KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN — With the second half of district play in full swing, the 32-6A playoff picture is beginning to bear fruit.

Friday night’s contest between the Los Fresnos Lady Falcons and Harlingen South Lady Hawks had playoff implications. The winner stood to gain a game in the standings and take control of the fourth spot in the conference.

The Lady Falcons put their best foot forward with a 59-45 win to split the season series with the Lady Hawks.

The Lady Falcons were led by Ari Gallardo’s 22-point performance. Los Fresnos improved its district record to 4-3 while South fell to 3-4. The Lady Falcons will now prepare for a road game at Weslaco East on Tuesday while Harlingen South will look to complete a season sweep against Brownsville Hanna.

“We turned the ball over in the third quarter and that allowed them to extend their lead,” said South coach Kelly Garrett of Los Fresnos. “We missed some box outs and that hurt us down the stretch. There were some things we couldn’t control.”

Los Fresnos used a strong offense in the second and third quarter to put South away. At the break the Lady Falcons led 27-16 and outscored South 16-9 in the period.

South’s Cameron Del Angel scored a team high 13 points while Bianca Gonzalez finished with nine.

Despite the loss, Garrett was proud of her team’s effort and said that there is still time left in the season to right the team’s wrongs.

“There are still plenty of games left and we need to come out ready every night,” she said. “We just need to fix the little things, but we just need to keep working. I love the intensity my kids brought tonight. They fought until the end.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN — Jarvis Christian College has become a familiar name for local softball athletes lately.

On Thursday, Harlingen South senior pitcher Daisy Gallegos became the latest area athlete to sign a letter of intent to play softball for the Bulldogs next fall.

“This is a big accomplishment. I have put in a lot of time and effort into my softball career,” Gallegos said. “It means a lot to be here today. I thank my parents for taking me to all my practices.”

Gallegos, who is the Lady Hawks’ ace, is excited to join other local athletes who are headed to Hawkins, Texas.

“That was one of the main reasons why I chose Jarvis because I will know most of the girls on the team and we will have a good bond, and hopefully have a good season together,” she said. “I think it’s awesome that we’re all from the Valley and we have a lot of talent here. We’re hoping we can make a name for ourselves and the school.”

Gallegos, who played in four varsity games as a freshman, has spent the last two seasons on the varsity squad and has played a vital role in the Lady Hawks’ most recent playoff success.

Last season, South reached the sweet 16 and this season Gallegos returns to the circle along with a strong supporting cast.

South head coach Elias Martinez has high expectations for this year’s club and for his ace.

“She (Daisy) brings a lot of experience and leadership to our team,” Martinez said. “This is the kind of girl you would gladly recommend to coaches. She is a great example of how to behave and she always does the right thing.

“We’re going to miss her when she’s gone, but she has her senior year to go through. We’re expecting a lot from her and she always comes through.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

Harlingen High has found its form over the last few games as the Cardinals are currently 5-1 in District 32-6A play and remain a game back for first place.

A big reason for the Cards’ success is junior point guard Michael Arellano, who has been the catalyst to the team’s offense.

In last week’s win against San Benito Arellano netted 21 points and against Harlingen South on Tuesday he finished with 19 points.

With the strong week, Arellano was named the Valley Morning Star’s boys Player of the Week.

On the season, Arellano is averaging a team high 17.8 points per game. He will look to continue his strong season when the Cards meet the Brownsville Rivera Raiders tonight to wrap up the first round of league play.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

The Harlingen High Cardinals picked up a 62-58 win on Tuesday night against crosstown rival Harlingen South.

With the win, the Cards improved to 5-1 in District 32-6A play with one game remaining in the first half of league action.

On Friday, the Cards travel to a surprising Brownsville Rivera team, which is currently 4-2 in district play and have won back-to-back games. Tip-off is set for 7:30.

HAWKS LOOK TO REBOUND VS. LOS FRESNOS: After a 4-0 start in 32-6A, Harlingen South has dropped two straight games against Rivera and Harlingen. The Hawks now find themselves tied with Rivera for the fourth spot in district play with 4-2 records.

Los Fresnos is currently 6-0 and will travel to South on Friday at 7:30. The Hawks have a chance to throw a wrench into the league standings if they’re able to pick up the win.

“I always look forward to playing Los Fresnos,” said Hawks coach Brian Molina. “They’re No. 1 in the Valley and are state ranked. They have a lot of returners from last year and are a very well-coached basketball team. I think our guys are looking forward to the opportunity to play them.”

HOUNDS HOST WILDCATS: San Benito fell to Los Fresnos 77-47 on Tuesday and with the loss the Hounds are 1-5 in district play. They fin-ish the first half of conference play on Friday as they host Weslaco East at 7:30.

Against the Falcons, David Sanchez led the Hounds in scoring with 19 points, Ryan Reza finished with 10 points and Aaron Medrano netted eight.

TROJANS OFF TO 3-0 START IN 32-2A PLAY: San Perlita has won its first three district games this season, including an 84-60 victory over La Villa on Tuesday.
Up next is a date with San Isidro at home on Friday.

This season the Trojans have gotten strong play from Tige Johnson, who is averaging a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds per game. He is also averaging three blocks per contest.

Victor Galvan is another key component to the Trojans as he’s averring 15 points per game. Meanwhile, Jamie Zallar and Julian Herrera are both averaging nine points per outing.

A VICTIM TO THE WEATHER: Lyford had its District 32-3A game against IDEA Quest Academy rescheduled for Feb. 16 due to inclement weather Tuesday. The Bulldogs are currently 1-0 in league play and will prepare for IDEA Frontier Tuesday at 7.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN — With the start of the 2017-18 high school softball set to begin soon, Harlingen High’s J’Den Gonzalez secured her future by signing a letter of intent to play softball next season at Jarvis Christian College in Hawkins, Texas.

“This day means a lot to me,” Gonzalez said. “Just being able to further my education and play at the college level is an accomplishment. When I was a kid, I always told my grandfather that I wanted to play college softball and today shows that I was able to reach that goal and I didn’t let him down.”

Gonzalez is a four-year letterman and plays all three outfield positions for the Lady Cards. Last season Harlingen missed out of the playoffs, but with a new coach and a majority of the starters coming back this year, Gonzalez is aiming to end her high school career on a high note.

“We’re excited that softball is days away,” Gonzalez said. “Coach (Nora) Aguilar expects a lot from us and from Day 1 she has pushed us to get better.”

Gonzalez is the latest softball player to join the list of names that will be playing softball at Jarvis College. Earlier this season, San Benito’s Megan Ybarra and Santa Rosa’s Skyler Ruiz signed letters of intent to play at the East Texas institution.

“I play travel ball with Megan, and I have played against Joanna in school and during travel ball. I’ve talked to Megan and we’re both excited we get a chance to play together at the college level. I know we will make each other better.” Gonzalez said.

It was Gonzalez’s freshman year when she got on the Jarvis radar and then she knew one day she would want to play in Hawkins.

“In September of last year they officially reached out to me, but we had been in contact since my freshman year. I plan on majoring in early childhood education.” Gonzalez concluded.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN — With temperatures dipping below freezing on Tuesday evening, Harlingen South and Harlingen heated things up with their first Bird Bowl meeting this season.

Both teams entered the evening with one loss in league play and needed a win to keep pace in District 32-6A play.

The Cardinals took the right step forward with a 62-58 win against the Hawks. Junior point guard Michael Arellano netted a game high 19 points and helped direct the Cardinals to their fifth district win of the season.

“We knocked down our shots in the third quarter and our kids came out ready to play against a very good South team,” said Harlingen coach Greg Yates. “South is a very talented team. They hit some threes down the stretch and made it close, but lucky for us we had some strong inside play and made plays in transition.”

At the break, Harlingen led 29-23 with Arellano leading all scorers with 14 first-half points. Harlingen began the second half with strong play from Arellano, who weaved through the Hawks defense and gave the Cards a 38-29 lead midway through the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, it was Jeremy Vasquez who helped put the game on ice with an 11 point quarter.

“This is a big win for us. The environment was electric; almost all of Harlingen was here tonight,” Arellano said. “We passed the ball well and hit shots in the second half and I came through for my team. I like the spotlight on a big stage, but I couldn’t have done it without my team-mates and we got it done tonight.”

Harlingen South, meanwhile, is at a crossroads and has dropped back-to-back conference games after a 4-0 start.

The Hawks (4-2) host Los Fresnos (6-0) on Friday as they wrap up the first round of district play.

“We knew it was going to be hard to win tonight against a tough Harlingen team at their place,” said Harlingen South coach Brian Molina. “I’m proud of the kids’ effort. I thought they fought hard all night long. In this district it’s going to be hard so I told the kids to keep playing hard and we’re hoping to bounce back on Friday.”

The Hawks were able to cut into the lead late on multiple occasions in the fourth quartet, but could not seem to get out of their own way with late turnovers and the inability to hit late free throws.

“This has been our Achilles heel all year, missing free throws, and turning over the ball late in games and giving up key offensive rebounds in crucial moments,” said Molina. “But, hey, credit goes to Harlingen. They played hard and played well, and they did what it took to win the game.”
In the loss, Aaron Briones led the Hawks with 16 points, Chanz Love scored 15 and Sean Turrubiates finished with 14.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

Ralph Rubalcaba, a 2012 graduate of Raymondville High School, has enjoyed a successful football career at Texas A&M-Kingsville.

Rubalcaba, who recently received a bachelor’s degree in marketing, is now in graduate school pursuing a master’s degree in business administration.

While his football playing days are now behind him, he will suit up one more time at the 2018 Dream Bowl at noon on Monday in Salem, Virginia.
The Star caught up with Ralph during a break from practice in Salem on Saturday.

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Q: How has your experience at TAMUK been both on and off the field?
A: My experience has been great. I loved every second of it. On the field, with the atmosphere of Javelina Nation, it was unbelievable. Off the field, the fans were just as great at the restaurants, stores, etc. They always loved talking football and encouraging the team.

Q: What has been your best on-field moment?
A: The best on-the-field moment was from the 2016 season, winning the Live United Bowl game with my team in Arkansas. Great season and a great team.

Q: What was the toughest stadium you played in and why?
A: The toughest stadium had to have been West Texas A&M on their homecoming night. It was a sold out crowd and they were ranked 17 in the nation so they were extra loud, but we came out with a huge win so that was better for us.

Q: Has it always been a dream of yours to play in a bowl game?
A: Always has been. I’ve always wanted to see where my play would get me.

Q: What has the week been like in preparation for the bowl game?
A: It’s been a lot of install as far as playbook wise and meetings, two a days, etc., but it’s also been a lot of fun getting to bond with guys from all over the nation.

Q: When did it hit you that you were playing college football?
A: The first time running out of the tunnel at Javelina Stadium. It was the best feeling in the world and I got that same feeling every time I ran out on the field.

Q: How did you earn the nickname “Highway 77?”
A: My Uncle Danny actually made it up my sophomore year of high school since I started on varsity. It was basically kind of like paving the way as far as running the ball.

Q: How has the support been from your family and the city of Raymondville?
A: The support my family has given me is the best. They’ve been there for every game of my career and are here with me currently in Virginia for the bowl game. They are my motivation for playing this game and they make playing football fun because I know how much they love watching me play.

Q: What message would you give to the kids playing sports in high school today?
A: Work your butt off for everything you want. It’s not going to be easy, but busting your butt off will get you further than you can ever imagine in life.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN — The back half of the first round of league play has arrived and so far District 32-6A has not disappointed as one of the top conferences in the Valley.

On Tuesday another chapter of the Bird Bowl will be written when Harlingen South visits Harlingen High at 7:30 p.m. Both teams enter the contest with 4-1 district records and remain a game back of Los Fresnos, which is in first place at 5-0. Last season Harlingen South swept the series against Harlingen.

After a 2-0 start in district play, Harlingen fell to Los Fresnos in what was the Cards’ worse loss of the season. Since then, the Cards have picked up back-to-back wins in convincing fashion.

The Cards are led by junior point guard Michael Arellano along with seniors Matthew Sesler, who provides a presence inside, and Jeremy Vasquez, who has also provided a steady hand.

“They’re an exciting team to watch,” said Harlingen coach Greg Yates of the Hawks. “We have watched them and when they’re knocking down those threes, they’re as good as anyone in the Valley.”

Harlingen South is coming off a 54-40 loss to Brownsville Rivera on Friday. The Hawks are now in a rough stretch where they meet Harlingen and Los Fresnos in the same week.

The Hawks are fueled by point guard Aaron Briones, and sharpshooters Grant Lowery and Sean Turrubiates.

“Playing in a crosstown rivalry is always big,” said Hawks coach Brian Molina. “We’re looking forward to a fun and exciting matchup against a very good Harlingen team. Coach Yates has done a great job of preparing his team and they’re an experienced team.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

SAN BENITO — Anytime Harlingen and San Benito lock horns, the two don’t disappoint. And Friday was no different.

In front of a large crowd divided by purple and red, it was the Cardinals who prevailed 71-53 thanks to a strong second half led by Jeremy Vasquez.

“Our kids did a good job tonight,” said Harlingen coach Greg Yates. “I had surgery yesterday, a little medical issue, so I was out the last few days, but my assistants did an excellent job preparing the kids for tonight.”

In the first half, the Cards found themselves in foul trouble and let an early lead slip away in the second quarter. San Benito’s Aaron Medrano caused fits for the Cards all evening long and kept the Hounds within striking distance and eventually helped them take a 31-29 lead at the break. Medrano finished with a team high 19 points.

After being held scoreless in the first half, Harlingen’s Jeremy Vasquez caught fire and scored 11 points in the second half and helped fuel an 8-0 run in the third quarter that pushed the Cards’ lead to 58-47.

“It’s a tough game, especially in San Benito because it’s a tough environment to play in,” Vasquez said. “All week the coaches told us to keep focused and not get distracted. This win for us is big, especially against San Benito.”

In the third quarter, Harlingen outscored San Benito 17-12 and 25-10 in the fourth quarter. Junior Michael Arellano netted a game high 22 points while Kameryn Gonzalez scored 11.

“We did not overlook San Benito; we knew they were capable of doing some things. They took Harlingen South to double overtime,” said Yates. “We were down in the first half because of foul trouble. We had to sit Jeremy because of foul trouble and he is one of our better players, and when you lose him it’s tough.

“In the second half, we got the ball inside and executed our offense, once we did that, we were able to get some easy buckets inside and got to the free-throw line.”

With the win, Harlingen improves its district record to 4-1 and will now prepare for the Bird Bowl on Tuesday. Harlingen South meanwhile fell to Brownsville Rivera and is also 4-1 in league play.

In the loss San Benito’s Jacob Sauceda scored 12 points and Ryan Reza finished with 11 on the night. The Hounds will wrap up the first round of district play with a road game on Friday night at 6 at Los Fresnos.

YATES IS NO STRANGER TO SAN BENITO: For 10 years Yates coached football and basketball at San Benito. Yates also once coached current San Benito head coach Eddie Abrego. From 1987 to 1997 Yates patrolled the San Benito sidelines and in his last year he served as the offensive coordinator under Tommy Roberts.

“It’s great to come back and see old friends,” Yates said. “A lot of the fans came up and said hello. I have a lot of ties here in San Benito.”

By KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN — The Harlingen South Hawks have gotten off to a strong start in District 32-6A play.

The Hawks are currently 4-0 in league play and will host Brownsville Rivera at 6 tonight.

Senior guard Chanz Love has provided the Hawks with a steady hand and is averaging 10.9 points per game while averaging 4.5 rebounds a game.

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

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Q: The team is off to a 4-0 start in district play. What have been some keys to the strong start?
A: Buckling down on the defensive end. As a team we take pride on that side of the court and trying to limit the opposing team to 10 points or less.

Q: Harlingen South has a lot of history when it comes to boys basketball. What is it like being a part of the program?
A: Being a part of this program has been a great experience for me and I couldn’t be happier with getting to the varsity level, and being a part of the program for a few years. I can clearly see why it’s such a great program and it’s because of our great coaches, who are great mentors, not only in basketball, but in life as well.

Q: You didn’t start playing basketball until your freshman year. What sports did you play before?
A: I used to play baseball and football.

Q: What made you want to play basketball?
A: One of my cousins had came down from California and he would want me to go to the gym with him everyday to watch him play, and I quickly fell in love with the sport and became interested in learning to play it.

Q: Would you rather, have a phone that never runs out of battery or always have free Wi-Fi?
A: I’d rather have a phone that never runs out of battery.

Q: What is the toughest gym to play in and why?
A: The toughest gym to play in would be Brownsville Hanna’s gym. The rims are very loose and a little lopsided. It’s also dark inside.

Q: Tell us something about yourself that we probably do not know?
A: I don’t use a pillow when I sleep.

Q: Do you have a nickname and, if so, what is it and how did you get it?
A: Baby Chanz because I have baby fever all year round.

Q: If you could have dinner with anyone in history who would it be and why?
A: I would have dinner with my Uncle Eli, who passed away before I was born. I would’ve loved to sit and get to know him.