By KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

SAN BENITO — Our Lady of the Lake University is making its presence known when it comes to the baseball world in the Rio Grande Valley.

On Tuesday, San Benito’s Tristian Montemayor became the latest to join OLLU, making it official during a signing ceremony.

“ OLLU isn’t too far from home and at the same time it still allows me to be independent, while I will still have my family support,” Montemayor said. “The recruiting process was smooth and the campus was nice, and the people there were great.”

Montemayor was a three-year starter as a catcher and became the second Greyhounds player to sign at the college level. Pitcher Daniel Dial signed his letter of intent to play baseball at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley earlier this season.

As a senior Montemayor, batted .318, recorded nine outs and yielded just three past balls all season.

“ He was on the varsity for three years and he has very good feet, especially for a guy who plays catcher,” San Benito skipper Jimmy Young said. “He sees the whole field and he is the captain, he makes the call on where the defense lines up, and he was always active behind the plate.”

Montemayor was the second OLLU signing Tuesday, as Harlingen High’s John Ortega also signed. The two will join the Saints next fall along with Rio Hondo’s Cross Gonzalez.

On the current roster, there are six Rio Grande Valley athletes. Harlingen High’s Boedy Flores and Daniel Anciso, and Lyford’s Layne Klostermann are a few Lower Valley athletes on the roster.

Another Valley tie is current OLLU skipper Bryan Aughney. Aughney spent five seasons as coach at Harlingen High and has a strong grasp on the talent pool in the RGV.

“ Coach Aughney and I talked for sure,” Young said. “He knows what the Valley offers. What helps Tristian is his academics, and the school he is going to is a private institution and they predicate a lot on the academics. I have always been a San Antonio product but I feel the Valley has a lot of talent that hasn’t been tapped into yet, and it is just a matter of these young guys staying at where they get recruited.”

By KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — John Ortega was part of a big day for Harlingen High athletics, signing to play baseball next fall at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio.

Ortega is a three-sport athlete who lettered in golf and basketball and was a four year letterman for the Cardinals’ baseball team.

“ I have been looking forward to this day for a very long time,” Ortega said. “I’m excited to continue my career and my academics. It is a big opportunity for myself and my family. They will get to watch me play, and I will be able to play at the next level and not everyone gets an opportunity to do that.”

Ortega reached the playoffs during his final two years as a Cardinals player and played a large role on the Cardinals’ pitching staff, helping Big Red to a playoff berth and a bi-district title in 2019.

As he was a standout basketball player, Ortega wavered in deciding the sport he would pursue in college. It wasn’t until his sophomore year that he decided baseball would be his first sport.

“ Since I was small, people would always ask me what sport I liked more,” Ortega said. “It was always a tough choice for me, but I decided that baseball was the best choice for me and gave me an opportunity to play at the college level.”

Said Harlingen High coach Armando Rangel, “He was our ace pitcher this year. Last year as a junior he played many positions, and this year he was our ace and when we threw him we had a chance to win. And when you have a kid that can do that you cherish those things, and that is one thing we are going to miss with him. He was a great leader for the younger kids on the team.”

Ortega will reunite with former Harlingen High baseball coach Bryan Aughney, who coached the Cardinals for five seasons.

“ I’m excited, Coach Aughney is going to challenge me just like he did when I was a freshman,” Ortega said. “I’m looking forward to being on the team next year. I was playing in tournaments and showcases, and I had a few schools contact me from out of the state. Not only was I excited to join Coach Aughney, but I also know the San Antonio area well.”

By KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — Senior Ariel Leal wrapped up her brilliant career at Harlingen High and secured her college future Tuesday.

Leal signed to play basketball at Dallas Christian College, putting a bow on her senior season.

“ This means so much to me,” Leal said. “It was troubling for me at first to find a college for me to go to. Once I was there on campus, I was able to try out and meet the players and coaches and I felt very comfortable, and it helped me decide on where I wanted to be, and I do feel some nerves today but excited at the same time to further my career.”

Leal was a four-year letter winner for the Lady Cardinals, who won two district titles in her four years and a bi-district title in each of her four years. They reached the third round of the playoffs twice.

“ I have been on campus, it is a nice school, the buildings are close to each other so I won’t have to drive to my classes,” Leal said. “The coaching staff was great. She was very encouraging and up front with me.”

Leal had a strong senior year and was instrumental in helping Harlingen High to a 31-6 record and a 10-0 district run. The point guard averaged 7.6 points per game, 3.1 rebounds, 2.9 steals and 4.6 assists per game, and was named the Valley Morning Star’s Most Valuable Player.

The road to her senior year wasn’t an easy one, as Leal overcame a season-ending knee injury in the playoffs during her junior season. At first, Leal wasn’t sure what her future held, but she knew she would return to the court.

“ Honestly I wasn’t too sure about this day, but now that it is here I’m enjoying it, and it is such a blessing to be signing. It means so much to have all this support, and this is one of the best days of my life. I never expected this, and to see everyone here support me means a lot.”

Leal’s coach, Ashley Moncivaiz, had nothing but high praise for her senior after watching Leal grow throughout her four years.

“ She has meant a lot to the program,” Moncivaiz said. “She came in with heart and passion about what she likes to do, and the girls fed off of it and it made our program follow her lead. Whenever she faced an injury or anything on the court, she was always someone we knew we could turn to and lead by example.”

By KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

CORPUS CHRISTI — New Braunfels Canyon is headed back to the regional final for a second straight season, proving why they are as tough as advertised.

The Cougarettes posted a furious nine-hit, 10-run first inning during a 16-1 win in five innings over the Harlingen South Lady Hawks in Game 2 of the best-of-three Class 6A regional semifinal series, completing the series sweep.

New Braunfels Canyon will meet Austin High next week.

“We picked a bad week to play our worst game,” Harlingen South coach Elias Martinez said. “But I told the girls the effort was great through out the series. We fell behind in the first inning but the girls never gave up and fought back, and we are proud of them.”

The Cougarettes collected 15 hits on 16 runs. Senior pitcher Aliyah Pritchett controlled the series, tossing a complete game Friday and taking the ball in Game 2. She was sharp as she threw five complete innings, walked three, allowed two runs and struck out six.

“We don’t take anything away from (New Braunfels Canyon), they are a great team and they got us this week,” Martinez said. “We knew what they were going to bring and we knew what we were up against, and our girls were up for the challenge. We just fell short.”

Pritchett, a Baylor University commit, helped her own cause with a 3-for-3 day at the plate, with three runs and two RBIs. Hunter Vestal, the younger sister of former Cougarettes and current Oklahoma player Brooke Vestal, picked up where her sister left off. The younger Vestal went 3-for-3 with two runs, a three-run homer and a team-high six RBIs.

Harlingen South wraps up its season with a 32-8 record and its second trip to the Sweet 16 during the past three years. South will graduate four seniors, losing two starters in shortstop Krystal Gonzales and left fielder Natasha Canales.

“Our nucleus is coming back, and a lot of our bats, too,” Martinez said. “We had a freshman and a sophomore in the circle for us, and for them to gain this experience at this level is great for them. We were proud to be the last (Rio Grande Valley) team standing in Class 6A.”

With seven returning starters coming back, the message was simple from Gonzales.

“This team means the world to me, and they were all amazing,” Gonzales said. “This is something that I will always remember. They were what we expected and it was tough, but we felt (Pritchett) got us with her changeup, she has a great changeup. My message to the younger girls is to just keep doing what you’re doing, they are an amazing group. They will just need to all step up next season.”

By KEVIN NARRO, Staff Writer

THREE RIVERS — Solid pitching and timely hitting can make the difference in the postseason.

That was certainly the case Friday night.

Rio Hondo’s Kelsey Pizarro broke the scoreless tie during the fourth inning and, in the fifth, Domo De Jesus and Alexis Rhyner broke the game open with back-to-back two-run doubles as Rio Hondo sealed a 5-2 Game 1 win over Fredericksburg in their best-of-three Class 4A regional semifinal series Friday night.

The Lady ’Cats are one win away from their second trip to a regional final in program history.

The series will shift to Beeville Jones later today for Game 2. First pitch is set for 3 p.m., and Game 3 will follow 30 minutes afterward if needed.

“We were a little nervous when we took the field,” Rhyner said. “This is the Sweet 16, it is a big stage, and we know we are good and we knew they were good, it was just a matter of settling in. When I got that double I knew I could do it. I had already hit off of her before, so it was a matter of executing.”

Rio Hondo’s big inning was highlighted by four hits and four runs. Rhyner finished the night 2-for-3 with a single, double and two RBIs, Pizarro went 1-for-3 and De Jesus went 1-for-2 with two runs, two RBIs and a double.

All of Rio Hondo’s runs were scored with two outs.

“We had opportunities throughout the night, we just couldn’t capitalize,” Rio Hondo coach Brett Esparza said. “We always say when the boat tips over we want to pour it on, and we kept making contact and, for sure enough, the ball started to fall for us. Then we had that big inning, and it proved to be enough tonight.”

Along with the timely hitting came the right arm of senior hurler Erika Cortez, who again stymied her opponent.

“I think through the series we have had before, it was a pick-your-poison (situation) with Erika,” Esparza said of his ace. “She has gotten stronger as the games have gone on, and we have seen that this postseason. Tonight, she started crisp and with different pitches that she threw, and had command of her stuff early.”

Cortez threw a complete game. The hard-throwing righty fanned eight, walked four and gave up four hits and two runs.

Despite making her Sweet 16 debut, Cortez saw Friday night as just another game she needed to go out and win.

“All I knew was that we had to come in and win Game 1, that was the only thing on my mind,” Cortez said. “I’m the pitcher, so I knew I had to go hard. My fifth, sixth and seventh innings have been strong, so I knew I needed to start strong to throw them off balance.”

KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

HARLINGEN—-Sophomore first baseman Alyssa Ledesma is back in the playoffs for a second straight year.

As a freshman, Ledesma made an instant impact both at the plate and at first base. Ledesma wasn’t fazed by having large shoes to fill left behind by Ashley Reyna, who played the position before her.

Now in her second year, Ledesma has picked up where she left off and isn’t slowing down. The lefty hitter is swatting .306 at the dish with 30 hits and 23 runs.

Ledesma will make her Sweet 16 debut tonight at 7 p.m. in a best-of-three series against New Braunfels Canyon at Tuloso-Midway High School in Corpus Christi.

The Valley Morning Star got a chance to catch up with the Lady Hawk.

Q: This is your first time reaching the Sweet 16 as a sophomore, how much does that mean to you?

Ledesma: It truly means a lot to me. To be a part of something this big that my team and I have accomplished and to see all of our hard work pay off is amazing.

Q: As a freshman, you quickly jumped into the starting role at first base, what were some adjustments you made when you got to the varsity?

Ledesma: Coming in as a freshman, I knew things were going to be different; I had to change my mindset. High school ball and summer ball are two different things and I quickly realized that. Before I only played first base a few times, so adjusting to that was challenging, but I managed. With everything else, my team helped me feel comfortable.

Q: What is your game day routine?

Ledesma: My game day routine starts off with me waking up to a specific song that I put as my alarm. I then do everything the same as I do everyday. After that, I have my mom do my braids before I go to school. When my mom finishes my braids, I then put on the bow that goes with the uniform we will be wearing. After that, I spray a specific perfume on and head to Chick Fil A to get breakfast. Later on, during lunch, if my dad is able to bring me food, it has to be Chick Fil A. After school, we take some cuts at the fields before the game and my left shoelace has to be inside my shoe, but my right one has to be outside. I then do my hair bubbles and if I can’t, Kelsey has to be the one to do them for me. Before the game, I have to listen to a certain playlist. Lastly, when I’m putting my cleats on, my left cleat has to be double knotted, but my right one has to be single knotted.

Q: What is the most challenging part about playing first?

Ledesma: The most challenging part about first is definitely when I have to dig out some of the throws. They aren’t always perfect and even the short hops aren’t always great.

Q: If you could pick another sport what would you play?

Ledesma: If I could pick another sport to play, it would volleyball. It’s such a fast pace and intense sport.

Q: What is your go-to order at Whataburger?

Ledesma: My go to order at Whataburger is the No.5 plain and dry with a Powerade. It is another way of saying a burger with cheese and bacon.

Q: What are you currently binge watching on Netflix?

Ledesma: I am currently binge watching the show “The Flash.”

Q: Tell us something about yourself that we might not know?

Ledesma: I am very superstitious. I have to do things the exact same way as I did before.

Q: What is the most expensive thing you have broken?

Ledesma: When I was younger, my older sister had gotten a new laptop for her birthday. As usual, I was clowning around with it and spilled my Capri Sun all over the keyboard. After that, not only was the keyboard not working but it wouldn’t turn on. To this day, my sister still hasn’t used it.

Q: Who is your role model and why?

Ledesma: It has to be former Michigan standout Sierra Romero; she is my role model. She’s a hardworking softball player who leaves it all out on the field. She inspires me to reach for the stars, dream big and work hard to make that dream become a reality.

KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

RIO HONDO—Entering the 2019 season, there were a few questions for Rio Hondo head coach Brett Esparza. Amongst the question marks was replacing a few all-district players in centerfielder Bianca Cruz, pitcher and middle infielder Annie Alvarado and catcher Abbie Alvarado, who were all mainstays for Rio Hondo over the last few seasons.

The athletes were on the roster, it was just a matter of Esparza piecing together the puzzle.

With Rio Hondo one of just three Rio Grande Valley teams alive in the softball playoffs, it is safe to say Esparza and his staff have pieced together that puzzle quite well.

The middle of the defense has emerged as a strong unit and are guided by three sophomores and one junior.

Nayeli Garcia, who is the lone junior and has the most experience of the four, has proved to be a versatile weapon for the Lady Bobcats.

As a freshman, Garcia played third and first base before playing played third exclusively as a sophomore.

Now, as a junior, Garcia is playing second base and has found her form along with sophomore shortstop Kelsey Pizarro as the two have developed a nice 1-2 punch in the middle infield this season.

Garcia, who also took time in the circle this year, made the transition to second base when senior pitcher Erika Cortez arrived in Rio Hondo midway through the season.

Garcia took on the roll and it was during their game against Raymondville when she felt fully comfortable at the position.

“I made the move when Erika came to Rio Hondo and we were adjusting everything,” Garcia said. “Coach Esparza was figuring out where we were going to go and there was a missing piece to the puzzle. Erika was that missing piece and putting me at second base, we felt it made the defense stronger.”

Pizarro, who is a true shortstop and can also toe the rubber, has had to adjust to a new second baseman in Garcia.

Last year, Pizarro was teamed up with Domo De Jesus and a year later, has found that chemistry with Garcia.

“There isn’t too much of a difference with a new second baseman,” Pizarro said. “There is just more communication this year and that is one thing that we have improved on with the defense. I feel like I’ve gotten better and I feel more comfortable diving for balls and making more plays as opposed to last year. During the middle of the district season, Nayeli and I began to click more; we make more plays up the middle.”

Abbie Torris is another Lady ’Cat that made a move on the field.

Torris played outfield last year as a freshman and is now filling in the shoes of Abbie Alvarado, who anchored the catchers position the four years previous.

Torris, along with De Jesus, who has moved from second base to centerfield, has proved to be the anchor in the outfield.

“Moving Domo to center field, we have communicated a lot more,” Garcia said. “Playing second and being able to talk to Abbie more has made her a better catcher. She has a strong arm and I communicate with Kelsey at short, letting her know I’m here and making her feel comfortable.”

Rio Hondo is all set for their second sweet 16 appearance in three years when they take on Fredericksburg in a best-of-three series tonight at 7 p.m. at Three Rivers High School.

Game 2 will be Saturday at 3 p.m. at Beeville Jones High School and if needed Game 3 will be played 30 minutes after.

ROY HESS | Staff Writer

The next step in Kaylyn Samano’s athletic career beyond high school took place Thursday.

The graduating senior at Rivera signed an athletic scholarship agreement to compete in track next school year at Texas Lutheran University, an NCAA Division III school in Seguin. TLU competes in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference in all sports except football.

Samano has participated in volleyball, cross country and basketball besides track for the Lady Raiders. She is a strong track competitor in the triple jump and relays while serving as a team captain. One of Rivera’s relays that included Samano advanced to the Region IV-6A meet in San Antonio last month. She also ran the open 400 meters at times.

“I told the coach over there (at TLU) they are getting an exceptional human being, not just an exceptional athlete,” Lady Raiders track coach Jennifer Schuster said.

Samano’s signing was held in the Rivera Auditorium. It was attended by family members, teammates and classmates along with coaches, teachers and school administrators.

It was a time of celebration for everyone on hand for the signing ceremony.

The Rivera standout athlete has run track since she was a first-grader, so Thursday marked an important day in her life.

“Honestly, I couldn’t sleep last night because I was just so excited about today,” Samano said. “But once I got to school, it was like a bittersweet emotion. I felt happy (about signing), but I was sad, too, because I’ve been here for four years. But I’m excited for the next four years at Texas Lutheran, and I’m excited to see what my future holds.

“Being here at Rivera has meant the world to me,” she added. “I wouldn’t have had it any other way. It’s been the best experience of my life, and I don’t regret coming to this school at all. I’m so glad that my parents (Marcos Samano and Vanessa Garcia) encouraged me to come to Rivera so I could be a part of the Lady Raider athletic program. It’s been life-changing and it’s something I will carry with me for my life.”

Samano’s parents are both Rivera graduates who played sports at the school as well.

In addition to thanking her parents and all her coaches and teammates at Rivera, Samano said she wanted to particularly thank Rebecca Garcia, her grandmother who she credits as having had a big impact upon her life.

In college, Samano plans to pursue a kinesiology degree with the hope of one day becoming a physical therapist or athletic trainer.

“I’m going over there and aiming high,” she said. “I would like to break some school records and make a name for myself like I have at Rivera.”

Schuster said she has developed a close bond with Samano during her time at Rivera.

“This day is amazing, and I could get pretty emotional about it,” Schuster said. “Kaylyn wanted this more than anything when she came in as a freshman. She was playing multiple sports, and sometimes that makes it even harder because you have to spread yourself out (to play those sports).

“She’s been a team captain for us, and she’s the most positive leader you could possibly want,” Schuster added. “She just encourages everyone (on the team). She’s sacrificial, too. She was hurting before the District 32-6A meet and she had to be replaced in the mile (1,600-meter) relay. She was there at the district meet screaming and urging on her teammates to qualify for the area meet. She was doing better and was able to run on the relay at the area meet, and they qualified for regionals. She wanted that so badly.

“Some athletes who get hurt might be a little resentful or feel down about not participating. No, not her. She was there cheering on her relays, and the boys teams, too. That’s just the way she is. She’s such an encourager and so positive with the coaches and her teammates.”

The Lady Raiders coach said she had quite a impressive group of seniors this season with Samano leading the way as a team captain.

“I’m so grateful for this senior bunch,” Schuster said. “They surpassed all expectations. I knew that this group would do well when they came in as babies as freshmen. They’ve just stayed together, stayed true to each other, encouraged each other and they were so loving and supportive of each other. All through the season you could feel a camaraderie. They wanted to dedicate the season to God and to my mother (Carole Johnson, who died two days before Christmas 2018).

“My teams are always close, but there was something special with what they did this season to help me get through the grieving of my Mom’s death,” Schuster added. “It showed. My Mom, who was my No. 1 fan, would be so happy with the outcome of this season and this signing.”

Schuster said after Thursday’s signing, there is nothing holding back her star athlete now.

“When Kaylyn’s able to key in on just one sport, there’s no stopping her,” the coach said. “We’re going to see great things from her at the college level. With her personality, they’re going to fall in love with her over there.”

KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

HARLINGEN—-Iliana Saucedo and Alexa Saucedo were made to play softball.

It won’t take you long to notice the sisters when they trot onto the field.

Iliana, tall and with a strong arm and a knack for hitting homers, teamed up with older sister Alexa, who plays third base and wears a mask over a face covered in eye black.

The two just go hand-in-hand with the game of softball.

“I think our dad makes us click,” Iliana said. “He is our hitting coach, our pitching coach — our everything coach. Softball is everything to our family and I think if our dad wasn’t involved in softball, we wouldn’t be involved. His love for baseball really makes us involved. That is another thing we do; we watch a lot of baseball in our house.”

Alexa, who was born February 5th, is one year older than Iliana, who was born January 22nd. The two grew up playing the game together and have both had an impact on this year’s Harlingen South team.

They are a pair of true softball players and it is their only sport. When they made the move from Niceville, Florida to Harlingen, the two had an idea on what they were walking into and what could be.

“We always thought about it,” Iliana said. “Our old team was really good and we knew we could go far anywhere we go, but when we learned we were moving back home to Harlingen, we knew we had a shot. But then when we got here and saw the team, we knew we really had a shot.”

The two have plugged in right away with the Lady Hawks and through five postseason games, the two have helped South to Round 4.

Iliana, who hits in the heart of the Lady Hawk order, is batting .471 with eight hits in 18 at bats. She has four doubles, two triples and four runs. Alexa, meanwhile, is hitting .375 with a team-high two homers (both in the playoffs) with six hits and four runs.

“This has been a very exciting ride,” Alexa said. “Especially with the girls; we all get along and we are a family on the field.”

“We like the traveling,” Iliana said. “The farther we go in the playoffs, the more we get to travel.”

Along with their playoff run, the sisters are getting ready to watch the NCAA Woman’s College World Series, which is a part of softball they don’t agree on as Alexa is a University of Florida fan and Iliana cheers for Florida State.

However, they do find some common ground.

“I do like Florida State’s coach, Lonni Alameda,” Alexa said. “We had a chance to work with Coach Alameda. She is a super nice person and she is all about her girls and we learned a lot about her, but I really like Gators because they have a really good infield.”

The Saucedos will continue their playoff journey Friday at 7 p.m. when the Lady Hawks take on New Braunfels Canyon in a best-of-three series at Tuloso-Midway High School in Corpus Christi.

KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

The Rio Grande Valley’s best senior football players will be on display for one last time for the 2018-19 season.

This year, Sams Memorial Stadium in Brownsville will host the Rio Grande Valley Coaches Association East-West All-Star football game Friday night at 7:30 p.m.

Brownsville Hanna’s Mark Guess and his staff will lead the East squad, while the West will be led by Mission Veterans Memorial’s David Gilpin and the Patriot coaching staff.

This will be the second time Guess will coach in an all-star game. His first was in the Costal Bend, but this year will be the first time he leads an RGV squad.

“It has been a while since we put on the pads in the spring like this,” Guess said. “I’m not a spring all guy; I like to get the two scrimmages in at the start of the year. It has been a while, but we have some great kids from across the Valley and each school is being represented well here on the East side. These are a bunch of good kids that are competitive.”

Leading the way for the East team are the Eagles, who have a team-high 10 players on the roster, including wide receiver’s Miguel Payan and Aaron Fraustro and linebackers Johnny Aleman and Jose Cruz.

In the secondary will be Alcee Flores, Leigh Guevara, Brian Duran and Andres Sustaeta. Running back Cesar Mancias and offensive lineman Sebastian Garcia will get their reps with the East offense.

The Eagles will have a little pep in their step as the seniors will have one final opportunity to play on their home turf.

“For the game to be in Brownsville and for us to be able to coach it, it is an honor to represent Brownsville in Brownsville,” Guess said. “We have some kids on the roster that will have a shot to play on their home turf one last time and that is special.”

San Benito will send quarterback Jacob Cavazos, linebacker AJ Garcia, defensive back Nick Castaneda, wide receiver Frankie Garcia and offensive lineman Chris Vargas. The Harlingen Cardinals’ wide out Joe Reyna and defensive back Justin Munivez will represent Big Red.

Harlingen South will send wide receiver Derrick Delgado and defensive back Kaleb Solis.

A few names representing the small schools are Santa Rosa running back Ryan Mesa, Lyford’s wide out Joaquin Gonzales, Raymondville’s linebacker Cole Cooley and QB Jacob Posas. Running back Danny Vasquez, QB Josiah Ortega and defensive lineman Troy Macias will represent Rio Hondo.

La Feria will send linebacker Jacob Garza and wide receiver Darius Hernandez.

Under center for the East side will be Cavazos, Posas, Ortega and Port Isabel’s Cesar Aguilera.

“We have six days of practice when really it is five; the last day is a walk through.” Guess said. “We don’t get to put in a whole lot of stuff but we will get in some base packages for our offense and defense and go from there.”