BY JON R. LAFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — The top of District 30-6A was crowded by three teams just two weeks ago when McAllen Rowe, McAllen Memorial and La Joya Palmview were gridlocked in a three-way tie for the district lead.

The Rowe Lady Warriors took a step toward solidifying its claim as the lone district title contender Friday after defeating the McAllen Memorial Lady Mustangs 43-29 at Rowe High School on Friday night.

“We went through a span of games in the first round (of district) where we weren’t playing well defensively,” Rowe coach Raul Vega said. “Not with the type of intensity that was shown tonight. That’s definitely been the difference.”

The win gives the Lady Warriors (12-12, 8-1) a one-game lead over the second-place Lady Lobos of Palmview (18-9, 7-2) with three games remaining. The two teams will face each other on Feb. 6 at Rowe.

It was slow going at first for both Rowe and Memorial, as three jump balls were attempted before the Lady Warriors’ Mayda Garcia won the tip. Garcia’s shooting touch was as cold as the gymnasium’s thermostat in the first quarter, where she missed her first five shot attempts.

In the second quarter, however, Garcia came alive and scored 11 of her 13 points. Her productivity helped to break an 8-8 tie and give the Lady Warriors a 24-16 lead at the half. Garcia employed her quickness and strength to routinely attack the basket, and added a three from the left wing for kicks.

“I tend to practice (3-pointers) a lot during practice, but I’m just joking around,” Garcia said. “It felt good knowing that what I do in practice comes out on the game.”

The junior forward grabbed 8 boards and shot 50 percent from the field. Though Garcia scored just once in the second half, teammate Deanna Spear, a junior guard, assumed offensive responsibilities. Spear totaled 11 points in the final 16 minutes, collecting several buckets on mid-range jumpers.

“I think all the girls have gained the confidence now to say, ‘If I have an open shot, I can take it,” Vega said.

Spear finished with 13 points and 7 rebounds.

Memorial (15-14, 6-4), which struggled with turnovers and stagnant feet on the defensive end throughout the night, had no answer for Rowe’s speed and penetration. The loss mathematically eliminates the team from the district championship.

“Our goal coming into this year was to win district,” Memorial coach Clarisse Arredondo said. “Obviously we can’t get that right now, but making the playoffs and finishing strong is our next goal.”

Sophomore forward Ebony Johnson led Memorial in scoring with 13 points.

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BY JON R. LAFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — Abraham Rodriguez earned a gold-medal finish in nail-biting fashion Friday at the District 30-6A Diving meet at McAllen Rowe High School. The Rowe senior scored a meet-high 308.4 points, edging La Joya’s Alfonso Ramirez by a .35-point margin.

“I thought he was going to beat me, because I messed up some of my dives,” Rodriguez said. “There was a time when we were really close.”

Rodriguez took an early lead in the second round after scoring a 25.6 on a back dive. He would later slip to third place, however, due to a 21-point performance in the fifth round on another back dive which featured three half summersaults and a half twist. It would be Rodriguez’s lowest-scored dive of the afternoon.

“There were some new dives I had to do today, I was kind of nervous.” Rodriguez said. “One was my forward double. I did it last year, but I stopped doing it.”

The senior recovered, however, and entered the tenth round in second place, trailing Ramirez by a score of 254.15 to 246.45. It was then that Rodriguez leapfrogged his La Joya counterpart on a forward somersault tuck, in which he scored a 33.60 – his best dive on the day.

As for Ramirez, despite leading for the majority of the competition, the senior’s final three dives were among his lowest-scored attempts, including a pair of 25.3 performances on a back tuck and a forward tuck. When the scores were announced, Ramirez looked visibly flustered with his silver-medal finish.

“I went up to him and I told him, ‘Good job, boy.’” Rodriguez said.

Though Rodriguez is an upperclassman, this season is just his second competing on the board. The victory propels him to his first regional meet, which will be held next week at the Brownsville Natatorium.

FRESHMAN FIRST
McAllen Memorial freshman Patty Rocha won first place in the girls competition at Rowe with a score of 261.8. Her teammate Katherine De Leon, a sophomore, won the bronze medal with 235 points. Tammy Smith of McAllen High took second with a score of 254.8

JERRY’S WORLD
Jerry Silva of Edinburg North won first place during the District 31-6A diving competition at the Weslaco Natatorium on Friday with a score of 271.5. PSJA North’s Carolina Carrillo won first in the girl’s meet with 244.5.

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Jon LaFollette and Mario Aguirre recap the week in Valley-boys and Valley-girls hoops, discuss the race for the post-season and more.

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BY JON R. LAFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

After stumbling to an 0-3 start in District 31-5A, the Sharyland High Lady Rattlers have won four of their last five games, and have pulled themselves into the district’s final playoff spot with four games remaining. The team’s most recent victory came against Mission Veterans by a score of 35-27 on Jan. 23.

“That was one of those really big wins,” coach Dale Whitaker said. “It meant a lot to the kids and a lot to the program. It doesn’t give us any breathing room, however.”

Sharyland’s remaining opponents are Roma, Sharyland Pioneer, Valley View and Rio Grande City. Against those teams, the Lady Rattlers are 3-1.

We’re pretty clear on what we have to do,” Whitaker said. “We know we have to win three of the last four. There is a very good opportunity for us to make the playoffs and even possibly catch Roma or Mission Vets for third place.”

Last year, Sharyland (17-12, 4-4) missed the playoffs for the second time in Whitakers’ 18-year tenure. This season’s squad wants no part in another postseason absence.

“The girls said, ‘Coach, this is not last year’s team,’” Whitaker said. “They felt the pressure coming in this season.”

It’s been an up-and-down year for the Lady Rattlers. The team has an impressive resume, including victories against Brownsville Veterans, Mercedes and Harlingen South. Despite the notable wins, the team is only 5 games above .500.

“Some games they play harder than others,” Whitaker said. “They’re high school kids, you get what you get, and you love them and you do the best you can. But, this is the time of year where we improve on everything we do.”

MENTAL EDGE
Earlier this month, the Edinburg Economedes Lady Jaguars were competing for first place in District 31-6A, the Valley’s most competitive collection of teams. Since losing to PSJA North 65-38 on Jan. 6, however, the team has lost four of six and sits a half game out of the playoffs.

“We had a good long talk after (Tuesday’s loss to Weslaco East,)” coach Marina Campos said. “Everyone is tired and hurting and aching. We’re as conditioned as we’re going to get, but we still have to give everything we have left in the tank.”

The Lady Jaguars (15-12, 4-4) suffered another ache when starting junior forward Marixa Viera broke her nose last weekend during non-basketball activities. Though the Viera has not been officially ruled out for the rest of the season, Campos says the team is operating “as if she is not going to be back.”

Campos knows how important making the playoffs would be to a team devoid of hoops pedigree.

“I have six seniors with me,” she said. “I asked them, ‘Do you really want this regret? That you didn’t give everything you have?’ We don’t have a lot of tradition with our basketball program and we’re still working on our mental toughness.”

Toughness will indeed be a requirement for the Lady Jaguars on Friday, when the team hosts PJSA North (25-4, 8-1).

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BY JON R. LAFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

With 55 seconds remaining on the clock, Laurynn Williams grew up.

The Donna High point guard and her teammates faced a 34-33 deficit in the final minute of Tuesday’s game against the Mercedes Tigers. With the ball in her left hand and a chance to even the standings atop District 32-5A, Williams cleared a screen and rolled toward the basket. After being inadvertently tripped by a Mercedes defender (no foul was called), Williams threw up an arching eight-foot floater over a second defender that hit nothing but the bottom of the net. The crunch-time bucket gave the Bravettes the lead en route to a 39-34 win.

Her ability to attack the paint and play through contact displayed levelheadedness, leadership and determination. It was a move she may not have made earlier this season. It was one she picked up last year as a freshman while watching her older sister, and former Donna point guard, Lexi.

“She was very good at penetrating the lane,” Williams said. “That was something I was never able to do because I was always afraid of contact. I saw how unafraid she was, so I just went in for it.”

Though the Williams sisters saw scant playing time together in their lone season as teammates, the pair would often spar during scrimmages at home, where Lexi’s trash talk doubled as tough love.

“She used to make fun of me for a really long time,” Williams says of her older sister. “She would always say, ‘Why are you so scared? You’re such a chicken.’ It got annoying after awhile.”

Lexi graduated last year, clearing the way for Laurynn to take over ball handling duties this season. In her short time as a varsity starter, Williams has developed the speed, quick hands and court vision to play the position.

She’s also grown. A lot.

The sophomore added three inches to her sleek frame during the off-season and measures 5-foot-8, a height that routinely dwarfs opposing point guards.

“Usually (the defenders) are pretty short. It lets you see over people,” Williams said. “It gives you a clear vision of the court, who’s open and who’s not.”

Williams likes to score and says “3 pointers are (her) specialty.” She favors the right corner to strike from long range. But her favorite thing to do is the most elementary function of the point.

“You can ask any of my teammates, I love passing,” Williams said.

It’s that very spread-the-love mentality that has turned Donna (18-10, 9-1) into one of the Valley’s best teams. Since Williams’ return from a bruised right tibia suffered during a game against McAllen High in November, the Bravettes have gone 10-3.

“They know how to win,” Donna coach Kevin Kromer said. “It doesn’t always look like they know what they’re doing, but they’re getting the job done.”

Kromer’s words are not a backhanded compliment towards his players, but rather an honest assessment of a team brimming with young talent. The Bravettes play like a team of All-Valley contenders one quarter before committing a litany of rookie mistake during the next.

Despite the dichotomy, Kromer refers to Williams and sophomore forward Aileen Garza as the team’s “future,” and is giddy that a player of Williams’ caliber is under his tutelage.

“I’ve always wanted a tall guard,” Kromer said. “I go to the state (basketball) tournament and I see those kids and they’re all nice, tall kids that can look over the trap. The short ones are a dime a dozen, and some of them are very good, but Laurynn is a little different, she’s a little special.”

Though Williams is comfortable with the keys to the Bravettes offense, she says she’s still growing as into her role as one of the team’s leaders.

“It all depends on the situation,” Williams said. “I let the seniors handle most of the things that go on. But I try and encourage the team just as a leader would do. I’m just trying to get my team involved.”

Williams possesses a level of confidence in her skills beyond her years. To her, the secret to a successful hoops team isn’t always Xs and Os. It’s the intangibles, and, just like taking contact, those need practice too.

“I need to work on my communication more,” Williams said. “Communication is everything. If you have communication, you’re pretty much good.”

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The girls basketball Top 10 Rankings for the week of Jan. 28, 2015

Rank/Team Rec. Pre.

1, Weslaco High 25-5 1

2, Harlingen High 25-3 2

3, PSJA North 24-4 3

4, Brownsville Veterans 22-7 4

5, Edinburg Vela 20-8 5

6, Mercedes 18-8 6

7, McAllen Rowe 17-12 10

8, Donna High 18-10 —

9, Edinburg High 21-10 9

10, Harlingen South 19-10 —

BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

MERCEDES — Kevin Kromer wanted a third quarter like this one.

“There’s been one quarter that’s been our Achilles Heel so far this season,” the Donna High girls basketball coach said. “And it’s probably been the third quarter. We play pretty hard the first half, and I guess (the girls) need to get their second wind. But during that stretch, they let the opposing team back in (the game).”

Instead of experiencing the third-quarter blues during Tuesday’s game against the Mercedes Lady Tigers, Donna flourished, outscoring their District 32-5A opponent by a score of 18-6 en route to a 39-34 comeback win.

“It’s just a mental thing,” Kromer said. “They fought hard and I’m proud of them.”

The Bravettes’ victory creates a first-place tie between the two teams at the top of the district standings, as each program sports a 9-1 record.

Donna trailed Mercedes 20-12 at the half. Sophomores Laurynn Williams and Aileen Garza, who Kromer calls the team’s “future,” did not score from the field during that time. The Bravettes, who covet a penetrate-and-kick offense, were routinely flustered by the Lady Tigers’ signature press defense.

On the rare occasion Donna was able to run an offensive set, they had no match for the sweltering inside presence of Merceders’ senior center Summer Vento, who tallied five blocks in the first two quarters.

Despite the deficit and the sloppy nature of the game, the Bravettes (18-10, 9-1) were confident going into the break.

“I told the girls, ‘We’re going to win this game,” Donna senior guard Marina Martinez said.

And so it was the Bravettes fought fire with fire in the second half, matching Mercedes’ tenacious full-court defense with their own press that led to several Lady Tigers turnovers and easy buckets for Donna.

“Usually a team that presses doesn’t like to be pressed back,” Kromer said.

Williams came to life in the quarter as well, scoring 5 of her team-high 11 points.

“(Coach) was getting on to us at halftime,” Williams said. “He said we weren’t moving our feet and running our plays. He told us to keep pushing and keep running the plays and keep pushing to the basket.”

Although Donna controlled the duration of the third quarter, the Bravettes only carried a slim four-point lead into the final eight minutes, 30-26. The Tigers, whose oppressive inside game vanished, returned in the form of a pair of buckets courtesy of Vento, while point guard Alyssa Marquez drained a 3-pointer from the right elbow.

Mercedes (19-9, 9-1) led 34-32 with 55 seconds remaining before a Laurynn Williams steal led to an and-1 to give Donna the lead for good.

“I told the girls before the game, ‘We’re in second (in district), we have nothing to lose,’” Kromer said. “‘The pressure is on (Mercedes). Let’s get out and go.’”

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To report a girls basketball score, call 1 (956) 683-4402.

Tuesday, Jan 27

District 30-6A

McAllen Rowe 46, Juarez-Lincoln 32

McAllen High 53, Mission 40

McAllen Memorial 55, La Joya High 35

District 31-6A

Weslaco East 45, Edinburg Economedes 33

PSJA North 72, PSJA Memorial 40

Edinburg High 53, Edinburg North 33

District 32-6A

Harlingen South 49, Los Fresnos 44

Brownsville Veterans 33, Brownsville Hanna 26

Brownsville Rivera 51, Brownsville Lopez 33

Harlingen 44, San Benito 35

District 31-5A

Rio Grande City 56, Valley View 19

Mission Veterans 46, Roma 41

Edinburg Vela 70, Sharyland Pioneer 26

District 32-5A

Brownsville Porter 48, PSJA Southwest 34

Donna at Mercedes, not reported

Edcouch-Elsa 35, Donna North 21

PSJA High at Brownsville Pace, not reported

District 32-4A

Port Isabel at Raymondville, not reported

Progreso at Rio Hondo, not reported

Zapata at La Grulla, not reported

District 32-3A

Lyford 40, Brownsville IDEA 19

District 32-2A

San Isidro 77, Lasara 33

San Perlita at Santa Maria, not reported

Tuesday’s Box Scores

District 30-6A

McAllen Memorial 55, La Joya High 35

La Joya High 9 5 10 10 — 35

McAllen Memorial 12 20 12 11 — 55

LA JOYA HIGH (35) — Eva Hinojosa 3; Desiree Segundo 6; Julissa Tomoya 2; Clarissa Mendiola 4; Ashley Olivarez 12; Monica Garcia 7

McALLEN MEMORIAL (55) — Ebony Johnson 17; Victoria Yzaguirre 17; Kailey Caldwell 4; Briana Hernandez 4; Krystal Villarreal 2; Andrea Garcia 3; Sarah Smith 8

RECORDS: McAllen Memorial 15-13, 6-3; La Joya High 8-18, 3-6

McALLEN ROWE 46, LA JOYA JUAREZ-LINCOLN 32

McAllen Rowe 12 11 13 10 — 32
Juarez-Lincoln 6 3 12 11 — 46

McALLEN ROWE (46) — Deanna Spear 7, Jovanni Solis 9; Mayda Garcia 5; Victoria Tarbutton 10; Gisselt Gomez 7; Ryela Rodriguez 4; Joselyn Pena 8

LA JOYA JUAREZ LINCOLN (32) — Nayda Villarreal 2; Abigail Escobedo 8; Noemi Millan 2; Jiselle Acosta 2; Maria Ortiz 2; Anahi Millan 8; Maria Saldana 8

RECORDS: McAllen Rowe 17-12, 7-1; Juarez-Lincoln 7-22, 3-6

DISTRICT 31-6A

Weslaco East 45, Edinburg Economedes 33

Edinburg Economedes 6 11 9 7 — 33

Weslaco East 11 17 6 11 — 45

Edinburg Economedes (33) — Emily Suarez 7; Ashley Escalante 1; Kayla B 2; Kimberly V. 6; Lauren E. 7; Masie T. 4; Sylvia P. 6

Weslaco East (45) — Michelle Marquez, 16; Silicia Rivera 7; Mig Zepeda 3; Sabrina Rodriguez 4; Ashley Cruz 5; Yari Marin 2; Faith Olszak 8

RECORDS: Weslaco East 16-14 (5-4); Edinburg Economedes 15-12 (4-4)

PSJA North 72, PSJA Memorial 40

PSJA Memorial 11 15 6 8 — 40

PJSA North 18 20 21 13 — 72

PSJa Memorial (72) — Alex Soto 6; Monique De Leon 5; Ashley Martinez 5; Violet Torres 7; Emily Garcia 4; Kayla Anquinao 7; Madison Garza 4

PSJA North (40) — Sarah Serreno 6; Cynthia Martinez 9; Tiffany Puente 5; Toni Acevedo 2; Ariana Madrano 11; Lisa Palacios 13; Bell Palacios 23; Miranda Dinias 3

RECORDS: PSJA North 25-4, 8-1, PSJA Memorial 10-19, 0-9

EDINBURG HIGH 53, EDINBURG NORTH 33

Edinburg North 7 7 12 7 — 33

Edinburg High 12 13 11 17 — 53

EDINBURG NORTH (33) — Allison Parrales 2; Brianna Garza 1; Klarissa Lopez 3; Nikki Rodriguez 1; Tiffany Chapa 4; Natalie Alaniz 12; Melissa Mojjoro 4; Stephanie Flores 5

EDINBURG HIGH (53) — Jayla Santamaria 10; Reyna Del Castillo 10; Emily Acosta 2; Mercedes Hernandez 8; Jennifer Galvan 13; Natalie Roxburgh 9; Natalie Parrales 1

RECORDS: Edinburg High 21-10, 5-4; Edinburg North 13-17, 2-7

District 31-5A

Rio Grande City 56, Valley View 19

Valley View 2 3 8 6 — 19

Rio Grande City 5 20 12 19 — 56

Valley View (19) — G. Rodriguez 2; S. Munguia 9; E. Saenz 5; N. Del Angel 2; P. Castillo 1

Rio Grande City (56) — Adriana Cruz 15; Sayan De Leon 2; Jackie Tenorio 4; Brittany Benavides 1; Jackie Garcia 3; Yani Garza 2 ; Ashley Bazan 2; Andrea Barron 5; Josie Amaya 17; Gina Villarreal 5

RECORDS: Rio Grande City 16-14 (4-5) ; Valley View 6-17, (1-7)

Mission Veterans 46, Roma 41

Roma 5 12 9 15 — 41

Mission Veterans 4 15 15 12 — 46

Roma (41) — Yosalin Barajas 7; Krissy Rocha 1; Cassy Saenz 7; Annette Jasso 10; Luiz Gonzales 4; Denise Pena 6; Cassy Rocha 5; Diana Gonzales 1;

Mission veterans (46) — Rosa Silva 4; Audrey Villareal 6; Andrea De La Garza 5; Lindsey Garza 7; Darian Ibarra 10; Maria Torres 10; Hannah Davis 4

RECORDS: Mission Veterans 17-11 (6-2); Roma 17-12, (5-4)

District 32-5A

Brownsville Porter 48, PSJA Southwest 34

Brownsville Porter 10 17 9 12 — 48

PSJA Southwest 10 4 8 12 — 34

Brownsville porter (48) — Karen Garcia 14; Marquell Rivera 5; Sabrina Garcia 14

PSJa Southwest (34) — Marilee Medillen 7; Abby Leanos 7

RECORDS: Brownsville Porter 8-23, (2-8); PSJA Southwest 6-19, (4-6)

District 32-3A

Lyford 40, IDEA Frontier 19

IDEA Frontier 4 6 2 7 — 19

Lyford 10 6 6 18 — 40

IDEA Frontier (19) — Not reported

LYFORD (40) — Rebekah Perez 15; Bailey Scoggin 10; Cassie Hernandez 4; Victoria Vela 3; Erin Martinez 2; Marissa Martinez 2; Cecilia Cuellar 2; Miranda Ramirez 2

RECORDS: Lyford 23-6 (5-0)

BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

MERCEDES — The Donna Redskins defeated the Mercedes Tigers on Tuesday night 53-43 to remain unbeaten in District 32-5A.

In an otherwise closely contested game, in which both squads traded buckets back-and-forth, it was the defensive might of Donna (17-9, 8-0) that ultimately prevailed, shutting down the short-handed Tigers (15-10, 2-5).

A five-point margin separated the teams heading into the fourth quarter with Donna up 37-32, but turnovers and fatigue doomed Mercedes. Tigers coach Eric Steinbrunner could only watch as Donna’s Edward and Robert Guajardo scored 12 of the teams’ 16 fourth-quarter points, eviscerating his team.

“I told them that (Mercedes) was trying to take away our district title,” Donna coach Zeke Rodriguez said. “Don’t take them for granted, they’re trying to take the win away from you.”

Mercedes almost did steal a win Jan. 2 when the two programs last met, when Donna’s Ruben Arrambide scored a layup inside of 30 seconds to propel the ‘Skins to a one-point victory.

Rodriguez credited his team’s senior leadership for its ability to pull away.

“There’s a level of trust among each other,” Rodriguez said of his team’s starting unit comprised exclusively of upper classmen. “They’ve been playing together since junior high. They know each other pretty well and there’s not too much bickering between them when things go wrong. They try to help each other out.”

Robert Guajardo scored a game-high 18 points, including a pair of 3-pointers in the first half, followed by two perfect trips to the charity stripe in the fourth quarter to ice the game.

“Our maturity levels pretty much paid off tonight,” he said.

Edward Guajardo chipped in 15 points, 9 of which came in the second half on transition layups immediately following a steal.

“We like to get out and run,” Edward said. “We’re a fast break team.”

That’s not to say Mercedes didn’t possess a little fight.

Midway through the final quarter, a double technical was called on Donna’s Ruben Rivera and Mercedes’ Joe Garcia. The two became entwined while fighting for a rebound, which led to a brief shoving match.

“We just have to keep our composure,” Edward said. “Coach told us to be cool and calm about it.”

Though the ‘Skins sit atop their district, they know there’s no time for complacency. Not when Brownsville Pace lurks only one game behind, and not when the five seniors have a mission to accomplish.

“It’s our last year together,” Robert said. “That’s the biggest motivation. We have to do what we haven’t done before.

“Win district.”

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BY JON R. LAFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

PHARR — Sharyland High swim coach Tina Jensen was one of the last members of the Rattlers swim team to enter the pool Friday during the District 32-5A Swim and Dive Championships at the Pharr Aquatics Center Natatorium. Jensen was tossed into the deep end by a gang of swimmers as a means of commemorating the team’s first place performance.

“I just ask them to avoid the lane ropes,” Jensen said.

The Rattlers won both the overall and boys competition with a score of 325.5 points and 198.5 points, respectively. The girls team placed second with a total of 127 points. In all, 21 swimmers and divers qualified for regional competition in Corpus Christi on Feb. 6.

Sharyland senior Brett Myska won Male Athlete of the Meet honors for his perfect day in the pool. The senior placed first in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 23.53 seconds before taking gold again in the 100 fly (58.22), edging Roma’s Ahren Trevino by 1.71 seconds.

“I could see (Trevino) in the water,” Myska said. “I had to make sure I got ahead of him. I just focused on the end.”

Myska, who will travel to regionals for a fourth time, also placed first in the 200 medley relay alongside teammates Marco Rivera, Javier Moreno and Carlos Graybill.

Graybill, a senior, placed second in the 100 backstroke (1:00.91), and finished first in the 100 freestyle, an event he says he hasn’t participated in “since freshman year.”

“I had been feeling better about my 100,” Graybill said. “I’ve been doing the 200 instead, but after the first half I get tired. So I told (coach) to put me in the 100.”

The Sharyland boys flexed their muscle a final time during the 400 freestyle relay, winning with a time of 3:36.84, nearly 12 seconds better than the second-place PSJA Southwest Javelinas.

“I think they did awesome,” Jensen said. “I couldn’t ask for any more from them.”

Just as the boys team flourished for Sharyland, so too did the Lady Gladiators of Roma, who took first place in the girls competition with a score of 159. The Roma girls’ were led in part by the effort of Jocelyn Martinez, who took home the award for Female Athlete of the Meet.

Martinez was unquestionably the best individual swimmer throughout the day. The junior glided through the pool en route to a gold-medal finish in the 100 freestlye with a time of 54.87 before finishing first in the 200 freestyle in 2:00.7 – more than 15 seconds better than the runner-up.

Martinez’s most impressive moment occurred in the 400 freestyle relay, in which she served as Roma’s anchor. Facing a five-second deficit to Sharyland’s Andrea Valdez as she entered the water for the race’s final 100 yards, Martinez tore through the pool with mechanical ruthlessness, steadily reeling Valdez in before pulling away in the final 25 yards to hand Roma the win with a time of 4:04.24, 1.26 seconds better than Sharyland.

“It was really hard,” Martinez said. “At 50 (yards), I saw I was catching up to (Valdez). I told myself, ‘Let’s just do it.”

Martinez nursed an ailing right shoulder with ice between swims.

“It’s just muscle tenderness,” Roma swim coach Calvin Snyder said. “We’ve been icing it and doing some therapy on it. It’s nothing internal, she just put out today.”

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