By KEVIN NARRO, Staff Writer

BROWNSVILLE — The dynasty continues.

On Saturday at Margaret M. Clark Aquatic Center, the Los Fresnos boys swimming & diving team won its 11th straight district title, finishing with 157 points, and the girls team won its third straight district title in dominating fashion, with 225 points.

Los Fresnos brought home 11 of the 24 events and will send 90 percent of its swimmers to the regional meet.

“First off, I want to thank my lord and savior Jesus Christ for giving me the guidance and wisdom to be the best coach I can be for these kids,” Los Fresnos coach Jaime Perez said. “I’m really happy that the kids were able to pull together and defend their district title. It was a total team effort.”

Senior and team captain Antonio Gabriel Martinez competed in the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard breaststroke. Martinez finished second place in both events. In the backstroke, he had a time of 1 minute, 10.56 seconds, and in the breaststroke he ended with a time of 1:13.70.

Prior to the meet, Garcia gave his team a simple message: Go out and show what it was like to be a Falcons swimmer, and compete with a passion.

“Honestly, it has been an honor to be on this team for the last four years,” Martinez said. “This is a team of extreme skill. We have a tradition on winning, and we were able to continue that here today. It is very humbling to be here. This is one of the best feelings in the world to be able to foster a team that truly cares.”

Junior Evyn Garcia competed in the 200 IM and finished in first place with a time of 2:07.33. Garcia also competed in the 100 butterfly and took second in 55.68.

Garcia is the only returner from last year’s state team. Entering his junior year, he did feel some added pressure but took the season as it came and is now heading back to the regional meet once again as a district champion.

“Last year I went to state with a bunch of seniors, and that was an honor,” Garcia said. “It felt good to come out and win individually. I’m in the top five now, and last year I was on the relay team full of seniors. Now I’m the only one back and I felt the pressure, especially at the start of the season because the standard was set. My parents were a big motivation in my career, and my teammates helped me, too.”

Freshman standout Jada Ashford competed in four different events Saturday. Despite it being Ashford’s first district meet, the youngster was up for the challenge and placed first in all four events.

“I feel good right now,” Ashford said. “I was able to get two personal bests in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle. I wasn’t nervous, I knew I had it. I just believed in myself, and I just worked hard all year and it paid off.”

Brownsville Hanna junior Quinten Deysel broke the school record in the 100 freestyle.

The previous record was a 49.08, a mark that had stood since 1987. Deysel set the new school record with a 48.8.

“As soon as I looked up at the board I knew,” Deysel said. “Right after I knew I broke it was just celebrated. My coach is a great coach, he pushes me all the time. I couldn’t have done this without my teammates from Hanna. They are great.”

District 32-6A Meet

Saturday

Margaret M. Clark Aquatic Center, Brownsville

Team Results

Boys

1, Los Fresnos, 157. 2, Brownsville Hanna, 124. 3, Weslaco High, 80. 4, Harlingen South, 68. 5, Brownsville Rivera, 54. 6, Weslaco East, 37. 7, Harlingen High, 22.

Girls

1, Los Fresnos, 225. 2, Harlingen South, 86.5. 3, Brownsville Hanna 69. 4, Harlingen High, 59. 5, Weslaco High, 35.5. 6, Brownsville Rivera, 24. 7, Weslaco East, 18.

Individual Results

Girls 200 Medley Relay

1, Los Fresnos A (Apacible, Reiana 10, Trevino, Maria Jimena 10, Ashford, Jada 9, Osuna, Rebeca 11), 1:58.53. 2, Brownsville Hanna A (Gutierrez, Nadia 12, Vigil, Karyme 11, Giebermann, Rahel 11, Ojeda, Hannia 9), 2:13.27. 3, Weslaco High A (Cortez, Emily 11, Reyes, Kyana 12, Cardenas, Yasmin 12, Hernandez, Ivy 09), 2:25.16. 4, Weslaco East A (Velez, Teresa 10, Najera, Julia 12, Villareal, Brianna N 10, Zambrano, Beatriz N 12), 2:38.75. –, Harlingen South A (Conlu Lizada, Camille M 11, Porzycki, Ana 10, Duncan, Catherine 12, Saenz, Victoria 12), DQ. –, Brownsville Rivera A (Mancilla, Arely 11, Shea, Madison 10, Martinez, Azul 12, De Los Santos, Gabby 10), DQ. –, Harlingen High A (Gutierrez, Davina 09, Mata, Kaitlyn 12, Stock, Mckenna 12, Smith, Sierra 10), DQ.

Boys 200 Medley Relay

1, Weslaco High A (Parker, Nathan 11, Sander, Henry 10, Valadez, Noah 11, Cantu, Derek 12), 1:47.44. 2, Los Fresnos A (Ramirez, Fernando 10, Dominique, Hernandez 10, Moreno, Diego 9, Crews, Jayden 10), 1:52.68. 3, Harlingen South A (Davila, Patrick 12, Luckey, Jason 12, Garza, Jacinto 11, Armstrong, Justin 11), 1:53.95. 4, Weslaco East A (Jimenez, Carlos 10, Leal, Robert D 11, Blas, Joshua 10, Miller, John D 12), 1:55.32. 5, Brownsville Hanna A (Najera, Ricardo 10, Rodriguez, Ricardo 10, Valdez, Aaron 12, Langs, Noah 12), 1:55.61. 6, Brownsville Rivera A (Shea, Kyle 12, Avalos, Alejandro 12, Mata, Cristian 12, Pena, Aaron 12), 1:59.21.

Girls 200 Freestyle

1, Osuna, Rebeca, Los Fresnos, 2:09.84. 2, Stock, Mckenna, Harlingen High, 2:18.43. 3, Saenz, Victoria, Harlingen South, 2:18.71. 4, Smith, Sierra, Harlingen High, 2:21.54. 5, Aune, Megan, Harlingen South, 2:22.42. 6, Garcia, Kateleen, Los Fresnos, 2:25.81. 7, Blanco, Marlin, Los Fresnos, 2:28.20. 8, Chavez, Alyssa, Los Fresnos, 2:30.03. 9, Mata, Kaitlyn, Harlingen High, 2:31.78. 10, Montalvo, Jenelle, Harlingen High, 2:34.02. 11, Hansen, Ianna, Harlingen South, 2:42.22. 12, De Los Santos, Gabby, Brownsville Rivera, 2:44.56. 13, Mancilla, Arely, Brownsville Rivera, 2:46.37. 14, Camarena, Lissette, Weslaco East, 3:03.38. 15, Calderon, Cadence, Weslaco High, 3:05.43. 16, Maldonado, Camila, Brownsville Hanna, 3:06.49. 17, Fujan, Ainsley, Harlingen South, 3:07.23. 18, Velez, Teresa, Weslaco East, 3:09.14. 19, Ojeda, Hannia, Brownsville Hanna, 3:10.97. 20, Valdez, Vianca, Weslaco East, 3:11.12. 21, Cantu, Jessica, Weslaco High, 3:11.55. 22, Aguilar, Fernanda, Brownsville Hanna, 3:54.01.

Boys 200 Freestyle

1, Davila, Patrick, Harlingen South, 1:59.85. 2, Sander, Henry, Weslaco High, 2:00.38. 3, Avalos, Alejandro, Brownsville Rivera, 2:00.55. 4, Valdez, Aaron, Brownsville Hanna, 2:02.29. 5, Vasquez, Matthew, Los Fresnos, 2:04.82. 6, Armstrong, Justin, Harlingen South, 2:06.71. 7, Burton, Reid, Los Fresnos, 2:07.50. 8, Serna, Julio, Los Fresnos, 2:09.34. 9, Rodriguez, Jacob, Harlingen South, 2:13.22. 10, Del Bosque, Lorenzo, Brownsville Hanna, 2:15.56. 11, Santisteban, Bonoso, Los Fresnos, 2:16.10. 12, Lovett, Jeremiah, Brownsville Hanna, 2:21.17. 13, Price, Peyton, Weslaco High, 2:26.91. 14, Vela, Aaron, Brownsville Hanna, 2:28.30. 15, Martinez, Jacob, Harlingen High, 2:37.91. 16, Rodriguez, Alexis, Harlingen South, 2:38.44. 17, Ledezma, Mario, Harlingen High, 2:41.51. 18, Alvarado, Jose R, Weslaco East, 2:43.09. 19, Garcia, Juan Carlos, Brownsville Rivera, 2:43.12. 20, Garcia, Alberto, Weslaco High, 3:01.03. 21, Hernandez, Carlos G, Weslaco East, 3:11.97. 22, Maldonado, Tristan, Weslaco High, 3:33.07.

Girls 200 IM

1, Barrales, Citabria, Los Fresnos, 2:28.14. 2, Rodriguez, Emily, Los Fresnos, 2:29.57. 3, Apacible, Reiana, Los Fresnos, 2:33.12. 4, Giebermann, Rahel, Hanna, 2:35.27. 5, Duncan, Catherine, Harlingen South, 2:45.31. 6, Seanz, Kallyia, Los Fresnos, 2:45.96. 7, Martinez, Illiana, Harlingen South, 2:59.39. 8, Urbina, Cecilia, Brownsville Rivera, 3:15.87. –, Shea, Madison, Brownsville Rivera, DQ.

Boys 200 IM

1, Garcia, Evyn, Los Fresnos, 2:07.33. 2, Shea, Kyle, Brownsville Rivera, 2:12.89. 3, Mascorro, Efrain, Los Fresnos, 2:21.76. 4, Gomez, Israel, Los Fresnos, 2:25.65. 5, Moreno, Diego, Los Fresnos, 2:26.70. 6, Langs, Noah, Brownsville Hanna, 2:34.39. 7, Ramos, Rolando, Harlingen High, 2:38.60. 8, Fuentes, Mauro, Brownsville Hanna, 2:54.65. 9, Vargas, Juan, Brownsville Hanna, 3:21.21. 10, Trevino, Alejandro, Weslaco High, 3:24.06. –, Rodriguez, Javier, Brownsville Rivera, DQ. –, Barrios, Rogelio, Brownsville Rivera, DQ. –, Gonzalez, Riley, Weslaco High, DQ.

Girls 50 Freestyle

1, Ashford, Jada, Los Fresnos, 23.86. 2, Gutierrez, Nadia, Brownsville Hanna, 26.40. 3, Gutierrez, Davina, Harlingen High, 27.39. 4, Trevino, Maria Jimena, Los Fresnos, 27.77. 5, Gutierrez, Desiree, Los Fresnos, 28.14. 6, Manongas, Maria, Los Fresnos, 28.69. 7, Reyes, Kyana, Weslaco High, 29.00. 7, Balli, Jaclyn, Harlingen South, 29.00. 9, Hernandez, Ivy, Weslaco High, 29.43. 10, Zamora, Celeste, Harlingen South, 29.58. 11, Peacock, Angelita, Weslaco High, 29.68. 12, Cardenas, Yasmin, Weslaco High, 30.08. 13, Martinez, Katia, Brownsville Hanna, 30.16. 14, Ramirez, Angelica, Harlingen High, 31.35. 15, Hansen, Ianna, Harlingen South, 31.49. 16, Alejos, Claudia, Brownsville Hanna, 31.84. 17, Hardison, Jenna, Harlingen South, 32.13. 18, Myers, Madison, Harlingen High, 32.37. 19, Najera, Julia, Weslaco East, 32.62. 20, Villareal, Brianna N, Weslaco East, 33.17. 21, Canchola, Sofia, Harlingen High, 33.31. 22, Mascorro, Klarissa, Brownsville Hanna, 35.97. 23, Zambrano, Beatriz N, Weslaco East, 36.94. 24, Salinas, Michelle, Brownsville Rivera, 40.15. 25, Perez, Pricila, Brownsville Rivera, 41.08. 26, Valdez, Itzel, Brownsville Rivera, 41.38. 27, Karavasilis, Athena, Brownsville Rivera, 42.83.

Boys 50 Freestyle

1, Deysel, Quinten, Brownsville Hanna, 22.54. 2, Lovett, Matthew, Brownsville Hanna, 22.93. 3, Kowalski, Michael, Brownsville Hanna, 23.89. 4, Crews, Jayden, Los Fresnos, 23.93. 5, Valadez, Noah, Weslaco High, 23.96. 6, Rodriguez, Ricardo, Brownsville Hanna, 24.06. 7, Cantu, Derek, Weslaco High, 24.96. 8, Akinson, Tyler, Los Fresnos, 25.36. 9, Cruz, Joshua, Harlingen High, 25.71. 10, Vasquez, Trinidad, Harlingen High, 26.37. 11, Martinez, Tyler, Weslaco High, 26.74. 12, Zoerner, Eli, Harlingen High, 27.01. 13, Dominique, Hernandez, Los Fresnos, 27.03. 14, Doan, Houston, Harlingen South, 27.34. 15, Guerra, Diego, Weslaco High, 27.63. 16, Pena, Aaron, Brownsville Rivera, 27.72. 17, Price, Gavin, Harlingen South, 28.37. 18, Maisonet, Nathaniel, Harlingen South, 30.79. 19, Petree, Reagan, Harlingen High, 30.92. 20, Pereda, Magedaleno, Harlingen South, 33.37. 21, Hernandez, Carlos G, Weslaco East, 34.36. 22, Hurtado, James, Brownsville Rivera, 35.02.

Girls 1-meter Diving

1, Warner, Amber, Harlingen High, 345.30. 2, Kennedy, Mae, Harlingen South, 239.80. 3, Hernandez, Anapaula, Los Fresnos, 215.40. 4, Rhodes, Ashley, Brownsville Hanna, 188.85. 5, Waters, Karen, Los Fresnos, 182.85. –, Wrinkle, Evangeline, Los Fresnos, DQ.

Boys 1-meter Diving

1, Luckey, Jason, Harlingen South, 349.65. 2, Alvarez, Angel, Brownsville Hanna, 285.80. 3, Sanchez, Ethan, Harlingen High, 257.70. 4, Salazar, Christian, Harlingen South, 223.80. 5, Lopez, Angel, Los Fresnos, 210.05. 6, Casarez, Andrew, Los Fresnos, 181.55.

Girls 100 Butterfly

1, Conlu Lizada, Camille M, Harlingen South, 1:06.06. 2, Giebermann, Rahel, Brownsville Hanna, 1:06.90. 3, Rodriguez, Emily, Los Fresnos, 1:07.50. 4, Seanz, Kallyia, Los Fresnos, 1:12.84. 5, Blanco, Joslyn, Los Fresnos, 1:13.33. 6, Blanco, Marlin, Los Fresnos, 1:14.97. 7, Martinez, Illiana, Harlingen South, 1:16.59. 8, Martinez, Azul, Brownsville Rivera, 1:19.47. 9, Ramirez, Angelica, Harlingen High, 1:30.32. 10, Puga, Ruby, Brownsville Rivera, 1:50.51. 11, Cantu, Jessica, Weslaco High, 1:54.65. –, Gutierrez, Davina, Harlingen High, DFS.

Boys 100 Butterfly

1, Shea, Kyle, Brownsville Rivera, 55.47. 2, Garcia, Evyn, Los Fresnos, 55.68. 3, Kowalski, Michael, Brownsville Hanna, 1:00.36. 4, Moreno, Diego, Los Fresnos, 1:01.19. 5, Salazar, Tranquilino, Los Fresnos, 1:03.30. 6, Ramirez, Fernando, Los Fresnos, 1:09.81. 7, Pena, Aaron, Brownsville Rivera, 1:14.79. 8, Hernandez, Moises, Brownsville Hanna, 1:18.58. 9, Abarca, Juan, Brownsville Hanna, 1:23.23. 10, Rodriguez, Jairo, Brownsville Hanna, 1:40.21. –, Gutierrez, Derik, Brownsville Rivera, DQ.

Girls 100 Freestyle

1, Ashford, Jada, Los Fresnos, 53.12. 2, Mancillas, Ariana, Los Fresnos, 58.57. 3, Saenz, Victoria, Harlingen South, 1:01.88. 4, Smith, Sierra, Harlingen High, 1:02.76. 5, Gutierrez, Desiree, Los Fresnos, 1:02.81. 6, Balli, Jaclyn, Harlingen South, 1:03.75. 7, Reyes, Kyana, Weslaco High, 1:03.77. 8, Uribe, Kaitlyn, Harlingen High, 1:04.43. 9, Cardenas, Yasmin, Weslaco High, 1:06.93. 10, Peacock, Angelita, Weslaco High, 1:07.13. 11, Martinez, Katia, Brownsville Hanna, 1:07.30. 12, Montalvo, Jenelle, Harlingen High, 1:08.38. 13, Zamora, Celeste, Harlingen South, 1:09.28. 14, Cortez, Emily, Weslaco High, 1:10.16. 15, Porzycki, Ana, Harlingen South, 1:10.83. 16, Alejos, Claudia, Brownsville Hanna, 1:11.76. 17, Waters, Karen, Los Fresnos, 1:11.77. 18, Myers, Madison, Harlingen High, 1:12.08. 19, Villareal, Brianna N, Weslaco East, 1:18.08. 20, Camarena, Lissette, Weslaco East, 1:23.40. 21, Ortega, Sofia, Brownsville Hanna, 1:24.73. 22, Mascorro, Klarissa, Brownsville Hanna, 1:26.84. 23, Perez, Pricila, Brownsville Rivera, 1:36.57. 24, Valdez, Itzel, Brownsville Rivera, 1:38.19. 25, Salinas, Michelle, Brownsville Rivera, 1:39.18. 26, Karavasilis, Athena, Brownsville Rivera, 1:47.74.

Boys 100 Freestyle

1, Deysel, Quinten, Brownsville Hanna, 48.81. 2, Parker, Nathan, Weslaco High, 52.12. 3, Miller, John D, Weslaco East, 52.53. 4, Gomez, Israel, Los Fresnos, 53.17. 5, Valadez, Noah, Weslaco High, 53.41. 6, Mascorro, Efrain, Los Fresnos, 53.68. 7, Cantu, Derek, Weslaco High, 55.06. 8, Blas, Joshua, Weslaco East, 55.08. 9, Cruz, Joshua, Harlingen High, 55.38. 10, Valdez, Aaron, Brownsville Hanna, 55.96. 11, Armstrong, Justin, Harlingen South, 57.28. 12, Mata, Cristian, Brownsville Rivera, 57.37. 13, Najera, Ricardo, Brownsville Hanna, 57.43. 14, Garza, Jacinto, Harlingen South, 57.57. 15, Jimenez, Carlos, Weslaco East, 58.01. 16, Sander, George, Weslaco, 59.43. 17, Vasquez, Trinidad, Harlingen High, 1:00.16. 18, Leal, Robert D, Weslaco East, 1:00.70. 19, Zoerner, Eli, Harlingen High, 1:02.62. 20, Hernandez, Moises, Brownsville Hanna, 1:02.99. 21, Davila, Dominic, Harlingen South, 1:03.60. 22, Sanchez, Thomas, Los Fresnos, 1:04.00. 23, Gamez, Diego, Los Fresnos, 1:04.30. 24, Petree, Reagan, Harlingen High, 1:08.32. 25, Garcia, Juan Carlos, Brownsville Rivera, 1:09.25. 26, Hurtado, James, Brownsville Rivera, 1:18.74. –, Villarreal, Brandon, Weslaco East, DQ.

Girls 500 Freestyle

1, Gutierrez, Nadia, Brownsville Hanna, 5:52.92. 2, Osuna, Rebeca, Los Fresnos, 5:53.94. 3, Stock, Mckenna, Harlingen High, 6:21.02. 4, Loera, Angela, Los Fresnos, 6:21.30. 5, Vigil, Karyme, Brownsville Hanna, 6:26.56. 6, Aune, Megan, Harlingen South, 6:38.82. 7, Blanco, Joslyn, Los Fresnos, 6:46.93. 8, Chavez, Alyssa, Los Fresnos, 6:49.19. 9, De Los Santos, Gabby, Brownsville Rivera, 7:50.20. 10, Pablo, Angelia, Brownsville Rivera, 10:04.21. 11, Aguilar, Fernanda, Brownsville Hanna, 10:44.66.

Boys 500 Freestyle

1, Avalos, Alejandro, Brownsville Rivera, 5:37.98. 2, Burton, Reid, Los Fresnos, 5:45.40. 3, Salazar, Tranquilino, Los Fresnos, 5:46.03. 4, Rodriguez, Jacob, Harlingen South, 6:07.33. 5, Santisteban, Bonoso, Los Fresnos, 6:13.22. 6, Langs, Noah, Brownsville Hanna, 6:15.98. 7, Lovett, Jeremiah, Brownsville Hanna, 6:19.66. 8, Del Bosque, Lorenzo, Brownsville Hanna, 6:22.33. 9, Ramos, Rolando, Harlingen High, 6:23.74. 10, Guerra, Diego, Weslaco High, 6:28.96. 11, Flores, Eduardo, Weslaco High, 6:43.37. 12, Gutierrez, Derik, Brownsville Rivera, 6:53.56. 13, Krieger, Ethan, Weslaco High, 7:11.69. 14, Rodriguez, Alexis, Harlingen South, 7:13.12. 15, Valdez, Jaime, Weslaco High, 7:14.39. 16, Maisonet, Nathaniel, Harlingen South, 7:42.95. 17, Alvarado, Jose R, Weslaco East, 7:43.81. 18, Rodriguez, Jairo, Brownsville Hanna, 7:45.59. –, Casares, Jeffery H, Weslaco East, DQ. –, Gutierrez, Hector, Los Fresnos, DQ.

Girls 200 Freestyle Relay

1, Los Fresnos A (Mancillas, Ariana 9, Rodriguez, Emily 12, Osuna, Rebeca 11, Ashford, Jada 9), 1:45.22. 2, Harlingen South A (Balli, Jaclyn 11, Zamora, Celeste 10, Duncan, Catherine 12, Martinez, Illiana 11), 1:56.62. 3, Weslaco High A (Peacock, Angelita 12, Hernandez, Ivy 09, Cardenas, Yasmin 12, Reyes, Kyana 12), 1:57.67. 4, Harlingen High A (Gutierrez, Davina 09, Stock, Mckenna 12, Smith, Sierra 10, Uribe, Kaitlyn 12), 1:57.87. 5, Weslaco East A (Villareal, Brianna N 10, Velez, Teresa 10, Zambrano, Beatriz N 12, Najera, Julia 12), 2:14.45. 6, Brownsville Rivera A (Puga, Ruby 10, Valdez, Itzel 9, Pablo, Angelia 9, Urbina, Cecilia 12), 2:30.97. –, Brownsville Hanna A (Martinez, Katia 10, Alejos, Claudia 11, Ortega, Sofia 9, Gutierrez, Nadia 12), DQ.

Boys 200 Freestyle Relay

1, Brownsville Hanna A (Najera, Ricardo 10, Kowalski, Michael 10, Lovett, Matthew 12, Deysel, Quinten 11), 1:31.38. 2, Los Fresnos A (Crews, Jayden 10, Gomez, Israel 9, Mascorro, Efrain 11, Garcia, Evyn 11), 1:35.02. 3, Weslaco High A (Valadez, Noah 11, Sander, Henry 10, Cantu, Derek 12, Parker, Nathan 11), 1:37.19. 4, Weslaco East A (Leal, Robert D 11, Jimenez, Carlos 10, Blas, Joshua 10, Miller, John D 12), 1:41.79. 5, Harlingen High A (Cruz, Joshua 10, Ramos, Rolando 10, Vasquez, Trinidad 11, Zoerner, Eli 09), 1:44.19. 6, Harlingen South A (Rodriguez, Jacob 11, Davila, Dominic 10, Doan, Houston 12, Garza, Jacinto 11), 1:49.16. 7, Brownsville Rivera A (Rodriguez, Javier 10, Garcia, Juan Carlos 11, Hurtado, James 10, Gutierrez, Derik 10), 2:07.41.

Girls 100 Backstroke

1, Apacible, Reiana, Los Fresnos, 1:06.37. 2, Barrales, Citabria, Los Fresnos, 1:06.57. 3, Conlu Lizada, Camille M, Harlingen South, 1:08.10. 4, Mancillas, Ariana, Los Fresnos, 1:10.94. 5, Martinez, Azul, Brownsville Rivera, 1:11.44. 6, Garcia, Kateleen, Los Fresnos, 1:16.21. 7, Cortez, Emily, Weslaco High, 1:21.10. 8, Mancilla, Arely, Brownsville Rivera, 1:22.73. 9, Uribe, Kaitlyn, Harlingen High, 1:23.47. 10, Fujan, Ainsley, Harlingen South, 1:39.02. 10, Pablo, Angelia, Brownsville Rivera, 1:39.02. 12, Calderon, Cadence, Weslaco High, 1:40.31. 13, Puga, Ruby, Brownsville Rivera, 1:40.71. 14, Ojeda, Hannia, Brownsville Hanna, 1:42.50. 15, Welty, Madison, Harlingen High, 1:48.59. –, Zambrano, Beatriz N, Weslaco East, DQ. –, Ortega, Sofia, Brownsville Hanna, DQ. –, Velez, Teresa, Weslaco East, DQ. –, Valdez, Vianca, Weslaco East, DQ.

Boys 100 Backstroke

1, Lovett, Matthew, Brownsville Hanna, 56.72. 2, Parker, Nathan, Weslaco High, 58.04. 3, Davila, Patrick, Harlingen South, 58.70. 4, Ramirez, Fernando, Los Fresnos, 1:08.30. 5, Akinson, Tyler, Los Fresnos, 1:10.21. 6, Mata, Cristian, Brownsville Rivera, 1:10.47. 7, Martinez, Tony, Los Fresnos, 1:10.56. 8, Najera, Ricardo, Brownsville Hanna, 1:12.42. 9, Agado, Diego, Weslaco High, 1:16.34. 10, Valdez, Michael, Harlingen South, 1:16.90. 11, Abarca, Juan, Brownsville Hanna, 1:23.99. 12, Vela, Aaron, Brownsville Hanna, 1:24.24. 13, Barrios, Rogelio, Brownsville Rivera, 1:24.49. 14, Salazar, Christian, Harlingen South, 1:28.90. –, Crews, Jayden, Los Fresnos, DQ. –, Martinez, Tyler, Weslaco High, DFS.

Girls 100 Breaststroke

1, Trevino, Maria Jimena, Los Fresnos, 1:15.47. 2, Loera, Angela, Los Fresnos, 1:19.28. 3, Vigil, Karyme, Brownsville Hanna, 1:25.14. 4, Manongas, Maria, Los Fresnos, 1:26.74. 5, Duncan, Catherine, Harlingen South, 1:26.81. 6, Shea, Madison, Brownsville Rivera, 1:28.34. 7, Givens, Jordan, Los Fresnos, 1:29.68. 8, Porzycki, Ana, Harlingen South, 1:32.42. 9, Najera, Julia, Weslaco East, 1:32.66. 10, Mata, Kaitlyn, Harlingen High, 1:35.44. 11, Canchola, Sofia, Harlingen High, 1:39.46. 12, Urbina, Cecilia, Brownsville Rivera, 1:50.75. 13, Maldonado, Camila, Brownsville Hanna, 1:59.90.

Boys 100 Breaststroke

1, Sander, Henry, Weslaco High, 1:05.42. 2, Rodriguez, Ricardo, Brownsville Hanna, 1:07.96. 3, Vasquez, Matthew, Los Fresnos, 1:08.58. 4, Dominique, Hernandez, Los Fresnos, 1:09.26. 5, Sander, George, Weslaco High, 1:11.76. 6, Serna, Julio, Los Fresnos, 1:11.88. 7, Martinez, Tony, Los Fresnos, 1:13.70. 8, Doan, Houston, Harlingen South, 1:19.50. 9, Fuentes, Mauro, Brownsville Hanna, 1:21.00. 10, Davila, Dominic, Harlingen South, 1:22.79. 11, Luckey, Jason, Harlingen South, 1:24.01. 12, Dillard, Tyler, Weslaco High, 1:25.75. 13, Rodriguez, Javier, Brownsville Rivera, 1:32.08. 14, Krieger, Ethan, Weslaco High, 1:42.37. 15, Vargas, Juan, Brownsville Hanna, 1:53.25.

Girls 400 Freestyle Relay

1, Los Fresnos A (Mancillas, Ariana 9, Rodriguez, Emily 12, Trevino, Maria Jimena 10, Barrales, Citabria 11), 4:04.22. 2, Harlingen South A (Saenz, Victoria 12, Aune, Megan 12, Balli, Jaclyn 11, Conlu Lizada, Camille M 11), 4:14.43. 3, Brownsville Hanna A (Vigil, Karyme 11, Alejos, Claudia 11, Martinez, Katia 10, Giebermann, Rahel 11), 4:29.89. 4, Harlingen High A (Mata, Kaitlyn 12, Montalvo, Jenelle 11, Myers, Madison 12, Uribe, Kaitlyn 12), 4:41.87. 5, Brownsville Rivera A (Shea, Madison 10, Mancilla, Arely 11, De Los Santos, Gabby 10, Martinez, Azul 12), 4:50.47. 6, Weslaco High A (Siller, Ashley 09, Calderon, Cadence 09, Cortez, Emily 11, Peacock, Angelita 12), 4:57.34.

Boys 400 Freestyle Relay

1, Brownsville Hanna A (Valdez, Aaron 12, Kowalski, Michael 10, Lovett, Matthew 12, Deysel, Quinten 11), 3:28.37. 2, Los Fresnos A (Mascorro, Efrain 11, Gomez, Israel 9, Salazar, Tranquilino 10, Garcia, Evyn 11), 3:34.14. 3, Harlingen South A (Armstrong, Justin 11, Rodriguez, Jacob 11, Garza, Jacinto 11, Davila, Patrick 12), 3:47.81. 4, Weslaco East A (Leal, Robert D 11, Jimenez, Carlos 10, Blas, Joshua 10, Miller, John D 12), 3:48.05. 5, Brownsville Rivera A (Shea, Kyle 12, Avalos, Alejandro 12, Pena, Aaron 12, Mata, Cristian 12), 3:50.11. 6, Harlingen High A (Cruz, Joshua 10, Ramos, Rolando 10, Vasquez, Trinidad 11, Zoerner, Eli 09), 4:00.17. 7, Weslaco High A (Dillard, Tyler 12, Guerra, Diego 11, Martinez, Tyler 10, Sander, George 09), 4:04.80.

By KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

Entering the 2019 season, the question for Harlingen High was about which player would step in and lead the defense? For a team led by defensive-minded coach and former Cardinals linebacker Manny Gomez, those questions were quickly answered.

Senior linebacker Gabriel Martinez was one key ingredient to Gomez’s defense in 2019. The hard-hitting linebacker collected a team high in tackles with 130 and tackles for loss with 14, and he finished with four sacks, tying for the team lead.

Along with Martinez was sophomore defensive end Ramon Huerta, who was a pleasant surprise for the Cards in 2019. Huerta finished with 60 tackles, three sacks and a team-high 23 quarterback pressures.

For their efforts, Martinez was named the Valley Morning Star’s 2019 All-STAR Football defensive player of the year, and Huerta was named the newcomer of the year.

“Coach (Manny) Gomez texted me just a few minutes ago. I was asleep, but I woke up to his text and it was a cool thing to see,” Martinez said Wednesday. “It is humbling to receive these awards, to be able to get my name out there, and all the work I put in, it is a great feeling to have.”

Huerta, too, was humbled after his first year at the varsity level. He enjoyed the opportunity to play with seniors like Martinez and took in everything he could.

“Ever since I was in junior high, I wanted to play at the varsity level,” Huerta said. “Since I got to the varsity I have been working my butt off to be great, and now that I’m here I have a chance to prove myself.”

The duo helped the Cardinals rekindle their hard-nosed, blitz-savvy style. While Martinez’s Cardinals career is over, Huerta’s is just getting started.

Martinez was one of many seniors on the team who helped light a fire under the underclassmen, on and off the field.

“The missing piece alltogether was just leadership,” Martinez said. “In the locker room, we understood each other, and we have been playing together for 10 years. We all pushed each other to get better and we held each other accountable, and we never skipped reps and we competed with each other, and that is what changed.”

Huerta work ethic mirrors what Martinez and others have done in the past. While Huerta’s success on the field is undeniable, he owes the work ethic to his blue-collar parents.

“This comes from my whole family. My family members are a bunch of hard workers,” Huerta said. “My dad came from nothing and made things big for us, and I’m proud of him. I learned from him to work hard. My mom, too, she is a teacher and works very hard. They taught me to work hard and be great.”

Huerta isn’t going anywhere and fully understands the standard that has been set before him. He saw firsthand what Cardinals football represents through the senior class.

“It is great to be a Cardinal,” Huerta said. “Now I know I can carry on their legacy, and one day I will leave my own legacy. One day, the junior high kids will look up to me the same way I looked up to the older guys, and here I am.”

By KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

SAN BENITO — During the past couple of years, San Benito has seen some of the area’s better athletes come through its football program. At the quarterback position. Erick Retta carried the torch with his dual-threat style, followed by Jacob Cavazos last season.

Most recently Smiley Silva took the reins under center.

Silva picked up where his predecessors left off. In 2019, Silva was named the starter and ran for 1,458 yards and 14 touchdowns on 177 carries. Through the air, Silva tossed 13 touchdowns with 1,519 yards.

Silva helped the Greyhounds to a 7-5 overall record and second-place finish in District 32-6A with a 4-1 record. They also won a bi-district game and reached the area round.

Because of that, Silva was named the Valley Morning Star’s 2019 All-STAR football offensive player of the year.

“This was a blessing to receive this award,” Silva said. “This was the cherry on top for my senior year. I’m thankful and blessed to be able to play football for the Greyhounds. The first person I told was my mom. She has been a big part of my career. She always took me to practice and picked me up. She had a big part in this.”

Silva was most dangerous with his legs, and one of his most memorable plays came against Victoria West.

On a designed QB run, a play the Greyhounds go too quite often, Victoria West had it figured out. The ‘Hounds stuck with their guns and called the play once more.

Silva took the snap, ran toward the inside, made a cut to the outside and made two defenders miss. He was off to the races for a 50-yard touchdown.

The ‘Hounds won that game 31-3, and Silva ran for 156 yards and two scores on 22 carries.

Throughout the course of the season, Silva continued to slash teams with his legs. Nine times Silva ran for more than 100 yards, and he ran for more than 150 yards three separate times.

His biggest game came against Hanna. Silva cut lose for 221 yards and four rushing touchdowns on 16 carries in a 49-19 win.

“I felt I was having a good season after the Hanna game,” Silva said. “We had a tough non-district schedule, but it was the preparation that kept me ready to go. I would watch film, and just kept working on fundamentals and kept the guys motivated.”

Silva also improved in the passing game, throwing for 1,519 yards and 13 touchdowns with three interceptions.

By KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — When asked what the term most valuable player means to him, Harlingen High senior Jaime Galvan pointed to the lockers all around him and took a moment.

“When you think about it it is great, but it is not just me,” he said. “I’m not the MVP. We had a whole team that made this work and made it happen. If it wasn’t for my offensive line, my receivers or my defense getting me the ball, there was no way I would have gotten this. I feel like I owe the team this award.”

Galvan’s dominant season earned him the Valley Morning Star’s 2019 All-STAR Football most valuable player award.

Galvan is a Harlingen boy through and through. He wears the Cardinals’ logo on his sleeve and is an example of what it means to be a player for Harlingen High. Galvan is a part of a big family, and he owes his we-before-me approach to them.

“It all comes from them,” he said. “I always treat others the way I want to be treated, and that translates to the team here. Just like I have a big family at home, I have a big family here with my team. You have to care about your teammates. You have to bring them up and not down.”

After a turbulent sophomore season in which Galvan saw little playing time under center, he was given the keys to the offense his junior year. The southpaw led the Cardinals to a 3-2 district record and finished with a 5-5 overall mark.

The Cardinals made the playoffs but were bounced out in the first round by Weslaco High.

While the pieces were in play for something special, there was just something missing.

Then came Galvan’s senior year. A team with high aspirations was eager to get the Cardinals back on the map. There were questions about who would lead the defense, and could Galvan lead the offense to a district title and a playoff run?

Galvan was the answer to the offense. While he also relied on his left arm, he was most dangerous when he used his legs. He ran for 1,144 yards and 17 touchdowns on 119 carries. Through the air, Galvan finished with 2,107 yards and 17 touchdowns.

“I felt comfortable coming into the season,” Galvan said. “Last year I gained experience, so this year I felt cool and calm, and I just kept playing and we got better each week. As a QB, I knew when and where to throw the ball, and when to take off.”

Galvan’s killer instinct was evident. The aggressive approach and fearless leadership helped restore order to the Cardinals’ program and re-established how to be a Harlingen High player. He led by example on and off the field, helping to fuel Big Red’s district title run.

“It meant the world to me to be a Cardinal,” he said. “At the end of the day, when I look back at the season, I have no regrets. I feel like I left everything on the field.”

2019 Valley Morning Star All-STAR Superlatives

Most Valuable Player: Jaime Galvan, Harlingen High

Offensive player of the year: Smiley Silva, San Benito

Defensive player of the year: Gabriel Martinez, Harlingen High

Newcomer of the year: Nathan Huerta, Harlingen High

Coach of the year: Israel Gracia, Santa Maria

First team

Offense

Quarterback: Dorian Hernandez, La Feria

Running Back: Avishai Dickerson, La Feria; Rayden Berry, Harlingen High

Offensive Line: Alex Yerena, La Feria; Israel Rodriguez, La Feria; Stephen Tovar, Raymondville; Chance Jennings,

Harlingen South; Rolando Zuniga, Rio Hondo

Wide receiver: Caleb Flores, La Feria; ZaRaivion Armendarez, Raymondville

Defense

Defensive Line: Zack Galvan, San Benito; Guillermo Vargas, La Feria; Dylan Ramirez, Raymondville; Noah Cruz,

Harlingen High

Linebacker: Joey Ortega, Rio Hondo; John Daniel Gonzales, San Benito; Ethan Gonzalez, Harlingen South; Jose Guajardo, Raymondville

Cornerback: Kike Alvarado, Harlingen South; Isiah Lizcano, Harlingen High; Ciro Munoz, San Benito

Safety: David Cortez, Harlingen South; Sam Villines, Rio Hondo

Kicker: Leo Torres, Harlingen South

Second team

Offense

Quarterback: Jayson Cantu, Raymondville

Running Back: Israel Vasquez, Harlingen South; Jesus Diaz-Mendez, Santa Rosa

Offensive Line: Humberto Valladarez, Rio Hondo; Andrew Cervantes, Raymondville; Juaquin Sosa, Santa Maria;

Manny Cepeda, Lyford; Ciro Munoz, San Benito

Wide Receiver: Justin Galvan, Harlingen High; Mike Bermea, Santa Rosa

Defense

Defensive Line: Aaron Vision, Harlingen South; Jayden Galvan, Raymondville; Joseph Garza, San Benito; Derek Castellanos

Linebacker: Levi Ince, Harlingen South; Bobby Saldivar, Santa Rosa; Aaron Reyes, San Benito

Cornerback: Evan Avila, La Feria; Jaden Torres, La Feria; Issac Rodriguez, Rio Hondo

Safety: Justin Smith, Raymondville; Will Herring, Harlingen High

Kicker: Saul Garcia, Raymondville

By KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

RIO HONDO — The senior-freshman combo of Eliza Rodriguez and Ayisha Andrews and the Rio Hondo defense was too much for La Feria on Friday night, as Rodriguez netted a game-high 19 points and Andrews followed with 14 in a 56-33 win over the Lionettes.

Also Friday night, the Rio Hondo boys team earned a 69-50 win over La Feria.

Entering Friday night’s girls game, the Lady ’Cats were in a funk on offense and needed to go back to the drawing board. Rio Hondo attacked the basket, and that allowed its offense to take an open shot for 3.

“ I felt hot,” Andrews said. “It’s usually after the first bucket. If I miss the first one, I will keep trying. If it’s not working I’ll just drive in, but tonight my shot was falling. The first time we played La Feria, we were not making any of our shots. Tonight we came out hot and ready to play.”

The tweak in the offense paid off. Andrews hit four 3-pointers, with one in the second quarter that helped the Lady ’Cats pull away.

The second quarter was the difference-maker. Rio Hondo’s defense forced La Feria into turnovers, and the offense responded by outscoring the Lionettes 17-4.

“ We really emphasized our shooting these last couple of weeks,” Rio Hondo coach Victor Sauceda said. “We hadn’t been shooting well and we weren’t as aggressive as we were in the past, so tonight we went back to that aggressive approach. We were able to get some baskets going, and that helped us open things up.”

Rio Hondo won a defensive slugfest in the teams’ first meeting. On Friday, the Lady ’Cats matched their previous defensive approach but shot much better from the floor.

“ Last Tuesday, Progreso gave us a better game. Playing everyone the second time is always tough,” Sauceda said. “It is all about refocusing and getting our eyes on the prize.”

Rio Hondo is now 8-1 in district play and will prepare to face Hidalgo on Tuesday night at home. The Lady Pirates are responsible for Rio Hondo’s only district loss this season.

The Lady ’Cats will have an opportunity Tuesday to get back into first place.

“ It’s a big showdown again,” Sauceda said. “I wanted to go into that game on a good note. We needed a game like tonight to get back to ourselves. I felt like I had two trap games before tonight, and we knew La Feria was going to play us tough. They always do.”

The Lionettes are 5-4 and play Progreso on Tuesday, then have a rematch with Port Isabel on Friday.

“ Rio Hondo is a tough team, and they get after it,” La Feria coach Angel Martinez said. “At the end of the day we have to get after it, and we have to beat P.I. and beat Zapata and win out in order to make the playoffs as a (No. 3) seed. Right now it’s us, Zapata and P.I. all going for the last two playoff spots.”

On the boys side, the Bobcats played fast and furious. Senior Jabez Villareal scored a game-high 24 points to lead the Bobcats, whose offense outran and outshot the Lions from the get-go to race out to a 18-5 lead after the first quarter, setting the tone for the night. The monster first quarter was led by Villareal, who scored 13 first-quarter points.

Daniel Garcia finished with 15 points, and Ethan Jeradiah and CJ Leal each scored eight for the Bobcats. For the Lions, Isiah Vento scored a team-high 12 points. Carlos Gonzalez and Jaden Torres followed with 11 points each.

Rio Hondo (6-1) now has a shot to take on Hidalgo, which is in first place.

“ Going 6-1 through the first half of district is big for us,” Rio Hondo coach Mike Alvarez said. “The first time we played Hidalgo we were down two key guys in Zachariah and Zeke Rios. (It) will make a difference having them back.”

If the Bobcats win Tuesday, they will be in a tie for first with the Pirates.

“ It gives us a shot and it is at home, and that is all we can ask for,” Alvarez said.

By KEVIN NARRO, Staff Writer

LOS FRESNOS — Much like a heavyweight fight, the Harlingen High Lady Cardinals and Los Fresnos Lady Falcons locked horns during the first half, neither team delivering the knockout blow.

That came in the third quarter, when Harlingen High’s press swarmed the Los Fresnos offense. The formula of the press along with a team-high 13 points from Callie Cervantes were the keys to a 60-46 win over Los Fresnos.

Earlier Friday, Los Fresnos’ boys team won the District 32-6A opener 71-57 over Harlingen High.

In the girls game, Harlingen High held a 31-21 lead at halftime. The Lady Falcons answered each shot from the Lady Cards during the first half and matched up physically.

“I think our effort was tremendous tonight,” Los Fresnos coach Rebecca Valdez said. “There were some turnovers here and there that cost us, but I’m happy with the way the kids played. We had some kids step up because of some injures, which affected us just a bit, but I’m happy with the effort.”

The Lady Cardinals’ defense locked down during the third period, with a suffocating full court press yielding nine points in the frame, with six of them coming from the free throw line.

“In the third quarter, we finally turned it on,” Harlingen High coach Ashley Moncivaiz said. “We realized how to utilize our press, and early in the game the kids were not committed to it. Once they got committed to it, they stood their ground and didn’t retreat. That is why they looked a lot better out there.”

In typical Lady Cardinals fashion, the points were spread around. Juli Bryant once again stepped in and made plays on both ends of the court, scoring nine points. Sydney Portillo also netted nine points in the win.

“I think with Los Fresnos, it is a physical game every year. They train hard, and we train hard,” Moncivaiz said. “It was expected and they like that, and we knew we were going against someone who is going to make us work.”

The Lady Cardinals outscored the Lady Falcons 20-9 during the third period and saw their 10-point lead stretch to a comfy 20-point advantage.

Harlingen High takes a 3-0 district record into Tuesday’s Bird Bowl. Harlingen South also is 3-0, and it will be a tussle for first place in 32-6A.

“We just have to keep practicing and keep our minds focused,” Cervantes said of their Tuesday matchup. “It is going to be a big game but we just have to stay focused.”

Ari Gallardo scored 30 points for Los Fresnos (1-2), which will prepare for Hanna (2-1) Tuesday night.

“I told the girls that Harlingen is a physical team,” Valdez said. “We have to match that physicality, and my kids showed a lot of heart tonight. I think we are going to continue to get better, and maybe next time around it will be a different outcome. We have Hanna up next, so we need to regroup after the injures we had and just get better, and continue to push for that district championship that I still think is within our grasp.”

In the boys game, the Falcons began their quest for a sixth straight district title, shaking off a slow start and leaning on Luis Gonzalez, who netted a game-high 27 points, and Gerry Martinez, who finished with 20, to win 71-57.

The Cardinals’ defense came out aggressive and caused fits for the Falcons’ offense. Los Fresnos didn’t find the rim until four minutes into the quarter.

“It was one of our slower starts,” Los Fresnos coach Marco Hinojosa said. “But much credit to Harlingen (High), they came out physical and pressed the issue. You could tell they were hungry for a win, and because of them they caused four straight turnovers. Luckily we were able to capitalize.”

One key turning point was the injury to the Cardinals’ Michael Castillo. He suffered a right hand injury during the second quarter and did not return.

“He couldn’t play in the second half, and he is a major part of our team,” Harlingen High coach Clayton Cretors said. “It gave us a lot of adversity that we had to fight through in that second half, and it was tough to come back from it.”

The Falcons’ offense began to click, slowly but surely. Leading 27-21 at the half, Los Fresnos went on a 12-5 run that pushed their lead 39-26.

The third period is when Gonzalez took over the game. Gonzalez scored 17 points in the frame and helped the Falcons take a 53-35 lead after three quarters.

“During warmups I was feeling good, so if I saw I was open I was going to take the shot,” Gonzalez said. “This wasn’t our best game, but we were able to get the win.”

Hinojosa also felt his team didn’t play as well as it has, but picking up its first district win is the first step.

“We are a senior-heavy team, and our boys do not get rattled,” Hinojosa said. “They are a poised team. I think we hit some big shots tonight and got a few key steals. Anytime you hit a 3 the crowd gets into it, and it gives us some momentum.”

The Falcons next travel to Brownsville Hanna, and Harlingen High will square off against Harlingen South. While Castillo’s status is unknown, the Cards know the importance of avoiding an 0-2 hole.

“It is something we talked about during the week,” Cretors said. “We did not overlook Los Fresnos, but putting yourself in that hole is going to be tough, especially in a tough district.”

Mike Vasquez led the Cardinals’ offense with 15 points, and Manny Gutierrez finished with 10.

By KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — Sometimes, it is more than just a game.

For Harlingen High senior Mike Vasquez, Saturday’s game against Corpus Christi Miller meant more to him than any other game he has played. He took the court with a heavy heart, as Saturday would have been younger brother Anthony’s 15th birthday. Anthony died three years ago, and despite the adversity Vasquez takes the court for his younger brother.

“There was extra emotion today, and this morning I went by to see him and we had a chat,” Vasquez said. “I just asked for one wish and that was to get a win for him today.”

Vasquez delivered on that wish, finishing with a game-high 15 points as he helped Harlingen High earn a 68-60 win.

“I feel like every day he is here with me,” Vasquez said. “When I take the court he is there with me, and I play for him. Hopefully I can go by and see him later today. Today I wanted to go out there and play for him, and today was emotional. And this is my senior year, and I have to push it and play hard.”

First-year coach Clayton Cretors, who had been an assistant on the basketball staff, has seen Vasquez emerge as a player both on and off the court.

“He is a tremendous kid, I love that kid so much,” Cretors said. “He has gone through so much adversity in his life. He is not the only one that has gone through stuff, but he has gone through so much as a young man and today was a special day for him. I was glad he was able to compete and be successful, and I’m proud of him on how he has responded as a young man. He comes to practice and works hard, and provides senior leadership. He is a huge piece to our team.”

On the court, Harlingen High held off a late Miller rally, finishing strong down the stretch.

Entering the final four minutes, the teams were tied at 53. The Cardinals went on a 7-0 run that put them ahead 60-53. Vasquez scored nine fourth-quarter points, and teammate Michael Castillo scored eight of his 14 points during the final period.

Three Cardinals scored in double figures. Ashton Adams also finished with 14 points and drilled four 3-pointers in the win.

Harlingen High heads into district play with momentum, as it prepares for Los Fresnos on Friday.

“We are steadily improving,” Cretors said. “I hope we haven’t peaked yet, but we are getting better each game. I don’t talk to the kids about peaking, but about getting better one percent each day. We come to practice aiming to get better, and going out there and competing.”

KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

LOS FRESNOS — Los Fresnos played host to McAllen Rowe on Friday night in what was a battle of heavyweights in Rio Grande Valley boys basketball.

Last year, the Falcons lost to the Warriors three times, and this time Los Fresnos coach Marco Hinojosa was sure his club wasn’t going to let that happen again.

Freshman standout Gerry Martinez continued his strong season and scored a game-high 21 points as the Falcons used a strong fourth quarter and some timely free throws to put away the Warriors 62-55 on Friday night in Los Fresnos.

“In the first half we didn’t defend well, and that was something we talked about at halftime,” Hinojosa said. “We talked about doing certain things, and Rowe capitalized on those things. Our boys started following the game plan, and it worked out a little bit better for us.”

Three Falcons scored in double figures. Elian Gonzalez scored 12 points, and Tony Aldrighetti netted 10 in the win.

The Falcons trailed only once in the second half and managed to build a 54-43 lead in the third quarter. The 11-point lead was the biggest lead of the night for the Falcons. It came following a quick, five-point swing after Gonzalez drilled a 3-pointer.

“We started making some baskets,” Hinojosa said. “These are the top two teams in the Valley, two heavyweights. This is what this game was supposed to be, a great game.”

During the first half, neither team pulled away. The largest lead was five, with Los Fresnos holding the edge.

Darrin Everage paced the Rowe offense with a team-high 16 points. The Warriors were hamstrung by Louie Yebra’s foul trouble, which forced the Warriors to adjust without their key player. Yebra still finished with 13 points.

“We are still trying to find the right combination with things, and Los Fresnos is clicking at the right time,” Rowe coach Jose Yebra said. “Right now, I’m glad we played this game because they are a pretty good team. I know that we are not ready and we are not where we are supposed to be, and we need to work harder.”

The Falcons’ defense held its own during the fourth quarter, yielding 12 points in the frame, with eight coming from the free-throw line.

“I thought Los Fresnos did a great job on defense,” Jose Yebra said. “Then my son (Louie) was in foul trouble for the whole night, so that hurt us a bit. When he fouled out he wasn’t playing at the point he could play because he was concerned about his fouls.”

Hinojosa is no stranger to Jose Yebra. In fact, Hinojosa played for him at Brownsville Lopez from 1995-98, and he looks up to him as a father figure.

Friday night’s battle drew the attention of the Rio Grande Valley basketball world. Along with the packed crowd were teams who came out to watch the matchup.

“We have been talking about this game for a while,” Hinojosa said. “(Jose) Yebra was my high school coach, and we are competitors. He beat us last time, all three times, and I remember that and so does he. I told him we are going to get you back twice. We already got him once, and I’m hoping we can get him again in a tournament. That is what we do. I look up to him, and he is a father figure to me.”

Jose Yebra enjoyed the hype behind the matchup despite the season being in its early stages, but was also happy to coach against a former player.

“It is a great relationship between Marco and I,” he said. “He played for me at Lopez, and I love to see him have success. I’m happy for him, and I’m happy for his program. He has ran a great program here in Los Fresnos, and it is great to see him do well.”

KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

LA FERIA—The 89th annual C.E. Vail tournament tips off today with 16 teams taking the hardwood at La Feria High School. Among the 13 of them are from the Rio Grande Valley with Corpus Christi Miller, Kingsville King and West Oso making the trip to the Valley for the three day tournament.

Host team La Feria tips off at 12:30 against the La Feria junior varsity in Gym B. Other area schools include Santa Rosa, Raymondville and Rio Hondo.

The Warriors will begin their tournament with a 3:30 p.m. tilt against Raymondville in Gym A, while Rio Hondo will tussle with La Joya High at 11 a.m. in Gym B.

“It is always fun to host the Vail, it is a long running tournament,” said La Feria coach Dario Sanchez. “It has been around for so long and you see a lot of great teams come in and when you have been a part of it like I have, my dad was a basketball coach and I watched this tournament as a kid and see all the history come through it is awesome.”

The Lions are coming off a loss to Santa Maria on Tuesday and are 2-6 on the season, but were back on the court Wednesday preparing for the Vail.

“For the kids there is a sense of pride being able to host the tournament and our gym is great,” Sanchez said. “It is fun for them to be a part of the atmosphere and history. Santa Rosa, Rio Hondo, Edcouch, West Oso and Miller will be here, Miller will be tough but those are some teams to keep an eye out for.”

One player to keep an eye on will be senior Dorian Hernandez who just completed another strong season on the football field and is looking to cap off his basketball career with the Lions.

“We need to make sure that we play defense and that we are coming over and sliding our feet,” said Sanchez. “I would like to see more intensity when it comes to fighting for loose balls and going up and getting rebounds. Our shots aren’t there yet and I don’t expect them to be there just yet but I do think we can play better defense than we have.”

Rio Hondo has hung tough in several close games through the early part of the season. The Bobcats are 5-5 on the year with four of their losses coming by a margin of 10 points or less.

The Bobcats are led by their big three in senior shooting guard Jabez Villarreal, senior shooting and point guard CJ Leal and sophomore Jonathan Ayala who also plays point guard.

“We are looking to get team chemistry together,” said Rio Hondo coach Mike Alvarez. “We want to do things that don’t show up on the scorebook like taking charges, being aggressive with loose balls. Right now we are trying to get better defensively this tournament as we prepare for district play.”

By KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

LA FERIA — All tournament long, Valley View fought its way back and hit clutch shot after clutch shot. After Friday’s thrilling, come-from-behind win in overtime against La Feria, the Lady Tigers were looking to finish what they started.

However, Rio Hondo’s duo of Estrella Garza and Eliza Rodriguez had other ideas. Garza scored a team-high 21 points, Rodriguez netted 13 points and Rio Hondo held off Valley View for a 53-49 win in the 46th annual Tommie Wiseman tournament championship game Saturday.

“ We knew coming in that Valley View was going to have some outside shooters,” Rio Hondo coach Victor Sauceda said. “They like to take a lot of shots, and they have some big girls inside. We are an undersized team. I was hoping our athleticism would counteract what they were trying to do, but we did a good job.”

Rodriguez was named the tournament’s most valuable player, and Martinez was named to the all-tournament team.

“ It feels really good to win this award,” Rodriguez said. “With my scoring I was hitting the 3-ball, but today I didn’t shoot too well, but my layups and passing where all there. With this win it will help us gain confidence as we head into district.”

The Lady Bobcats wrap up a strong tournament with a 4-0 record. Each win was against a team higher in classification. Rio Hondo beat a pair of Class 6A schools Thursday, beat a 5A club in the semifinals and followed with another win against a 5A opponent in the final.

“ We did very well these last few games,” Rio Hondo senior Ayisha Andrews said. “The first game we missed some shots and layups, but right after that we went into practice and worked on those things and in our warmups, too. Overall, we just got better as the tournament went on.”

Much like their semifinal game against Mercedes, the Lady Bobcats got off to a hot start. Rio Hondo held the lead all the way up until the third quarter, when Alexis Ortegon hit a 3-pointer that gave Valley View its first lead, 32-31, late in the frame.

The fourth quarter is where Andrews, Garza and Rodriguez all chipped in and helped Rio Hondo pull away late via a 5-0 run that pushed its lead to 51-48 in the final minutes. Rodriguez scored eight fourth-quarter points, Garza netted six and Andrews scored four.

For Valley View, three Lady Tigers scored in double figures. Jimena Munoz led the offense with 19 points, Daniela Garza scored 15 points and was named to the all-tournament team, and Ortegon finished with 12 points.