BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

PHARR — Adolfo Pacheco knows the feeling of competing at the state level. As a sophomore, the Weslaco High diver traveled to Austin for the UIL swimming and diving championships and recalls the scene well: the size of the pool, the high-tech facilities, the nerves that come with competing against the best in Texas.

Since then, Pacheco has longed for a return visit.

His first steps were taken Thursday at the Pharr Aquatics Center during the District 31-6A diving championships, where he won gold with 363.85 points. Pacheco, along with three other divers, advance to next week’s regional meet in Brownsville.

Pacheco’s best dives occurred during the eighth and ninth rounds where he scored 43.70 and 41.80, respectively. While he breached the 40-point mark, his scores dipped as low as 28.90. Pacheco credits his erratic scores to nerves.

“I saw my old coach here to watch me,” Pacheco said. “So that really put me on edge at the beginning of the meet. I didn’t want to mess up or anything.”

Pacheco’s former coach is Thomas Brandon, who retired in 2014. Brandon’s position remains unfilled, making Pacheco’s quest for another trip to Austin largely a one-man effort.

Without a full-time diving coach in his corner, he often relies on instinct and feeling during competition. Though Pacheco got by on the basics, he craved the outside perspective.

“Relying on yourself can only take you so far,” the senior diver said. “Only a coach can help you get into the details, the nitty-gritty of diving to really help you get better.”

Weslaco’s coaching staff experienced midseason upheaval. Coach Justin Esparza was reassigned in November, and Alexandra Treviño was named interim head coach. Assistant Josie Rodriguez serves as Pacheco’s de-facto diving coach.

Pacheco spent the early portion of the afternoon in a tight race for first with PSJA North’s Reuell Cuellar — who finished second with 307.65 points. After six rounds, Pacheco held first by only 3.15 points.

But Cuellar’s first-place aspirations were dashed during the seventh round, when he failed a twisting dive that required two rotations. Cuellar performed three instead.

Edinburg North’s Jerry Silva placed third in the boys competition with 261.5 points. Silva performed with a sprained ankle he suffered a week ago during a skateboarding accident. Though Silva was acrobatic in the air, he often entered the water with knees bent instead of straight.

“I couldn’t get my legs straight,” Silva said. “It hurt too much because of my ankle. And when I was on the board, I was just testing it to see how much pressure I could put on it before I dove.”

In the girls competition, PSJA North’s Carolina Carillo won her second district diving title in as many years with 272.15 points. The result was expected, as her competitors were a pair of Edinburg Economedes divers (Lauren Martinez and Julie Lopez) who are newcomers to the board.

Such light competition might have been a blessing for a diver who is only now rounding into full-time diving form. Carillo, a senior, didn’t dive during the summer and spent the fall tending to academic needs and applying to colleges.

“I didn’t get back on the board really until January,” Carillo said. “I took me about a week of practicing just to get back up to speed with the basics.”

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BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

LA VILLA — The La Villa Lady Cardinals wanted to believe their coach, but had reason for skepticism.

When Sam Rodriguez came to his team at the beginning of the season with a vision of contending for a district title, some players could only dwell on the obstacles in their path. After all, the team missed the postseason a year ago and, like other Class 2A programs, struggles with low student turnout and limited financial means.

But Rodriguez didn’t see constrictions. He saw opportunity and a team ready to be tested.
“With some of the size and the guards we have, we can get up and down the court and dictate our style of play to the opposing team,” Rodriguez said.

And dictate they have. Employing height, power and agility, the Lady Cardinals are 8-1 in District 32-2A and guaranteed a spot in the playoffs. In its eight victories, the team outscored opponents by an average margin of 26 points.

For an upstart team, such results equate to a job well done. But La Villa is ever-mindful of its preseason goal and remains unsatisfied. Its final opportunity to achieve the status of champion comes Friday against Santa Maria (8-0) at La Feria High School. Should the Lady Cardinals win, it would create a tie atop the district standings with three games remaining.

“If we win, it will say a lot about us,” senior guard Sarah Rubalcaba said. “It will show how hard we’ve worked and all the time and effort we’ve put in to what we do.”

Santa Maria was victorious during round one of district play, edging La Villa 32-27 on January 5. It’s a loss Rodriguez takes the blame for. The second-year coach says he stuck with his flawed game plan for too long, and that his play calling was restrained.

Friday is a chance for redemption, but it’s also an opportunity for a culmination. Should La Villa set itself up for a district crown and hold on in its remaining games, it will mark the end of a journey that began in the weight room.

When Rodriguez first arrived at La Villa, he overtook a loose-knit team absent focus and an identity. He quickly put his players on a strict and timely workout regimen. If a player is late, they may not start. If a player skips out entirely, they may not play.

“He still gets upset if someone misses time on the weights,” Rubalcaba said. “It was something he really stressed for us. He wanted us to be stronger so we could play that way on the court.”

Not just strength, but endurance, too. The Lady Cardinals play a swarming, press-heavy defense and stamina is required to be successful on both sides of the ball. However, to counteract any fatigue, Rodriguez substitutes early and often.

“We try to play everyone,” he said. “No one sits on this bench for the whole game. Everyone is going to get two minutes here, two minutes there. I think that helps us stay fresh.”

At first, such a come-and-go rotation was a hard sell. But the team saw Rodriguez’s vision manifest during a tournament. Watching from the stands, the Lady Cardinals saw Cristoval employ a similar scheme en route to a crushing victory over their opponent.

Envious of Cristoval’s abilities and awakened to their own potential, La Villa bought into Rodriguez’s schemes.

“They wanted to play just like that,” he said. “The pace, the rotations, the defense. They said, ‘Coach, we can do that, too.’”

So it is that the Lady Cardinals have. They relish the success they’ve achieved, but they know the work continues.

“Santa Maria was the better team in round one,” Rodriguez said. “We feel as though we are the better team right now. We just have to prove it.”

BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

After a two-game losing skid, the Sharyland High Lady Rattlers have relinquished their firm grasp on their lead in District 31-5A and are only two and a half games ahead of fifth-place Mission Veterans. Should their losing ways continue, the Lady Rattlers could miss the playoff entirely.

However, such a doomsday scenario doesn’t faze coach Dale Whitaker or the Lady Rattlers. With four regular season games remaining, Sharyland is very much alive and confident.

“Our spirits are high because we know that we control our own destiny,” Whitaker said. “We know that if we win out in our remaining games, we’ll still achieve our goals of being district champs.”

Sharyland (21-9, 6-2) enters the home stretch Friday when it hosts Roma (11-19, 5-4). Though the Lady Rattlers’ remaining opponents have a combined district record of 14-21, the team isn’t taking anyone lightly. Among their future foes is Valley View — who upset Rio Grande City 50-48 on Tuesday — and crosstown rival Sharyland Pioneer.

“(Pioneer is) going to come at us hard,” Whitaker said. “This district is so unpredictable. I think it’s one of the toughest districts in the Valley. We prepare for everybody like they’re a team that can beat us.”

Helping lead Sharyland is senior post Maddie Garza, who may end her high school stay in historic fashion. Garza is just five rebounds away from 1,000 career boards and 53 points away from scoring 1,000 for her high school tenure. She would be the first player under Whitaker to surpass 1,000 rebounds and the second to breach 1,000 points (Clarissa Alanis was the first).

“Maddie doesn’t really like to make things about her,” Whitaker said. “It’s always about the team and leading everyone else on the court. She’s the most unselfish player I’ve ever coached. I can honestly say that.”

THE GAUNTLET

The Rio Grande City Lady Rattlers experienced a reality check Tuesday against the Valley View Lady Tigers, losing during a 50-48 upset. The win was the first district victory for Valley View (10-18, 1-7), but placed Rio in precarious playoff position.

With a 6-3 district record, Rio enjoys a bye Friday before running through a late-season gauntlet of Edinburg Vela, Mission Veterans and Sharyland High. Those opponents have a combined district record of 16-9 — the toughest remaining schedule of any playoff eligible team in 31-5A.

“I told the kids, ‘Don’t let the haters win. Let’s get over it’” Rio coach Gustavo Valenciana said. “It was tough to swallow. … I’m just hoping that the kids really want it. That’s the bottom line. It will be tough. Every game is a playoff game for us now.”

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Valley-Girls Basketball Scores

Tuesday’s Games

District 30-6A

McAllen High 59, Mission High 28

McAllen Memorial 47, La Joya High 40

McAllen Rowe 54, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 19

District 31-6A

Edinburg Economedes 41, Weslaco East 38

Edinburg High 55, Edinburg North 51

PSJA North 46, PSJA Memorial 21

District 32-6A

Brownsville Rivera 57, Brownsville Lopez 30

Brownsville Veterans Memorial 58, Brownsville Hanna 38

Harlingen High 71, San Benito 53

Los Fresnos 50, Harlingen South 45

District 31-5A

Edinburg Vela 63, Sharyland Pioneer 22

Roma 48, Mission Veterans 33

Valley View 50, Rio Grande City 48

District 32-5A

Brownsville Pace 44, PSJA High 35

Edcouch-Elsa 55, Donna North 52

Mercedes 45, Donna High 36

Brownsville Porter 44, PSJA Southwest 30

District 32-4A

La Feria 40, Hidalgo 34

Port Isabel 50, Raymondville 43

Rio Hondo 54, Progreso 25

Zapata 59, Grulla 47

District 32-3A

Edinburg IDEA Quest 50, Monte Alto 22

Lyford 56, Brownsville IDEA Frontier 33

District 32-2A

La Villa 58, Riviera-Kaufer 35

San Isidro 33, Lasara 17

Santa Maria 61, San Perlita 28

VALLEY-GIRLS BASKETBALL BOX SCORES

Tuesday’s Games

District 30-6A

MCALLEN HIGH 59, MISSION HIGH 28

Mission High 7 8 4 9 — 28

McAllen High 16 12 10 21 — 59

MISISON HIGH (28) — Emberly Garza 11, Bianney Vasquez 6, Ashley Sanchez 6, Ashley Diaz 3, Daniella Gonzalez 2

McALLEN HIGH (59) — Brianna Coffee 30, Victoria Alanis 12, Emily Chapa 5, Celeste Saenz 5, Ithalia Garza 3, Heaven Wilbanks 2, Jarizza Villarreal 2.

RECORDS: Mission High 2-27, 0-9; McAllen High 11-18, 4-4

District 31-6A

EDINBURG ECONOMEDES 41, WESLACO EAST 38

Weslaco East 8 2 23 5 — 38

Edinburg Economedes 11 7 9 14 — 41

WESLACO EAST (38) — M. Cepeda 18, Y. Maria 8, C. LeFevre 8, K. Charles 2, G. Reyes 2.

EDINBURG ECONOMEDES (41) — Maria Odiera 14, Silvia Perez 8, Daniela Castro 9, Liz Cabrerra 6, Cassandra Trevino 2, Ashley Escalante 2.

RECORDS: Weslaco East 17-17, 4-5; Edinburg Economedes 12-13, 3-5

EDINBURG HIGH 55, EDINBURG NORTH 51

Edinburg High 9 17 15 14 — 55

Edinburg North 10 16 11 14 — 51

EDINBURG HIGH (55)— Jayla Santa Maria 12, Reyna Del Castillo 9, Emily Acosta 7, Mercedes Hernandez 9, Natalie Roxberg 10, Jennifer Galvan 6, Janessah Santa Maria 2.

EDINBURG NORTH (51) — Klarissa Lopez 14, Tiffany Chapa 9, Stephanie Flores 9, Melissa Mojarro 7, Brianna Garza 5, Brianna Martinez 3, Nikki Rodriguez 2, Fernanda Orvera 2.

RECORDS: Edinburg High 24-9, 5-3; Edinburg North 13-5, 3-6

District 31-5A

EDINBURG VELA 63, SHARYLAND PIONEER 22

Edinburg Vela 17 16 16 14 — 63

Sharyland Pioneer 2 5 4 11 — 22

EDINBURG VELA (63) — J. Muhammad 18, J. Cuellar 9, B. Cortez 1, C. Hernandez 5, B. Matta 5, J. Cordon 1, K. Rios 2, T. Garza 2, B. Escobar 2, K. Aleman 4, K. Chambers 3, E. Villarreal 11.

SHARYLAND PIONEER (22) — Ashley Briseno 5, Chelsea Chandler 6, Miranda Ramos 3, Victoria Mossman 2, Daylann Garza 4, Marie Aguilar 2.

RECORDS: Edinburg Vela 15-16, 6-3; Sharyland Pioneer 8-23, 2-7

District 32-5A

EDCOUCH-ELSA 55, DONNA NORTH 52

Edcouch-Elsa 5 20 16 14 — 55

Donna North 12 8 11 21 — 52

EDCOUCH-ELSA (55) — Joclyne Palomin 16, Mayra Delgado 4, Monica Garza 1, Alinah Rodriguez 6, Charlene Flores 7, Janie Herrera 20, Lexi Moreno 1.

DONNA NORTH (52) — Tori Valles 6, Jackie Contreras 2, I’Dasha Sorrell 12, Jasmine Trejo 15, Evelyn De Leon 6, Yara Ybarra 10.

RECORDS: Edcouch-Elsa 13-16, 5-5; Donna North 11-18, 1-9

District 32-4A

ZAPATA 59, GRULLA 47

Boxscore not reported

ZAPATA (59) — Not reported

GRUlla (57) — Samantha Sinfuentes 18, Abby Flores 12, Leslie Guerrero 7, Carolina Alamillo 6, Jennifer Morales 4.

RECORDS: Zapata 12-11, 8-2; Grulla 12-16, 3-7

District 32-3A

EDINBURG IDEA QUEST 50, MONTE ALTO 22

Edinburg IDEA 11 18 12 9 — 50

Monte Alto 1 6 4 11 — 22

Edinburg idea (50) — Diana Martinez 5, Alyssa Cuellar 4, Esmer Rodriguez 11, Carolina Cantu 6, Abigail Gonzalez 4, Marbella Nunez 8, Tanya Reyna 12.

MONE ALTO (22) — Not reported

RECORDS: Edinburg IDEA Quest 8-14, 3-2; Monte Alto 3-8, 0-5

Valley-Girls Basketball Scores
Tuesday’s Games
District 30-6A

La Joya High 29, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 22
La Joya Palmview 46, McAllen High 30
McAllen Memorial 70, Mission High 25

District 31-6A

PSJA North 63, Edinburg North 57
Weslaco East 44, PSJA Memorial 16
Weslaco High 38, Edinburg High 31

District 32-6A

Brownsville Veterans Memorial 46, Brownsville Rivera 29
Harlingen High 73, Brownsville Hanna 28
Harlingen South 58, Brownsville Lopez 37
Los Fresnos 42, San Benito 40

District 31-5A

Edinburg Vela 49, Roma 20
Mission Veterans 46, Sharyland High 45, OT
Rio Grande City 59, Sharyland Pioneer 38

District 32-5A

Edcouch-Elsa 49, Brownsville Porter 47, OT
Brownsville Pace 53, Donna High 35
Mercedes 50, Donna North 22
PSJA High 48, PSJA Southwest 23

District 32-4A

Hidalgo 66, Progreso 19
La Feria 59, Grulla 21
Rio Hondo 39, Port Isabel 33
Raymondville 43, Zapata 33

District 32-3A

Edinburg IDEA Quest 41, Santa Rosa 32
Lyford 54, Monte Alto 16

District 32-2A

La Villa 50, Bruni 26
Lasara 41, Riviera-Kaufer 38
San Isidro 37, San Perlita 35

VALLEY-GIRLS BASKETBALL BOX SCORES
Friday’s Game
District 30-6A

LA JOYA PALMVIEW 46, McALLEN HIGH 30
McAllen High 7 5 10 8 — 30
Palmview 15 6 7 18 — 46
McALLEN HIGH (30) — J. Villarreal 1, L. Rodriguez 2, H. Willbanks 7, B. Coffee 15, V. Alaniz 1, A. Gamino 4.
LA JOYA PALMVIEW (46) — Samantha Gutierrez 20, Edna Ovalle 2, Renee Flores 16, Cyndar Magallon 2, Martha Bocanegra 6.
RECORDS: McAllen High 10-18, 3-4; La Joya Palmview 19-8, 6-2

McALLEN MEMORIAL 70, MISSION HIGH 25
McAllen Memorial 21 9 17 23 — 70
Mission High 5 9 6 5 — 25
McALLEN MEMORIAL (70) — Kailey Caldwell 21, Selma Regalado 12, Tani Talamantez 9, Ebony Johnson 7, Valeria Treviño 6, Alexa Mata 6, Draik Banks 5, Sarah Smith 4.
MISSION HIGH (25) — Ashley Sanchez 6, Brittney Garza 6, Emberly Garza 5, Bianney Vasquez 4, Clarissa Gonzalez 2, Kimberley Barrera 1, Cassanda Ortiz 1.
RECORDS: McAllen Memorial 17-12, 6-2; Mission High 2-26, 0-8

District 31-6A

PSJA NORTH 63, EDINBURG NORTH 57
Edinburg North 6 15 13 23 — 57
PSJA North 11 20 16 16 — 63
EDINBURG NORTH (57) — Brianna Garza 1, Klarissa Lopez 16, Nikki Rodriguez 6, Tiffany Chapa 7, Brianna Martinez 5, Melissa Mojarro 19, Fernanda Olvera 3.
PSJA NORTH (63) — Sarah Serrano 22, Melissa Palacios 7, Arianna Medrano 12, Belle Palacios 22.
RECORDS: Edinburg North 16-14, 3-5; PSJA North 26-3, 5-2

WESLACO EAST 44, PSJA MEMORIAL 16
PSJA Memorial 2 3 2 9 — 16
Weslaco East 12 9 9 14 — 44
PSJA MEMORIAL (16) — Monique DeLeon 7, Joanna Aranda 2, Violet Torres 2, Debby Martinez 2, Alexandria Soto 2, Madison Garza 1.
WESLACO EAST (44) — Chylee LeFevre 14, Mig Cepeda 10, Gabriella Kirtley 5, Kimberley Charles 4, Missy Murillo 4,Gissel Reyes 3, Valerie Castaneda 2, Yaritza Marin 2.
RECORDS: PSJA Memorial 11-18; 0-8; Weslaco East 17-16, 4-4

WESLACO HIGH 38, EDINBURG HIGH 31
Weslaco High 12 9 12 5 — 38
Edinburg High 10 13 6 2 — 31
WESLAOC HIGH (38) — Amy Garcia 10, Emily Saenz 4, Lillly Rodriguez 2, Jazlynn Muñiz 11, Brianna Peña 7, Evany Nicholson 4,
EDINBURG HIGH (31) — Jayda Santa Maria 14, Mercedes Hernandez 6, Janessah Santa Maria 3, Jennifer Galvan 6, Natalie Roxburgh 2.
RECORDS: Weslaco High 25-6; 8-0; Edinburg High 23-9

District 31-5A

EDINBURG VELA 49, ROMA 20
Roma 5 4 2 9 — 20
Edinburg Vela 15 9 16 9 — 49
ROMA (20) — Krysynthia Rocha 7, Regina Rodriguez 3, Anaid Perez 3, Denise Peña 2, Samantha Alanis 2, Kossett Garza 2, Yeritza Saenz 1
EDINBURG VELA (49) — Jaida Muhammad 21, Kayleen Rios 8, Julissa Cuellar 6, Bianca Cortez 4, Brittany Escobar 4, Terri Garza 4, Brianna Matta 2,
RECORDS: Roma 10-19, 4-4; Edinburg Vela 14-16; 5-3

MISSION VETERANS 46, SHARYLAND HIGH 45, OT
Sharyland High 9 17 9 5 5 — 45
Mission Veterans 12 8 5 15 6 — 46
SHARYLAND HIGH (45) — Nany Carretero 7, Aydee Hinojosa 6, Natalie Almasri 4, Sonia Trevino 1, Ana Marshall 20, Maddie Garza 7.
MISSION VETERANS (46) — Rosa Silva 7, Andrea De La Garza 6, Ashley Smith 22, Lindsey Garza 8, Gaby Gallardo 3.
RECORDS: Sharyland High 21-8; 6-2; Mission Veterans 19-12, 4-3

District 32-5A

BROWNSVILLE PACE 53, DONNA HIGH 35
Brownsville Pace 12 16 16 9 — 53
Donna High 8 11 3 13 — 35
BROWNSVILLE PACE (53) — Valeria Varela 15, Nadia Mendoza 9, Lexi Arce 7, Ebony Cassanova 6, Diana Mendoza 6, Kate Quezada 5, Jessica Aguilar 5.
DONNA HIGH (35) — Celeste Mata 12, Aileen Garza 6, Laurynn Williams 4, Alex Cantu 4, Bridgette Guillen 3, Daisy Rios 2, Mercedes Castaneda 2, Sarah Gonzalez 2.
RECORDS: Brownsville Pace 15-17, 7-2; Donna High 9-19 5-4

MERCEDES 50, DONNA NORTH 22
Donna North 2 8 7 5 — 22
Mercedes 7 16 10 17 — 50
DONNA NORTH (22) — Evelyn De Leon 11, I’Dasha Sorrell 7, Jackie Contreras 3, Jackie Trejo 2.
MERCEDES (50) — Alyssa Marquez 21, Jacklynn Flores 9, Victoria Anciso 6, Emily Ramirez 4, Bianca Garcia 3, Kysha Saldivar 3, Y. Garza 2, Jazmine Flores 2.
RECORDS: Donna North 11-17, 1-8; Mercedes 21-9, 9-0

District 32-3A

EDINBURG IDEA QUEST 41, SANTA ROSA 32
Edinburg IDEA Quest 14 7 10 10 — 41
Santa Rosa 6 4 16 6 — 32
EDINBURG IDEA QUEST (41) — Diana Martinez 7, Alyssa Cuellar 7, Esmer Rodriguez 4, Ana Cantu 2, Carolina Cantu 6, Abigail Gonzalez 2, Marbella Nunez 10, Tanya Reyna 3.
SANTA ROSA (32) — Not reported
RECORDS: Edinburg IDEA Quest 7-14, 2-2; Santa Rosa 3-12, 1-3

BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

EDINBURG — The game plan for the Edinburg Vela Lady SaberCats is simple.

Let Jaida Muhammad take control.

Though Vela sports an athletic and balanced lineup complete with interior size and capable perimeter threats, the junior guard is the catalyst for a Lady SaberCats team pushing for a third district title in as many years.

Muhammad’s skills were displayed from start to finish Friday during Vela’s 49-20 win over Roma. Employing her speed, length, deft hands and patience, she scored 21 points, collected 11 steals, nabbed four rebounds and committed just one turnover.

The SaberCats’ win improves them to a 5-3 record in District 31-5A, one game behind Sharyland High and Rio Grande City for first place with four regular-season games remaining. Roma falls to 4-4 but remains in playoff contention.

Aside from Mission Veterans’ Ashley Smith, Muhammad proves a difficult matchup for every district opponent. Her combination of size, quickness and decision-making ranks her as one of the best guards in the Valley. But aside from her raw talent, Muhammad impresses with her maturity and leadership.

“She’s grown a lot for us,” Vela coach Lottie Zarate said. “She knows how to control her team and demonstrate calm, to always feel her way through the course of a game. She knows the importance of controlling her team. She’s always on the court leading them.”

Though Vela enjoyed a 15-5 lead after the first quarter that would only mushroom as the evening progressed, Muhammad never relinquished her commanding mentality. She rallied her team during timeouts and took ownership of her mistakes — be it a bad pass or a missed defensive
assignment.

But that player-as-coach attitude was limited to the sidelines for much of the season. During a November tournament game, Muhammad suffered a right high ankle sprain that kept her in street clothes until a Dec. 28 contest against Devine.

Though stuck on the bench, Muhammad kept her spirit high and voice present.

“When I was out, I was still talking to the girls,” Muhammad said. “My competitive muscles were still going. It was just working on communication. I’ve gotta keep my team going.”

Without Muhammad and sophomore post Bianca Cortez, who also suffered an ankle injury around the same time, the Lady SaberCats took their lumps. After a 53-42 loss to Roma on Dec. 18, Vela sported a forgettable 9-15 record and were 0-2 in 31-5A. Hopes of claiming another district crown appeared bleak.

But the team’s fortunes turned with the return of Cortez and Muhammad. Of the 12 games in which Muhammad has played, the Lady SaberCats are 8-4 with only a pair of losses to Valley teams (Brownsville Veterans Memorial and Rio Grande City).

When asked about her impact on the team, Muhammad doesn’t mention numbers. She’s a captain first and foremost. But she leads on the stats page, too. Muhammad ranks first on the team in points per game (11.2) assists (2.3) and steals (3.9).

Despite having won eight of their last nine, Vela needs help in order to win the district championship. But given the way the season has played out, the team is happy to be in the position they’re in.

“We’re getting ready for the playoffs,” Muhammad said. “But coach always tells us that you never know what can happen. We’re just taking things one game at a time, and we’ll see how everything looks when all is said and done.”

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BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

MISSION — A familiar name and a first-time winner leaped from the diving board and onto the top of the podium Thursday at the District 32-5A diving meet at the Bannworth Park Aquatic Center.

Sharyland High’s Sandra Valdez won her third district title in as many years with a score of 370.40, while Roma’s Robert Meza, a first-year diver, took home gold in a tightly-contested boys competition with 285 points.

For Valdez, a junior, her victory occurred just one day removed from back pains which caused her to seek medical attention from a chiropractor. Though the junior admits she was concerned the pain would resurface during competition, she experienced an ache-free afternoon.

Without any cramps to dampen her resolve, Valdez delivered the most consistent performance of any competitor. Of her 11 dives, she scored between 17 and 19 points on eight occasions. Valdez’ best dive came during the fourth round on an inward one and a half somersault tuck, where she received a 19.50.

“Once I got about halfway through my dives, I knew I was going to feel fine” Valdez said. “I was more worried about my scores than my back, I was just focusing and trying to do the best I could.”

For each attempt, divers are scored by five judges on a point scale of zero to 10. The highest and lowest scores are dropped while the remaining three are totaled and multiplied by the dive’s degree of difficulty. All attempts are combined for the diver’s final score.

Valdez and three other girls competitors advance to the Class 5A Region VIII meet on February 5 in Corpus Christi. The top six finishers on the boys side will do the same.

For Meza, Thursday was the culmination for a season of firsts. The Roma senior spent his rookie year on the board learning and measuring himself against talent beyond the Valley. But it was his gifted athleticism that lent itself to his quick success.

“We had to really work his hurdle at first because it was difficult getting him to jump so high,” Roma diving coach Ray Castillo said. “That’s the most important part of diving. The harder thing is that he has so much natural ability that sometimes it’s hard to control his ability and his strength.”

Meza, along with the rest of his Roma team mates, spent the bulk of the season attending meets in Laredo and Corpus Christi in an effort to measure his talents against competition at the regional level.

Meza reached his highest score of 18.50 on two occasions — during the second round on a forward one and a half somersault tuck and again in the eighth round on an inward dive. But where Meza peaked, he was also inconsistent. Three of his four lowest scoring attempts came on his last three dives.

“I wasn’t even looking at the scores,” he said. “Not at first, at least. When I came up out of the water, I gave myself a couple seconds before I looked over at the judges to see what they said. I was just trying to stay focused and let my dives take care of themselves.”

Though Meza collected a gold medal, he edged runner up Alfonso Vargas of Sharyland Pioneer by a margin of nine and a half points — a difference of less than a point per dive. Vargas finished in third a season ago at the district meet.

“I thought I had a pretty good day,” Vargas said. “I was a little nervous at first but I thought I got better as the meet went on. … There were a lot of new faces here, and I didn’t know what they could do. It kind of threw me off.”

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—–

District 32-5A Diving Meet Results
Jan. 21
Bannworth Park Aquatic Center, Mission

Boys Results
1, Robert Meza, Roma, 285.00; 2, Alexander Cervantes, Sharyland Pioneer, 275.05; 3, Alfonso Vargas, Sharyland High, 211.20; 4, Luis Ponce, Sharyland Pioneer, 193.35; 5, Macr Rodriguez, Sharyland Pioneer, 186.85; 6, Roel Garcia, Roma, 160.70; 7, Emilano Gudino, Roma, 159.00; 8, Rosario Guillen, PSJA Southwest, 122.40.

Girls Results
1, Sandra Valdez, Sharyland High, 370.40; 2, Noelia Arriaga, Roma, 224.30; 3, Vania Benitez, Sharyland Pioneer, 167.30; 4, Viany Carver, Sharyland Pioneer, 146.60.

By JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

With a 43-35 win over Weslaco East on Tuesday, the Edinburg North Lady Cougars earned their third consecutive win and pulled themselves back from the brink of postseason elimination.

The win creates a tie with Weslaco East for the fourth and final playoff spot in District 31-6A with five games remaining in the regular season.

Edinburg North, a balanced team in terms of size and skill set, tumbled to an 0-4 start to begin its tour through a highly competitive district. Weslaco High, PSJA North and Edinburg High are all featured in this week’s RGVSports.com Top 10 poll.

Teetering on the edge of the playoffs, the Lady Cougars (16-13, 3-4) have rounded into form with a mixture of mental toughness and rediscovered offensive potency.

“Our shooting percentages have gone up tremendously,” Edinburg North coach Jenny Rae Garcia said. “We’ve got more girls stepping up, playing more aggressively and giving us great ball movement to create better shots. … The girls are finally starting to believe in themselves and the team. It’s a big confidence-booster.”

The Lady Cougars were led in scoring Tuesday by Klarissa Lopez with 11 points. Lopez, a knock-down shooter and fierce driver in the paint, is the leading scorer for an offensive unit predicated on balance. Lopez averages 10 points per game while teammate Tiffany Chapa averages just over nine.

Edinburg North travels to PSJA North on Friday looking to even the season series with the Lady Raiders, who won the last meeting 71-65.

“The defense needs to step up,” Garcia said. “Last time we played them was (guard Sarah Serrano’s) first game back. She went off for 20 points as did Belle (Palacios). Those two were dominant players. We have a really good chance if we make sure we know where their man is and put a hand in their face.”

CLOSE COMPETITION

After Tuesday’s open game, the Mission Veterans Lady Patriots begin Round 2 of district play with a home date against Sharyland High. The last time the teams met on Dec. 18, the Lady Rattlers edged Mission Vets 49-45.

Closes contests have been a constant for the Lady Patriots throughout their District 31-5A schedule. After their would-be upset against Sharyland failed, they would fall to Roma by three and lose to Edinburg Vela by four. Such missed opportunities have left Mission Vets with a 3-3 district record and on the outside looking in on the postseason.

“It says a lot about this district. It’s tough,” Mission Vets coach Rafael Cantu said. “What can you tell the kids? They came in and had a good practice Saturday. You just have to forget about it and just keep going. We’ve issued a challenge to them. It’s how you finish the season. We still have a lot to play for, and we’re going to keep fighting.”

Cantu says he’s been stressing the finer elements to his team in order to build confidence with the ball for the crucial stretches of what are going to be crucial games.

“There will be critical situations when you have to have that basket, have to have that loose ball,” Cantu said. “You just have to find a way. … We feel we’re just as good as anybody. We’re just trying to get past that little hump. We’re trying to get them to understand that we’re just as good as anybody.”

CLOSE AT THE TOP

With seven games remaining in District 32-4A, one game separates the top four teams in the standings. Zapata holds the top spot with a 7-1 district record while Hidalgo, La Feria and Rio Hondo are in a three-way tie for second at 6-2.

The Monitor sports reporters Mario Aguirre, Jon R. LaFollette and Greg Luca discuss the chase for the post season for boys and girls #RGVHoops teams, including updates on an ever-competitive District 31-6A and the resurgence of the Edinburg Vela Lady SaberCats.

To listen to the show in your browser, click here.

BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

WESLACO — New faces, same goals.

Such is the mantra by which the Weslaco High Lady Panthers define their season. Though the team lost six seniors from last year’s squad, Weslaco has been undaunted and unfazed in its quest for a fourth consecutive district title.

Though Tuesday’s 46-35 win over PSJA North didn’t guarantee them the title of District 31-6A champions, it does give the Lady Panthers a two-game lead with only five games left in the regular season.

“We knew what this game meant to us,” Jazlynn Muñiz said. “They’re a great shooting team and they present a good challenge for us…. Communication really helped us tonight. Everyone was telling each other where to go and where they should be.”

Muñiz led all scorers with 22 points on an efficient 10-of-12 shooting. 14 of the senior guard’s points came during the third quarter to give the Lady Panthers an 18-point lead entering the fourth quarter.

More impressive than Muñiz’s individual effort was the Lady Panther defense. PSJA North is one of the Valley’s premier scoring machines, having breached 70 points on multiple occasions. Against Weslaco, however, the Lady Raiders scored double digits in just one quarter.

“Guarding their shooters was the most important thing for us,” sophomore guard Brianna Peña said. “We were always trying to run them off their spots or keep a hand in their face.”

And it was that kind of intensity that caused PSJA North (24-3, 5-2) to shoot an abysmal 10-of-47 from the floor. Leading scorer Belle Palacios scored just 14 points, six below her season average and sat the entire second quarter with a trio of first-quarter fouls.

“We came out flat tonight,” PSJA North coach Randy Bocanegra said. “They came at us strong and we never could answer back. It’s like the energy was sucked out of us from the beginning. They were playing well and we just seemed lethargic.”

North guard Angela Ochoa was inserted in the starting lineup over the diminutive Mel Palacios in an effort to match with Weslaco’s size. Though Ochoa’s opening 3-pointer in the first quarter hit the bottom of the net, it marked the only time the Lady Panthers (24-6, 7-0) trailed.

Behind a 3-pointer from Peña and two buckets from Muñiz, Weslaco took a 12-7 lead after the first quarter. From there, the Lady Panthers’ lead ballooned to a 38-21 score entering the final eight minutes.

With the postseason on the horizon, Weslaco coach Griselda Fino said the remaining slate of district games will double as preparation for the playoffs.

“I want to see us become more consistent,” Fino said. “We played well tonight and I’m very happy for my kids, but I want to see the offense click more. We’ve got some upperclassmen who are leaders, but we still have some younger players who are still looking to find a more consistent stride.”

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