By ROY HESS

Staff Writer

LOS FRESNOS — It was a long night on the basketball court for the Los Fresnos Lady Falcons.

They were missing some of their best players Monday due to injury, and it showed.

The Laredo United Lady Longhorns made the trip all the way to the Rio Grande Valley to pick up their 20th win of the season. The now 20-5 Lady Longhorns captured a 66-24 non-district victory over the Lady Falcons (12-9) at Los Fresnos.

“There are some really good teams in the Valley, and we come down here (for non-district games) because we know we’ll have to face them in the playoffs,” United coach Frank D. Gonzalez said. “We want to make sure we get a look at them before we hopefully see them in the playoffs.”

Monday marked the Lady Longhorns’ first time to come to the Valley this season. It was a sweet ride home for them after such a decisive win.

“I liked the hustle of our girls tonight,” Gonzalez said. “Our defense is something we’ve been working on, and I saw improvement from our team (defensively) tonight.”

The Lady Longhorns used a full-court press throughout the first three quarters to force Los Fresnos into a number of turnovers that led to easy baskets for the visitors.

United led 19-11 after one quarter and 39-17 at halftime. The Lady Longhorns’ lead was 39 points, 58-19, heading into the final eight minutes.

The Lady Longhorns outscored the Lady Falcons 20-6 during the second quarter, 19-2 during the third period and 8-5 during the final quarter.

United emptied its bench during the fourth period.

The biggest lead for the Lady Longhorns was 45 points, 64-19, at the 3:02 mark of the final quarter when Lori Contreras scored from underneath the basket.

Evelyn Quiroz and Natalie Trevino led the United scoring with 14 and 13 points, respectively. Trevino made the only 3-pointer of the game for the Lady Longhorns.

Jovanna Adame, a point guard, was the top scorer for Los Fresnos with 15 points. Jasmin Garcia, a post player, added five points. Adame and Garcia each made one 3-pointer.

Los Fresnos will attempt to get back on track Friday with a 6:30 p.m. non-district game at home against Lyford. The Lady Falcons open District 32-6A competition Jan. 4 at Harlingen South.

By ROY HESS | The Brownsville Herald

District competition is one of the most challenging parts of the girls basketball season. It has begun or is just about to start for Brownsville-area teams.

The goal of every team is to reach the state playoffs with a strong showing in district play, and the Hanna Lady Golden Eagles are no exception.

Although the Hanna girls are 20-5 after Friday’s 65-52 non-district win at St. Joseph Academy, Lady Eagles coach Luis Gonzalez knows nothing will be easy when District 32-6A competition begins Jan. 4.

Still, he likes his team’s chances. It won’t be easy with the likes of Harlingen High, Harlingen South, Rivera, Los Fresnos and San Benito in 32-6A. Out of six teams in the district, only four will make it to the postseason.

“We take it practice by practice and game by game,” Gonzalez said. “It’s good that we’re 20-5, but our ultimate goal is to get into the playoffs.”

The Lady Eagles’ starting lineup boasts a proven scorer in four-year starter Mia Paz, a guard, plus a ball handler in Samantha Ramos, a tall rebounder in Odalys Gonzalez and all-around players in Ariana Arceneaux and Alexis Alvarez.

Paz is chasing the all-city scoring record set by former Hanna standout Alex Denson.

Earlier this month, Paz was honored as one of nine Women’s Basketball Coaches Association players of the week from around the country. The award is presented by MaxPreps. She won the award for Region 6, which consists of Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and New Mexico.

For the week ending Dec. 2, Paz averaged 28.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists.

“For me to get an award like that is just unbelievable,” said Paz, who hopes to continue her basketball career in college. “It’s probably one of the best awards I’ve gotten in my life.

“To this point of the season, we’ve really improved as a team since the first day we stepped on the court back in October,” Paz added. “I just love the girls, and we’ve become best friends. They’ve basically become family to me. Once basketball is over, I hope we continue to have that bond with each other.”

Gonzalez is glad to have Paz on the squad.

“Mia is a special player,” the Hanna coach said. “She’s probably an even better person than she is a basketball player. The points are nice, and the records and accolades are nice, too, but her ultimate goal is to get this team into the playoffs.”

Hanna begins 32-6A action on Jan. 4 at Rivera.

Here is a team-by-team look at other area girls squads:

DISTRICT 32-6A

Los Fresnos — Rebecca Valdez is in the midst of her second season as the Lady Falcons’ coach. She fields a team that can play an up-tempo style and run the court. Among the top scorers for the Lady Falcons are Ari Gallardo and Jovanna Adame. Gallardo, a junior point guard/forward, is a threat from outside, having recorded more than 40 3-pointers so far this season. Adame is a senior point guard. The Lady Falcons open district Jan. 4 at Harlingen South.

Rivera — Coach Willie Brown has a senior group on his Lady Raiders squad this season. It’s a team that has performed well at times and not so well in other games. “We are very inconsistent (right now),” Brown said. He said the team’s top player heading into district is Jacqueline Montes, a senior forward who averages about 15 points per game. The Lady Raiders begin 32-6A play Jan. 4 at home against Hanna.

DISTRICT 32-5A

Brownsville Veterans Memorial — The Lady Chargers are two-time defending champions in 32-5A. They’re off to a 2-0 start in district, which began last week. So far in 32-5A, they have wins against Pace (36-28) and Donna High (50-45). Top scorers for the Lady Chargers are Lizzie Garza, Caitlin Esquivel, Destiny Contreras and Alex Parchmont.

“I think it’s going to be a defensive battle with everybody (in 32-5A), and it’s going to take a team effort to win every game,” Brownsville Veterans coach Valentin Paz said. “That’s what we’re stressing. It’s going to take everyone doing her part and fulfilling her role.”

Pace — Coach Eddie Lozano’s Lady Vikings have started off 32-5A with a 1-1 record. After their 36-28 loss to Brownsville Veterans in last week’s district opener, the Lady Vikings rebounded to win on the road 51-41 against Edcouch-Elsa on Friday. Leading scorers for the Lady Vikings are Lexy Arce, Sofia Espinoza, Rosa Salinas and Jennifer Oliveira. Arce, a senior point guard, is the team’s top ball handler along with Oliveira.

Porter — The Cowgirls are coached by Crystal Schmalzried. Porter is off to an 0-2 start in 32-5A this season. The Cowgirls have suffered setbacks against Donna High (60-17) and Mercedes (54-18). Among the players for the Cowgirls are Anahi Villarreal and Kladys Sandoval.

Lopez — The Lady Lobos are coached by Ray Montes. Lopez is 0-2 in 32-5A thus far following district losses against Edcouch-Elsa (38-29) and Valley View (60-25). The Lady Lobos will try to break into the win column when they travel to Pace for their next district game Tuesday.

OTHERS

St. Joseph Academy — Veteran coach Nora Zamarripa is fielding a young team during her second season of guiding the Lady Bloodhounds. Top scorers for the SJA girls include Maria Del Pozo, Gisele Sampayo and Lucia Gonzalez.

“We’ve gotten a lot better,” Zamarripa said of her team. “We have five freshmen (on the varsity), and we’re playing mainly freshmen and sophomores. There are three seniors. These girls are working really hard, and they’re improving. It’s just that sometimes they play like freshmen and sometimes they don’t.”

SJA plays in TAPPS Division II. District play starts Jan. 9.

Jubilee Brownsville — The Lady Titans, coached by Victor Venegas, have started district play with a 4-0 record following Friday’s 72-8 win over San Benito IDEA. Jubilee Brownsville competes in the Texas Charter School Academic and Athletic League. Jubilee Brownsville played in the Border Bash Tournament in McAllen and took third place in the Silver Bracket. The Lady Titans played in La Feria’s Tommie Wiseman Tournament and reached the consolation championship, going 2-2 in the event.

“My best players right now are Mariana Espinosa, who averages 15 points per game, and Paola Vargas, who averages 12 points per game,” Venegas said.

Port Isabel — The Lady Tarpons are off to a fairly solid start in their quest to reach the playoffs out of District 32-4A. Hannah Burleson is the team’s second-year coach. Port Isabel is 1-1 in district with a 52-44 setback at Zapata in its 32-4A opener and a 60-31 win Friday at home against Progreso. The Lady Tarpons have a steady ball handler and 3-point shooter in sophomore point guard Sabrina Gonzalez. Another standout for the Lady Tarpons with an ability to drive to the basket is Gabby Murchison, a senior guard/forward.

Brownsville IDEA Frontier — The Lady Chargers are coached by Victor Leija and compete in District 32-3A along with eight other teams, including Brownsville IDEA Riverview. The IDEA Frontier girls started off district with a 3-0 record.

“We’re hoping to make noise this year in basketball with our girls and boys teams,” said Alberto Alanis, the IDEA Frontier athletic director.

Brownsville First Baptist — The Crusaders play in TAPPS Division III District 5. They have an away district game coming up Jan. 15 at the HOPE Home School team of McAllen.

By ROY HESS | The Brownsville Herald

BROWNSVILLE — There’s something magical about reaching the 20-win plateau in basketball.

The Hanna Lady Golden Eagles achieved that feat Friday night with a 65-52 non-district victory at St. Joseph Academy.

The Lady Eagles, now 20-5, were led by Mia Paz’s 36 points that included four 3-pointers.

“The difference in tonight’s game was we all played together,” said Paz, a senior guard and four-year starter. “Our chemistry together was unbelievable. When we have that type of chemistry, we win like we did tonight.”

Twenty wins are nice, but there’s an even more important goal ahead for the Lady Eagles, Hanna coach Luis Gonzalez said.

“It’s good that we’re 20-5, but our ultimate goal is to get into the playoffs,” Gonzalez said. “I think tonight we took a big step towards (getting ready for) that because the girls showed improvement and grew a little bit more in this game.

“The girls did a good job of handling pressure (considering St. Joseph pressed us so much),” Gonzalez added. “At times we looked a little sloppy, but overall, I think the girls handled the ball extremely well, we limited our turnovers and we were able to produce some easy points (on fastbreaks).”

SJA led 10-6 after one quarter before the Lady Eagles outscored the Lady Bloodhounds 28-15 during the second period to go ahead 34-25 by halftime. Hanna took a 45-41 advantage into the final period despite having SJA outpoint the visitors 16-11 during the third quarter.

A 20-11 scoring edge by the Lady Eagles in the fourth quarter accounted for Hanna’s 13-point margin of victory.

“I thought my young team did a great job,” SJA coach Nora Zamarripa said. “They just had some segments with mental breakdowns. I was very proud of how hard they made Hanna have to work to beat us. I love how hard we play.”

Other than the final score, the Lady Eagles’ biggest lead of 13 points earlier in the game was 40-27, and it came at the 6:44 mark of the third period as Ari Arceneaux made a medium-range jump shot.

The closest the Lady Bloodhounds came to Hanna’s lead during the second half was two points, 43-41, when SJA’s Maria Del Pozo scored on a fastbreak layup with 53 seconds left in the third quarter.

Paz made her fourth 3-pointer with 11 seconds remaining to make it 65-52.

Besides Paz’s 36 points, teammates Alexis Alvarez and Arceneaux added 15 and nine points, respectively, for Hanna, with Alvarez making four 3-pointers, just like Paz.

The Lady Bloodhounds were led by Del Pozo with 16 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. Teammates Lucia Gonzalez and Gisele Sampayo added 13 and 10 points, respectively, with Gonzalez netting three 3-pointers.

Both teams start district play early in January.

ROY HESS | Staff Writer

The Brownsville Veterans Memorial Lady Chargers started off with a win in District 32-5A competition.

The Lady Chargers opened defense of their 32-5A title by defeating the Pace Lady Vikings 36-28 in girls hoops Tuesday at the Pace gym.

Actually, Brownsville Veterans has captured the 32-5A championship during each of the past two seasons, so the expectations are again high.

All the Lady Chargers can do is take one basketball game at a time, Lady Chargers coach Valentin Paz said.

“Every district game is going to be tough this year, that’s the biggest thing,” Paz said. “It’s going to be a challenge every night (we play).

“I think we played good defense against Pace, but we didn’t play smart overall,” added Paz, whose team was coming off a 44-43 loss to Rivera on a missed free throw. “We have five core values (for the team), and the first core value is to play hard, which we did, and the second one is play together, and we did that, too.

“The third one is play smart, and we didn’t do that like we should have. I tell the team if they play hard, play together and play smart, they’re going to win 80 percent of the time, which is pretty good. We just didn’t play all that smart tonight (but we still managed to win).”

In a low-scoring game, Pace led 7-6 after one quarter before the Lady Chargers outscored the Lady Vikings 10-2 during the second period to go up 16-9 at halftime. Brownsville Veterans took a 22-16 advantage into the final eight minutes as Pace outpointed the Lady Chargers 7-6 during the third quarter.

Brownsville Veterans outscored Pace 14-12 during the final period to win by an eight-point margin and go 1-0 to start district, while the Lady Vikings are now 0-1.

The biggest lead for the Lady Chargers was 11 points twice in the third period. Brownsville Veterans’ Lizzie Garza scored on a drive at the 5:34 mark of the quarter to make it 20-9. Garza scored on another drive with 3:25 showing in the third quarter to boost the lead to 11 points again, 22-11.

The closest the Lady Vikings could come during the second half was four points, 22-18, when Sofia Espinoza scored from underneath for Pace with 6:14 to go in the final period.

The Lady Chargers made four of five free throws during the last minute to seal the victory.

Garza led Brownsville Veterans with 16 points and teammate Caitlin Esquivel added nine.

For Pace, Lexy Arce led the way with 11 points and teammate Anna Sophia Trevino added six.

“Pace and Coach (Eddie) Lozano have a very good ballclub,” Paz said. “I wish them the best. They made us work for everything we got tonight.”

By ROY HESS

Staff Writer

Andrea de la Rosa’s cross country/track running career is taking the Rivera standout all the way to Tennessee.

On Monday, de la Rosa, one of the top female long-distance runners in the Rio Grande Valley this school year, signed with Bethel University of McKenzie, Tenn.

She becomes the eighth runner from Rivera in recent years to sign with Bethel, which competes at the NAIA Division I level.

De la Rosa received interest from some NCAA Division I schools, but opted to begin her college running career next school year at Bethel, where she’ll have a number of already familiar teammates, including Jennifer Lopez, a 2018 Rivera graduate who signed to run for the Tennessee school last spring.

“First of all, I feel secure (signing with Bethel),” said de la Rosa, a District 32-6A champion during each of her four years at Rivera with her senior track & field season still ahead of her. “I don’t feel worried because there are some people (I know) waiting for me over there, so I feel it will be another welcome home.

“I love how this (school) year has gone and my accomplishments (so far as a senior),” added de la Rosa, who has qualified for UIL state meets multiple times in track and cross country. “It’s been my best season. I don’t recall any time that I would say ‘I didn’t do well’ (at my cross country meets this season), or anything like that. I’m so happy and I’m super, super excited to go to Bethel and do the same thing.”

Despite dealing with an injury as a sophomore, the Rivera standout went to state three times in cross country. This season, she won 32-6A again, took third place at the Region IV-6A meet in Corpus Christi and finished 20th at the state meet in Round Rock in early November. She was named third-team all-state for her finish at Round Rock.

Leading up to the regional meet this cross country season, de la Rosa placed first at eight straight meets.

“Andrea is aggressive (on the running course) and a very smart lady,” said Arturo Hurtado, her coach in cross country for four years who has coached at Rivera for 31 years. “She’s worked very hard to succeed. She’s having a great senior year.

“It’s a pleasure to coach a runner like her,” Hurtado added. “They come around only once in a while. I don’t have anything negative to say about her because she’s just a beautiful person. I have high expectations for how she will do in college.”

Jennifer Schuster, who coaches de la Rosa in track and cross country, said the coaches knew when she ran at practice for the first time as a freshman that they had an athlete with the qualities to be a winner.

“(The coaches) looked at each other (back then) and knew she would be a star, not just with her running, but with the heart she has,” Schuster said. “She has the determination and willpower to excel.”

De la Rosa said qualifying for the regional meet in track as a freshman gave her an indication that her high school running career would be a good one.

“It was eye-opening for me (to go to the regional meet) because I never thought I was that good,” she said. “And then going to state three times (in cross country), it’s just been amazing.”

De la Rosa plans to major in education at Bethel with the intent of becoming a teacher, and maybe even someday a coach.

“I just want to thank all my coaches and my mother (Alma Barajas) for all their support,” she said. “I’ll never get tired of saying that because without them I wouldn’t be me doing what I’m doing right now and have this success. My mom is my mom. She’s my inspiration to continue.”

By ROY HESS | Staff Writer

Los Fresnos enjoyed the best finishes by its girls and boys teams out of all the Rio Grande Valley schools entered at the Brownsville ISD Pre-Regional “Snow Case” Friday and Saturday at Margaret M. Clark Aquatic Center.

The Los Fresnos girls finished second with 225 points behind team champion Laredo United (235 points). Rounding out the top five finishers for the girls were Laredo Alexander (224), Tuloso-Midway (180) and Harlingen South (162).

Laredo United also won the team title for the boys, amassing 426 points compared to 259 for second-place Tuloso-Midway. After that came Alexander (217), Los Fresnos (176) and Weslaco High (163).

Los Fresnos coach Jaime Perez said the showings by his swimmers at the meet were encouraging, but added his girls and boys must continue to work hard and improve for the most important meets that come early next year.

“We’re a work in progress at this point,” Perez said. “The good thing is we still have time (to improve). We’re just going to continue to work smart and work hard.

“The competition was good at this meet, and it’s only going to make us better,” he added. “We’ll continue to strive to be the best that we can be. I”m excited (about our prospects).

“Today (our showing) was not where we want to be, but it’s a step in the right direction. We do have a lot of work to do, but I’m proud of my athletes. This was a good opportunity to see where we stand. We’ll continue to set our goals, and continue to strive to do well (in the pool and) in the classroom as well.”

Los Fresnos boasts swimmers who are used to winning. The Falcons have won district nine straight years. The Lady Falcons have captured district titles seven out of the last eight years.

Top performers for the Falcons included Robert Waters (first in 50 freestyle and fourth in 100 backstroke) and Luis Ozuna (second in 200 freestyle and third in 100 freestyle). Both swam on the Falcons’ 200 freestyle relay that placed second with Nathaniel Braun and Nate Layva also swimming legs on the relay.

For the Los Fresnos girls, the top performers were Reiana Apacible (second in 100 breaststroke) and Citabria Barrales (third in 200 individual medley). Both swam on the Lady Falcons’ third-place 200 medley relay with Emily Rodriguez and Maria Manongas.

The Lady Falcons also took third in the 200 freestyle relay with the team of Rebeca Osuna, Sarah Villarreal, Rodriguez and Manongas.

Other individual event winners from the Valley for the boys were Harlingen South’s Justin Diaz (200 individual medley and 100 backstroke), Weslaco High’s Brock Bloomquist (500 freestyle) and Sharyland Pioneer’s Marc Rodriguez (1-meter diving). Bloomquist was also second in the 200 individual medley.

Weslaco High’s boys won two of three relays.

For the girls, individual event winners from the Valley included Harlingen South’s Camille Lizada (100 butterfly), St. Joseph Academy’s Jessie Hainey (100 freestyle) and McAllen Rowe’s Jenny Wyna (100 breaststroke). Hainey also placed third in the 200 freestyle. Lizada also took third in the 100 backstroke.

Hanna, which finished sixth in the boys team standings with 127 points, was led by Quinten Deysel, who came in second in the 50 freestyle. Also, he was fifth in the 100 freestyle.

By ROY HESS | Staff Writer

Hanna’s Odalys Gonzalez played at an MVP level during the 2018 volleyball season.

As a junior, the expectation is she will continue to get even better.

Gonzalez is a 5-foot-11 middle blocker with mobility and power at the net, plus the ability to play in the back row and dig up the hardest of hits that come to her.

With one more year of playing for Hanna ahead of her, Gonzalez already has distinguished herself as the Most Valuable Player on The Brownsville Herald’s 2018 All-Metro Volleyball Team.

The All-Metro area includes Brownsville, Los Fresnos and Port Isabel.

Concerning Gonzalez’s qualifications as the All-Metro MVP, her statistics are what best tell the story. She averaged 22 kills per match in District 32-6A, with a high total of 35 kills recorded during one of her 32-6A matches.

Hanna took second place in 32-6A with an 8-2 record and advanced two rounds in the playoffs. The Lady Golden Eagles were the only team to defeat 32-6A champion Los Fresnos in district. Overall, Gonzalez recorded 221 kills, 43 blocks, 124 digs and 27 aces in conference play.

“Odalys decided matches when they were close,” Hanna coach Ansgar Hagemann said. “She helped the team defensively with her blocks and also as a back-row player. But her biggest strong point is her positive energy, exemplary attitude and coachability in matches and practices. Odalys loves the sport, and she shows it in competition and at practice.”

Gonzalez was the All-Metro newcomer as a sophomore last season.

“I felt this was such a good junior season for me,” said Gonzalez, who hopes to play volleyball in college after graduating from Hanna. “It sets the bar higher for where they expect me to be next year. It just makes me want to work harder.”

Regarding her selection as the All-Metro MVP, the Hanna standout said, “I think it means that I’ve been recognized for how hard I’ve worked since last year. I know I’ve improved a lot from a year ago. I believe I showed it on the court this season as a junior.

“Last season (as a sophomore) I knew what I was capable of doing, and I knew I could do better,” Gonzalez added. “It gave me a lot of confidence for what I could do this year (by coming on strong at the end of last season). I felt I could do way better than my playoff match (against PSJA Memorial) last year, and that’s why I’ve worked harder.”

Playing on a team such as Hanna’s with the teammates she has had during her two seasons on the varsity is one of the most important things, said Gonzalez, who was an All-District 32-6A first-team selection this season.

“I’m so glad to have played with every single person on this team,” she said. “We all pushed each other, and it was just a great team to be on. I’m glad I got to play with them this season.

“I feel that my role for our team (this year) was pretty important on the back row and in the front row because we were a little limited for hitters and other components (in the lineup),” Gonzalez added. “I think I did a pretty good job with my role and following through with it.”

Gonzalez said she is grateful for everyone who is helping her get better on the volleyball court.

“I just want to thank all my coaches plus all my teammates, especially for pushing me harder during the season,” she said. “There were times I thought about giving up because I felt tired, but my teammates and coaches just kept telling me to push harder, and that helped a lot.”

The Brownsville Herald’s 2018 All-Metro Volleyball Team

Most Valuable Player

Odalys Gonzalez, Hanna

Offensive Player of the Year

Frida Rangel, Brownsville Veterans

Defensive Player of the Year

Madelaine Blanco, Rivera

Setter of the Year

Sarah Villarreal, Los Fresnos

Libero of the Year

Isis Delgado, Los Fresnos

Newcomer of the Year

Kenya Ibarra, Rivera

Coach of the Year

Becky Woods, Los Fresnos

First Team

Emma Stambaugh, Los Fresnos; Sandra Salazar, Los Fresnos; Kourtney Shears, Rivera; Ariana Arceneaux, Hanna; Tabitha Fernandez, Hanna; Jennifer Cisneros, Lopez; Ally Stachowiak, St. Joseph; Pamela Sanchez, Brownsville Veterans

Second Team

Natalie Davila, Hanna; Valentina Tijerina, Jubilee Brownsville; Halima Dervisevic, St. Joseph; Noemi Gallardo, Lopez; Daniella Espinoza, Brownsville Veterans; Stephanie Saenz, Pace; Ana Meza, Porter; Gabriella Torres, Port Isabel

By ROY HESS | Staff Writer

LOS FRESNOS — The idea behind the inaugural Tournament of Champions was to match some of the Rio Grande Valley’s top boys basketball teams against teams from upstate.

Los Fresnos coach and tournament host Marco Hinojosa said the three-day, eight-team event at the Los Fresnos United campus was a success and will be played again in the future.

“The tournament is everything we expected it to be,” Hinojosa said. “We treated the (participating) teams right, and I want to say it was first class. Thank God there were no injuries and everything has gone great.

“We had a slam dunk contest and a 3-point contest, and the school went crazy (watching the competitions) because they were let out of class,” Hinojosa added. “It’s been a good experience, and for our first one, I think we did a good job. We’ll continue to do it next year and try to make it better and better.”

Euless Trinity won the tournament with a 74-66 triumph in Saturday’s final against Edinburg Vela. Earlier in the day, McAllen Rowe defeated Los Fresnos 45-37 in the third-place game, and San Antonio Reagan downed Harlingen High 77-51 for the consolation championship.

Euless Trinity coach Mark Villines said it was a worthwhile trip for his team to make from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex to the Valley.

“It’s going to be a long ride home, but we try to take a trip somewhere every year,” said Villines, whose team improved to 7-7 on the season with three victories in the tournament. “When we were invited to come here, we jumped on it because I knew that for our players to get out of the Metroplex, it would be an experience and make memories for them.

“I think this trip has helped our team bond, and it has hopefully worked out well,” added Villines, whose squad has already played some of the top-ranked teams in the state in Class 6A and 5A this season. “We’ve played some tough competition in the Metroplex, and there are no slouches down here, either. They play a different style than we do down here, but it’s (still) good basketball.”

The Sabercats just couldn’t stay with the fast-paced Trojans in the title game.

Led by tournament MVP Andre Nunley, a senior point guard with plenty of quickness, Trinity jumped out to a 9-0 advantage thanks to three 3-pointers and didn’t look back.

Vela trailed the entire game as the Trojans led 19-17 after one quarter and were ahead 35-28 at halftime. Trinity outscored Vela 15-9 during the third quarter to take a 50-37 advantage into the final period.

Still, the Sabercats refused to back down and cranked up their offense by outscoring Trinity 29-24 during the final quarter, but it was just not enough. Even though they trailed by double digits for most of the second half, the Sabercats hit three 3-pointers during the final 28 seconds to narrow the final score to an eight-point margin.

Nunley led the Trojans with 22 points. Teammate Marcus Ervin added 11 points with one 3-pointer.

Noah Sekinger led Vela with 20 points. Teammates Kaleb Coronado and Bobby Espericueta added 16 and 11 points, respectively, with Coronado recording four 3-pointers and Espericueta making one.

Vela reached the title game with a 61-53 victory over Los Fresnos in the semifinals earlier Saturday. Trinity advanced to the championship with a 61-31 semifinal win against Rowe.

The Rowe-Los Fresnos game for third place went back and forth before the Warriors surged ahead for good at the end.

Rowe, which trailed 23-21 at halftime, outpointed the Falcons 15-9 during the third quarter and took a 36-32 lead into the fourth period before outscoring Los Fresnos 9-5 over the final eight minutes for a victory by eight points.

Louie Guerra led Rowe with 11 points, including one 3-pointer. Teammate John Galvan added 10 points. For Los Fresnos, Ricky Altamirano was the top scorer with 21 points, including four 3-pointers. Teammate Josh Martinez contributed 10 points with a pair of 3-pointers.

By ROY HESS | Staff Writer

The recently completed volleyball season was one of the most satisfying and enjoyable for Los Fresnos coach Becky Woods because of the senior group she had playing for her.

That’s saying a lot considering Woods has coached the Lady Falcons for 34 seasons.

Los Fresnos’ group of 10 seniors came shining through during the 2018 season. They blended well together on the court from the start back in August.

The Lady Falcons finished 36-9 overall and won District 32-6A with a 9-1 record. For the seniors who were on the varsity for four years, it was their third district title out of four seasons with a second-place finish in 2017. Los Fresnos advanced two rounds in the playoffs this year.

Fittingly, the Lady Falcons received some of the top honors on The Brownsville Herald’s 2018 All-Metro Volleyball Team.

Woods is the All-Metro Coach of the Year. Sarah Villarreal is the Setter of the Year and Isis Delgado is the Libero of the Year, plus fellow seniors Emma Stambaugh and Sandra Salazar are on the first team.

The All-Metro area includes Brownsville, Los Fresnos and Port Isabel.

“It’s been fun and relaxing (this season),” said Woods, who was assisted by Norma Pena. “These girls have played together for so long that they knew exactly what to do. They knew what the expectations were from Day 1. Actually, they knew what the expectations were even back when they were freshmen. They knew if they stayed together and played together, they would win that district title.

“(Regarding being named coach of the year,) it all goes back to the girls,” Woods added. “They’re the ones who won all those matches. I was on the sideline enjoying just watching them play. They wanted that district title, that bi-district title and to get to the area final. I wouldn’t be here without the players. It’s just that simple. They’re the ones who have made the difference along with all the assistant coaches at all the levels. They get these girls ready to play on the varsity.”

Delgado and Villarreal have been a big part of the Lady Falcons’ success. Delgado has started four years and won an All-Metro award during each of her four seasons. Villarreal has started three seasons.

Delgado led the team this season with 755 digs and 575 serve receptions. Villarreal had 283 digs and a team-best 1,000 assists.

Both girls said they appreciate the support of their families and their coaches.

“These four years playing for the Lady Falcons have been an unforgettable experience,” said Delgado, who ranks among the top students academically in her senior class and is a strong candidate for valedictorian honors. “I don’t think there would ever be another team where I could play with such amazing girls and all-around players.

“Winning these awards is like a reminder to me that, yes, I did all I could for the team,” she added. “It all comes back to the team. Everything I do is for the benefit of the team, not me. It’s for everyone.”

On the All-District 32-6A Team, Delgado also was the libero of the year, and Villarreal was the 32-6A overall MVP.

“It’s definitely mind-blowing (to win these honors),” Villarreal said. “I’ve always looked up to my sister (Gloriana Villarreal) who graduated in 2012, and she didn’t get (all-district) MVP her senior year. For me to do it my senior year is like the cherry on top of the cake. It’s just amazing for me.

“I’m really happy with the way my senior year (of volleyball) has ended up and how I’m going out,” Villarreal added. “I still plan to play in college, so (I’m not done yet). This is just like a chapter (in my book). It’s not the end.”

By ROY HESS | Staff Writer

When her volleyball team needed her, Frida Rangel was there.

Brownsville Veterans Memorial won district championships in 2016 and 2017, and when the 2018 season came around, the Lady Chargers had graduated just about everyone who had played on those title-winning teams of the previous two years.

The Lady Chargers returned only two seniors this season, and Frida Rangel was one of them.

For her role in stepping up to lead her team in 2018, particularly at the net, Rangel is The Brownsville Herald’s All-Metro Volleyball Offensive Player of the Year.

The All-Metro area includes Brownsville, Los Fresnos and Port Isabel.

“First of all, Frida really helped us by stepping up and playing middle blocker for us,” Lady Chargers coach Lisa Mares said. “The previous year she had played outside hitter. Not only was she outstanding as a power hitter, but she was a defensive threat with her blocking.

“Frida and Pam (Sanchez) were my only two seniors, and they led the team not only physically, but emotionally as well,” Mares added. “This team was a family, and our two seniors were like mothers and best friends to each of the younger girls. I’ve never seen so many underclassmen cry for them like I did this year (when our season ended). Both of them made a huge impact to our team. They are beautiful people inside and out.”

The Lady Chargers finished 31-15 overall and placed second in District 32-5A with a 12-2 mark. They came on strong at the end of the regular season to defeat previously unbeaten 32-5A champion Edcouch-Elsa before advancing two rounds in the playoffs.

Rangel was selected first-team all-district. She led the Lady Chargers with 258 kills and 79 blocks. She also had 22 aces.

“Being on this team has been one of the best parts of my high school years,” said Rangel, who was a member of the varsity for two seasons. “It’s awesome to be with a group of girls who all have the same heart for playing volleyball. They’re going to be my friends for life, and the coaches who have coached me these past four years will be, too.”

Rangel said she realized coming into this season that she and Sanchez, a first-team All-Metro selection, were going to be counted upon as leaders for the team.

“I knew it was going to be challenging after losing the girls we had last year (to graduation),” Rangel said. “We knew we had to rebuild the team, and I think it worked out great for us. We tried to help out the younger girls as much as we could, and I think we did a pretty good job.”

When asked what it means to her to win awards such as All-Metro Offensive Player of the Year, Rangel said, “It means a lot after the tough season and all the work that it took. Even though we didn’t win district, we still worked very hard. It feels great to be recognized for all the hard work. I’m proud of what we accomplished.

“I’d like to thank Coach Mares,” Rangel added. “She pushed us (to improve) from the very beginning. Because of her, it was a lot of fun this season.

“I think the future of this program is going to be a good one. The girls coming up have an amazing attitude. I think they’re going to do great.”