GIRLS
DISTRICT 30-6A
McAllen High 12, Mission High 0
McAllen Rowe 3, McAllen Memorial 2
La Joya Palmview 1, La Joya High 0, PKs
BOYS
DISTRICT 30-6A
McAllen Memorial 3, McAllen Rowe 2, PKs
Mission High 5, McAllen High 2
La Joya High 4, La Joya Palmview 1
NATHANIEL MATA | THE MONITOR
McALLEN — The McAllen Memorial Mustangs needed a late-game hero to tie their regular season finale against the McAllen Rowe Warriors and earn the extra point they needed to move into the fourth and final playoff position in District 30-6A.
That heroic moment came with five minutes to play off the foot of No. 10 Leo Saavedra, who tied the game at 2 and helped the Mustangs advance to the playoffs. Memorial claimed the victory 3-2 after winning penalty kicks 1-0.
Both sidelines were on edge as the second half progressed. Rowe needed a regulation win to qualify for the playoffs. Memorial just needed to extend the game past 80 minutes.
“A little cardiac arrest right there,” Mustangs coach Amando Bautista said. “I was this close to getting one. It was very good, very difficult, and thank God we came up with a tie, and it was more than enough. And not only that, but city champs.”
Saavedra’s goal came after the mass of humanity that formed in front of the net continued to kick away, trying to either clear the ball in Rowe’s case or hammer it in for Memorial. Eventually, Saavedra elevated the ball into a spot the keeper couldn’t reach.
District 30-6A boys soccer has regularly come down to the last night of the season to decide the fourth and final playoff spot. Memorial’s win and La Joya High’s 4-1 victory over La Joya Palmview were the final puzzle pieces to complete the four-team picture.
Memorial moved to 16 points with the win in penalty kicks, while Palmview stayed at 14 with a loss and Rowe gained a point in defeat to finish with 13.
Warriors striker Cesar Hernandez did his part to try to push his team into the playoffs. The forward made a dangerous run just two minutes into the game, but his pass was too far to find the foot of Fernando Morado.
On Rowe’s next march down the field, Hernandez did it himself, receiving a pass in stride and scoring to put the home team up a goal 2 minutes and 48 seconds into the match.
Rowe almost added its second of the night in the 17th minute, when Javier Pacheco’s initial shot was saved by Victor Espriella but a juicy rebound was available for Morado. His shot got through the Mustangs defense but couldn’t stay on target for the two-goal lead.
Memorial’s keeper was called on multiple times in the first half. At the time, the saves felt like tape over a larger leak. But as the game tightened, they proved vital.
“I was just doing my job, basically,” Mustangs goalie Victor Espriella said. “I really wanted to go to playoffs. It was a wish come true. Since freshman year, I wanted to make playoffs, and we broke that curse of not making playoffs, so I’m happy.”
Angel Martinez tied the game for the Mustangs on a kick that must have confused Warriors keeper Antonio Rodriguez, as the rolling ball eluded his reach.
“The feeling was amazing,” Martinez said. “We’ve been fighting the whole season to be in this position, looking for this position to go into the playoffs, and it feels amazing.”
With about 10 minutes to play, both goalkeepers were involved in a dicey sequence. First, Rowe’s Antonio Rodriguez fumbled a ball that had to be cleared by his defenders. Then, when Rowe sent a long ball downfield that had too much velocity for the forwards, a hard bounce turned into a desperation header save for Espriella. Both plays were near misses, and the 1-1 draw held until Rowe struck again.
After his free-kick shot was saved, Hernandez added Rowe’s second goal on the subsequent corner kick. The score came on a scramble in front of the net, not unlike the goal the Mustangs scored late in the game.
“I’ve taught them that we can never give up,” Bautista said. “It’s the same thing as in life: If something doesn’t go your way, you have to fight through.”
Espriella showed his strength with key saves on free kicks, sprawling to the turf to keep the ball out.
Memorial kept the pressure up the entire second half, but the Mustangs didn’t start to get more dangerous chances until the clock was in single digits.
Espriella said teams have overlooked his group all season.
“Other teams would say, ‘Ah, look at Memorial, it’s a step-over team,’ and I don’t know what came over us the last minutes,” Espriella said.
Memorial and District 29-6A champion Laredo United will flip to decide the time and location of their bi-district match.
NATHANIEL MATA | STAFF WRITER
MISSION — During midweek practice, La Joya Palmview runner Mariana Hernandez and a teammate joke about her dad and the iPad he brings to every meet to record her sprints and relays.
Hernandez’s father, Rolando, must have great video saved from this season, as Mariana has burst onto the scene as the Valley’s fastest 100- and 200-meter sprinter heading into the Meet of Champions this weekend.
The senior has won gold in the 100 at four meets, setting her personal best mark at the Mission Veterans Patriot relays, finishing in 12.24 seconds.
“I like how he’s involved, and it makes me happy, because I know not everyone has their parents go to every meet,” Mariana Hernandez said. “I know that I’m lucky for him to care so much and actually be excited, go to all my meets and ask about everything. And he’s there, ready with his iPad and everything.”
Rolando raised Mariana and her sister Marissa alone. The single-parent home created some extra responsibility, but also a close support system.
“My sister is older than me, so it was more responsibility for her. She also took care of me,” Mariana said. “Just making sure I was on top of things, how school was going, just like another parent.”
Her schoolwork has remained a priority, and she’s earned a 3.8 GPA, which has her ranked seventh in her graduating class.
“She’s the type of kid that if she has a weekend workout either Sunday or Saturday, she’s going to find a way to do it,” Palmview coach Claudia Bazan said. “She’s going to manage both her academics and what she does out here.”
Entering her junior year, Mariana stopped splitting time with volleyball and dedicated herself to running.
“I felt the difference in energy,” Mariana said. “I put myself more into track, and it helped overall now that my times are faster.”
Bazan, who was obviously pleased with the choice, said she also felt that running is Mariana’s calling.
“This is an individual that this is her sport,” Bazan said.
Because of a deep running roster at Palmview, Mariana did not have the chance to shine individually until her junior season. She was a part of the district championship team in the 400 and 800 relays for the Lobos last year.
“The last three years, she’s been completely committed to the program,” Bazan said. “Last year, we mainly utilized her in the relays, so we really didn’t get to see much of her in the open events. She’s worked hard, and she’s been rewarded so far.”
Mariana’s 100 time of 12.24 is already half a second quicker than last season’s best mark, and her 200 time of 25.54 is seven-tenths better than last season’s top run.
She said she “was only good for the 100” when she was a freshman. Now, she can’t pick which sprint she prefers, so she does both.
Training with cross country helped her improve stamina for the longer race. The early morning summer and fall workouts with Palmview’s powerhouse cross country team are not for the faint of heart, Bazan admits.
“She put in tremendous work in the summer,” Bazan said. “She doesn’t shy away from the cross country workouts. That’s not something you see very often with the sprinters. They rarely like to do any cross work. It’s helped her tremendously, and we’re looking forward to seeing her run (in the Meet of Champions). It should be a good show.”
Damaris Pecina is another member of Palmview’s relay group, and the junior is a prime example of the pride associated with the Lobos sprinters. Hernandez is pushing to surpass the pace set by the graduated Mirna Tamez, while Pecina admits she’s trying to catch Hernandez.
“It feels good to be part of the relays, especially since we’re top in the Valley in the four by one, four by two,” Pecina said. “That just makes me think I have to work harder. This is nothing right now. There’s still a lot of work to do.”
Hernandez also isn’t ready to be satisfied with the work she’s done so far. She hopes to study math after high school, but science has been intriguing lately for the senior.
The remaining track season is another place to make her dad proud every step of the way, because she knows he’ll be watching and the video will be rolling.
“It makes me proud,” Hernandez said. “He tells me every meet and every race and every day. He’s proud of what I have done, and it motivates me to keep doing more to make him proud.”
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Valley’s Best and Mythical Standings for March 23, 2018
Team Standings
Boys – 1, Mission High, 61.75; 2, Harlingen South, 51; 3, Harlingen High 50.25; 4, Sharyland Pioneer, 49; 5, Edinburg Economedes, 39.25; 6, PSJA High, 38; 7, McAllen Memorial, 37.75; 8, La Joya High, 32; 9, McAllen High, 29; 9, Mercedes, 29
Girls – 1, La Joya Palmview 103, 2, Weslaco High, 96; 3, McAllen High, 94; 4, Los Fresnos, 28; 5, Harlingen High, 26; 6, McAllen Rowe, 23; 7, Edinburg Economdes 20.6; 8, Edinburg IDEA Quest, 20; 9, Mission Veterans, 19; 10, Brownsville Hanna, 18.5
Boys
Individual Standings
All Times Fully Automatic
100-meter dash – 1, Jose Garcia, Harlingen High, 10.69; 2, Gunnar Henderson, McAllen High, 10.87; 3, Alex Cordova, 10.94; 4, Isaac Ambriz, Los Fresnos, 11.02; 5, Pedro Luna, Harlingen High, 11.03; 6, Kelechi Nwachuku, McAllen Memorial, 11.04; 6, Ricky Cantu, 11.04
200-meter dash – 1, Alex Cordova; Mission High, 21.94; 2, Miguel Flores, PSJA High, 22.24; 3, Crestony Martinez, Harlingen South, 22.34; 4, Gunnar Henderson, McAllen High, 22.64; 4, Diego Perez, Sharyland Pioneer, 22.64; 4, Alex Garza, Weslaco High, 22.64; 4, Alexis Gonzalez, La Joya Palmview, 22.64
400-meter dash – 1, Jose Andrade, PSJA High, 49.64; 2, Max Carmona, Brownsville Veterans, 50.46; 3, Daniel Mireles, Sharyland Pioneer, 50.54; 4, Cosme Ibarra, Donna High, 50.66; 5, Alex Cordova, Mission High, 50.74; 6, Alejandra Rodriguez, McAllen High, 50.83
800-meter run – 1, Art Benavidez, Harlingen High, 1;58.38; 2, Felix Perez, Mission High, 1:58.44; 3, Max Carmona, Brownsville Veterans, 1:58.57; 4, Reyes Rodriguez, La Feria, 1:59.01; 5, Antonio Sanchez, Weslaco High, 1:59.14; 6, Ruben Chapa, Brownsville Rivera, 1:59.19
1600-meter run – 1, Cruz Gomez, PSJA Memorial, 4:16.26; 2, Dominic Cavazos, Mercedes, 4:21.68; 3, Tristan Pena, Edinburg North, 4:25.34; 4, Reyes Rodriguez, La Feria, 4:28.85; 5, Everardo Esparza, Progreso, 4:30.39; 6, Art Benavides, Harlingen High, 4:30.44; 6, Alejandro Lopez, Rio Grande City, 4:30.44
3200-meter run – 1, Cruz Gomez, PSJA Memorial, 9:24.80; 2, Dominic Cavazos, Mercedes, 9:36.06; 3, Tristan Pena, Edinburg North, 9:38.48; 4, Lupe Reyes, Mercedes, 9:45.17; 5, Marco Castro, Mission High, 9:47.34; 6, Jeremy Nino, Edinburg Vela, 9:48.00
110-meter hurdles – 1, Kyle Marroquin, Edinburg Economedes, 14.74; 2, Sean Skaugen, McAllen Memorial, 14.84; 3, Michael Landovazo, Sharyland Pioneer, 14.94; 4, Nitia Duran, Harlingen South, 15.14; 5, Jonathan Larson, McAllen Memorial, 15.20; 6, Josiah Martinez, McAllen High, 15.34
300-meter hurdles – 1, Gunnar Henderson, McAllen High, 39.55; 2, Roel Renterria, Harlingen High, 39.72; 3, Michael Landovazo, Sharyland Pioneer, 39.84; 4, Sean Skaugen, McAllen Memorial, 40.24; 5, Samuel Mata, Valley View, 40.32; 6, Sebastian Gonzalez, Mission High, 40.44
400-meter relay – 1, McAllen Memorial, 43.05; 2, Harlingen High, 43.18; 3, Roma, 43.34; 4, Weslaco East, 43.42; 5, Brownsville Rivera, 43.44; 6, St. Joseph Academy, 43.62
800-meter relay – 1, Mission High, 1:29.94; 2, PSJA High, 1:30.14; 3, La Joya High, 1:30.44; 4, Weslaco High, 1:30.62; 5, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 1:31.06; 6, Weslaco East, 1:31.25
1600-meter relay – 1, Sharyland Pioneer, 3:24.84; 2, La Joya High, 3:25.04; 3, Mission High, 3:26.24; 4, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 3:26.68; 5, PSJA High, 3:27.20; 6, Brownsville Rivera, 3:27.24
Field Events
Shot put – 1, Diego Trevino, PSJA Southwest, 57-09; 2, Andrew Ott, Harlingen South, 55-01; 3, Johnny Howell, Sharyland Pioneer, 54-0.025; 4, Alex Rodriguez, La Joya High, 53-09.5; 5, Chase Harrell, Harlingen South, 53-07; 6, Raul Cantu, McAllen High, 53-01.75;
Discus – 1, Sky Tatum, Harlingen South, 181-05; 2, Andres Bodden, Brownsville Veterans, 170-04; 3, Benjamin Ruiz, Harlingen South, 166-11; 4, Johnny Howell, Sharyland Pioneer, 164-08; 5, Rey Salazar, Brownsville Veterans, 160-06; 6, Jorge Ayala, Edinburg High, 157-03
Long jump – 1, Gustavo Vasquez, Edinburg Economedes, 22-01; 2, Kai Money, Brownsville St. Joseph, 22-0; 3, Pete Segura, Edinburg Economedes, 21-10; 4, Abelardo Lopez, Rio Grande City, 21-7; 5, Julian Trevino, La Feria, 21-06.5; 6, Pedra Luna, 21-06; 6, Ryland Olguin, Edinburg Vela, 21-06
Triple jump – 1, Gustavo Vasquez, Edinburg Economedes, 46-04.5; 2, Blake Klein, Sharyland High, 44-06.5; 3, Abelardo Lopez, Rio Grande City, 44-00.5; 4, Jose Zaratre, Brownsville Veterans, 43-04.5; 5, Leo Cantu, Mission Veterans, 43-03; 6, Victor Segovia, Edinburg Vela, 43-00.5
High jump – 1, Adrian Morales, Harlingen South, 6-04; 1, Caleb Arthur, Mercedes, 6-04; 3, Daniel Ramirez, Harlingen South, 6-02; 3, Johnathan Larson, McAllen Memorial, 6-02; 3, Pete Segura, Edinburg Economedes, 6-02; 3, Carlos Mercado, Los Fresnos, 6-02;
Pole Vault – 1, Jon Zapata, Weslaco High, 15-06; 2, Ryland Olguin, Edinburg Vela, 15-03; 3, Marcus Ramirez, Harlingen South, 15-00; 4, Josiah Martinez, McAllen High, 14-06; 5, Nathan Salinas, PSJA North, 13-06; 6, Miguel Frias, Mission High, 6, Nicholas Larson, Edinburg Vela, 13-06; 6, Adrian Solis, Sharyland High, 13-06.
Girls
Individual Standings
All Times Fully Automatic
100-meter dash – 1, Mariana Hernandez, La Joya Palmview, 12.24; 2, Luisa Cruz, Los Fresnos, 12.45; 3, Daniela Muniz, Rio Grande City, 12.74; 4, Jasmine Flores, Mercedes, 12.78; 5, Marina Garcia, Brownsville Hanna, 12.84; 5, Natasha Hartman, Harlingen South, 12.84; 5, Alexis Cruz, PSJA Memorial, 12.84
200-meter dash – 1, Mariana Hernandez, La Joya Palmview, 25.54; 2, Merary Garza, Rio Grande City, 25.74; 3, Sophia Ramirez, Edinburg Vela, 25.84; 4, Luisa Cruz, Los Fresnos, 26.04; 5, Alyssa Gauna, Mission High, 26.24; 6, Mallory Grannum, Harlingen South, 26.34
400-meter dash – 1, Eleanor Arndt, Weslaco High, 59.57; 2, Yazmine Martinez, Harlingen High, 59.62; 3, Valery Tobias, Edinburg IDEA Quest, 59.80; 4, Anna Martinez, McAllen High, 59.84; 5, Aniel Augero, Brownsville Hanna, 60.48; 6, Auden Pineda, Brownsville Hanna, 60.64; 6, Karla Chapa, La Joya Palmview, 60.64
800-meter run — 1, Bailey Villalon, La Joya Palmview, 2:18.84; 2, Valery Tobias, Edinburg IDEA Quest, 2:21.23; 3, Aaliyah Garza, Weslaco High, 2:21.32; 4, Robbie Sue Espericueta, La Villa, 2:23.68; 5, Vanessa Cerda, Edcouch-Elsa, 2:24.20; 6, Lilliana Perez, Edinburg Vela, 2:24.70
1600-meter run — 1, Brianna Robles, La Joya Palmview, 5:15.78; 2, Bailey Villalon, La Joya Palmview, 5:18.44; 3, Valeria Diaz, Sharyland High, 5:23.04; 4, Andrea De La Rosa, Brownsville Rivera, 5:25.91; 5, Robbie Sue Espericueta, La Villa, 5:26.39; 6, Dariana Vasquez, La Feria, 5:26.44
3200-meter run — 1, Brianna Robles, La Joya Palmview, 11:13.07; 2, Valeria Diaz, Sharyland High, 11:22.10; 3, Alanah Moreno, McAllen High, 11:42.96; 4, Andrea De La Rosa, Brownsville Rivera, 11:46.04; 5, Lizbett Rivera, Progreso, 11:51.64; 6, Tessie Garcia, Weslaco East, 11:51.79
100-meter hurdles — 1, Aniah Chaleff-Reyna, McAllen High, 15.24; 2, Brianna Alex, Los Fresnos, 15.36; 3, Ana Calderon, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 15.74; 4, Gabriella Solis, Edinburg Vela, 16.04; 4, Zoe Flores, McAllen High, 16.04; 6, Andrea Munguia, McAllen Memorial, 16.34
300-meter hurdles — 1, Jasmyn Tulloch, Harlingen High, 47.40; 2, Aniah Chaleff-Reyna, McAllen High, 47.44; 3, Lisamarie Sanchez, Weslaco High, 47.63; 4, Zoe Flores, McAllen High, 47.65; 5, Caleigh Hausenfluck, Sharyland High, 48.04; 6, Brittany Cano, La Joya Palmview, 48.24
400-meter relay — 1, McAllen High, 49.52; 2, La Joya Palmview, 49.94; 3, Weslaco High, 50.16; 4, San Benito, 50.34; 5, Brownsville Hanna, 50.45; 6, Edinburg Economedes, 50.84
800-meter relay — 1, Weslaco High, 1:45.12; 2, McAllen High, 1:46.51; 3, La Joya Palmview, 1:47.22; 4, Brownsville Hanna, 1:48.74; 4, McAllen Memorial, 1:48.74; 6, Edinburg High, 1:48.94
1600-meter relay — 1, Weslaco High, 4:03.71; 2, La Joya Palmview, 4:06.04; 3, Mission Veterans, 4:09.64; 4, Harlingen High, 4:10.24; 5, McAllen Rowe, 4:11.64; 6, McAllen Memorial, 4:12.14
Field Events
Shot put — 1, Heaven Lozano, PSJA North, 39-04; 2, Brittany Cantu, Edinburg Economedes, 38-04; 3, Jacqueline Mendoza, McAllen Rowe, 36-02.5; 4, Iesha Garcia, Rio Grande City, 36-09; 5, Karina Martinez, Raymondville, 36-05; 6, Brianna Sanchez, Edinburg High, 36-01.5
Discus — 1, Abigal Flores, Grulla, 138-03; 2, Ciera Gonzalez, Weslaco High, 131-06; 3, Diana Bustos, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 130-04; 4, Daizy Monie, Sharyland Pioneer, 128-0; 5, Brittany Cantu, Edinburg Economedes, 127-07; 6, Esmeralda Ruiz-Balli, Brownsville Pace, 125-08
Long Jump — 1, Eleanor Arndt, Weslaco High, 18-05.25; 2, Nichole Mora, Los Fresnos, 17-05; 3, Melody Magee, McAllen High, 17-04; 4, Shana Alvarado, Edcouch-Elsa, 17-01.5; 5, Jovanni Solis, McAllen Rowe, 17-0; 6, Jackelyn Alanis, McAllen Rowe, 16-09.75
Triple Jump — 1, Jovanni Solis, McAllen Rowe, 37-01.5; 2, Monique Rodriguez, Edinburg Economedes, 36-06; 3, Bryssa Guzman, Weslaco East, 35-09.75; 4, Elenaor Arndt, Weslaco High, 35-05; 5, Rebekah Schlatter, Brownsville Hanna, 35-03; 6, Charlize De La Garza, Mission Veterans, 35-02
High Jump — 1, Hannah Kelly, McAllen High, 5-06; 2, Valery Tobias, Edinburg IDEA Quest, 5-04; 2, Natalie Martinez, Edinburg High, 5-04; 2, Charlize De La Garza, 5-04; 5, Six tied at 5-02
Pole Vault — 1, Bianca Cardenas, Edcouch-Elsa, 12-03, 2, Victoria Barrios, PSJA Memorial, 10-06; 3, Sarah Solis, McAllen High, 10-0; 4, Michelle Ariana, PSJA Memorial, 9-09; 5, Kimberly Castro, PSJA North, 9-06; 6, Ashley Gonzalez, PSJA Memorial, 9-03; 6, Camryn Gloor, Brownsville St. Joesph
VALLEY HS BOYS SOCCER SCHEDULE
Tuesday’s Games
District 30-6A
La Joya Palmview 3, McAllen High 2
La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 4, McAllen Memorial 1
La Joya High 2, McAllen Rowe 0
District 31-5A
Sharyland High 10, Rio Grande City 2
District 32-5A
Brownsville Lopez 5, Brownsville Pace 2
Brownsville Porter 2, Edcouch-Elsa 1
Brownsville Veterans 3, Donna High 2
Friday’s Games
District 30-6A
McAllen Memorial at McAllen Rowe, 6 p.m.
La Joya Palmview vs La Joya High, 6 p.m.
McAllen High at Mission High, 6 p.m.
District 30-6A
LA JOYA JUAREZ-LINCOLN 4,
McALLEN MEMORIAL 1
La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 4 0 — 4
McAllen Memorial 0 1 — 1
LA JOYA JUAREZ-LINCOLN (4): Gerardo Reyes 3, Roel Escobedo 1
McALLEN MEMORIAL (1): Francisco Guerrero
RECORDS: La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 11-1
VALLEY HS GIRLS SOCCER SCHEDULE
Tuesday’s Games
District 30-6A
McAllen High 9, La Joya Palmview 0
McAllen Memorial 2, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 1, Pks
La Joya High 2, McAllen Rowe 1, PKs
District 31-5A
Sharyland High 8, Rio Grande City 0
Sharyland Pioneer 3, Roma 2, PKs
District 32-5A
Brownsville Pace 3, Brownsville Lopez 2, OT
Brownsville Porter 2, Edcouch-Elsa 0
Brownsville Veterans 4, Donna High 0
Donna North 10, Mercedes 1
Friday’s Games
District 30-6A
McAllen Memorial at McAllen Rowe, 8 p.m.
La Joya Palmview vs La Joya High, 8 p.m.
McAllen High at Mission High, 8 p.m.
District 31-5A
SHARYLAND HIGH 8, RIO GRANDE CITY 0
Rio Grande City 0 0 — 0
Sharyland High 4 4 — 8
SHARYLAND HIGH (8): Xochitl Nguma 2, Kaitie Watson 1, Aneli Pena 2, Ana De La Torre 1, Elise Townsend 1, Adlee Ximoneaux 1
RECORDS: Sharyland High 15-1
District 30-6A
McALLEN HIGH 9, LA JOYA PALMVIEW 0
La Joya Palmview 0 0 — 0
McAllen High 4 5 — 9
McALLEN HIGH (9): Mireya Ramirez 3, Zoe Flores 2, Westyn Henderson 2, Sofia Soto, Chloe Flores
RECORDS: McAllen High 11-0
NATHANIEL MATA | THE MONITOR
McALLEN — Don’t call it a rebuild. The McAllen High Bulldogs foundation was already strong.
McHi cruised to a 9-0 win over La Joya Palmview at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium to improve its record to 11-0 and push its district winning streak to 37 in a row.
After winning The Monitor All-Area Coach of the Year honors last season, Bulldogs coach Pat Arney called the 2017 squad one of the best McHi teams in program history. The 2018 team has shown they aren’t far behind.
Junior Zoe Flores said that the graduation of 65-goal scorer Anna Hover has actually made the group play better as a unit.
“I think we really have improved a lot as a team, and we haven’t just depended on one player. We all are working as a team,” Flores said. “The flow with the ball is a lot better. The communication — everything is just better this year.”
On Tuesday, Flores provided the early offense for the purple and gold, scoring just 23 seconds into the game. Flores added another goal, on a similar flick over the keeper’s head, with 24:28 to play to jump McHi to a hasty 2-0 lead.
“Putting teams down early is one of the most important things in soccer,” Flores said. “Working as a team early and getting those goals early just racks up the points faster and just helps us all as a team.”
This year’s version of the team has proven that scoring can come from various sources. One of those sources has been midfielder Westyn Henderson. After Flores’s second strike, Henderson made her second long dribble into Lobos territory count.
Following some in-and-out weaves against a Palmview defender, Henderson made a final cutback and roped a laser into the top-left portion of the goal, freezing the keeper.
The midfielder usually sits in a relatively defensive position, but Henderson said being able to play as a dual threat is when she thrives.
“You’re just more of an asset to the team when you’re able to play offensively and defensively,” Henderson said. “Specifically for our team, we like to work out of the back, and that’s how we create most of our offense. It’s good to have players that can get back.”
With 10:19 to play in the half, Mireya Ramirez scored her first of the night. She went on to score two second-half goals for her second hat trick of the season.
The sophomore started the season at the JV level, where she scored 42 goals. When an injury opened an opportunity for her to join the varsity roster, she seized the chance and has continued her scoring touch.
She had a taste of varsity competition a season ago, but with 14 goals in half a district season, she might be here to stay.
“It’s really exciting, getting this feeling,” Ramirez said. “It just depends how hard we work. It’s all about wanting to be the best. Thanks to my team, I get to score all these goals. It’s unbelievable. I love it.”
Sofia Soto and Chloe Fallek rounded out the scoring in the second half to match the Bulldogs’ most one-sided win of the district year.
Palmview’s two best chances came off the foot of Karina Moreno, but her first-half chance was smothered but McHI goalie Grace Kelly. Her second-half opportunity pinged off the post.
McHi improves to 11-0 in 30-6A and boasts an impressive 5.4-goal average margin of victory in those contests.
Arney made note that his district isn’t bad, but McHi chases lofty non-district goals in an attempt to play at the same high level all year.
“We try to make sure we have goals throughout the season,” Arney said. “When we play our tournaments, we want to make sure we either win the tournament, or if we’re in a showcase, we played well. We lost three to nothing against No. 1 Katy Cinco Ranch in January, but their goalie came up with two huge saves, and it was a close game. We can play against really tough teams.”
The Bulldogs have one more district game — a road matchup against Mission — before the postseason begins. McHi will put a tough tournament schedule and potentially perfect district campaign to the test.
McAllen High will flip to decide the location of its first-round matchup against Laredo United South. The teams will meet March 29.
“We love playing quality teams. That brings our best play out of us,” Henderson said. “We’re really looking forward to playoffs, because we’ll have a chance to play against the best teams, and that’s what we love the most.”
NATHANIEL MATA | THE MONITOR
MISSION — When the referee’s whistle blew to start the second half of Valley View’s regular-season finale against Mission Veterans on Friday, the match was still scoreless. The Patriots played a strong defensive first half to keep the high-powered Tigers from breaking through.
Enter Mario De Los Santos, Valley View’s star striker.
He was on the bench in the first half while reserve forwards had time on the field, but his impact as a second-half sub was instantaneous.
De Los Santos received the kickoff pass from Victor Ureña and prepared for the improbable. He took a step back in the midfield circle and shot the ball hard on goal.
The Vets goalkeeper was slightly off his line, but with the speed and trajectory of the shot, it might not have mattered. Just like that, the Tigers were back to a familiar position — in the lead. De Los Santos later added an insurance goal in the 3-1 win.
“Ever since I was 4 years old, I’ve always wanted to be a striker,” De Los Santos said through an interpreter. “I’ve been working on it, and I’m not going to stop working. My final goal is to hopefully become a pro, either over here or in Mexico — wherever I have the chance.”
The Valley View assistant coach who tallies scoring has De Los Santos at 57 goals on the season — somehow less than the 62 he tallied in 2017.
“I knew this year was going to be difficult, that teams were going to double and triple team,” De Los Santos said. “I work in practice on getting myself ready for the games and just scoring. That’s my role. That’s why I’m here.”
Even against tighter defense, the lanky No. 17 has been the same nightmare for opposing teams. After he was held off the scoring list in a 6-0 win against third-place Sharyland Pioneer Feb. 6, he put five in the net during a 9-4 win over Laredo Nixon.
The steady play of fellow forward Ureña, a freshman, has been a factor. De Los Santos stresses that passing and team play is the catalyst.
“The key is playing soccer, playing with each other and making good touches,” De Los Santos said. “The teams were a little harder than last year. Our goal is to keep on winning. We got the district, and the goal is to go and get the state championship.”
During practice before the season finale, the Valley View coaching staff said time on the ball is the best defense. Turnovers are more acceptable in the attacking third, where the opponent has a whole field to cover.
Ureña feels his tenacious midfielders deserve a lot of praise for making the forwards’ job easier.
“It’s not just about us two. The team puts the passes forward. We’re the finishers,” Ureña said through an interpreter. “I like to combine a lot with Mario to give to him so he can score more.”
The elephant in the room for Valley View is playoff performance. After consecutive state tournament appearances in 2013 and 2014, the Tigers have only advanced out of the first round once in the past three seasons — in 2016. Their last three playoff exits came at the hands of Brownsville Pace — twice in the bi-district round and in the 2016 regional quarterfinals.
This year it will be Donna North, not Pace, from 32-5A that will challenge Valley View in the bi-district round.
“We work with them mentally and psychologically to keep motivated, because sometimes after we’re winning by a few goals, you can see a lack of motivation,” Valley View coach Damian Magallan said through an interpreter. “So we try to remind them how we’ve struggled (in the playoffs) in past years, and we don’t want this to happen this year, as well, so we work a lot.”
Magallan is fine with the slower start and lower goal total for De Los Santos as a senior, as long as the goals come on must-win game days.
“Either way, it’s kind of good in a way, because hopefully, he has his goals in the playoffs,” Magallan said. “Last year, in the loss against Pace, we had a lot of chances, and we couldn’t score. Pace only had two chances, and they scored one.”
De Los Santos isn’t coming up with a new plan for postseason soccer. He’s just continuing the ride.
“We need to keep working, not rely on luck. It’s better to just play the game the way you’re playing,” De Los Santos said. “Keep practicing, and hopefully things will go the same (as) in the regular season.”
NATHANIEL MATA | THE MONITOR
EDINBURG — Spring break doesn’t mean a break from the Valley track and field season. Instead, local athletes had the opportunity to show off their hard work in front of NCAA Division I coaches on Thursday at the UTRGV Classic and Twilight Distance Festival.
Progreso’s Everardo Esparza was one of the high schoolers who put on a show in Edinburg with his gold-medal time of 9 minutes, 48 seconds in the 3,200-meter race.
“I’m super stoked about the place,” Esparza said. “I usually don’t concern myself on where I’m running or what the stadium looks like or anything. I just came in focused on the race and hopefully win the race. I’m glad it came to that.”
Esparza, one of the top distance talents in the area, said his approach is to drop time every outing.
“So far, one of the goals we set before we even started the season was to PR (personal record) every race, and that’s what I’ve been doing so far,” Esparza said. “I think we’re trying to get under a 9:40 by the end of the season, even a 9:36.”
So far, he’s hit personal records in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200. His 9:38 was his career-best 2-mile run.
The Red Ants senior also won the mile race on Thursday with a 4:35.75, ahead of Matthew Smith and Jacob Tremblay of Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial.
In the girls 3,200, Tessie Garcia of Weslaco East took the top spot after running an 11:51.79. She edged out Jolea Cortez of Corpus Christi Caroll, an athlete who signed to UTRGV at the start of the meet.
East’s Bryssa Guzman won gold in the triple jump with a mark of 33 feet, 7 inches, narrowly beating Shana Alvarado from Edcouch-Elsa, who jumped 33-02.
The Wildcats girls won the team competition with 110 points to Carroll’s 91. Sharyland High was the next best RGV team finisher, in fourth with 79.50 points.
Sharyland High’s Andrea Espinosa left her mark on the meet, finishing third in the 100 with a 12.79. The sophomore lost to out-of-area competition but said she enjoyed the experience.
“It was definitely an honor, especially being a sophomore, being able to get exposed to a higher level, and I guess the college life,” Espinosa said. “It’s been a really good experience, and hopefully maybe I’ll be able to run here.”
“It’s a great opportunity to see what I’m going up against,” Espinosa said. “Not so much in my district, but more once you get into the regional (meet) and the higher levels. Especially at such an early part of the season, it helps me prepare for the rest.”
Weslaco East’s Alvaro Medrano finished at the top of the field in the long jump. The Wildcats senior said the meet doubled as an opportunity to be noticed while preparing for his district leaps.
“It’s an experience, and I get to show the coaches who I am and where I’m from,” Medrano said. “It’s just going out there and having fun. I have a goal. Every meet is a stepping stone. For example, here I only jumped 24-03, but I’m going to get better, and the next meet and the next, and it builds up so I can compete for district.”
Edcouch-Elsa’s Vanessa Cerda took first place in the 800 run. She fought from a fifth-place position with 200 meters remaining into the lead during the homestretch of the race.
The freshman was a state qualifier during her first cross country season and showed off her poise on a college stage.
“I saw them, and I just started passing them,” Cerda said. “Once I was down to the last girl, I was like, ‘I can do it.’ It felt good knowing I could cross the line as number one.”
Harlingen High’s Roel Renterria owned the hurdle events with gold finishes in the 110 (15.84) and 300 (39.80) races.
Harlingen’s boys won the team title with 110 points. Ingleside High (95) and Corpus Christi Carroll (69) finished before the next RGV team, Weslaco East, which took fourth with 47 points.
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NATHANIEL MATA | THE MONITOR
EDINBURG — The UTRGV Classic track meet had a strong black and gold tint this week at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex.
Edcouch-Elsa’s girls posted five top-three finishes in a meet that attracted talent from the Valley and Corpus Christi areas. The Yellow Jackets also boast two alumni runners on the UTRGV track team, which was on site coordinating the meet, and the E-E grads made time to visit their former team.
“It’s an honor to have the kids run here,” E-E track coach Juan Aguiñaga said. “We wanted to showcase some of talent here with UTRGV, especially with the coaches out here looking at them. It’s a really awesome meet.”
Freshman Vanessa Cerda put on an exciting performance in the 800-meter run, winning with a time of 2 minutes, 24 seconds. After the come-from-behind victory, the freshman said she was glad that her third individual win came in front of good company.
“It feels good, because I was able to get my name out there,” Cerda said. “It boosts my confidence a lot, knowing I can win against really good girls.”
Cerda was a UIL state qualifier during her first cross country season and earned her first individual win during the track season with a 12:58.0 in the 3,200 on Feb. 23 at Rio Grande City.
“I take great pride in UTRGV. We’re from here,” Aguiñaga said. “We like giving them some of our talent. I’m glad we have the connection. We have Vanessa. I know they’re looking at her early, but she’s just a freshman. It’s an honor that they look at our athletes.”
Aguiñaga’s daughter, Kelly, is in her freshman track season at UTRGV. Fellow Yellow Jackets alum Krysta Martinez is in her second season at UTRGV and already has a WAC 1,500 championship to her name.
Kelly said the community values in Edcouch-Elsa make it easy to stay close with former teammates for years to come.
“The school is like a big ol’ family, and that’s what I love about it,” Kelly said. “That’s what keeps us together, just the love and support we have for each other.”
Kelly ran with Cerda’s older sister Dana for a season in high school, and the ties between Cerda and Aguiñaga are still strong.
Juan Aguiñaga had high hopes for Vanessa going back to her time in middle school.
“It’s a special connection,” Juan Aguiñaga said. “We’re all from the same town — me and my daughter and Vanessa. Our families have actually known each other for a long time.”
Kelly Aguiñaga is happy to be an inspiration to her former teammates like Shana Alvarado, Haley Villalpando and Bianca Cardenas, who all have aspirations to run at the next level. She also has a soft spot for the younger Cerda.
“I love Vanessa. She’s my favorite runner,” Kelly Aguiñaga said. “I was upset I didn’t get to run with her as a teammate because she’s a freshman, and I was already going to graduate. Knowing that I left a little piece behind, it makes me happy seeing her succeed. As an eighth-grader, she ran a 2:30, so I saw so much potential in her. She started this season at 2:30, 2:28, and then moved down to a 2:24. By her senior year, she’ll probably be at 2:10, getting state medals. I just want her to succeed.”
Cerda knows that fast times and state success won’t come easy. She finished 14th at the regional cross country meet and 83rd at the state competition with her personal record of 19:53.6
“I was really nervous at the state meet, but I got a gist of how much faster other girls are and that I have to push harder,” Cerda said.