KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

RIO HONDO — It was a banner year for Rio Hondo football and the entire athletic program as the Bobcats have seen many of their athletes sign on to play at the college level.

On Wednesday that list grew as both Tyler Bush and Jake Martinez signed their names on the dotted line to play football at Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa. This will be Clarke’s inaugural football season.

“This is a dream come true for me; this has always been a dream of mine ever since I was a little kid,” said Martinez. “I have always wanted to play at the college level and I’m excited to go to Iowa. I haven’t visited campus yet, but from what I’ve seen it’s beautiful and I love the cold weather.”

Martinez was a mainstay at center for the Bobcats the last three seasons and was named first team all-district at the center position.

Meanwhile, his signal caller Bush wrapped up a strong high school career and will take his talents to the college level as a slot receiver.

This year Bush guided Rio Hondo to an unbeaten district season and a bi-district title. He was named league MVP of the as well as the Valley Morning Star’s All-STAR Offensive Player of the Year.

“It’s a big day for me; this is something I have been looking forward to,” Bush said. “Everyone wants to play at the college level so it’s exciting for me to be able to keep playing. Clarke reached out to me and gave me an opportunity, and I wanted to take advantage of it. We haven’t visited campus yet, they just offered us a spot right then and there.

“I’m excited Jake is going with me; we have played together our whole lives,” continued Bush. “It is going to be something new for us, but we’re ready to take on the challenge and I’m ready to take on the challenge of playing slot receiver, which is something I have been looking forward to.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

The battle for District 32-6A will have to wait at least one more day. League leader Harlingen South (10-0) is slated to host San Benito (9-1) tonight at 5:30 at Lady Hawk Field.

Tuesday was the original date, but the contest was postponed due to the rainy weather that hit the area.

The last time South and San Benito faced off it was an offensive showcase for the Lady Hawks, who scored 13 runs on 15 hits.

“We’re excited for the next challenge,” said South coach Elias Martinez, who can pick up career win No. 500 with a win tonight.

“They’re (San Benito) the next team on our schedule and we don’t take anyone lightly.”

Meanwhile, since their loss to South, San Benito has found its form and has won six straight. The Lady Hounds have gotten strong play from a variety of players, including cleanup hitter Joanna Gonzalez and Deztiny Hernandez along with leadoff hitter Audrey Huerta.

Defensively, San Benito’s outfield has emerged as one of the top units in the Valley. Hernandez is in left, Huerta plays center and Meagan Ybarra starts in right field.

“We have done a good job of taking it one game at a time,” said San Benito coach Denise Lira after Friday’s win against Brownsville Rivera. “It’s important for us to keep our focus and prepare for South. We are not worried about what is across the field; we’re worried about ourselves and that is going to keep us on track.”

HARLINGEN HIGH: The Lady Cards will also have to wait to hit the diamond due to Mother Nature. Tuesday’s game against Weslaco East got pushed back to Thursday with the first pitch set for 7.

Harlingen (5-5) is looking to complete a season sweep against East and, with a win, clinch a playoff spot.

In their first meeting, the Lady Red Birds cruised to a 10-3 win.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

SAN BENITO — Saturday marked the final day of the District 32-6A track meet, which kicked off Thursday, and a new district champion was crowned on the boys side.

Art Benavides helped guide Harlingen High to the school’s first district title in two years.

Big Red finished with 165 points, in second place was Harlingen South with 114.33 points and in third place was Weslaco High with 82.

“What really helped us was we got the lead in the field events on Thursday,” said Harlingen coach Efran Ambriz. “That cushion helped us out and today we had some hiccups in our relays, but overall our boys came out, performed and brought back the trophy to our school, and that means a lot to us.”

Benavides, who is a senior, took first place in each of his three events, which is a first in program history. Benavides topped out with a 2:03.57 in the 800-meter run, in the mile he finished in 4:29.50 and in the two-mile run he finished with a time of 9:38.70.

“It took a lot of work and preparation coming into this meet,” said Benavides. “We knew it was going to be tough. This was my first meet where I had three events and the objective was to win all three events, and that’s what I did. I have a great coach in Coach Ambriz. He pushes me to get better and we continued to work hard in practice, and we came in and did what we needed to do.”

Harlingen South, meanwhile, swept the field events and placed second overall. Marcus Ramirez finished in first with a 15-00.00 in the pole vault, Chase Harrell placed first in the shot put with a throw of 56-08.00 and teammate Andrew Ott finished in second with a 56-07.00.

In the discus, Sky Tatum finished in first with a throw of 175-07 followed by teammate Bejamin Ruiz, who placed second with a 155-08, and Christian Cortez, who placed third with a 154-06.

“It was a very competitive meet the last few days,” said South coach Ralph De La Rosa. “My hat’s off to Harlingen High. They competed very well and did a great job and finished strong. Now we have to prepare for the area meet. We have different events we will be competing in so it is something we’re looking forward to and aiming to win the area title.”

On the girls side, Weslaco High took home the gold with 165 points followed by Brownsville Hanna and Los Fresnos in third.

Harlingen High, meanwhile, finished in fifth place followed by Harlingen South in sixth and San Benito in seventh place.

In the triple jump, South’s Caroline Grannum finished in first with a jump of 37-00.75 while Annelle Rodriguez placed first in the high jump with a leap of 5-02.00.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

SAN BENITO — Senior Deztiny Hernandez got Parents Night off with a bang by swatting a solo home run and opened the door for a five-run first inning as the San Benito Lady Hounds routed Brownsville Rivera 17-1 in four innings Friday night.

“It’s always emotional when you have Parents Night, especially for the seniors,” said San Benito coach Denise Lira. “The kids kept their composer and enjoyed the night, and right after that we did some warm-ups that got them re-focused, and tonight they did an excellent job at the plate.”

There was no shortage of offense for the Lady Hounds as they swatted 20 hits.

After the five-run first, the hits kept coming. In the bottom of the second inning, San Benito batted around and plated seven more runs. Both April and Sarah Garcia drove in runs to make it 8-0 San Benito after two.

Four Lady Hounds finished with three hits each. Audrey Huerta went 3 for 4 with two runs, Hernandez went 3 for 4 with two runs, Aaliyah Rangel finished 3 for 4 with a run and an RBI, and AJ Jasso also went 3 for 4 with one run and four RBIs.

“It’s an emotional night for us seniors; this has been such a great year for us,” Huerta said. “Right now we’re playing well and are having fun; our chemistry is great. As a leadoff (hitter), I try and just get on base, and in the outfield I do my best to back up my pitcher.”

ON DECK: With the win, San Benito pushed its win streak to six in a row and improved to 9-1 in District 32-6A, setting up a rematch next week with league-leading Harlingen South, which won Friday against Brownsville Hanna. The Lady Hawks are 10-0 and the two will tussle at 7 p.m. Tuesday at South.

“We will have practice tomorrow and we have done a good job of taking it one day at a time,” Lira said. “We will enjoy this win tonight, but it’s back to work the next day. It’s important for us to keep focused because we have two days to prepare for South. We are not worried about what is across the field, we’re worried about ourselves and that is what is going to keep us on track, to control the things we can control.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

RIO HONDO — The 2017 football season was one to remember for the Rio Hondo Bobcats and for Ty Rhyner, Friday was the icing on the cake for his senior season.

Rhyner, who was an offensive and defensive lineman for the Cats, signed a letter of intent to play football this coming fall at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas.

“I’m looking forward to the next chapter in my life,” Rhyner said. “I had a great four years here at Rio Hondo; we had a successful run. Now I’m ready to start my college career and be a part of a wonderful university.”

Rhyner, who was a first-team all-district guard this past season, was a part of one of the most prolific offenses this past season and helped pave the way for quarterback Tyler Bush.

“It’s a big deal to be able to sign and play at the next level,” he said. “As a kid, you want to be that player who moves on and plays at the next level. This is something that I have always dreamed about. I’m ready and it is going to be a blast.”

Southwestern is a NCAA Division III program and is a part of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Association.

“When I visited the campus, it felt like home,” he said. “The coaching staff made me feel like it was the place to be. The program is in line to do some big things and I’m excited to be a part of it. I love the campus and I love the university.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

SAN BENITO — The Lady Hounds have been playing some solid softball over the past few weeks and one of their four seniors, starting left fielder Deztiny Hernandez, has provided the team with a solid glove and consistency at the top of the order.

With the regular season quickly winding down and the postseason nearing, Hernandez is taking it all in this season.

The Valley Morning Star had a chance to catch up with Hernandez on Thursday.

—

Q: You’ve had a strong season so far. Talk about how much fun you’re having?
A: Out of the four years I’ve played for San Benito, this is beyond my favorite year. I love my teammates and all the crazy moments we have had. We make the most out of every day and I cherish all the time I spend with them.

Q: What were some things you worked on to improve your game?
A: I’ve worked hard at staying disciplined at the plate. I get anxious to hit sometimes and realized I needed to calm down and wait for a pitch I like.

Q: Has it hit you yet that this is your senior year?
A: No, it really hasn’t. I’m having too much fun to even notice that the end of our regular season is coming. We just need to continue playing for each other and give our full effort on the field.

Q: Do you have any pre-game superstitions?
A: It’s unreal how many superstitions I have. From putting my left sock on first, to eating only turkey slices and two oranges, to touching the San Benito softball in our dugout when we enter and exit, the list of superstitions is pretty lengthy.

Q: Tell us something the fans probably don’t know about you?
A: My goal in life is to become an astronaut and travel into space.

Q: On Twitter, who is your coolest follower?
A: My parents are the coolest people following me on Twitter.

Q: What’s the most expensive thing you broke?
A: The most expensive thing I’ve broke is my iPhone 5C.

Q: What are you currently binge watching?
A: I’m currently binge watching “The Office.” I love how the people on the show remind me so much of my family members.

Q: Who is your favorite NCAA softball team?
A: Baylor.

Q: What is your favorite drink?
A: Water.

Q: What is your favorite breakfast taco?
A: Potato and egg.

Q: If you could have one super power what would it be?
A: If I could pick any superpower it would be to have ultimate healing.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

The Lady Hounds are riding a five-game win streak and are in the race for a district title.

Senior catcher Joanna Gonzalez is once again providing the pop at the plate and a solid glove behind the plate this season.

Against Los Fresnos last Thursday, Gonzalez went just 1 for 3 at the plate, but her one hit was a memorable one as she belted her first career grand slam and helped San Benito blow past the Lady Falcons 20-0.

On Tuesday, the hits and wins kept coming for the Lady Hounds as they made quick work of Weslaco East with an 11-0 win. Gonzalez went 1 for 2 with a walk and a run scored in the win.

With the hot bat, Gonzalez was tabbed this week’s Valley Morning Star female Player of the Week.

“For me, to get this means I accomplished something,” Gonzalez said. “As a team this means we’re doing something together and that is important. We got off to a slow start, but we all have found our form and are playing together.”

Gonzalez has been a mainstay for the Lady Hounds program the past four years and is enjoying her final year in purple and gold.

“At the start of the season, I felt I put pressure on myself because it was my senior year,” she said. “Now, I feel more relaxed than before and I take it one plate appearance at a time, and I try and get on base or move runners over. Whatever I can do to help my team, I’m ready.”

San Benito is currently 8-1 in District 32-6A and will put their win streak on the line tonight when they host Brownsville Rivera at 7.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

RIO HONDO — Along the outfield wall at Rio Hondo’s softball field, district championship banners hang alongside several playoff banners, which serve as a reminder of what has been and can be for the new wave of talent in Rio Hondo.

After last season, the Lady Cats bid farewell to the big five of Jennifer Flores, Miranda Martinez, Alexa Castellanos, Tianna Sandoval and Kaila Zepeda, who set the standard and passed the torch to a new set of players who are ready to step up and continue the programs’ winning tradition.

“One of the big things that is similar to last year’s group is the continuity,” said Rio Hondo coach Brett Esparza. “They play for each other and they learned to be selfless and are driven to reach our ultimate goal. We have been able to put the pieces in play and our district record shows that.”

This year’s new group consists of five freshmen and one sophomore along with some savvy veterans. Nayeli Garcia is the lone sophomore who is in her second year on the varsity team and bats leadoff.

Freshmen pitchers Dominique De Jesus and Kelsey Pizarro have emerged as a strong 1-2 punch in the circle behind senior ace Annie Alvarado. Both Pizarro and De Jesus can also play the infield.

“Coming into the varsity, I knew I had to step up and overcome some obstacles,” De Jesus said. “The varsity level is much faster and you have to work just as hard. In the circle I don’t focus on the size or age, just whatever coach tells me to throw I go out there and give it my best.”

In the outfield, Emma Serna, Savanna Gonzalez and Abbie Torris round out the five freshmen. Gonzalez has filled in smoothly in the outfield and has played in 22 games this season while Torris has also found her form in left field.

At the plate, Torris is batting over .600 and leads the club in just about every offensive category.

“I see the banners and I want to do those things, I want to be as great as they were,” said Gonzalez.

Earlier in the season, Gonzalez filled in for senior Bianca Cruz, who suffered an early season injury, and has remained in the outfield while Cruz occupies the designated player position.

“I see her (Bianca) play and I want to be like her and do the things she does,” said Gonzalez. “She motivates me to be better and to improve. The speed of the game has been the biggest challenge; the girls know where to locate pitches, but the older girls have helped me in so many ways.”

Garcia, who has thrived in the leadoff spot, has the big-game experience and has provided a steady glove at third base this season.

“Last year helped me mature a lot. I knew I had to step up even though I was just a freshman,” Garcia said. “This year, I see myself guiding the younger girls. Last year, I saw us rely on the older girls and now the younger girls can rely on me because I believe in them. I know we can do big things and I want to give the girls that extra motivation because the older girls gave me that last year.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

With the month of April comes the back end of the regular season for softball.

Through the first round of district play, some teams have hit their stride and are in control of their playoff destiny while other clubs are fighting hard for a postseason berth as the end of the regular season quickly approaches.

HARLINGEN HIGH: After a two-game skid, the Lady Cardinals got back on track with a 10-0 win over Brownsville Rivera on Tuesday. The Lady Cards are now 5-4 in District 32-6A and are in the fourth spot in league play.

Against Rivera, sophomore Zoe Rosas threw five shutout innings and whiffed 12 batters while giving up just three hits.

Rosas got plenty of run support to back her up as the Lady Cards collected seven extra-base hits, including six doubles. Eneli Garza swatted a pair of doubles and scored twice. Meanwhile, Rosas helped her own cause with a 2-for-3 night at the plate with an RBI.

Up next is a home game against Weslaco High at 7p.m. Friday.

LYFORD: The Lady Bulldogs continue to roll through 32-3A play. On Tuesday, Lyford belted 13 hits as a club, and Hannah Garza and Serena Rodriguez combined for six RBIs en route to a 16-0 win over Monte Alto in four innings.

It was an eight-run third inning that sealed the win for Lyford as Evelyn Ortiz, Jerrica Rojas and Jasmine Garcia all collected two hits on the night.

With the win, the Lady Dogs are now 4-0 in league play. On deck is a date at Edinburg IDEA Quest at 5:30 p.m. Friday.

SAN BENITO: The Lady Hounds’ offense stayed hot and swept the season series against Weslaco East with an 11-0 win on Tuesday.

A seven-run first inning gave the Lady Hounds plenty of breathing room for starting pitcher Sarah Garcia, who tossed five shutout innings and struck out four.

At the plate, Deztiny Hernandez was 2 for 3 with two runs scored and Joanna Gonzalez was 1 for 2 with a walk and a run scored.

San Benito is 8-1 in 32-6A play and remains a game back of district leader Harlingen South (9-0). The Lady Hounds will host Brownsville Rivera at 7 on Friday while their rematch with the Lady Hawks is on the horizon.

RIO HONDO: The Lady Cats improved to 10-0 in District 32-4A after shutting out La Feria 6-0 on Tuesday.

Abbie Torris continued to swing a hot bat and collected two more hits. Atheny Orozco, meanwhile, was a perfect 3 for 3 at the plate and scored once.

Rio Hondo’s next stop will be road game against Grulla at noon on Saturday.

HARLINGEN SOUTH: The Lady Hawks improved to 9-0 in District 32-6A and will travel to Brownsville Hanna on Friday with first pitch slated for 7 p.m.

Against Los Fresnos on Tuesday, South used a five-run fourth inning to cruise past the Lady Falcons 13-3 in six innings.

Krystal Gonzales reached base all five times she was at bat as she collected three hits and was hit by a pitch twice. Meanwhile, Kaitlynn De La Fuente drew three walks and went 1 for 2 with an RBI double.

Finally, Kyntana Muniz and Alyssa Ledesma combined for seven hits, three runs and seven RBIs.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN — The wins just keep coming for Harlingen South.

Tuesday’s home game versus Los Fresnos was also Parent’s Night and the Lady Hawks did not disappoint their folks as Kytana Muniz and Alyssa Rodriguez combined for seven hits en route to a 13-3 win in six innings.

The Lady Hawks remain the cream of the crop in District 32-6A with a 9-0 league record and will travel to Brownsville Hanna Friday.

“Tonight, I was looking to make contact. I had runners on base and I needed to move them over,” Muniz said. “I have been working on getting speed with my hands and my hips, and those things have worked for me and I’m seeing the ball well at the plate.”

South built a 3-0 lead after two innings but couldn’t find the big hit to open things up.

In the first inning, South plated a run but left the bases loaded.

It was in the fourth inning that the bats came alive as the Lady Hawks batted around and scored five runs to extend their lead to 10-2. Ledesma and Muniz highlighted the frame with a run-scoring RBI by Ledesma and an RBI triple by Muniz.

Muniz finished the night 3 for 5 with 3 RBIs and a run scored while Ledesma went 4 for 4 and finished with four RBIs and two runs scored.

“We’re a young team but we have experience,” said Hawks coach Elias Martinez. “Right now, we’re enjoying it. The girls are having fun and working hard. We answer the call; when a team scores one run we want to score two. The way we fought tonight is the way we have fought all year and that says a lot about our girls’ character, and I’m proud of them.”

Ledesma, who is a freshman, continues to thrive at the varsity level, much like her battery mate Muniz, who is a sophomore. The two received high praise from their skipper.

“The girls continue to step up, and they get better and better each day,” Martinez said. “The kids put the work in and it shows in the game. I tell the girls they can’t practice half speed and expect to turn it on during the game, so they practice and play hard.”