RGVSports.com

The nominees for Class 6A and Sub-6A Program of the Year were highlighted by some of the deepest playoff runs in school history and anchored by consistency across all sports.

The winners will be announced at the 2018 All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet on June 19 at Mario’s Banquet & Conference Center in Mission. Lone Star National Bank returns as the presenting sponsor of the event for the second consecutive year.

Sean Elliott, a former NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs who now works with the team as a broadcaster, will be the keynote speaker at the banquet.

The nominees for Class 6A Program of the Year:

>> Edinburg Vela: The SaberCats’ girls basketball, volleyball and softball teams were playoff-bound. The football team advanced to the third round of the playoffs after a district-title winning, undefeated regular season. The boys basketball team finished second in the district during what was supposed to be a rebuilding year and advanced to the area round. The SaberCats softball team reached the fourth round of the playoffs for the first time in program history. The SaberCats baseball team won its first ever district title and advanced to the playoffs. Vela golfer Ethan Galvan won the district tournament to advance to regionals.

>> Los Fresnos: Los Fresnos earned several postseason berths, including in football, volleyball, boys and girls basketball, and boys and girls soccer. The boys basketball, baseball, girls golf, and boys and girls swimming teams won district titles, and both swimming teams had representatives at the state meet. The boys and girls track and field teams both had members qualify for regionals, and the girls had a hurdler qualify for the state meet.

>> McAllen High: The Bulldogs girls soccer team became the first girls team in Valley history to advance to the state tournament. McHi’s volleyball team put together another 30-win season and playoff appearance under coach Paula Dodge. The boys basketball team qualified for the playoffs with a second-place finish in district. The baseball team rolled to an undefeated district season and another district title and was ranked No. 1 among 6A teams in the state by TexasHighSchoolBaseball.com. The boys golf team advanced to regionals, and Lucas Abbott finished second at the District 30-6A tournament, leading his team to a second-place finish.

The nominees for Sub-6A Program of the Year:

>> Brownsville Veterans Memorial: Brownsville Veterans earned district titles in football, volleyball, girls basketball, baseball, softball — which advanced to the regional quarterfinals again this season — and girls golf, which advanced to state for the second consecutive year. The Chargers earned postseason berths in every sport again this year, including the boys soccer team that advanced to the regional final for the second straight season.

>> Lyford: Lyford is one of the smaller athletic programs in the Valley. The volleyball team qualified for the playoffs and went two rounds deep. The girls basketball team won a district title and also went two rounds deep. The boys basketball team made the playoffs. The football team won a district title and went two rounds deep. Both the boys and girls tennis teams advanced to regionals, as did the school’s golf teams, with the boys team reaching the state tournament. The baseball team was also playoff-bound, and the softball team won a district title.

>> Mission Veterans: The Patriots football, volleyball and softball teams all won at least a share of their district championships. Football, girls basketball, softball and volleyball advanced to the area round of the playoffs. Mission Veterans golfer Steven Hinojosa finished sixth at the district tournament to earn a trip to regionals.

>> Sharyland Pioneer: The Diamondbacks football, volleyball and softball teams all qualified for the playoffs. Sharyland Pioneer volleyball advanced past Edcouch-Elsa to reach the area round for the fourth time in four seasons. The Diamondbacks baseball team made its first playoff appearance in school history, ending the season in the area round. Pioneer boys swimming won a second straight 31-5A championship. The Pioneer boys golf team won the District 31-5A tournament to advance to regionals. The girls golf team took second at the district tournament and advanced to regionals, where it placed fifth, just missing the cut for state.

The banquet, hosted by RGVSports.com and AIM Media Texas in conjunction with the RGV Sports Hall of Fame, will see 33 awards presented to athletes, coaches and teams across all 12 UIL sports. The prestigious Tom Landry Award of Excellence will honor a student-athlete for outstanding achievements on and off the field.

The Monitor, Valley Morning Star, The Brownsville Herald, Mid-Valley Town Crier and RGV Sports Hall of Fame will vote to determine the winners in the sports categories. While The Monitor, the Star and the Herald have previously named their All-Area teams in certain sports, the All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet will recognize the very best across all three coverage areas.

The banquet, which will run approximately 6 to 8 p.m., returns to Mario’s for a second consecutive year. The venue has a seating capacity of more than 500 people. Tickets are on sale through TheMonitor.com, BrownsvilleHerald.com and ValleyMorningStar.com at a cost of $40 per person. For sponsorship opportunities, call Marcia Kitten at 956-683-4463 or email [email protected].

The seven coaches nominated for Girls and Boys Coach of the Year honors led their teams on deep playoffs runs, and many of them overcame young rosters and unexpected injuries to do so.

The winners will be announced at the 2018 All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet on June 19 at Mario’s Banquet & Conference Center in Mission. Lone Star National Bank returns as the presenting sponsor of the event for the second consecutive year.

Sean Elliott, a former NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs who now works with the team as a broadcaster, will be the keynote speaker at the banquet.

The nominees for Girls Coach of the Year:

>> Saul Arjona, Hidalgo basketball: The Hidalgo coach won The Monitor’s 2018 All-Area Coach of the Year after guiding his team to a second consecutive district title and a third-round appearance in the UIL Class 4A playoffs. The Pirates were led on the court by one of Arjona’s twin daughters, Ashley.

>> Patrick Arney, McAllen High soccer: Arney has been the McAllen High coach since the sport first started competition in the late 1990s, but this season his group broke the glass ceiling of the state tournament. No Valley team had won both regional games, but the Bulldogs did just that with a 2-1 win over San Antonio Johnson and a 1-0 win over Austin Lake Travis. While the groundwork of McHI soccer has been laid for decades, the 2018 roster was packed with primarily underclassmen who look to make state trips habit.

>> Lorena Lopez, McAllen Memorial volleyball: Lopez lost a key member of the 2016 team shortly after the squad’s season opener in 2017, as Lanie Nitsch sat out due to injury. The Mustangs recovered and qualified for the 2017 UIL Class 6A regional semifinals.

>> Valentin Paz, Brownsville Veterans Memorial basketball: Paz led his team to 25 wins, a second straight District 32-5A title and a trip to the area round of the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.

The nominees for Boys Coach of the Year:

>> Mike Burget, Weslaco East football: Weslaco East was poised for a strong 2018 season before injuries to key players such as star running back Roy Pedraza and all-purpose WR/DB J.C. Vargas threatened those hopes. Behind a stingy defense led by Freddy Cardenas and his 174 tackles and QB Richard LeFevre throwing for a career high 1,687 yards, the Wildcats marched on. Burget coached the team to another third-round playoff appearance against powerhouse Cibolo Steele.

>> Johnny Cipriano, Santa Rosa basketball: Cipriano led the Warriors to their 14th consecutive league title and a trip back to the state tournament for the second year in a row.

>> Dan Gomez, San Benito football: Gomez, who is in his third year as the Hounds skipper, led his football team to a perfect 10-0 regular-season record and a District 32-6A title.

The banquet, hosted by RGVSports.com and AIM Media Texas in conjunction with the RGV Sports Hall of Fame, will see 33 awards presented to athletes, coaches and teams across all 12 UIL sports. The prestigious Tom Landry Award of Excellence will honor a student-athlete for outstanding achievements on and off the field.

The Monitor, Valley Morning Star, The Brownsville Herald, Mid-Valley Town Crier and RGV Sports Hall of Fame will vote to determine the winners in the sports categories. While The Monitor, the Star and the Herald have previously named their All-Area teams in certain sports, the All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet will recognize the very best across all three coverage areas.

The banquet, which will run approximately 6 to 8 p.m., returns to Mario’s for a second consecutive year. The venue has a seating capacity of more than 500 people. Tickets are on sale through TheMonitor.com, BrownsvilleHerald.com and ValleyMorningStar.com at a cost of $40 per person. For sponsorship opportunities, call Marcia Kitten at 956-683-4463 or email [email protected].

RGVSports.com

Eye-popping statistical seasons were the constant among the seven athletes nominated for Baseball Player of the Year and Softball Player of the Year.

The winners will be announced at the 2018 All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet on June 19 at Mario’s Banquet & Conference Center in Mission. Lone Star National Bank returns as the presenting sponsor of the event for the second consecutive year.

Sean Elliott, a former NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs who now works with the team as a broadcaster, will be the keynote speaker at the banquet.

The nominees for Baseball Player of the Year:

>> Ramsey Amador, Edinburg Vela: Amador, a junior, hit .484 with 42 runs, 36 RBIs, 15 doubles and eight home runs. He helped lead the team to its first ever district title and the program’s first ever trip to the fourth round of the playoffs. Despite battling arm issues all year, Amador pitched in the playoffs against Los Fresnos and earned a save.

>> Justin Anaya, Brownsville Veterans Memorial: The junior shortstop/pitcher led the Chargers to an unbeaten District 32-5A title while hitting .429 with seven doubles, two triples, 19 runs scored, 20 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. As a pitcher, he has a 0.71 ERA and three saves in 29 2/3 innings. He allowed just three earned runs with eight walks and 38 strikeouts.

>> Aaron Galvan, Edinburg Vela: Galvan hit .467 this year, leading his SaberCats to their first ever district title and first trip to the fourth round of the playoffs. He drove in 37 runs and scored 30. On the mound, Galvan posted a 3.00 ERA while fanning 80 in 46 2/3 innings. Galvan drove in crucial runs all year, and in the postseason he started on the mound in every series, going 6 innings in three of his four postseason starts.

>> Aaron Nixon, McAllen High: Nixon hit .441 this year, scoring 41 runs and driving in 31 more. Nixon pitched 68 2/3 innings this season and posted a 0.82 ERA. He struck out 104 and allowed just six earned runs on the year. The Bulldogs were ranked No. 1 among 6A teams in the state by TexasHighSchoolBaseball.com and advanced to the third round of the playoffs.

The nominees for Softball Player of the Year:

>> Erika Cortez, Edinburg High: Cortez, who competed in her first season as a Bobcat this year, was a key puzzle piece to Edinburg winning yet another district championship. As a pitcher, Cortez went 15-4 with a 1.74 earned run average while striking out 132 batters and walking 26 in 121 innings. At the plate, Cortez hit .541 with 17 doubles, 10 home runs and a team-best 64 runs batted in.

>> Audrey Escamilla, Weslaco High: Escamilla, who won the All-Valley Softball Player of the Year award in 2017, turned in another strong regular season for the Panthers, who were playoff participants yet again. The junior catcher hit .560 with 20 doubles, 10 triples, eight home runs, 68 runs batted in and an on-base percentage of .575. Escamilla was also awarded the co-Offensive Player of the Year honor in District 32-6A while throwing out 81.8 percent of runners attempting to steal a base.

>> Cassie Valdez, Brownsville Veterans Memorial: The senior led her squad to an unbeaten District 32-5A softball title and to the regional quarterfinals while earning district offensive player of the year honors. At the plate, Valdez finished with a .611 average with 11 home runs and 60 RBIs. As a pitcher, she had a 12-4 record, allowed just 11 earned runs on 35 hits for a 0.93 ERA, including a 0.16 ERA and an 8-0 record in district play, and struck out 162 batters on the season.

The banquet, hosted by RGVSports.com and AIM Media Texas in conjunction with the RGV Sports Hall of Fame, will see 33 awards presented to athletes, coaches and teams across all 12 UIL sports. The prestigious Tom Landry Award of Excellence will honor a student-athlete for outstanding achievements on and off the field.

The Monitor, Valley Morning Star, The Brownsville Herald, Mid-Valley Town Crier and RGV Sports Hall of Fame will vote to determine the winners in the sports categories. While The Monitor, the Star and the Herald have previously named their All-Area teams in certain sports, the All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet will recognize the very best across all three coverage areas.

The banquet, which will run approximately 6 to 8 p.m., returns to Mario’s for a second consecutive year. The venue has a seating capacity of more than 500 people. Tickets are on sale through TheMonitor.com, BrownsvilleHerald.com and ValleyMorningStar.com at a cost of $40 per person. For sponsorship opportunities, call Marcia Kitten at 956-683-4463 or email [email protected].

RGVSports.com

The Valley’s top squads in football, basketball, baseball and soccer are in the mix for Class 6A Boys Team of the Year and Sub-6A Boys Team of the Year.

The winners will be announced at the 2018 All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet on June 19 at Mario’s Banquet & Conference Center in Mission. Lone Star National Bank returns as the presenting sponsor of the event for the second consecutive year.

Sean Elliott, a former NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs who now works with the team as a broadcaster, will be the keynote speaker at the banquet.

The nominees for Class 6A Boys Team of the Year:

>> La Joya Juarez-Lincoln soccer: The 2017 regional champion Juarez-Lincoln Huskies were strong and dangerous for another season. Seniors Gerardo Reyes, Manuel Castrejon and Leo Pruneda led the group and got help from some newer additions, like freshman Edson Fonseca. In their playoff defeat — a regional semifinal loss to eventual state runners-up San Antonio Reagan — the Huskies heavily outshot and outplayed the Rattlers but weren’t able to beat the keeper or the crossbar.

>> McAllen High baseball: McAllen High rolled through District 30-6A without losing a game, then advanced to the third round of the playoffs. The Bulldogs were ranked No. 1 among 6A teams in the state by TexasHighSchoolBaseball.com

>> San Benito football: The Hounds steamrolled through a tough District 32-6A with a perfect 7-0 record and were 10-0 on the season. They beat Edinburg North 50-7 in the bi-district round of the playoffs, then beat McAllen Memorial 44-35 in the area round before falling to San Antonio O’Connor 52-43 in the third round.

The nominees for Sub-6A Boys Team of the Year:

>> Mission Veterans football: Thanks to The Monitor’s All-Area Player of the Year (quarterback Landry Gilpin) and The Monitor’s All-Area Newcomer of the Year (wide receiver Mikey Garcia), the Patriots owned the most prolific offense in the Valley. After racing out to an 8-0 start in 2017, Mission Veterans defeated Brownsville Lopez in the bi-district round of the playoffs and advanced to the area round.

>> Santa Rosa basketball: The Warriors won their 14th straight league title and made their second straight UIL state tournament appearance.

>> Valley View soccer: The Tigers were the class of the Valley for 31 perfect games this season. With striker Mario De Los Santos at the helm of the offense, Valley View only went to PKs twice all season. De Los Santos earned the RGV golden boot with 70 tallies on the year. At the state tournament, the Tigers outpassed and maybe even outplayed defending two-time reigning state championships Frisco Wakeland but couldn’t finish in the final third. The Tigers’ run came to an end with a 3-1 loss.

The banquet, hosted by RGVSports.com and AIM Media Texas in conjunction with the RGV Sports Hall of Fame, will see 33 awards presented to athletes, coaches and teams across all 12 UIL sports. The prestigious Tom Landry Award of Excellence will honor a student-athlete for outstanding achievements on and off the field.

The Monitor, Valley Morning Star, The Brownsville Herald, Mid-Valley Town Crier and RGV Sports Hall of Fame will vote to determine the winners in the sports categories. While The Monitor, the Star and the Herald have previously named their All-Area teams in certain sports, the All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet will recognize the very best across all three coverage areas.

The banquet, which will run approximately 6 to 8 p.m., returns to Mario’s for a second consecutive year. The venue has a seating capacity of more than 500 people. Tickets are on sale through TheMonitor.com, BrownsvilleHerald.com and ValleyMorningStar.com at a cost of $40 per person. For sponsorship opportunities, call Marcia Kitten at 956-683-4463 or email [email protected].

RGVSports.com

Programs that made record-setting runs to state highlight the nominees for Class 6A Girls Team of the Year and Sub-6A Girls Team of the Year.

The winners will be announced at the 2018 All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet on June 19 at Mario’s Banquet & Conference Center in Mission. Lone Star National Bank returns as the presenting sponsor of the event for the second consecutive year.

Sean Elliott, a former NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs who now works with the team as a broadcaster, will be the keynote speaker at the banquet.

The nominees for Class 6A Girls Team of the Year:

>> Brownsville Rivera volleyball: The Lady Raiders went 29-11 overall and won the District 32-6A title — their first since 2007 — with a 14-0 record. In the process, Rivera earned head coach Elizabeth Avelar-Guerra’s 500th career victory and a trip to the second round of the Class 6A state playoffs.

>> Edinburg High softball: The Bobcats’ domination of District 31-6A continued in 2018 with yet another district title, their second in two years. Edinburg High, which was ranked No. 3 in the final RGVSports.com regular season softball top-10 poll, is 27-1 in district competition since coach Ramon Arciba took over in 2017.

>> McAllen High soccer: The Bulldogs didn’t lose a game in the Valley. With scoring threats like forward Sophia Soto and Mierya Ramirez as well as midfielders Westyn Henderson and Ava Alaniz, McHi’s defense was rarely tested during the regular season. McHi got past Laredo United, Harlingen High and Harlingen South in the playoffs before knocking off San Antonio Johnson and Austin Lake Travis at the regional tournament to become the first Valley girls team in history to advance to state.

>> McAllen Rowe volleyball: The Warriors won the District 30-6A championship outright and advanced to the 2017 UIL Class 6A regional semifinals. Rowe featured The Monitor’s All-Area Volleyball Player of the Year in junior outside hitter Jackelyn Alanis.

The nominees for Sub-6A Girls Team of the Year:

>> Brownsville Pace soccer: The Lady Vikings completed a 14-0 run to their first District 32-5A championship since 2009 and reached the third round of the Class 5A state playoffs for the second straight year. They finished 28-2-1 on the season.

>> Brownsville Veterans Memorial golf: The Chargers earned another District 32-5A title this season, were second in the regional tournament and advanced to state, where they placed 10th out of 12 teams.

>> Sharyland High golf: The Sharyland High girls golf team dominated all year. The Rattlers won the district tournament, then won the regional tournament to advance to state. At the UIL Class 6A girls state tournament, Sharyland High would not be denied, rallying from a fourth-place Day 1 finish to claim second place overall.

>> Sharyland High soccer: Mario Ribera took over the head coaching position, and the Rattlers didn’t miss a beat. Kaitie Watson helped Sharyland remain a top scoring threat in 5A with 51 goals and 21 assists. Elise Townsend was also calm and consistent from her deep defensive position. After Watson and Townsend, Sharyland was an extremely young team. The addition of forward freshman phenom Xochitl Nguma helped relieve the pressure off Watson at the top. Sharyland won District 31-5A with a 15-1 record.

The banquet, hosted by RGVSports.com and AIM Media Texas in conjunction with the RGV Sports Hall of Fame, will see 33 awards presented to athletes, coaches and teams across all 12 UIL sports. The prestigious Tom Landry Award of Excellence will honor a student-athlete for outstanding achievements on and off the field.

The Monitor, Valley Morning Star, The Brownsville Herald, Mid-Valley Town Crier and RGV Sports Hall of Fame will vote to determine the winners in the sports categories. While The Monitor, the Star and the Herald have previously named their All-Area teams in certain sports, the All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet will recognize the very best across all three coverage areas.

The banquet, which will run approximately 6 to 8 p.m., returns to Mario’s for a second consecutive year. The venue has a seating capacity of more than 500 people. Tickets are on sale through TheMonitor.com, BrownsvilleHerald.com and ValleyMorningStar.com at a cost of $40 per person. For sponsorship opportunities, call Marcia Kitten at 956-683-4463 or email [email protected].

RGVSports.com

The deadline to submit nominations for the Tom Landry Award of Excellence — perhaps the most prestigious honor that will be bestowed during the 2018 All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet — has been extended to Friday.

RGVSports.com received permission from the Landry family to present the Tom Landry Award of Excellence to a student-athlete who represents the values for which Landry is still known: integrity, sportsmanship, character and teamwork. The recipient of the honor will be chosen based on academic excellence, athletic accomplishments, character and community service.

The award was initiated in 2016 to honor the legacy of the former Dallas Cowboys coaching great, a Mission native who died Feb. 12, 2000, at the age of 75. Landry coached the Cowboys from 1960-88 and holds the franchise record for career wins (250). He took the Cowboys to five Super Bowls, winning two.

To nominate a student-athlete, superintendents or athletic directors may contact Marcia Kitten by email at [email protected] or by phone at 956-683-4463.

The two publishers of AIM Media’s Valley newspapers — Stephan Wingert (The Monitor) and Frank Escobedo (Valley Morning Star and Brownsville Herald) — will choose a winner from the nominations.

The banquet, hosted by RGVSports.com and AIM Media Texas in conjunction with the RGV Sports Hall of Fame, will see 33 awards presented to athletes, coaches and teams across all 12 UIL sports on June 19 at Mario’s Banquet & Conference Center in Mission.

Lone Star National Bank returns as the presenting sponsor of the event for the second consecutive year. First opened in Pharr in 1983, the bank has grown to include more than 600 employees at 33 locations across South Texas. Lone Star National Bank aims to be the premier, independent community bank in South Texas by providing support to its customers, employees, community and shareholders, according to the bank’s website.

Sean Elliott, a former NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs who now works with the team as a broadcaster, will be the keynote speaker at the banquet.

The Monitor, Valley Morning Star, The Brownsville Herald, Mid-Valley Town Crier and RGV Sports Hall of Fame will vote to determine the winners in the sports categories. While The Monitor, the Star and the Herald have previously named their All-Area teams in certain sports, the All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet will recognize the very best across all three coverage areas.

The banquet, which will run approximately 6 to 8 p.m., returns to Mario’s for a second consecutive year. The venue has a seating capacity of more than 500 people. Tickets are on sale through TheMonitor.com, BrownsvilleHerald.com and ValleyMorningStar.com at a cost of $40 per person. For sponsorship opportunities, call Kitten at 956-683-4463 or email [email protected].

RGVSports.com

Standout athletes from the football field to the swimming pool and everywhere in between make up the nominees for Class 6A Male Athlete of the Year and Sub-6A Male Athlete of the Year.

The winners will be announced at the 2018 All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet on June 19 at Mario’s Banquet & Conference Center in Mission. Lone Star National Bank returns as the presenting sponsor of the event for the second consecutive year.

Sean Elliott, a former NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs who now works with the team as a broadcaster, will be the keynote speaker at the banquet.

The nominees for Class 6A Male Athlete of the Year:

>> Adrian Bernal, McAllen Rowe: Bernal battled through injury to lead the football team with 734 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns. He also rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns. As a point guard for the basketball team, he led the Valley with 6.5 assists per game and 6.8 steals per game. As a utility player for the baseball team, he hit .312 with 14 RBIs.

>> Shaine Casas, McAllen High: Casas chose to focus on the butterfly and backstroke as a senior, even though he’s qualified for state in the individual medley and freestyle in the past, as well. At this year’s state meet in Austin, he set a pool record in his fly prelim. In the finals, he was just out-touched in his two events by outstanding Division I competition. He will continue his swimming career at Texas A&M. He has junior national team experience under his belt and will hope to reach his ultimate goal of qualifying for the United States Olympic team.

>> Sebastian Gonzales, Los Fresnos: The senior linebacker helped lead his team to a 9-4 record and to the third round of the postseason, earning honors on the Brownsville Herald’s All-Metro first team with 71 tackles, a sack and an interception on the season. He earned a full scholarship to play for the University of Texas-Permian Basin, an NCAA Division II school in Odessa. He advanced to state in powerlifting and advanced to regionals during his first year on the wrestling team.

>> Trey Guajardo, PSJA High: As the quarterback for the Bears, Guajardo passed for 2,919 yards and 29 touchdowns while leading the team to a second-place finish in District 31-6A and a trip to the postseason. Guajardo also led the team with 468 rushing yards and seven TDs. As the center fielder for the Bears, he hit .265 with 15 RBIs.

The nominees for Sub-6A Male Athlete of the Year:

>> Randy Aguilar, Brownsville Pace: Aguilar was a co-defensive player of the year in District 32-5A for basketball and helped his team to an undefeated district title and a regional quarterfinal berth in the postseason. In football, he was an all-district first-team quarterback and earned second-team All-Metro honors while passing for 1,622 yards and 17 touchdowns to lead his squad to a playoff berth.

>> AB Lozoya, Santa Rosa: The senior point guard helped guide the Warriors to a second straight state tournament appearance in basketball. He had a career high 40 points in a playoff win over Corpus Christi London and dropped 34 points in a regional final win over San Antonio Cole. In addition to his prowess on the basketball court, AB also excelled on the golf course and was part of the Warriors boys team that advanced to the Region IV-3A tournament.

>> Kai Money, Brownsville St. Joseph Academy: The senior quarterback led St. Joseph to its first district title in more than 37 years and to the second round of the playoffs. Money amassed more than 4,000 yards of offense — he threw for 2,539 yards and 35 touchdowns and added another 1,502 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. The four-year starting quarterback earned The Brownsville Herald’s All-Metro Offensive Player of the Year. He also competed in track and field.

The banquet, hosted by RGVSports.com and AIM Media Texas in conjunction with the RGV Sports Hall of Fame, will see 33 awards presented to athletes, coaches and teams across all 12 UIL sports. The prestigious Tom Landry Award of Excellence will honor a student-athlete for outstanding achievements on and off the field.

The Monitor, Valley Morning Star, The Brownsville Herald, Mid-Valley Town Crier and RGV Sports Hall of Fame will vote to determine the winners in the sports categories. While The Monitor, the Star and the Herald have previously named their All-Area teams in certain sports, the All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet will recognize the very best across all three coverage areas.

The banquet, which will run approximately 6 to 8 p.m., returns to Mario’s for a second consecutive year. The venue has a seating capacity of more than 500 people. Tickets are on sale through TheMonitor.com, BrownsvilleHerald.com and ValleyMorningStar.com at a cost of $40 per person. For sponsorship opportunities, call Marcia Kitten at 956-683-4463 or email [email protected].

RGVSports.com

The Valley has established itself as a wrestling hotbed in recent years, and the 2017-18 season was no different. From a large contingent of state qualifiers, only three boys and three girls remain in the hunt for Wrestling Male Athlete of the Year and Wrestling Female Athlete of the Year.

The winners will be announced at the 2018 All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet on June 19 at Mario’s Banquet & Conference Center in Mission.

Sean Elliott, a former NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs who now works with the team as a broadcaster, will be the keynote speaker at the event.

The nominees for Wrestling Male Athlete of the Year:

>> Emmanuel Huerta, Sharyland Pioneer: On a relatively young Pioneer wrestling team, Huerta provided the senior leadership. He was a part of a group of nine Diamondbacks (boys and girls) who competed at the state tournament in Cypress. He finished sixth in the 195-pound weight class, ending his season with a 38-12 record.

>> Caleb Muniz, Weslaco High: The 138-pound Panthers wrestler adjusted to a coaching change well. In his senior season, he earned a 31-6A championship and regional crown at 160 pounds. The 5-foot-11 senior reached the state tournament again and performed well, even though his season ended on a close 9-10 decision.

>> Diego Serna, Sharyland Pioneer: Serna had a strong junior season for the Diamondbacks. Already a two-time district champion, he added another district crown as well as a regional championship at 106 pounds. Serna was one of nine Diamondbacks to qualify for the UIL state meet in Cypress.

The nominees for Wrestling Female Athlete of the Year:

>> Serena Cervantes, McAllen High: Cervantes competed in multiple sports again for McHi but stood out on the wrestling mat. She entered the state tournament with an unblemished 42-0 record. The 128-pound wrestler reached the state semifinals along with three other undefeated wrestlers and two former state champions before finishing fourth.

>> Vanessa Doria, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln: Doria was a force at 102 pounds as a senior. Her season didn’t start smooth, but she was dominant when it counted, earning district and regional championships. At the UIL state meet in Cypress, she was one of the last wrestlers standing, finishing sixth. She finished the season with a 27-5 record.

>> Mia Padilla, Sharyland Pioneer: Padilla took the field by storm during her sophomore season with the Diamondbacks. She was the top finisher at the UIL state meet out of nine qualifying Pioneer wrestlers, finishing fifth in Cypress. Her final record stood at 47-17 with 41 pins (87.23 pin percentage in wins).

The banquet, hosted by RGVSports.com and AIM Media Texas in conjunction with the RGV Sports Hall of Fame, will see 33 awards presented to athletes, coaches and teams across all 12 UIL sports. The prestigious Tom Landry Award of Excellence will honor a student-athlete for outstanding achievements on and off the field.

The Monitor, Valley Morning Star, The Brownsville Herald, Mid-Valley Town Crier and RGV Sports Hall of Fame will vote to determine the winners in the sports categories. While The Monitor, the Star and the Herald have previously named their All-Area teams in certain sports, the All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet will recognize the very best across all three coverage areas.

The banquet, which will run approximately 6 to 8 p.m., returns to Mario’s for a second consecutive year. The venue has a seating capacity of more than 500 people. Tickets will be on sale soon at a cost of $40 per person. For sponsorship opportunities, call Marcia Kitten at 956-683-4463 or email [email protected].

RGVSports.com

The Rio Grande Valley traditionally brings in a strong medal haul at the UIL state track and field meet, and the 2018 season was no different. But only two athletes will be able to boast the title of Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year and Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

The winners will be announced at the 2018 All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet on June 19 at Mario’s Banquet & Conference Center in Mission.

Sean Elliott, a former NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs who now works with the team as a broadcaster, will be the keynote speaker at the event.

The nominees for Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year:

>> Bianca Cardenas, Edcouch-Elsa: Cardenas had a breakout year in the pole vault. She set personal records four different times and became the first girl to reach the 13-foot plateau in RGV history. Along with her stellar pole vault performances, the junior finished second in the 100 dash at the District 32-5A meet. She also earned third in long jump and was a part of two relays teams: the 400 group that won an area championship and the 800 quartet that took first at the district meet and second at the area meet.

>> Luisa Cruz, Los Fresnos: Cruz won gold in both the 100 and 200 at both the District 32-6A and 31/32-6A area meets to qualify for the Region IV-6A meet. The junior was also a part of the Lady Falcons’ regional qualifying 800 relay team.

>> Brianna Robles, La Joya Palmview: Robles swept the District 30-6A 1,600 and 3,200 meter-runs for the fourth straight season. She also added a gold medal in the 800 with a personal record time of 2:18.87 at the district meet thanks to a new rule that allows distance runners to compete in a third event. She swept the same three events at the 29/30-6A area meet during her last run at La Joya ISD Stadium. At her second UIL state track meet, she ran a 10:54.68 in the 3,200 and 5:00.01 in the 1,600 to earn sixth in both events — two spots better than a season ago.

The nominees for Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year:

>> Andres Bodden, Brownsville Veterans Memorial: As a senior, Bodden won a District 32-5A championship in both the shot put and the discus. After district, he placed first in the discus and second in the shot put at the 31/32-5A area meet, then earned gold in the discus and a silver in the shot put at regionals. Bodden capped his season off with two medals at the state meet — a silver in the discus by throwing a personal best 173 feet, 1 inch and a bronze in the shot put with a throw of 53 feet, 6.5 inches.

>> Dominic Cavazos, Mercedes: The University of Texas at Arlington commit showed why he was a Division I target. Cavazos was a district, area and regional champion in both the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs. He finished fifth at the Texas Relays 3,200 and set a personal record of 9:19.61. In the Class 5A state 3,200 race, he took sixth with a time of 9:40.19. He was disappointed with the run but improved in the 1,600 that evening, reaching the podium and winning his first state medal, a bronze, with a time of 4:18.32.

>> Alex Cordova, Mission High: Cordova spent much of the season as the Valley’s best 400 and 200 runner. His speed put him in the final heat of the regional meet in the 400, where he was just edged out for a gold with his run of 49.10. He was the Eagles’ lone representative at the state meet, where he ran a 49.15 and finished seventh.

The banquet, hosted by RGVSports.com and AIM Media Texas in conjunction with the RGV Sports Hall of Fame, will see 33 awards presented to athletes, coaches and teams across all 12 UIL sports. The prestigious Tom Landry Award of Excellence will honor a student-athlete for outstanding achievements on and off the field.

The Monitor, Valley Morning Star, The Brownsville Herald, Mid-Valley Town Crier and RGV Sports Hall of Fame will vote to determine the winners in the sports categories. While The Monitor, the Star and the Herald have previously named their All-Area teams in certain sports, the All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet will recognize the very best across all three coverage areas.

The banquet, which will run approximately 6 to 8 p.m., returns to Mario’s for a second consecutive year. The venue has a seating capacity of more than 500 people. Tickets will be on sale soon at a cost of $40 per person. For sponsorship opportunities, call Marcia Kitten at 956-683-4463 or email [email protected].

RGVSports.com

The Valley qualified one boy and one girl to the state tennis tournament in the form of Sharyland High’s mixed doubles team, but that accomplishment may not be enough to secure Girls Tennis Player of the Year and Boys Tennis Player of the Year.

The winners will be announced at the 2018 All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet on June 19 at Mario’s Banquet & Conference Center in Mission.

Sean Elliott, a former NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs who now works with the team as a broadcaster, will be the keynote speaker at the event.

The nominees for Girls Tennis Player of the Year:

>> Andrea Fernandez, Sharyland High: Fernandez, a freshman, qualified for state in mixed doubles with teammate Michael Davis. Fernandez and Davis clinched a second-place finish at the regional tournament to earn a trip to the state tournament in College Station.

>> Jennifer Garcia, Donna High: The senior dominated on the court once again, winning four singles titles this year. Garcia won her first-round meeting during the regional meet in San Antonio.

>> Kara Lemarr, Harlingen South: LeMarr was a perfect 18-0 in the fall season and in the spring had several tournament wins, including a solid finish in the District 32-6A tournament, which landed her a spot in the Region IV-6A tournament. She reached the quarterfinals in doubles action at regionals.

The nominees for Boys Tennis Player of the Year:

>> Michael Davis, Sharyland High: The junior teamed up with Andrea Fernandez for Sharyland High’s mixed doubles squad. The two competed in the state tennis tournament in May.

>> Jorge Garcia, Harlingen South: In singles action, Garcia was a perfect 17-0 during the fall season, and he had three tournament wins in the spring. He was also the District 32-6A singles champion as he advanced to the Region IV-6A tournament in San Antonio.

>> Michael Howell, Mission Veterans: Howell won the District 31-5A singles title in a two-set sweep. He was one of the few Valley representatives to win his first-round match at the regional tournament in April.

The banquet, hosted by RGVSports.com and AIM Media Texas in conjunction with the RGV Sports Hall of Fame, will see 33 awards presented to athletes, coaches and teams across all 12 UIL sports. The prestigious Tom Landry Award of Excellence will honor a student-athlete for outstanding achievements on and off the field.

The Monitor, Valley Morning Star, The Brownsville Herald, Mid-Valley Town Crier and RGV Sports Hall of Fame will vote to determine the winners in the sports categories. While The Monitor, the Star and the Herald have previously named their All-Area teams in certain sports, the All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet will recognize the very best across all three coverage areas.

The banquet, which will run approximately 6 to 8 p.m., returns to Mario’s for a second consecutive year. The venue has a seating capacity of more than 500 people. Tickets will be on sale soon at a cost of $40 per person. For sponsorship opportunities, call Marcia Kitten at 956-683-4463 or email [email protected].