KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

HARLINGEN— The Brownsville Hanna Lady Eagles entered Tuesday’s regular-season finale needing a win and a San Benito loss to reach the playoffs.

Senior Mia Paz netted a game-high 14-points and Hanna fended off a late Harlingen South rally to win 38-36. Earlier in the night, Los Fresnos beat San Benito 38-32, sending the Lady Eagles to the playoffs for the first time in more than one decade.

“One of my assistant coaches was at the San Benito game and texted me the score,” Hanna coach Luis Gonzalez said. “I told them with 30 seconds left that San Benito lost, and all we needed to do was finish and make some stops and we’ll be in. I felt that was the right time to tell them.”

Paz will make her playoff debut next week.

“I came into tonight knowing this could be my last game, or we can keep it going with a win,” Paz said. “I used that as motivation to get to every ball and play my best, and to make sure we got the job done. As soon as we got the news I told the girls we need to push just a little bit more, and that motivated them and myself.”

Paz, one of the more decorated scorers in the Rio Grande Valley, is eager to make her playoff debut, whether it’s against Edinburg High or Weslaco High. Odalys Gonzalez finished with 10 points, and Alexis Alvarez netted 11.

“This means so much to myself and my team,” Paz said. “This is my senior year, and it makes it extra special I was able to make it. My teammates were huge tonight, and I owe it all to them. Without our bigs, I don’t think we get this win tonight.”

Harlingen South, meanwhile, will enter the playoffs on a two-game skid and mostly likely will take on Edinburg Vela next week.

After a seesaw first half, Hanna stormed out of the halftime break on an 11-3 run and took a 33-23 lead late in the third quarter.

“South is a solid ballclub,” Gonzalez said. “They are the No. 2 team in our district, and we knew we would get a battle. Tonight we were able to do some things defensively that gave them a hard time, and our girls did a hell of a job.”

The play of South’s bench helped cut the lead to two during the final minutes. Amber Lopez stepped in and scored 12 points, helping to cut the lead to 37-35. Down the stretch, South missed a game-tying layup and three crucial free throws.

Karla Reyes and Destiny Olivares finished with seven points apiece.

“We play to win. Tonight my bench stepped up and got us back into the game,” South coach Kelly Garrett said. “That was a plus for us going into the playoffs. We have some things we need to work on but we haven’t been able to fix those things. Those are shots we shoot every day, and we need to be able to step to the line and execute and make layups.”

By KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — Friday night’s district-clinching win gave the Harlingen High Lady Cardinals their third 32-6A title in the past five years.

Last year, Harlingen High fell one game shy of winning another district title. This year, the Lady Cards have righted that wrong.

Entering a season filled with high expectations, the 2015-16 team was the ideal side-by-side comparison to this year’s team.

Each team had a lockdown defender. Sami Quilantan provided that for the 2015-16 team, and this year senior Andrea Cortez provides that service. Along with that came a full-court press that has stymied offenses along the way.

Both squads had a Dickey. Addison Dickey was third on the team in scoring and led the team in rebounding. Three years later, Taegan Dickey has taken the mantle, and leads the team in scoring and rebounds. Each provides an ability to score, rebound and play defense.

The 2015-16 team was arguably the best team fifth-year coach Ashley Moncivaiz has had. They went a dominant 34-2 and cruised through district play with a 14-0 record, posting an impressive 24-game win streak along the way.

Along with the dazzling regular season, Harlingen High found itself in the third round of the playoffs, bowing out with a 56-46 loss at home against Weslaco High.

However, this year’s team just might have that 2015-16 magic in it. But what might set this year’s group apart is its ability to spread the ball around, and its depth. While the loss of sophomore sharpshooter Alexus Coto will hurt Harlingen High, the Lady Cards will look to senior Bianca Rodriguez and freshman Emery Scoggins, who have shown the ability to shoot from beyond the arc.

This year, Harlingen High is 28-5 and on a 12-game winning streak. The Lady Cardinals are 9-0 in district play with one game remaining.

“I will say the same thing I have said about both of those teams, is that they are hungry,” Moncivaiz said. “They always go out there and want to play the best, and they want to compete, and really the only difference between that team and this team is the depth. This year we can put anyone out there, and they can go out and compete.”

What is left of the 2015-16 team are four seniors who were freshmen at the time: Rodriguez, Andrea Cortez, Ariel Leal and Alyssa Cervantes. Cervantes traveled with the team during its playoff run, and she got a taste of what is to come.

“Being able to be a part of it was special,” Cervantes said. “I saw and felt what it was like, and it only motivated me more to want to do it again, and now that I’m here as a district champion it feels amazing, there are so many emotions.”

Leal, a four-year letter winner, also sees many similarities.

“There was good chemistry on that team and on this year’s team as well,” Leal said. “That group would push each other to be better, and we do the same thing on this year’s team. When I played with the older girls it was honestly easier for me, because they led the way and they showed me how to go about myself.”

The playoffs will determine where to rank this 2018-19 team. The pieces are in play for a special postseason run, the bench is loaded and the starting five is stacked.

Time will tell on just how filled the Lady Cards’ next banner will be.

KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

HARLINGEN— All night long, Harlingen High and Harlingen South answered each other’s left hooks. Neither team managed to pull away.

That was until Cardinals senior Michael Arellano drilled a 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter that gave the Cards a five-point lead, helping to fuel a 17-3 run to close out a 50-38 win over Harlingen South on Friday night.

Arellano finished with a game-high 18 points.

“We just tried to push the tempo and push the defensive pressure,” Cardinals assistant coach Leeroy Sanchez said. “We were fortunate that we were able to get some turnovers, and that helped our offense. Much credit to Harlingen South, they are a tough team and it was hard to break it open against them. They play very good defense, we were just fortunate.”

Harlingen High snapped a two-game skid and improved to 4-3 in district play, staying ahead of the pack for a possible No. 3 seed.

The Cardinals now hit the road for the final three games of the regular season, starting with a matchup against Brownsville Rivera on Tuesday followed by games at San Benito and Brownsville Hanna.

“Any time you can beat Harlingen South or any top team, it is going to help and give us confidence,” Sanchez said. “Hopefully we can build on this for the last three games and into the playoffs if we are fortunate to make it.”

South, meanwhile, slides to 2-5 in district and now has a tall order against Brownsville Hanna on Tuesday at home.

The Hawks need to win Tuesday to keep their playoff hopes alive. Senior Grant Lowery led the offense with 15 points in the loss.

KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

HARLINGEN— The Harlingen High Lady Cardinals are back on top of the District 32-6A mountain again after a 61-28 win over rival Harlingen South on Friday night in Harlingen.

The Lady Cards bring back the trophy for the first time since the 2015-16 season and a third time under coach Ashley Moncivaiz. Harlingen High is 9-0 in 32-6A with one district game remaining.

“We came into this year on a mission,” Moncivaiz said. “We hadn’t won a district title in a few years. These kids all worked really hard, and this is one of the things we wanted to do. We wanted to make a statement, and we did that.”

Leading 34-20, junior Alyssa Salas drilled a 3 at the buzzer to give Harlingen High a 37-20 lead at the end of the third quarter, helping to spark a 9-0 run into the fourth quarter that opened the floodgates.

“We wanted to be aggressive from the tipoff and we were not going to back down or show mercy, and that play gave us a jolt going into the fourth quarter,” Moncivaiz said.

Senior Taegan Dickey rose to the occasion with a game-high 20 points. She flew up and down the court all night long.

“Knowing that all the hard work myself and the team has put in is paying off, it is amazing,” Dickey said.

This is a first district title for Dickey. As a freshman, she saw her older sister Addison win a district title with the 2015-16 team.

“She surprised me today when she got here,” Dickey said. “It means so much to our family that we both have won a district title. I was able to see her do it, and for both of us to do it our senior year is something special.”

Along with the stifling defense that forced South into turnovers was the play of Bianca Rodriguez.

The senior came out swinging and hit back-to-back 3s during the opening period as part of a 14-2 run during the opening quarter. Rodriguez finished with 12 points.

Harlingen South will look to regroup when it plays host to Brownsville Hanna on Tuesday. South is now 7-2 in district play and is still in a position for the playoffs.

Karla Reyes led the offense with nine points, and Allyah Guevara finished with five in the loss.

KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

HARLINGEN—The stars have aligned to where the Harlingen and Harlingen South girl’s basketball teams will battle for more than city supremacy.

When the two schools meet tonight at 6 p.m. at Harlingen High, it will be for a shot at the District 32-6A title.

The case is simple for the Lady Cardinals: Win and you win the district title outright.

A loss would then draw a tie for the district lead.

Harlingen would then need a win against Brownsville Rivera and a South loss to claim the title outright on the final day of the regular season or, both teams could win their final game to end as co-champs in that scenario.

For Harlingen South, a win would mean they would get at least a share of the district title and would need to win on Tuesday against Brownsville Hanna to finish as co-champs. Back-to-back losses or losing one of the last two would lock the Lady Hawks in as the two seed. The last district title the Lady Hawks won was in 2010-11 under former Lady Hawks coach Dawn Engleman.

“I’m very honest with the kids,” said South Coach Kelly Garrett. “And it was on our notes today that this game, the district title is on the line. This is one goal we have been working for all season and we have been taking it one game at a time. Yes, we won some close ones, but a win is a win and we have ourselves in position.”

In their first matchup, Harlingen dominated from the word go and cruised to a 53-33 win. At the time, both teams entered with 3-0 district records.

“We just need to continue to do what we do,” Harlingen coach Ashley Moncivaiz said. “There are some things that we needed to fix. We need to keep them off the foul line, rebound and continue to push the pace. We won’t change much; it’s a matter of adjusting because this is the second round and everyone already has a feel to what you do.”

South has dropped the last four meetings against Harlingen, but will look to change their fortune tonight. Since their loss against Harlingen, South has won four straight.

“This is Bird Bowl; it is always a huge deal and now you add a district title on the line,” Garrett said. “It is exciting and the kids know what is at stake. One thing I told the kids is I’m going to put this on your shoulders, because I’m putting it on mine and it is on the line and we need to take care of business tomorrow night.”

As for the Lady Cards, they come in on an 11-game win streak and are 8-0 in district play. Harlingen will be looking for their first district title since the 2015-16 season.

“The kids are ready, it is one of the things they have been working for,” Moncivaiz said. “Last year we had an opportunity and it fell through and this year we have a shot and over the offseason they fought and we have put ourselves in a position again for a district title.”

MARK MOLINA | Staff Writer

When Hanna senior high jumper Natalie Arnold readies for her first official jump of the 2019 track and field season, she will do so knowing her future as a Division I athlete is all set.

Surrounded by coaches and parents, Arnold inked her national letter of intent to jump for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in a ceremony Wednesday afternoon at Hanna High School.

“This day has had such a big impact on my life,” the Hanna senior said. “It’s a stress reliever knowing what college I’m going to go to. I honestly feel just ecstatic about everything. I want to thank my coaches and my parents, who supported me in everything that I do; I wouldn’t be here without them.”

The decision to attend Little Rock was not an easy one for Arnold, who had options when it came to furthering her athletic career.

Her decision would ultimately come down to more than athletics.

“I had universities interested in me out of state also, but my mom and I toured the University of Arkansas,” Arnold said. “We met with the coaches and the faculty there. The nursing program was ultimately the big decision in choosing this university. I intend to obtain my bachelor’s of science and nursing. After meeting with the coaches and the athletes and everything, I honestly felt comfortable with the university itself and everything that it offered.”

This season will be Arnold’s fourth season at the varsity level and she will be looking to improve on a solid junior year in which she captured three bronze medals and a gold medal before finishing fifth at the District 32-6A meet.

Over that time, Hanna head track and field coach Olaya Teran said that Arnold’s intense focus is something that stood out while on the team.”

“She is a really shy person, but is also really intense,” Teran said “She’s always focused when jumping and sometimes I didn’t even want to talk to her because she was upset because she didn’t make a jump. She didn’t like to talk to anyone and was always real focused. I was like that as a runner so I understood where she was coming from. She’s improved so much from where she started and we just want to see her exceed her personal best.”

Arnold, whose personal best jump was 5 feet last year’s Sams Relays, will join the Little Rock Trojan track and field team, which competes in the Sun Belt Conference and is coming off a 10th place finish at last year’s outdoor conference meet.

The Hanna high jumper said her first goal will be to break her personal mark.

“I’m hoping to hit anywhere form 5-2 to 5-4,” Arnold said. “And with the help of the coaches and the strength and condition there, I hope to exceed a 5-4.”

Teran hopes she, along with jumping coach Fermin Lucio and the rest of the Hanna staff can take Arnold past her PR this season.

“Hopefully we can do better than that,” Teran said. “She’s doing strength training with us right now, so hopefully she does better this season and exceeds her PR.”

KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

The Rio Hondo Lady Bobcats have checked in a solid 2018-19 season thus far. The Lady ’Cats are 10-2 in district play and are coming off a 64-22 win over Raymondville on Tuesday. One key to the Lady Cats success has been the play of senior Taylor Gomez.

Against Raymondville, the 5-foot-11-inch Gomez led the offense with 20 points, which is her second- best output this season. Along with her 20 points, Gomez checked in seven rebounds, four blocks and two steals.

With the only rock in the road coming against Hidalgo, the senior has been a mainstay for Rio Hondo. With just two games remaining in the regular season, the Lady ’Cats are in a comfortable spot for a postseason berth.

The Valley Morning Star had a chance to catch up with Gomez.

Q: With just two games left in the regular season, what has been the most memorable moment so far?

Taylor: The most memorable moment, or moments I should say, would definitely be seeing my dad on the sideline taking pictures at every single one of my games. He’s taken pictures of my teammates and I for the past four years. So I know that when the season is over that will end, too. However, I have thousands of images to remind me of my playing days.

Q: You play volleyball and basketball, what is the transition like from one sport to the next?

Taylor: It’s tough at first. I go three months without playing in any basketball games, because I’m so focused on volleyball throughout that time. So once volleyball season is over, I’m a little rusty and have to start getting back in the groove of things both physically and mentally.

Q: What is the loudest gym you have played in?

Taylor: The loudest gym I have played in would have to be in La Feria. When we play them at their court both sides bring a big crowd, so it gets pretty rowdy.

Q: Walk us through your gameday routine?

Taylor: Not much of a routine, but there are certain things that I feel have to be done before my game. First, I have to a good breakfast, usually tacos that my dad makes. For lunch, I try to survive on what the school cafeteria serves, and then before the game, at about 5 p.m., my dad usually brings me Chick-Fil-A or Subway. It’s difficult for me to play my best on an empty stomach.

Q: Do you have any superstitions?

Taylor: I do not have any superstitions, but one thing I always have to do before a game is pray.

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

Taylor: I didn’t start playing basketball until the seventh grade.

Q: What would be your dream ticket?

Taylor: It would be a dream come true to attend the annual music festival Coachella in California.

Q: If you could have dinner with anyone in history who would it be and why?

Taylor: I would like to have dinner with my great grandfather on my dad’s side and my great grandmother on my mom’s side. According to my parents they were very good people and well-respected, but unfortunately they passed away before I was born and I did not get to meet them.

Q: Friday is parent’s night. As a senior, are there any extra emotions?

Taylor: Of course. It will be my last time playing basketball in that gym as well as the last time standing with my parents getting our picture taken before we go out and play, so it’s very emotional.

Q: What are you currently binge watching on Netflix?

Taylor: I just finished watching Pretty Little Liars on Netflix.

By KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — The Harlingen South Lady Hawks’ basketball team has been quite the story this season.

After a turbulent 2017-18 season, Harlingen South has rebounded this year behind its big three in juniors Karla Reyes and Laura Ramirez, and senior Dolores Mendoza.

The three all have had a hand in this year’s success that has Harlingen South in the mix not only for the playoffs but for a potential district title with a 6-1 record.

“Last year I felt we didn’t play with heart,” Reyes said. “This year we are not doing that, we are playing with heart and it shows. We want it this year, and I’m glad we are all playing with a chip on our shoulder. We are hungry.”

While Ramirez and Mendoza have helped fuel the Lady Hawks, it’s Reyes’ presence on and off the court that has helped turn the season around. Reyes was lost last season to a season-ending knee injury Dec. 19, 2017, against Brownsville Hanna.

“When I got hurt, I really felt like it was the end of the world,” Reyes said. “It hurt so much that I could not be out there on the court. I tried to help as much as I could, but it just wasn’t the same with me not being on the court with them.”

South finished 6-8 in district play, going 2-8 down the stretch without Reyes.

“Last year I felt it all came down to when Karla went down with her injury,” Mendoza said. “It felt like everything collapsed. Now we are all back together and everything is flowing, and we are all on the same page.”

With Reyes on the court and teamed up with her battery mates, South is a well-rounded squad that has displayed mental toughness and has shown the ability to make plays when they count.

This season, South got off to a 3-0 district start and its only blemish is a loss to rival Harlingen High. Since that loss, the Lady Hawks have won their past three games.

While Reyes leads the team in scoring, rebounds, blocks and assists, Ramirez is third in scoring and leads the team in steals. Mendoza is second in scoring and fifth on the team in steals.

“I think now we have heart, and like Dolores said, when we lost Karla we all got down,” Ramirez said. “But this year we believe in each other and we have grown mentally, and that just comes with the experience that we have.”

Harlingen South next travels to Brownsville Rivera on Tuesday and, if the stars align, the Lady Hawks could have a shot at the district title this Friday when they travel to Harlingen High.

KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — Leading by 10 points with 4:47 left in the third quarter, it looked as if Harlingen High was about to put away the Brownsville Hanna Golden Eagles.

But basketball is a game of runs, and that proved to be the case Friday night as Hanna rallied for a 50-41 win over the Cardinals.

The Eagles took a 37-36 lead in the final seconds of the third quarter and never relinquished that lead. Victor Campos guided the Eagles’ offense with a game-high 16 points, scoring eight during the third period to help set the tone for the rest of the night.

“Honestly, in the first half we were getting decent looks, we were just not finishing,” Hanna coach Fermin Lucio said. “At the half, we told the kids not to panic and to just chip away, and in the second half we were able to finish our shots.”

Hanna continued to hit its shots and executed at the free throw line during the second half. The Eagles managed to outscore the Cards 33-17 in the second half and stymied Harlingen High point guard Michael Arellano, holding him to 12 points, just three in the second half. Those three from Arellano cut the lead to 45-41 with 1:20 remaining, but Hanna hit the next five free throws to seal the comeback.

“When we got that lead and made that rally, and were able to get rebounds and make stops, that is when we knew we had a shot,” Lucio said. “We had a spark off the bench, too, and that was big for us.”

With the first half of district play wrapped up, Hanna sits comfortably at 4-1 and remains in second place behind Los Fresnos, which is 5-0.

“Honestly, we don’t worry about that, we just worry about winning tomorrow’s practice and getting ready for Tuesday when we play San Benito. Really, that is all we worry about,” Lucio said.

Harlingen High finds itself at a crossroads at the midway point with a 3-2 32-6A record, and now has to regroup to take on the Falcons on the road.

“We need to put more pressure on the ball as far as the defense goes and the rebounding is another thing we need to correct and obviously the turnovers is another thing we need to fix,” said Harlingen assistant coach Leeroy Sanchez. “Tonight that is what made the difference, they were more aggressive on going to the basket than we were and that is why they were able to get to the line 19 times, that was the biggest difference tonight.”

Lady Cards roll past Hanna

Earlier Friday, the Harlingen High Lady Cardinals outmuscled Brownsville Hanna in a 66-23 victory. Three Lady Cardinals scored in double figures, led by a team-high 13 points from Taegan Dickey. Alyssa Cervantes scored 11 points, and Emery Scoggins netted 10 points in the win.

“We had better ball movement tonight, and we had everyone ready to score,” Harlingen High coach Ashley Moncivaiz said. “Anyone one our team can contribute, and that is the good thing about our team. Anyone can come in and shoot inside and outside and that is helping out our offense.”

The win keeps Harlingen High — which won its 10th straight game — in the driver seat in District 32-6A with a 7-0 mark. The Lady Cardinals will travel to Los Fresnos on Tuesday.

“We are starting to come around and peak at the right time,” Moncivaiz said. “The ball movement is one thing we have improved on. In the past, one thing we have done too much of is we dribbled too much instead of passing the ball.”

Hanna, meanwhile, has a 2-6 record in 32-6A and meets San Benito on Tuesday.

Harlingen High came out swinging during the first quarter and grabbed an 11-0 lead behind Cervantes, Dickey and Bianca Rodriguez, who all scored six points in the period.

“These next few games are going to be very competitive, and that is one thing I keep stressing to the girls. It is going to be one of those weeks where we need to come in ready and sharp, because both Los Fresnos and Harlingen South will come out ready. We are at a point in the season where teams are coming out ready and not wanting to lose momentum,” Moncivaiz said.

Behind the hot shooting was the Harlingen High defense, which held Hanna offense to four first-quarter points and 10 first-half points. Mia Paz scored a game-high 14 points for Hanna.

KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

With the second half of district play in full swing, teams are starting to hit their stride and the postseason picture is becoming a little bit clearer.

On Tuesday, Harlingen South trailed Los Fresnos 39-32 entering the fourth quarter until both Laura Ramirez and Karla Reyes stepped to the plate and scored a combined 11 points to help fuel the Lady Hawks to a 47-44 win.

South improved to 5-1 in district play and continues their resurgent year. South will now take on San Benito tonight at 6.

Los Frenos meanwhile sits at 3-3 in league play with four district games remaining. The Lady Falcons will look to bounce back at Brownsville Rivera tonight at 6 p.m.

After winning two straight, San Benito has dropped their last two games. On Tuesday, the Lady Greyhounds fell to rival Harlingen 57-20. San Benito is currently 3-4 and will host Harlingen South tonight.

Speaking of the Lady Cardinals, they will host Brownsville Hanna and will put their 6-0 district record on the line tonight at 6 p.m..

Against San Benito, senior Taegan Dickey netted a game-high 10 points and both Avery Hinojosa and Alyssa Cervantes scored eight each.

Lady Cats look to bounce back

On Tuesday, Rio Hondo saw their seven-game win streak snapped by the Hidalgo Lady Pirates. In what was a battle for first place, Hidalgo came out on top 52-29.

In the loss, senior Taylor Gomez was at her best as she finished the game with 16 points. Despite the loss, Rio Hondo remains in healthy shape for a playoff berth as a two seed out of district 32-4A.

Up next for the Lady ‘Cats is a home tussle with Zapata.

Lyford, meanwhile, continues to roll through district play. The Lady Bulldogs picked up a 56-29 win over Monte Alto and improved their district record to 12-1.

Against Monte Alto, three Lady Bulldogs scored in double figures, led by freshman Damaris Bermudez, who scored a game high 17 points, while junior Emily Gonzalez and Sam Delgado each finished with 10 apiece.