made in 95 games. He added 52 assists during his senior season, bringing his total assist count to 118.

Still, he knows there are improvements to be made as he prepares to play in the collegiate ranks.

“The offense will come by itself,” he said. “But the most important thing is defense and getting more rebounds. It’s going to be a great experience. I’m ready.”

Barrientos plans to major in kinesiology while at Central Christian, with plans to pursue a career as a basketball coach.

La Joya High senior wrestler Michael De La Cruz signed his national letter of intent Thursday at the La Joya High Gymnasium, committing to continue his athletic and academic career at Buena Vista University in Iowa, an NCAA Division III school that competes in American Rivers Conference.

De La Cruz is a three-year letterman for the Coyotes’ wrestling team, beginning his career competing in the 138-pound division as a sophomore, before moving up to the 152-pound division during his junior season. He qualified for the regional meet in both weight classes.

He made the drop to the 145-pound division as a senior, winning the District 16-5A title on his way to his third regional meet appearance in as many tries, finishing the season with a 6-3 record.

De La Cruz joins the Beavers after tallying a 71-33 career mark while with the Coyotes, including three regional meet appearances, while also earning a spot on the Texas National Wrestling team during his junior campaign.

He plans to major in biology while at Buena Vista.

PHARR — Gerardo Salazar spent the past six seasons as an assistant on the Valley View Tigers boys soccer team. This year, three days after the Tigers’ first non-district match, Salazar was thrust into the head coaching role following Valley View ISD’s dismissal of all paraprofessional coaches, including longtime boys soccer head coach Damian Magallan.

The Tigers suffered a crushing 2-0 defeat to the Brownsville Veterans Chargers during their first game with Salazar at the helm. He addressed the team after the loss, telling them the outcome of the rest of the season was up to them, not Magallan or himself.

His team responded in dominating fashion, cruising through district play, tallying a 14-0 record on their way to a District 31-5A crown while outscoring opponents 69-12.

The Tigers carried their dominating play into the postseason, outscoring the competition 16-6 while earning a spot in the Class 5A state tournament, their third appearance in four years.

Despite high expectations set by Magallan during his decade-long run as the Tigers’ head coach, Salazar stepped in and helped continue the tradition of excellence set before him. For that, Salazar is The Monitor’s 2021 All-Area Boys Soccer Coach of the Year.

Although serving as the head coach, Salazar said this accolade belongs to Magallan just as much as to him, dedicating the award to his predecessor.

“It’s an honor,” Salazar said. “First off, I would like to thank Coach Magallan. He’s the one who got me into soccer and he’s the one that got me into his program. Coach Magallan is Valley View boys soccer. But, it’s an honor. He was the first one to congratulate me. It feels a little awkward. But it’s an honor. I’m glad we had the season we did.”

Salazar first joined the Tigers soccer program as an assistant six years ago, saying he knew nothing about soccer upon his arrival. Still, Magallan took him under his wing, teaching Salazar the ins and outs of the sport.

Magallan then gave Salazar an opportunity to coach at the junior high level to get hands-on experience. Salazar said coaching at the junior high level is where he learned the most, applying what his teacher had taught him into real-game situations.

“He (Magallan) told me, ‘You’re going to learn more by being there,’” Salazar said. “So, he let me coach the junior high team. He never told me who to put where or anything like that. But I knew the system and what types of players to put where. Everything that I know about soccer is because of Coach Magallan.”

Salazar said things weren’t the same following Magallan’s departure despite opening the season with three consecutive wins, saying the team lacked passion.

“To tell you the truth, I think it happened when Magallan and all the paraprofessional coaches were let go,” Salazar said. “We had a game at Brownsville Vets and it showed. The kids didn’t have the passion or the heart and they played so badly. I saw it on the field. I made all the moves that I could. But they were not into it.”

After the team’s third game, Salazar was allowed to bring Magallan back onto the team as an assistant. He said that was the turning point of the season for his team.

The Tigers outscored opponents 59-7 during their final 11 games with Salazar and Magallan on the sidelines, scoring three or more goals in all but one match.

The Tigers then took down giants during their playoff run, coming away with victories over Valley powerhouses Brownsville Veterans and Brownsville Porter during the regional quarterfinals and regional finals, respectively.

They also snapped the San Antonio Southwest Dragons’ 45-game winning streak during the Region IV-5A semifinals, running the Dragons out of the stadium with a crushing 5-2 victory.

“Once they allowed Magallan back onto the team, he was the first one to talk to them,” he said. “He didn’t come in saying thank you and this or that. He came in and started getting after them. That’s how he is as a coach. I think that was the biggest impact on the year that we had, Coach Magallan and assistant coach Edwin Sanchez being back with us.”

Despite serving as the team’s head coach, Salazar credits Magallan and his players for his successful first year.

“I’m glad we had the season we did,” Salazar said. “I’m just humbled and honored. I think the season that we had is because of the players. But also, the energy that Coach Magallan brings to the practices and the games.”

Delvin Gomez spent the first part of his sophomore season on the La Joya Palmview Lobos junior varsity team. That same season, Gomez was thrust into the Lobos varsity starting lineup during a district matchup against the PSJA Memorial Wolverines.

Gomez said he remembers that game vividly, because that’s when Gomez scored his first career goal for the Lobos.

“I was supposed to be on JV but one of the seniors got injured,” Gomez said. “So, my first game they called me up, it was against PSJA Memorial, and I scored. A guy just headed it inside the box. I came in and found the ball and kicked it in. That was my first goal in my first game.”

Gomez added another goal during his varsity debut to help the Lobos to a 3-1 victory over the Wolverines.

Since then, he has been a staple for the Lobos’ offense, spending the past three years as a starter for the team. This past season, as a senior, Gomez established himself as one of the team’s top offensive threats, netting 25 goals through 15 games.

For his scoring prowess, Gomez is The Monitor’s 2021 All-Area Co-Offensive Player of the Year.

“I’m really thankful for the team,” Gomez said. “I’m just grateful for the coaching staff and my family for always being there for me. I’m thankful for the school. Just for everyone who has been there for me.

“But my biggest impact has been from my coach (Juan Hernandez). He’s always been there for me. Not just as a coach, but as a teacher and almost like another parent. I’m just really grateful for that because even when I was down, he has been there for me.”

Gomez opened the 2021 season on a tear, helping the Lobos outscore opponents 9-2 during their four non-district games, including a hat trick during a 4-1 victory over McAllen Rowe Warriors.

He carried that hot streak into district play, scoring 15 of the Lobos 30 goals despite playing only eight of the 10 district matches. Gomez led the team to a 7-3 district record, with two of their losses coming with him out of the lineup.

Gomez said a key to his success during his senior year stems from years of experience and dedication while on varsity.

“I’ve been playing varsity since my sophomore year,” he said. “In my class, I was the one with the most experience. Just going to practice and practicing like there is no tomorrow help, like if it was the last practice I was ever going to have. Then the games, I would play until the whistle would blow.”

Still, he said his “scorer’s mentality” is what has helped him the most from the moment he first stepped into the starting lineup.

“Every time I would get the ball, I would think about scoring,” Gomez said. “It’s about making plays and having a chance to make goals. Even if I lost the ball, I would go fight for it so we could score again.”

Gomez grew up in a family of soccer lovers with his dad, brothers and uncles crazy about the sport. He saw his first action on the pitch at age 3, following in the footsteps of those same family members before him.

It was there that Gomez began developing his scorer’s mentality. He said he recalls scoring goals and winning with his teammates during his youth soccer days, saying it was then that he began to fall in love with the game.

“The moment I realized I really wanted to keep playing was during my little league team,” Gomez said. “Just playing with my friends and then the feeling of joy when I would score a goal and win the games — it was just an amazing feeling.”

Gomez felt that feeling multiple times during his senior season, tallying three hat tricks this year, including a five-goal performance during a 9-1 victory over the Laredo Martin Tigers on March 2.

Gomez plans to enroll at UTRGV during the fall and attempt to walk-on to the university’s soccer team next season.

“I still want to keep playing, especially collegiate ball,” he said. “I am going to try to walk-on at UTRGV. Hopefully, I get to play for my hometown team.”