By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — Virtually every year, McAllen High finds itself opening the season against Laredo Alexander, in what coach Paula Dodge referred to as something of a measuring stick and a preview of what could await her group in the playoffs.

But McHi wasn’t reading too much into its 25-22, 19-25, 25-23, 25-11 non-district loss Tuesday at home, considering the bevy of newcomers it is bringing into the fold.

McAllen High (0-1) returns five players from last year’s area-qualifying team, including Julia Monday, a senior outside hitter who earned All-Area second team honors. The senior outside hitter recorded 12 kills and two aces Tuesday, while teammate Sydney Pemelton, a senior middle blocker, notched 11 kills, two blocks and one ace.

Missing among the returners, however, was setter Carter Helmcamp, who is nursing a sprained ankle.

“We’re still learning what our strengths are, and what adjustments we need to make. Different rotations,” Dodge said. “It’s the first game of the season, so we have a lot of room to grow in every aspect.”

The biggest challenge for McHi seemed to be Alexander’s size and speed. It quickly ripped off runs of a 7-0 to open the game, or 11-1 to start the fourth. Much of that, players say, was attributed to the communication between the returners and the seven newcomers.

McHi had perhaps its best showing in Game 2, when it created separation from a 19-18 lead to win convincingly, 25-19, and even the match at one piece. Other than that, McHi struggled at times in two games, while winning one and keeping things close in the third.

“We’re looking good, but I think we could improve with our defensive skills, talking and our communication on the court,” Pemelton said. “Since we have new players, we’re still not really used to playing with each other, but we’re working on it.”

Senior outside hitter and middle blocker Taylor Helmcamp, however, wasn’t overly concerned. She said there were “good vibes” around the team the past couple of weeks, and the personalities appear to be meshing well. Once the underclassmen grow accustomed to playing best-of-five (instead of three) and “getting their jitters out,” she said she anticipates them thriving.

McHi showed it in spurts Tuesday, as it overcame a 7-0 deficit in Game 1 and tied it at 18 and 22 before falling. There was also the final stretch of Game 2 where it put together a 6-1 run to seal it. Though it was never ahead in Game 4, McHi forged three ties and nearly closed the gap at 24-23 before Alexander spiked the ball into the back row and pulled away.

“I think we need to work on clicking on the court,” said Taylor Helmcamp, a returning letterman. “We’re really hard workers, and we all dive for the ball, but we haven’t necessarily come together as a team yet. So, while individually we’re all really strong, we have to make sure we come together.

“That’s what the preseason is for: to get experience. So I think when that happens, it’ll definitely come together.”

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By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER

RIO GRANDE CITY — Orly Ramirez enters Grulla’s two-a-days as a three-year letterman, and one of six returning starters on defense. So perhaps it is of little surprise that the strong safety and outside linebacker is sensing practices being carried out at a more brisk pace this season.

“We’re on it,” Ramirez said Monday, snapping his fingers. “Last year, we were dragging a little bit the first week, but now we know what to expect.”

As a junior, Ramirez helped spark a turnaround in the Gators’ fortunes, from a 1-9 season in 2014 to a 4-6 campaign and bi-district playoff appearance. In a five-team district (16-4A, Division I), four are assured postseason berths. So rather than simply setting that as the benchmark, Grulla is shooting higher.

It’s plastered across their practice shirts, which read “Takin’ It To The Next Level.” Their hope is that it becomes habit around Grulla — that the team nabs the first seed (after finishing third), and that it reaches the second round of the playoffs (after not having passed the first).

“We want more,” said Ramirez, who led the best defense in district last year. “That’s what we’re practicing for. Like I said, the intensity is there. So I know we could do it.”

Coach Abel Gonzalez III sees room for improvement. After going 1-3 in district in 2014, his Gators finished 2-2, securing the third seed and a first-round matchup against Gonzales. Grulla lost 26-21, but Gonzalez was encouraged by the performance, saying, “it could have gone either way.”

Heading into the offseason, he prepared a list of things he wanted to see his program improve, including their red-zone attack. From the 20-yard line to the opposing 20, he said, the Gators had little issue moving the chains. It was the final stretch that proved too cumbersome, at times, as they averaged 15.1 points per game.

Gonzalez is encouraged, however, by his skill players, most of them returners. He has seven, including Fabian Anzaldua, a dual-threat quarterback. Anzaldua enters his senior season with renewed confidence, after committing the playbook to memory.

“Aw man, it makes everything so much easier,” Anzaldua said. “Last year, I had a lot of questions. But now that I know all of the plays, I’m able to give them advice about what to do.”

Anzaldua said he spent virtually everyday this offseason studying game film. He noticed his footwork needed refining, and he took it upon himself to bulk up in an effort to better absorb tackles.

Having spent time studying opposing defenses, Anzaldua feels better suited to make smarter decisions, especially as the Gators look to balance an offense that relied on the run last year.

He’ll have plenty of options at receiver with Miguel Flores, last year’s newcomer of the year, and Luis Martinez and Omar Martinez. Sophomore Dillen Salinas will play a multitude of roles this year, including receiver.

“We’re looking great,” he said. “Better than ever. The tempo is up. Guys are pumping each other up, screaming everywhere. Guys are wanting to play. They want their starting position. So you have a lot of guys just going after it.”

PICKING UP THE LINE

The Gators have big holes to fill at offensive line after the departure of Nazario Garza. The three-year starter at center left a gaping hole, which Gonzalez took turns filling last week with a cast of rotating players.

It could be one of the biggest question marks this year for Grulla, which struggled to produce offensively in 2015.

“It all starts with the line,” Anzaldua said. “I tell them, ‘You guys are the main ones on offense. Without you, we’re not a good offense.’

“We just have to keep working hard.”

STRONG ‘D’

Jimmy Ortiz enters his second year as the defensive coordinator. At Weslaco East, he oversaw one of the stingiest defenses in district. And Gonzalez believes the players’ familiarity with his 4-2 front should go a long way in trying to slow opponents once again.

Through 10 games, Grulla surrendered an average of 18.6 points, second-best among 16-4A, Division I teams.

“You’re going to see a lot of familiar faces in key positions,” Gonzalez said. “We have guys with experience, so hopefully that shows on Friday nights.”

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By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — Because McAllen Memorial returns two front line starters and a setter, Lorena Lopez has heard time again this offseason that she has virtually the same team coming back from 2015.

Lopez, however, refutes that idea.

“People think that because they’re big hitters, big blocks and tough servers,” Lopez said after graduating eight players. “But there’s a lot of new faces. It’s basically a brand-new team.”

If anything, Lopez sees it as a testament to the impact her returning trio had in making the fourth round of the playoffs. Her sophomore middle blockers alone would be foundational pieces on any team, Lopez believes. Pair Jocelynn Everage and Lanie Nitsch with setter Taylor Marburger, an All-Area first team selection and a Baylor prospect, and the Lady Mustangs believe they have the pieces in place to sustain their momentum.

“It’s definitely going to take work,” Marburger said, “but we’re already getting a feel for one another.”

More than anyone, Marburger stands to make the biggest adjustment this year. The Lady Mustangs are switching from a 5-1 set to a 6-2, which calls for two setters. That means that Marburger will double as an attacker on the right side, while setter Alexia Kruse adjusts to a new offense.

Kruse is among three transfers McAllen Memorial is looking to usher into the starting lineup. D.D. Ibarra, the District 31-5A Outstanding Setter of the Year, comes from Mission Veterans Memorial, while Abriana Saenz, the 31-6A Libero of the Year, comes from Edinburg North. Kruse previously attended Harlingen South, and was a second-team selection in 32-6A.

Though she believes they have a wealth of talent, Marburger talked about the team having to mesh with one another. Before their arrival, Marburger wasn’t sure what to expect. She entered the offseason setting out to study every one of the six positions on the court, in case she would have to spend time there.

But once the transfers filtered in, Marburger focused on serving and hitting, which she did a bit as a sophomore.

“They could play,” Marburger said about the transfers. “There’s a lot of offense, and that’s what we needed — all-around good players.

“I wasn’t sure what to expect at first. But as soon as I saw them come in, they filled every single hole on our team. It just fit perfectly, and we’re really connecting.”

The group bounded during their time with the Venom, their club team. But last week’s tryouts and practice afforded them their first opportunity together with Lopez and the new offense.

Much like last year, Marburger will be the focal point of the offense with Everage in the middle and outside, and Nitsch primarily in the middle. As a freshman, Everage was among the team’s kill leaders and leading servers. She earned first-team all-district honors. And Nitsch was named the All-Area Newcomer of the Year.

With a season under their belts, and an offseason to hone their skills, Lopez sees better court awareness out of her two sophomores. Part of that, in fact, stems from their need to fill multiple roles last year. Nitsch played four last year, and Everage played all six.

“They’re not just big kids up front that can get a block,” Lopez said of her 6-footers. “Now they can basically do anything you need them to do.”

Marburger returns a more polished player, as well. After attending several camps this offseason, including Baylor, where she is in talks with the program about potentially walking on, Marburger has developed into a more vocal leader, Lopez said.

Her communication, particularly with her new teammates, should go a long way in trying to bring all the pieces together.

“We lost a lot of seniors, but I think we gained the talent back with our transfers,” Everage said. “Our communication and our effort are really good, and I think it’ll make our team stronger and more well-rounded.”

[email protected]

======================================

Preseason Top 10

1, McAllen High

2, Los Fresnos

3, McAllen Memorial

4, Edinburg High

5, Brownsville Veterans

6, Edinburg Vela

7, McAllen Rowe

8, Edinburg North

9, Sharyland High

10, Edcouch-Elsa

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5 Other Players to Watch

Kristi Gomez, PSJA Memorial

>> 2015 All-Area first team; 31-6A Co-MVP

Dezi Marmolejo, Edinburg High

>> 2015 All-Area first team; 31-6A Co-MVP

Julia Monday, McAllen High

>> 2015 All-Area second team; 30-6A Outstanding Hitter

Jaida Muhammad, Edinburg Vela

>> 2015 All-Area second team; 31-5A Outstanding Defensive Specialist/Libero

Victoria Rogers, Edinburg North

>> 2015 All-Area first team; 31-6A Outstanding Hitter

======================================

Call ’em in

Coaches can report their scores and results by calling (956) 683-4402 or via email at [email protected]

By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER

Opening two-a-days Monday as the fourth head coach at La Villa in five years, Alex Guerra met with his players for the first time and focused on how they would go about building a rapport.

“You could tell right away, looking in their eyes, they weren’t sure,” Guerra said. “To me, I saw that as, ‘Yeah, I’ve heard this before. Are you going to stick around?’ That type of deal. So my no. 1 goal with them is, give me an opportunity to trust me. I’m going to trust you. Let’s work together.”

Despite the coaching carousel, the Cardinals have made the playoffs four times during the stretch, including last season as they went 4-7 and made a bi-district appearance under coach Shawn Alvarez. The transition to Alvarez, in his first and only season with the program, was eased by the familiarities in his offense and that of his predecessor.

Alvarez continued to run the slot-T, and the returners flourished as they adjusted to his late hire, less than a week before summer break.

Under Guerra, however, the Cardinals are wiping the slate clean, implementing a new offense (spread) and defense (multiple). They hardly passed the ball last year, but quarterback Rey Felix anticipates that changing for his junior campaign.

“Now that we’re running spread, we like it,” Guerra, a backup last season, said. “Right now, our biggest challenge is getting different coaches. But we’re getting to know our coaches now, and hopefully we could make a big difference from last year. We don’t want to have the same record as last year.”

Even with La Villa graduating several starters, Guerra believes there’s enough skill players to sustain their attack. Though undersized, senior slot receiver Joe Gonzalez is projected to make a play a significant role in the aerial attack. And junior Nate Diaz, who is the only returning lineman on the roster, also figures to inherit plenty of leadership responsibilities in what is otherwise an inexperienced front line.

“This offense, it’s really different,” Diaz, the right tackle, said. “We have to pull out and run a lot. There’s a lot of pass-blocking. We’re not running the ball like last year. It’s more throwing and screens. There’s a lot of options.”

Outside of the three returners on defense, the Cardinals are relatively young on that side of the ball. They bring back Felix at outside linebacker, Gonzalez at cornerback and Diaz at defensive end. For Diaz, it’s an even bigger load to carry after he went from tackle to center last year.

“We’re very young across the boards,” Guerra said. “A lot of question marks. It’s the second day of pads (and helmets), so we’ll see how it goes.”

LOW IN NUMBERS

Last year, La Villa had as many as 38 players show up to two-a-days. So far this year, the Cardinals have had 27.

Guerra isn’t concerned, however, saying he anticipates another half-dozen might show up after returning from summer vacation. If not, several players might be called upon to go both ways.

“I think we’re going to surprise some people,” Guerra said. “Looking at it, I think we’ll be in the mix. The plan is to get back in the playoffs. We’re young, and we lost key players. But we’re going to try to build off what they did (last year) and try to be a playoff team.”

COACHING VETS

To ease his transition to the Valley, Guerra brought on local assistant coaches to help fill out his staff. His offensive coordinator, Israel Garcia, is from Rio Hondo. He has coached 23 years.

And James Weatherwax, who will oversee the defense, has coached for 36 years, mostly in the Houston area.

Guerra enters his 18th campaign, his fifth as a head coach. He spent the past four seasons at San Antonio Memorial, where he posted his best year in 2013 (3-7 record). From 2006 to 2012, Memorial lost 69 of 70 games.

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By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER

MISSION — Upon the request of some of her players, Mission Veterans Memorial coach Martina Carrillo brought in her state medals following the third day of volleyball tryouts.

It was a simple request to accommodate. After all, as only the second coach the program has had in 15 years, Carrillo sought to make an impression on her players and add legitimacy to the plan she hopes to carry forward.

“People ask me what it takes to get the state, and it’s not just skill,” Carrillo said. “It takes everyone being on the same page, and everyone wanting the same goal.”

A Freer native and coaching veteran of 25 years, Carrillo enters the program following a tumultuous season for the Lady Patriots, highlighted by the reassignment of Diana Lerma — one of the Valley’s most successful coaches — amid allegations from parents regarding mistreatment, including excessive profanity, bullying and nepotism. Supporters, however, argued the punishment derided from parents’ discontent about their children’s playing time.

Having moved to the Valley in February, four months after the Lady Patriots’ regional quarterfinal loss, Carrillo said she has not see the remnants last season, especially with only three returners back this year.

“I’m pretty big on being positive,” Carrillo said. “My expectation is to concentrate on the present and future. I don’t go back and recall anything from the past. I think it’s best to keep it that way. Otherwise, we’ll be going in the past and that’s just not my program.

“I stay focused in the present and the future, what we need to work on and what it’s going to take us to win district, go 16-0, what it’s going to take to get to game 5 (the regional finals). Looking at the banners here, they’ve never been up to game 5. And I always talk about game 7 (the state finals) because as a coach, I’ve experienced that. That’s my program.”

The medals stem from Carrillo’s state titles with Monahans (3A) and Tildman (1A) in the 1990s. In 2009, she fell short of another state trip with Freer, losing in the regional finals.

Along the way, she’s formulated acronyms, like W.A.T.E.R. (work ethic, attitude, teamwork, enthusiasm, respect), to make it easier for her players to heed her advice. It’s been especially useful at Mission Veterans, where Carrillo jokes that players might have to wear nametags until she has fully committed everyone’s name to memory.

Since her arrival, Carrillo joined the track & field team as an assistant, and then had six weeks in the spring to workout some of the volleyball upperclassmen.

Just last week, she earned her Master’s degree in coaching and athletic administration. Even with her years of experience, Carrillo insists there’s still plenty to learn.

“I think I was used to be one of those coaches that was always about winning, going to state, taking them to the regional tournament,” she said. “But in a sense, my program is about athletes first, winning second. You have to make sure you take care of the athletes first to be successful. You have to take care of their needs, make sure they have character, respect. Make sure they’re passing their classes. And then make sure they’re refining their skills.

“I didn’t realize that’s what I had been doing until I took my (Master’s) class. I tell the girls it’s not just about the X’s and O’s. It’s everything else.”

A former player and assistant coach at Texas A&I (now Texas A&M-Kingsville), Carrillo has worked this week to implement a multiple offensive system, and perfect the players’ jump serving. Running an uptempo offense, she believes, will pay dividends in the playoffs, should Mission Veterans come across schools from the Austin, Corpus Christi and Victoria area.

“It’s been really productive,” said Alex Jimenez, a senior middle blocker and captain. “It’s like we’ve been playing with each other for a long time because we’re all positive, bringing each other up.”

Like Jimenez, senior Andrea De La Garza is also expected to play a more prominent role this year. An outside hitter the past three years, De La Garza has been lauded for her ability to hit around blocks and jump serve.

No longer a backup, De La Garza’s hoping to provide a spark to a starting unit that will largely consist of first-year varsity players.

“It’s a lot of work, but it’s good work,” she said. “We’re making improvements. Coach has been very motivational, she’s been very positive. That’s what we need to get to state.

“We want to go quickly. We only have a certain amount of time (as seniors). So we’re moving fast, and that’s a good thing.”

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By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER

Right after completing his first year at the University of Texas, former McAllen Memorial standout Tyler Marriott returned to the Valley and paid coach David Duty a visit.

At the time, Duty was an assistant at PSJA North, and Marriott recounted some of the amenities during his freshman season with the Longhorns, including what is known as the trainer’s table — free food for student-athletes, including cartons of chocolate milk, which the football players were encouraged to consume after a rigorous workout.

“Chocolate milk?” Duty remembers asking. “He said, ‘I don’t know everything about it, but they always have it for us. It’s something about the recovery.’”

The implementation of chocolate milk as a recovery drink has slowly filtered down from the professional and college ranks to the high school level, where programs like Hidalgo, led by Duty, are encouraging athletes to consume it to assist with muscle fatigue and muscle recovery.

“It’s a copycat league,” Duty said. “You see that the big boys are doing it, so you figure if UT does it, it must be good.”

Alex Molina, the child nutrition director at McAllen ISD, said she began fielding questions in 2011 from parents wondering why schools continued to serve chocolate milk, considering the amounts of sugar it contains. So she began working with the National Dairy Council and obtained data about the benefits of fat-free flavored dairy, and the caloric needs for students.

Molina, a former college athlete, weighed the sugar contents against the benefit of dairy with regard to calcium, bone growth, bone density and an active lifestyle. The extra calories from sugar were valuable for high school-aged students involved in athletics, especially considering the benefit of the protein they would gain from such milk. It was far more beneficial, she found, than standard Gatorade or Powerade, which lack in protein.

“I think that chocolate milk is great for all children because it gets them to consume low-fat dairy, which is high in calcium, high in calories, and so critical for growth and development,” Molina said. “For our athletes that are having prolonged high exertion, they do need that additional protein.”

Roma coach Max Habecker Jr. first came across the benefits in a published study more than three years ago. Concerned that some of his players might not get the proper nutrition following workouts, Habecker gathered information online and weighed the benefits of low-fat dairy.

Soon after, he made 16-ounce cartons of chocolate milk available to each player immediately after intense workouts.

“They bought into it real quick,” Habecker said. “It’s just teaching them that the recovery process is as important as the building process. It’s just as good as taking a protein shake, and obviously the kids don’t have to go out and spend $50 on pounds of protein. It’s accessible and it’s not expensive.”

Among the biggest concerns, coaches say, is finding funds to purchase equipment to store the milk. Fat-free milk, in particular, requires more temperature control because it spoils more easily.

But grants are available, for instance, through Dairy Max, which represents the National Dairy Council, for equipment to help store milk safely and promote milk consumption. Elementary physical education instructors with McAllen ISD, among others, have put such grants toward educational resources.

Dairy Max has partnered with Fuel Up to Play 60, an in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by the National Dairy Council and NFL (in collaboration with the USDA), to encourage children of all ages to exercise 60 minutes each day.

Schools can apply for a grant of up to $4,000 per school year to support the implementation of the “Fuel Up to Play 60 Playbook,” which promotes a healthy lifestyle. Brownsville, Edcouch-Elsa, PSJA and Roma ISDs have successfully received such grants, most at the elementary school level. Several IDEA Public Schools in the Valley have also won. The next deadline is Nov. 2.

“Gatorade itself isn’t that expensive,” Sharyland Pioneer coach Jason Wheeler said. “You can make it in an instant. Just pour the powder in there and make a bunch of it. But you can’t do that with the recovery (Gatorade) drink. So there’s a lot of high schools that I think will go to the chocolate milk than before.

“We just have to find the budget for it.”

[email protected]

By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — Soon after losing in the Class 6A regional semifinals in November, McAllen Rowe‘s Vanessa Lopez began envisioning what her role would look like in 2016.

For the previous two years, Lopez, a setter, had largely known one front line, led by Mayda Garcia, an All-Valley Player of the Year in 2014. With those players gone now, however, the Lady Warriors have begun looking for replacements, making adjustments to their attack and tinkering with the idea of two-setter lineup.

“Because we had been together so long, we had a connection,” Lopez said. “And this year, because we have different hitters, that’s what we have to work on. That’s what makes it a little challenging.”But you just have to adjust to it as a setter. It’s just a lot of reps, making sure you’re always talking.”

As a three-year letterman, Lopez stands to inherit a larger role, requiring her to be more vocal and assertive. She’s one of seven returners — a low figure, by most accounts — and the one responsible for ushering in an evolving offense, shuffling between a 5-1 and 6-2 rotation.

The introductory part of that process began this past offseason, when Rowe players were responsible for devising their own strategies, competing without a head coach during the summer leagues.

“They were able to solve problems, see where girls should go — front row, back row. That really opened their eyes,” McAllen Rowe coach Magda Canales said. “They tried different things, and not all of it worked. But that really gave them a lot of experience, not having someone tell them what to do.”

Going into the opening day of tryouts Monday at Fossum Middle School, Rowe began its search for its new crop of players, holding a three-hour session with various drills (hitting, passing, setting, blocking) and conditioning exercises. They served the ball to designated targets, and also worked on their vertical leap.

By Wednesday, Canales said she hopes to have a clearer idea of which batch of players would travel with the varsity and JV squads. On Friday, they’ll host a scrimmage and further evaluate players in varying capacities.

It’s much of what Lopez went through as a junior, when Rowe qualified for the regional semifinals — one of two Valley teams to go that far in the UIL playoffs last year. Her responsibilities have since changed. Lopez led the charge in offseason workouts and open gyms, hoping to build a tighter bond with her teammates.

In past years, she said, players would naturally turn to the seniors for guidance. Now that she finds herself in that role, she’s employed a “go-getter” attitude heading into her final year at Rowe.

“(Last year’s seniors) brought a lot of fire, a lot of spark,” Lopez said. “They had so much heart. Our girls do, too, but we have to show it more now. When we were down — Mayda and Sophia (Luna), those girls — they lit a spark in us. They set us straight. They made us understand that this is what it is, and this is what we’re going to do. And I feel like this year we have to take on that role. Not just being a leader, but trying to bring life to the team.”

Among the most pressing needs is middle blocker, where Rowe has three JV dark players under consideration. But Amanda Martinez, a four-year letterman who played exclusively at outside hitter last year, could be called upon to help alleviate some of the load.

“Our offense, looking for the right girl in the middle, is going to be a task,” Canales said. “The way we swing at the ball, we need to be selective as far as which sets are good to really put down. And depending on the experience of the player, we need to see if she’s going to put it down or place the ball.

“So yeah, it’s going to change. How much? We won’t know until we get into the season.”

Having graduated its front line, Rowe will likely turn to Martinez as its featured hitter. Though she enters her fourth year with the team, Martinez will undergo a few changes, namely a second hitter.

The idea behind that, Canales said, is to provide the Lady Warriors with more distribution options on the court, especially as they incorporate a half-dozen new pieces and adjust their attack to the players’ skill set.

“By the looks of it, I think we’ll be pretty strong,” Martinez said. “Yes, there’s going to be teams better than us, but I think we’re going to compete and put up a fight. We just have to adjust.”

[email protected]

By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER

By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER

Edinburg North’s Abby Hinojosa and Jackie Longoria have been selected to the Texas Girls Coaches Association all-state softball team.

Longoria also has the distinction of being the only Valley player selected to participate in the TGCA all-star game next month.

A junior pitcher, Longoria (27-8) posted a .163 ERA and recorded eight shutouts in leading the Lady Cougars to the Class 6A regional semifinals. Longoria also batted .527 and finished the year with 52 runs, 68 hits, 19 RBIs, seven doubles and three triples.

Hinojosa, a senior catcher, posted a .991 fielding percentage on 213 total chances. She also had 191 putouts, 20 assists and only two errors through 41 games. A cleanup hitter, Hinojosa batted .430 and totaled 52 hits, 40 RBIs, seven runs, 12 doubles and two home runs.

San Benito’s Kimberly Harper, a senior catcher and second baseman, joined Hinojosa and Longoria as the only Valley players to be selected to the 6A all-state team, which consists of 40 players.

Longoria was one of 28 players picked for the TGCA All-Star game July 13 in Arlington. She will play for the red team in the Class 5A-6A game.

Hinojosa was also selected for the 11th annual RGV All-Star game in La Joya. She was one of four Edinburg North player picked for the showcase, intended for senior softball players.

Teammates Klarissa Lopez, Ayissa Maldonado and Andreah Ruiz also were chosen.

McAllen Rowe also had four players selected with Vanissa Leal, Krystal Ramos, Karolina Rodriguez and Deanna Spear. Edinburg Vela, La Joya High, McAllen Memorial and Mission High each had two players tabbed for the West team, which has 25 players representing 14 schools.

The East has 19 players from 13 schools. Mercedes has the largest contingent with three players (Dalilah Barrera, Kristen Gutierrez and Lexi Peña). Brownsville Veterans Memorial, Donna High, Harlingen South and Rio Hondo have two apiece.

The West has won 7 of 10 meetings.

San Benito coach Kristy Leal, formerly an assistant with Weslaco High, will lead the West.

Sharyland High coach Paul Cruz will oversee the East.

The RGV All-Star game is scheduled for 7 p.m. on June 25 at the La Joya Softball Complex.

[email protected]

========================

RGV WEST ALL-STARS

Vanissa Leal, McAllen Rowe

Alina Moreno, La Joya High

Ayissa Maldonado, Edinburg North

Deanna Spear, McAllen Rowe

Faye Ramos, Sharyland Pioneer

Klarissa Lopez, Edinburg North

Shayla Abbot, Edinburg Vela

Chelsea Castilleja, Hidalgo

Sarah D. Lopez, Edinburg Vela

Kazzandra Rodriguez, Mission High

Alyssa Olivarez, Mission High

Victoria Flores, Sharyland High

Aileen Rodriguez, McAllen Memorial

Amanda Villegas, PSJA North

Alexandra R. Soliz, La Joya High

Ashley Castillo, PSJA Memorial

Eden Hernandez, McAllen High

Andreah Ruiz, Edinburg North

Alexa Ramirez, McAllen Memorial

Karolina Rodriguez, McAllen Rowe

Krystal Ramos, McAllen Rowe

Ashley Escalante, Edinburg Economedes

Gabrielle Fonseca, PSJA High

Abby Hinojosa, Edinburg North

Nadine Rios, La Joya High

RGV EAST ALL-STARS

Rheana Gomez, Brownsville Veterans Memorial

Mia Garza, Harlingen High

Lexi Peña, Mercedes

Ruby Trejo, Donna High

Ann Francis Maldonado, La Feria

Kim Harper, San Benito

Alyssa Garza, Donna High

Julissa Lopez, Rio Hondo

Maya Guevara, Los Fresnos

Sarah Sandoval, Brownsville Veterans Memorial

Marina Wise, Port Isabel

Kristen Gutierrez, Mercedes

Sarah Rodriguez, Edcouch-Elsa

Brissa Rivera, Brownsville Porter

Dalilah Barrera, Mercedes

Ashley Galvan, Harlingen South

Katharyn Gauna, Rio Hondo

Leeanne Ledesma, Harlingen South

Jazzlynn Robles, Santa Rosa