By ROY HESS | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

Julio “J.C.” De La Garza faced an important decision near the end of his time in high school.

The Lopez athlete, who graduated in 2015, was a standout soccer player and also a solid kicker for the Lobos football team.

He was good enough to land an athletic scholarship to college in either sport, but which one would it be?

De La Garza chose football over soccer and didn’t look back.

Now, after three productive years at Texas A&M-Kingsville, he’ll soon begin his final season as kicker/punter for the Javelinas.

“For my senior season, my goal is to be perfect on everything,” De La Garza said of his kicking and punting. “I’d like to open some eyes (and get a chance to kick in the pros).”

The standout kicker hopes to duplicate or improve upon his statistics from his sophomore season in 2016 when he earned All-Lone Star Conference first-team honors by converting 11 of 14 field goals, including six of seven attempts within a two-game span. He nailed a season-best 47-yard field goal in 2016 and had 11 kickoffs go into the end zone for touchbacks.

Actually, De La Garza’s numbers have been fairly consistent throughout all three of his seasons.

As a freshman in 2015, he made 10 of 14 field goals with the longest from 49 yards to go with 38 extra points. The 49-yarder stands as his career best with the Javelinas thus far.

Last season as a junior, he made 11 of 15 field goals with a longest one of 44 yards. He also punted 36 times for a 38.4-yard average with 16 punts going for touchbacks. His longest punt of 2017 went 55 yards.

“My junior season was OK, but I know I can do better,” De La Garza said of last season’s totals.

This summer, to prepare for his senior season with the Javelinas, De La Garza has attended kicking camps in Florida and Wisconsin. He’s had an opportunity to work out alongside NFL kickers and observe their techniques.

He’s also trained with Sergio Castillo, a La Joya High product who has kicked in the CFL. Castillo has kicked and punted the past three seasons in the CFL (Winnipeg, Ottawa and Hamilton). He kicked in college for West Texas A&M.

There were indications that De La Garza had promise as a kicker even before he reached high school.

“I found out I had a strong leg in middle school,” said De La Garza, who took his middle school coach’s advice and switched from running back to kicker so he could concentrate on his specialty. “I really liked the technique and fundamentals (involved in kicking).”

While he felt an urge to focus on kicking, De La Garza always remained a vital part of the Lopez soccer team throughout high school. In soccer, he was named to the UIL all-tournament team as a defender at state in Georgetown his junior year in 2014 when the Lobos reached the Class 5A state semifinals.

De La Garza stays in touch with the soccer and football teams at Lopez as his younger brother Angel is a goalkeeper on the soccer team and also a member of the football squad.

The 2015 Lopez graduate’s mind is primarily focused on football right now as he prepares to make his last season of kicking for the Javelinas his best one yet. He’s a criminal justice major who would like nothing better than to extend his kicking career beyond college and into the pros if possible.

All in all, he said, it’s been quite a rewarding experience to attend college in Kingsville and play for the Javelinas.

“I’ve been blessed to be here,” De La Garza said. “It’s great to have family support and develop friendships that will last a lifetime.

“It doesn’t have to be a big (well-known) high school for you to be successful (as a college athlete) because hard work goes over talent,” he added. “I’m just praying for the best and letting God open doors for me.”

By Roy Hess | The Brownsville Herald

Michael Schlater is quite an avid, passionate runner.

And even then, that’s perhaps understating it.

Since 2012, the 51-year-old electrical/manufacturing engineer has served as an assistant coach on the high school level in cross country and track at St. Joseph Academy.

As a runner, Schlater has set a high standard and become a dedicated example for the school’s athletes.

He is the proud owner of a remarkable, ongoing streak involving his running. Usually following a course through the streets of Brownsville, he’s dutifully run at least five kilometers (3.1 miles) daily for 6,143 consecutive days (his total through Saturday) and has logged 84,794 miles in the process (over his entire running career dating back to 1981). His daily streak goes back roughly 17 years.

On Saturday, Schlater went for an eight-mile run to give himself a 53-mile total for the week and account for the updated numbers in his streak.

“I know there are people who have run more miles than me and I know there are people who run faster than me,” he said. “But I don’t know of too many people who have run as many years without missing a day (like I have).

“My criteria is to run at least three miles or 25 minutes every day,” he added. “I think the thing I cherish most is my streak, which is now over 6,000 consecutive days.”

That’s quite an achievement. Remarkably, it’s still pretty far off the streak of the runner who is credited with the world record.

Ron Hill, a three-time Olympic competitor from England, owns the longest daily streak, according to a variety of sources. He ran various distances, many times just one mile, every day from Dec. 20, 1964, to Jan. 30, 2017, which amounted to 52 years and 39 days. When the streak finally ended, Hill posted on his website the reason he took a day off was due to “ill health.” He was 78 at the time and had been running at least a mile a day in his later years. His mileage for running 52-plus years totaled a little more than 159,000 miles.

Can Schlater ever catch Hill? He believes so. His average running distance per day is eight miles since 2015.

“God willing and good health permitting, I certainly will go for it,” the SJA coach said.

“I have been blessed with good health,” he added. “I have not missed a scheduled workday during my entire (engineering) career (of 33 years).”

Whether it’s cross country or track season, Schlater is always there running with the SJA athletes during workouts.

“I don’t want them to be as crazy (about running) as I am, I just want to be a role model and a good example for them (as someone dedicated to the sport),” said Schlater, a native of Dayton, Ohio, who has lived in the Rio Grande Valley since 1988.

He came to South Texas on a three-month job assignment in 1988 and wound up staying 30 years. Schlater and his wife, Maria Guadalupe (Lupita), will celebrate 25 years of marriage on July 17. They have two sons, Michael, 22, and David, 20, who are SJA graduates.

Schlater started running in 1981. He considered himself to be a good but not great runner at Dayton Carroll High School, where he graduated in 1985. Before coming to the Valley, Schlater was trained briefly by Rob Schul, the 1964 Olympic gold medalist in the 5,000 meters.

He has missed only eight days of running since 1985 with the last one being Sept. 11, 2001.

“My running flourished in college (in the 1980s at General Motors Institute in Flint, Michigan),” said Schlater, who has authored a book about his childhood experiences growing up in Dayton. “Running helped me maintain my focus and I established a discipline for myself that I’ve carried with me my whole life.”

He graduated from GMI in 1989 and received an MBA from the same institute in 1993.

Schlater first began as a volunteer assistant at SJA at the junior high level in 2008. He then coached at the high school level under recently retired and longtime SJA coach Meme Garza and is currently an assistant under Teddy Lopez, who now directs the school’s cross country and track programs.

Lopez said he greatly appreciates Schlater’s contributions as a coach for the Bloodhounds.

“Coach Schlater is an inspiration,” Lopez said. “His passion and positive attitude is contagious. Distance running is probably one of the toughest things mentally in all of sports, and to have him working with our student-athletes is truly a blessing.

Lopez added, “When I think about who he is and what he does for us, this quote sums it up perfectly for me: ‘If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.’”

Schlater said he makes a point of running with the SJA athletes. He said working with them has been a mutually beneficial experience.

“ I try to be a leader (as a coach) by example, not so much with words,” he said. “I think it’s important to ‘walk the talk.’”

“ I found out running was the most natural sport for me,” he added. “There’s a correlation between the effort you put in and the result you get out. I try to pass that on.”

It was about a decade ago when Schlater began participating in masters running competitions and soon gained All-American status in distances from one mile to five kilometers.

Last weekend, he competed in a USA Track and Field Federation five-state masters regional meet in Hutto, outside of Austin. He placed first in the 800, 1,500 and 5,000 meters in the 50-59 age division to qualify for the USATF National Championships July 26-29 in Spokane, Washington.

Regardless of where he may run, Schlater said he and his family will always consider the Valley their home.

“I do miss Dayton and seeing my parents, but this is home now and I love it,” he said.

Schlater has learned the Valley is an ideal place for a runner to train year-round and grow as a person.

“The dedication and discipline you learn by being a distance runner carries over into all facets of your life,” he said.

Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess

By ROY HESS | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

Thanks to the combined efforts of soccer players from high schools in Brownsville and Harlingen, the 17-and-under Brownsville Galaxy club team is advancing to next week’s U.S. Youth Soccer National President’s Cup in Indiana.

The Galaxy is composed of players mostly from Brownsville and two others from Harlingen. A number of the team members are from Brownsville Veterans Memorial with others are from Hanna, Pace, Harlingen High and Harlingen South.

The Galaxy plays under the auspices of the Brownsville Opportunity Youth Soccer Association.

One of the team’s players is Jose Luis Capistran, who will be a junior at Brownsville Veterans when the new school year starts in August. He is a defender on the left side for the Galaxy and also plays defense for the Chargers, who advanced to the Region IV-5A final for the second straight season last April.

He said the Galaxy team members have played along side one another for quite some time and that factor has contributed to their success. He said participating in the National President’s Cup will help each of them when their high school seasons begin in 2019.

“It’s really great (to be a part of this team),” Capistran said. “We understand each other very well and we know where we’ll be (on the field during a game). We try to support each other all the time in our games.

“It’s great that we’re getting the experience we need over there (in Indiana) against some really strong teams and some really good players,” he added. “We’re looking forward to it.”

Besides Capistran, other players for the Galaxy are Israel Barron, Mark Boswell, Cesar Cepeda, Felipe Esquivel, Reynaldo Gonzalez, Juan Daniel Lucio, Albert Maradiaga, Johnathan Mendoza, Raul Mendoza, Jose Muniz, Joaquin Ovalle Jr., Roberto Palomo, Maximiliano Rivas, Juan Rodriguez, Gerardo Valle, Jorge Vega, Isaac Acevedo and Moises Navarro.

Acevedo, a goalkeeper, is unable to make the trip to the national tournament, so Navarro, a goalkeeper who played for Brownsville Veterans, was added to the roster.

Leticia Capistran, the Galaxy team manager, said her son Jose Luis Capistran, Maradiaga and Boswell have played on the team since they were 3 years old. About six or seven of the other players have played together on the team since they were 5 or 6, she said.

This is the first time for the Galaxy to make it to the national level in the President’s Cup after reaching the regional semifinals a year ago.

“To me, it’s something that leaves me speechless to see how well these boys have done,” Leticia Capistran said. “There’s never a problem with any of them. They’re very disciplined and very well-behaved. They all like the sport.

“The parents have been very supportive,” she added. “A big reason for the success of the team is the parents’ support.”

The Galaxy began its quest for nationals in President’s Cup competition in April. In the district/group stage, the team went 3-0 and moved on to Texas regional competition and again went 3-0. From there, the Galaxy advanced to the state tournament in May in Round Rock and had a 3-0 showing against an El Paso team and two squads from Houston to make it to a southern regional tournament in Greenville, South Carolina, in mid-June.

In South Carolina, the Galaxy defeated a pair of South Carolina teams 4-0 and 1-0, and beat a team from Florida 4-1 in group play before winning against a North Texas team 1-0 in overtime in a regional semifinal match. A 4-1 triumph against a team from Tennessee in the southern regional final enabled the Galaxy to earn its trip to the National President’s Cup.

The team leaves for Indiana on July 10 and will play its first game July 12. The other teams in the Galaxy’s division in Indiana are from New Jersey, Utah and Chicago.

The Galaxy coach is Andres Macias, who has been an assistant soccer coach at Rivera since 2008. His Galaxy assistant is Guillermo Munoz.

Macias said he has seen the Galaxy players improve their skills year after year.

“It’s really great to see them develop in the mental aspect of the game, not just the physical aspect,” Macias said. “They’re doing things together and playing as a team.”

The team is seeking financial assistance for its trip to Indiana. For more information, go to www.gofundme.com/GalaxyNational

Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess

By ROY HESS | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

Priscila Cortinas is one of the best to ever play soccer for the Porter Cowgirls.

The 2018 graduate is now getting an opportunity to play in college.

The standout forward/midfielder, a four-year starter, has signed to play next school year at the University of Houston-Victoria, an NAIA school in Victoria.

“I’m proud of myself for signing to play in college,” said Cortinas, who throughout her Porter career received all-district and All-Metro honors. “I’m anxious and excited about playing at the next level. I know it will be totally different and more challenging, but I like competition, so I think it will be pretty good.”

Cortinas helped spark the Cowgirls to the playoffs in three of her four years at Porter. The Cowgirls advanced to the postseason for the first time in school history when she was a sophomore in 2016. UIL girls soccer came to the Rio Grande Valley 20 years ago in the late 1990s. The boys started playing in 1983.

Cortinas scored 41 goals during her senior season this past spring and finished her four-year varsity career with 115 goals overall.

“To me, it was an honor to have coached her,” Porter coach Abraham Gracia said. “She was the perfect athlete that any coach would like to have on their team. Priscila was very committed to our program and she never missed a single practice in all four years. Even when she was injured she was there.

“Priscila is a very humble player,” Gracia added. “She never thought she was above anyone else. She’s very respectful and very, very coachable. Whatever you would ask her to do, she would do it.

“She has all the qualities a coach can ask for in a soccer player.”

Cortinas plans to study criminal justice at UH-Victoria.

She is grateful for the impact many people have had on her life, particularly the influence of her parents, Filiberto Sr. and Irma Cortinas, along with the guidance of her coach.

“Thanks to my mom and dad because they’ve always supported me,” Cortinas said. “I also want to thank Coach Gracia. He’s always been there for me since my freshman year at Porter and he’s always helped me.”

The 2018 graduate is the last of her family to play for Porter. Older brothers Filiberto Jr. and Alan were standouts for the Cowboys a number of years ago. Some of her cousins have played the sport at Porter, too.

“It’s something really big for my family since we all love soccer,” Priscila said. “I won’t ever forget my four years of playing at Porter. Memories of the games and what I was taught are something I’ll treasure forever.”

Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess

By ROY HESS | The Brownsville Herald

PHARR — A day to always remember arrived Saturday for Kim Edquist, Sammy Montalvo and Tony Villarreal III.

Those three individuals, all with ties to the Brownsville area, were inducted into the Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame along with seven other honorees at the organization’s 31st annual banquet at Pharr Events Center, formerly Boggus Ford Events Center.

Villarreal, noted for his success as a Valley football coach with nearly 200 victories, said it was a pleasure to be inducted, especially along with Montalvo, a former track standout at Pace who won gold medals at the UIL state meet in back-to-back years (1979 and 1980) in the 800 meters.

“ Sammy and I grew up in the same neighborhood in Brownsville,” Villarreal said. “I was faster than Sammy only because I was older. But once he grew up, I couldn’t catch him anymore. We always used to play touch football and he was such a great athlete.

“ It’s amazing and kind of a little weird that here we are, both going into the RGV Sports Hall of Fame together,” Villarreal added.

Villarreal’s last season as a head coach was 2016 at Weslaco High. He remains a football consultant and was a part of the La Joya High program in 2017.

In 27 years as a head coach at Port Isabel, PSJA North, Hanna and Weslaco High, Villarreal amassed 197 victories and continues to rank as one of the Valley’s winningest football coaches. He coached 36 years overall.

Montalvo has been an assistant football coach at Brownsville Veterans Memmorial since 2010 with previous high school coaching stints at Pace, Los Fresnos and Lopez. In a coaching career that began in 1986, he has also coached track, including 2002 when he guided Los Fresnos to a district title in the sport.

Actually, the reason behind Montalvo’s induction is for his standout showing as a Pace track athlete. He won the Class 4A state championship in the 800 meters in Austin as a junior in 1979 and captured the state title again in the same event as a senior in 1980.

He’s one of the few from the Valley to achieve such a feat.

“ I’m honored, appreciative and just very blessed,” Montalvo said of his induction. “Just thinking back over the last 35 or 38 years (as an athlete and a coach), it brings me a lot of joy and brings back a lot of good memories. I’m just very honored.”

Edquist is a former Los Fresnos girls basketball coach who retired following the 2016-17 season after guiding the Lady Falcons to 528 wins, 17 trips to the playoffs and seven district titles in 27 seasons.

Edquist said she is grateful for her induction, but really wasn’t too thrilled about giving an acceptance speech in front of the many banquet attendees at Pharr Events Center.

“ I’m happy to be here, but like I said before, I don’t really like doing these things (and getting up to speak like this),” she said. “I just wish it was Sunday already. I’m excited and I’m honored. It’s a privilege, but I still wish it was over.”

The other seven inductees Saturday were Steve Alaniz of Edinburg (football), Roland Ingram of Harlingen (tennis), Phil Danaher of Calallen (football), Rose Marie Lefner White of Lyford (basketball), Becky Dube Thomas of McAllen (basketball), Joe Mancha of McAllen (football) and John Tripson of Mission (football).

Mancha and Tripson were inducted posthumously. Thomas was out of town and unable to attend. She was represented at the banquet by her parents, Larry and Barbara Dube, and her coach at McAllen High, Teresa Casso, who gave the acceptance speech.

The RGV Sports Hall of Fame has inducted approximately 250 individuals who have brought distinction to South Texas through their achievements in sports since the first class of enshrinees in 1988 that included Tom Landry of Mission and Bobby Morrow of San Benito.

By ROY HESS | The Brownsville Herald

Sammy Montalvo made an important decision to make track his primary sport during his junior year at Pace in the late 1970s.

Montalvo believes the result of that decision is why he is being inducted into the Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame today at the organization’s 31st annual banquet in Pharr.

Montalvo, 56, a Brownsville native and currently an assistant football coach at Brownsville Veterans Memorial, is one of 10 inductees at today’s Hall of Fame banquet at Pharr Events Center, formerly Boggus Ford Events Center.

The event begins with an informal reception for the inductees at 4 p.m. followed by a catered meal at 5 p.m. and the program at 6 p.m. Banquet tickets are no longer available for purchase.

Listed with their hometowns or city of their accomplishments, besides Montalvo, the other inductees include Tony Villarreal III of Brownsville (football), Kim Edquist of Los Fresnos (basketball), Steve Alaniz of Edinburg (football), Roland Ingram of Harlingen (tennis), Phil

Danaher of Calallen (football), Rose Marie Lefner White of Lyford (basketball) and Becky Dube Thomas of McAllen (basketball).

Also, to be inducted posthumously are Joe Mancha of McAllen (football) and John Tripson of Mission (football).

Leading up to his junior year at Pace, Montalvo stayed quite busy playing football, basketball and baseball and running track for the Vikings.

After going to the UIL state meet as a sophomore in 1978 and placing seventh in the 400 meters, it was clear to Montalvo that his best chance for a college scholarship was as a runner, so he opted to forego basketball and baseball to concentrate on track. He still played football, but made track his main focus and overcame some gridiron injuries to do well.

“Most of my buddies were playing baseball (so it was tough),” Montalvo said. “I decided I wanted to be faster for football, so I went straight track. Looking back, it was such an important decision because, had I chosen baseball, who knows? I probably wouldn’t be getting inducted.

“It’s funny how the decisions you make (at a younger age) can impact your life down the road,” he added.

It was a golden decision to concentrate on track for the 1980 Pace graduate as he went on to win the Class 4A 800 meters at the UIL state meet in Austin both as a junior and a senior before landing a track scholarship to run at the University of Texas-Arlington from 1981-83.

Montalvo ran his best-ever time in the 800, which was 1 minute, 52.50 seconds, at state as a Pace senior in 1980. It ranks as the seventh-fastest 800 all-time in the Valley according to Valley track & field historian Carlos Vela.

“It’s a pretty awesome experience (to win gold at state and do it twice),” Montalvo said. “I had gone to state as a sophomore, so I had been there before (and knew what to expect). There were 20,000 fans in the stands and it was just a fantastic atmosphere. It still is, although the state meet is now held at Mike A. Myers Stadium next door to the (University of Texas) football stadium.

“After my sophomore year at state and getting seventh (in the 400), I told a (Valley) newspaper reporter, ‘I’ll be back (to do better),’” he added. “My goal was to go back to state and my intention was to do it in the 400.

“I was known for my kick. I would do what I needed to do (down the stretch) to win.”

A football injury to Montalvo’s quad muscle as a junior prompted Pace track coach Regino Corona and trainer Larry Brunt to convince the standout athlete to start running the 800 instead of the 400. When Montalvo ran and won the 800 at state in 1979, it was only his seventh time to compete in the event. The 800 soon became his primary race.

“I had a great coach in Regino Corona and he knew my potential in the 800,” Montalvo said. “His only issue was convincing me to do it. Even when I was a sophomore, he was already hinting to me that was what I should do. As it turned out, my football injury is why I started running the 800. The idea was not to have me suffer an injury again (by sprinting the whole way in the 400).”

Also while at Pace, Montalvo played wide receiver and started two years on the football team under coach Gordon Foerster, helping the Vikings record 7-3 and 9-1 seasons in 1978 and 1979.

“Playing football at Pace, it was a tough sport, and you developed a brotherhood with your teammates,” Montalvo said. “We had some great players and some great coaches who were role models, including Coach Foerster, Leonel Garza, Jesus Amaya, Speedy Garza and Leonel Casas, and of course, Coach Corona (in track). We had some really good, quality coaches and I’ve tried to emulate those guys (in my coaching career).”

In 1983, Montalvo transferred from UTA to Southwest Texas State University and decided to concentrate solely on academics, so he didn’t run track. There he earned degrees in finance (1984) and education (1986). He later earned a master’s degree in mid-management administration in 1999 from the University of Texas-Brownsville.

Montalvo has enjoyed a distinguished career in the coaching ranks.

He started his career as a junior high coach at West Oso in 1986.

Returning to his alma mater, he began his high school coaching career with the Vikings in 1987 as a junior varsity football coach and a varsity track assistant. In 1991, Montalvo accepted a job at Los Fresnos to become a varsity football assistant and the head track and cross country coach for the Falcons.

Montalvo returned to Pace as the head football coach and athletic coordinator in 1993 and held those positions until January 1996. Serving as a running backs coach, offensive coordinator and head track coach, Montalvo also has had coaching stints at Los Fresnos (1991-1993, 1996-2003), Lopez (2004-2010) and Brownsville Veterans (2010-present).

He coached Los Fresnos to a district title in track in 2002.

One of Montalvo’s closest associates is David Cantu, the head football coach/athletic coordinator at Brownsville Veterans.

Cantu is looking forward to seeing his good friend inducted.

“Coach Montalvo brings 32 years of incredible experiences and life lessons to our coaching staff,” Cantu said. “He’s someone I’m proud to say I played for (at Los Fresnos) and he’s the perfect combination of intelligence, integrity, competitiveness and leadership.

“There’s no hiding the fact that he’s my right-hand man and No. 1 confidant in coaching,” Cantu added. “I think of him as family and I hope he’s got as many years left in this profession as I do.”
Montalvo said he is grateful for the many people who have influenced his life, and specifically, his career in coaching.

At the top of the list are Cary, his wife of 32 years, and his adult children Leslie and Steven. Leslie is an attorney in Austin and Steven is young physician in residency.

“I’m pretty proud of my family,” Montalvo said.

“To be inducted for the sport of track & field means a lot to me because there have been some tremendous Valley athletes in that sport who have been recognized like I’m being recognized,” he added. “I’m extremely honored and appreciative.
“I think this is a tribute to the coaches in the Valley who coach track & field because we had great coaches back when I ran and we still have great coaches. They do a great job of elevating their athletes’ talents. For me, this is such a great honor.”

By ROY HESS | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

Chris Rodriguez hit a home run by signing a college athletic scholarship on Thursday at Pace.

The 2018 Pace graduate signed to play baseball next school year at Texas College, an NAIA school in Tyler.

Playing for his father, Roy Rodriguez, the head baseball coach at Pace, Chris Rodriguez was a three-year letterman as an outfielder/pitcher. He earned first-team District 32-5A honors and was on the All-Metro second team after he helped the Vikings reach the state playoffs this past season out for the first time since 2011.

He’ll play outfielder at Texas College and pursue a degree in criminal justice.

“This is a day I’ve been looking forward to since the summer before my freshman year at Pace,” said Chris Rodriguez, who grew up playing baseball in West Brownsville Little League. “I’ve worked hard these past four years, and fortunately, I get to play at the next level. I’ve had faith, I’ve come through adversity and I’ve stayed (focused) on the game.

“I’ve also run cross country here at Pace in the fall and it’s possible I might be running cross country at Texas College,” he added. “I’m blessed to have been coached by so many great coaches.”

The main one of those coaches is, of course, his father, Roy Rodriguez, a former pitching standout who graduated from Porter in 1988. After Porter, he played at Texas Southmost College. Roy Rodriguez just completed his third year as the skipper at Pace and has 25 years of experience overall as a baseball coach.

“This (signing) has been a long-term goal for four years, so it’s a blessing,” Roy Rodriguez said. “When Chris was a freshman and he told me he wanted to play in college, I told him he would have to work hard to become good enough to play at the next level. Chris has earned this honor (of getting a college scholarship). It’s a great day for our family.

“Chris is a hard-working student-athlete,” the Pace coach added. “He’s very coachable and self-driven. This will be a new starting point for him and he’s going to do just fine.

“He brings a lot of leadership skills to the table and he brings a lot of ‘want-to’ (desire to play well). There’s no doubt that what he’s learned here with us at Pace he’ll take over there to Texas College. If you’re a student-athlete or simply a student, if you set your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.”

Chris Rodriguez said it was satisfying to see Pace get back into the playoffs this past season and added he will always have good memories of playing for the Vikings, especially making the road trips.

“Playing with my teammates, who are my brothers, was great,” he said. “Traveling to an away game or to a tournament out of the city was a lot of fun. Those road trips are something I’m never going to forget.

“We had a wonderful season with a spot in the playoffs,” he added. “I think what really helped us was the team chemistry. The guys really came together as a team and as brothers. We were fortunate to be one of the teams in the playoffs. We broke down that door (to the postseason) and we made a mark for this program. We cherish those memories.”

The new Pace graduate is eager for the next step.

“I’m looking forward to the experience of being a Steer at Texas College and playing for Coach (Anthony) Macon,” Chris Rodriguez said. “I’m going to be competing for a spot in the outfield and I hope everything goes well.”

The player’s father said Thursday was a day that will help his program down the road.

“Chris has been blessed and (by signing to play in college) he’s going to open doors for our program here at Pace,” Roy Rodriguez said. “He’s opening doors for other athletes at our school.”

Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess

By ROY HESS | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

Playing and coaching basketball has been a major part of Kim Edquist’s life.

She wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Now the recently retired Los Fresnos girls basketball coach is soon to become a Hall of Famer.

Edquist made a name for herself as a forward/guard at Laredo United (1976-79) and at Pan American University (1980-83) as a point guard before graduating from Pan Am in 1983. She started to coach in the mid-1980s. After stints at Weslaco High (sub-varsity) and La Joya High (sub-varsity and interim varsity head coach), Edquist’s coaching career flourished and produced 528 victories, 17 trips to the state playoffs and seven district championships in 27 seasons at Los Fresnos.

Overall, she coached 33 years before retiring after the 2016-17 school year at Los Fresnos, where her record guiding the Lady Falcons was 528-344 (.606 winning percentage).

On Saturday, Edquist will be inducted into the Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame at the organization’s 31st annual banquet at Boggus Ford Events Center in Pharr.

“I’m very honored,” she said. “If it wasn’t for all the players, the (assistant) coaches and administrators I’ve had, I wouldn’t be here (being inducted).”

Counting Edquist, there are 10 inductees comprising the RGV Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018.

Listed with their hometowns or city of their accomplishments, the other inductees include Tony Villarreal III of Brownsville, Sammy Montalvo of Brownsville, Steve Alaniz of Edinburg, Roland Ingram of Harlingen, Phil Danaher of Calallen, Rose Marie Lefner White of Lyford and Becky Dube Thomas of McAllen. Also, to be inducted posthumously are Joe Mancha of McAllen and John Tripson of Mission.

Saturday’s event begins with an informal reception for the inductees at 4 p.m. followed by a catered meal at 5 p.m. and the program at 6 p.m. Banquet tickets are no longer available for purchase.

Regarding her coaching career, Edquist said, “I’ve always kind of considered myself as a guidance counselor, really. I’ve tried to help students get through that next step (in life) that they’re going to take. It’s never been about coaching or having the (winning) numbers, district titles or anything like that. It’s been more about (imparting) life’s lessons.

“It’s always been about the students,” she added. “They come in (to high school) as kids and they leave as young women and young men. It’s such a great thing to watch them grow up and become adults. They always made me feel young being around them, and now I’m starting to feel old (as a retiree and) not being around them.

“I guess this is part of a life lesson (for me) in getting this honor,” she added. “It will be something that’s with me for the rest of my life, so I’m very grateful.”

At Los Fresnos, Edquist’s teams recorded seasons of 20 or more wins 13 times and posted two campaigns with at least 30 victories. Her best season came in 2011-12 when the Lady Falcons went 31-5.

Under the veteran coach, the Lady Falcons advanced to the regional tournament in 2000, reached the regional quarterfinals three other times and achieved four bi-district championships. She had a career record of 245-114 in district competition at Los Fresnos and her teams went 14-17 in the postseason.

Edquist recorded her 500th career win on Dec. 16, 2015, in a 70-44 victory against Lopez.

One of Edquist’s closest friends and a fellow coach throughout her entire time at Los Fresnos is Becky Woods, a veteran volleyball coach who was inducted into the RGV Sports Hall of Fame in 2016. Edquist attended the banquet honoring Woods two years ago, and now it’s the retired basketball coach’s turn to be recognized.

Woods, who begins her 34th season of directing the Lady Falcons volleyball team in August, is looking forward to seeing her longtime friend honored.

“As a coach, Kim loved the job of coaching at the high school level,” Woods said. “She was a very motivated, knowledgeable and hard-working individual who built a basketball program at Los Fresnos with more than two decades of winning teams. She was very well-respected by the administration, the community, our coaching staffs and the student-athletes everywhere. I think the one thing that really stood out to me was her personality and the way she could relate to the kids.

“As a friend, I couldn’t have asked for a better person to work with,” Woods added. “We worked side by side for 27 years. Those were 27 exceptional years and I miss her (being at school) every day. I love her with all my heart and I wish her nothing but the best in her retirement. I congratulate her on this induction into the RGV Hall of Fame.”

Edquist responded by saying, “For 27 years we’ve had each other’s backs. It’s really great to work with people like that.”

Edquist is a native of Iowa as is Woods. As a youth, Edquist moved with her family from Iowa to El Paso for two years and then to Laredo, where she spent her middle and high school years. She played basketball and ran track throughout high school while earning all-district honors. As a senior, she joined the volleyball team at United in 1978, became a starter and helped the Lady Longhorns advance to the UIL state tournament.

“Sports came easy to me, but not because I was that good,” Edquist said. “I always had to work hard (to do well). Playing sports was like my second skin. (Without sports) it got to be a little boring in Laredo.”

Originally, becoming a coach wasn’t part of her plan while in high school.

“I actually never had an idea I would be a coach,” Edquist said. “I always wanted to be near the water (gulf) and be an oceanographer or a marine biologist or something like that. There was a big demand (for that occupation) at the time when I was a freshman (at United), but four years later, as I was graduating, I looked into it again and there was no demand at all and no jobs were out there, so I looked at something else, which was playing basketball at Pan Am. That’s what gave me the bug (to coach).”

Whether she was playing or coaching sports, Edquist always wanted to do the right thing, which was a character quality she learned from her parents, Keith and Peggy Mynatt. Edquist’s mother died in 2002 and her father now lives within walking distance of the former coach’s home in Laguna Vista. He recently experienced some health concerns and that appears to be at least one of the reasons Edquist considered retirement.

“As a coach, one thing I preached every year was we would never cheat,” Edquist said. “I tried to instill in my teams that we were going to work hard. We might lose, and if we did lose, we were going to lose the right way by following the rules. I think my players respected me for doing that. That’s part of learning life’s lessons.”

One of Edquist’s coaching trademarks was her ability to give an unmistakable whistle in a shrill, loud tone that always captured the attention of her players in a game or during practice. It was a whistle never to be ignored.

“It seems that when I whistle, my players and former players will always turn around and say, ‘What’s up, coach?’” Edquist said.

Edquist said she has given it a lot of thought and has decided her final season in 2016-17 was the one that stands out the most. That was the school year her daughter Lindsay was with her as an assistant coach. Lindsay played for the Lady Falcons before graduating in 2009. She continues to be an assistant girls basketball coach at Los Fresnos and also coaches other sports.

And when singling out people to thank, Edquist starts with her parents.

“My mom and dad were super big supporters for me,” she said. “They always supported me in whatever I did.”

Edquist has mixed feelings about Saturday, especially when it comes to giving an acceptance speech.

“Like I said, I’m honored, but I would just like Saturday to be over,” she said. “I’m not one to get up before people and speak. I’m a little nervous and I’m not sure what to say. I’ve got about two sentences written (of my speech), so that’s a start. I would just say that I’ve been blessed.”

Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess

By ROY HESS | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

Tony Villarreal III is one of the winningest football coaches in the Rio Grande Valley with 197 victories.

He’s also one of the most colorful.

“I guess you could say that’s accurate,” Villarreal said. “At the end of the day, football is a game, and I always wanted to make it fun. You think outside the box. I admired Muhammad Ali and what he had to say in his interviews. Regardless of whether I was colorful or not, I always wanted to do things right.”

One of Villarreal’s most memorable comments was made about a decade ago while he was the head coach at Weslaco High and coached such standout players as running back Mishak Rivas.

The coach was once asked about his squad after a particular game and said, “We were running the ‘Macarena’ offense and the ‘Chupacabra’ defense.”

He later explained it wasn’t meant to be all that flattering about his team’s play.

“It was the ‘Macarena’ offense because there was a lot of movement, but we weren’t really going anywhere, and it was the ‘Chupacabra’ defense because we just kept disappearing,” Villarreal said.

Villarreal, along with nine other inductees, will be enshrined in the RGV Sports Hall of Fame at the organization’s 31st annual banquet next Saturday at Boggus Ford Events Center in Pharr.

The event begins with an informal reception for the inductees at 4 p.m. followed by a catered meal at 5 p.m. and the program at 6 p.m. Banquet tickets may be purchased through Wednesday by calling (956) 624-5241.

The 2018 honorees, listed along with their hometowns or the city of their accomplishments, include Villarreal of Brownsville, Steve Alaniz of Edinburg, Roland Ingram of Harlingen, Kim Edquist of Los Fresnos, Phil Danaher of Calallen, Rose Marie Lefner White of Lyford, Becky Dube Thomas of McAllen and Sammy Montalvo of Brownsville. Also, to be inducted posthumously are Joe Mancha of McAllen and John Tripson of Mission.

Villarreal spent 27 years as a head coach and 36 years overall (1980-2016) in the coaching profession. He also coached baseball early in his career.

His time as a head football coach was spent at Port Isabel (1990-95), PSJA North (1996-97), Hanna (1998-2004) and Weslaco High (2005-2016). Other coaching stints in sub-varsity/varsity assistant roles dating back to the 1980s included Port Isabel, PSJA High, Alice and McAllen High.

Overall, as a head coach, Villarreal’s varsity football teams captured 11 district titles and went to the playoffs 22 times. He took football teams to the postseason at every one of his head coaching stops.

Villarreal said at Weslaco High he used to have his players go for “job interviews” before the season began, so they could get a taste of what things would be like in the real world. Each player was required to dress up in a shirt and tie and go for an interview before Villarreal, the offensive coordinator and the defensive coordinator.

At the interview, each player would answer questions about his position and talk about why he was the best choice for the “job.”

Villarreal won four district titles (2010, 2011, 2014, 2015) coaching the Panthers.

Earlier in his coaching career, while the head coach at PSJA North in 1997, Villarreal’s Raiders prepared to face McAllen Rowe for the District 31-5A championship. Both teams were undefeated and among the best in the Valley that season.

Villarreal wanted to motivate his squad, so he bought some green fishnet practice jerseys and wore one to his team’s Saturday morning workout the week before the Rowe game. The jerseys were used by the scout team later that week in practices.

Green was Rowe’s school color and the PSJA North players did not like seeing their coach in their upcoming opponent’s green jersey one bit, but Villarreal’s unpopular fashion choice brought about the desired result in the District 31-5A showdown.

“It bothered them to see me in that jersey,” Villarreal said. “It really fired them up. We beat Rowe 12-7 in like the seventh game of the season and went on to win the school’s first district championship (in football).”

As a coach, Villarreal said he has always considered himself primarily a teacher. His last season as a head coach was at Weslaco High in 2016 when the Panthers went 5-5. He was a consultant for the La Joya High football program last fall.

Villarreal’s overall career record as a head football coach is 197-107-4.

“I’ve always taken a lot of pride in being a teacher,” he said. “You can yell and scream, hoop and holler, but at the end of the day, what makes a successful teacher or coach is the fact that you have a good grasp of your material or information that you want to impart.

“I think you have to go beyond the numbers and understand in a deep way the concept or initiative you’re teaching,” he added. “For us (as coaches), we had to have anunderstanding of what made a certain play work and why. And another thing isyou can be (New England Patriots coach) Bill Belichick, but if the players don’t like you, you’re not going to get past first base, so you have to understand the kids, too.”

One of the best coaching jobs of any Valley coach as far as preparation and motivation was accomplished by Villarreal in 1994 at Port Isabel. He guided the Tarpons to a 13-1-1 record and a trip to the Class 3A semifinals.

Along the way, the Tarpons tied Cuero, the top-ranked 3A team in the state, 20-20 and advanced on penetrations 5-3 at a time before overtime. It was a monumental third-round playoff “win” at Texas A&M-Kingsville considering Cuero had routed Port Isabel 63-8 the previous season at the University of Texas-Austin.

Earlier that summer in 1994, Villarreal had subscribed to the Cuero newspaper and soon became well-informed about the Gobblers’ tendencies from reading the stories in the paper. When Port Isabel drove down the field and scored to make it 20-18 in the final minutes, Villarreal knew the Gobblers’ defense was aggressive and quick-reacting. It would take something special to score the two-point conversion and earn the tie.

He had his team snap the ball for the conversion on a staggered count and go on the fourth “hut” instead of the second. The Gobblers reacted to the second “hut” and were just settling back into their stances when the ball was snapped and given to fullback Jesus “Beta” Ramirez on an off-tackle play to the right side of the line. He went in easily and the Tarpons made it 20-20 and held on to pull off the upset.

“Even before the season I knew we would play Cuero again,” Villarreal said. “That was a pretty satisfying win. Back then there was no way to scout your opponent on the internet and do things like that. The articles in the Cuero newspaper were very descriptive and it really helped.

“Cuero was so dominant defensively and they were such a strong team,” he added. “But we realized they hadn’t played a full four quarters because they were almost always ahead by 40 points or so at halftime. If we could just stay in the game through the fourth quarter, we had a chance. It was an amazing win and it was named (playoff) game of the year by Craig Way and Fox Sports (Southwest).”

Also, Villarreal was selected Texas’ 3A Coach of the Year in 1994 by Way and Fox Sports Southwest.

As his induction approaches, “Coach Tony” said there are many people to thank.

“I’m very grateful for this honor and the way everything has worked out,” said Villarreal, whose father, Tony Villarreal Jr., was inducted at last year’s banquet as a standout running back for Brownsville High in the 1950s. “It’s such a team effort. I believe it’s really a culmination of all the successes of the players, their parents and the coaches who have been with me plus my family and all the (school) administrators I’ve had. I appreciate everyone and I am thankful for them.

“Even to be considered (for induction) is amazing,” he added. “Yes, the wins were great, but even more, what I’m most proud of is all the kids we’ve sent on to college. Some of them never even played for me (as starters). I think it’s a combination of all the football successes we’ve had and the academic initiatives that were undertaken. It’s a celebration, actually.

“Assistant coaches (particularly) never get any recognition (but they deserve it). They should have their own hall of fame.”

One of those former assistants for Villarreal is Gabe Pena, now the head football coach/athletic coordinator at Edinburg Economedes. He was an assistant coach under Villarreal at Port Isabel and Weslaco High, serving as an offensive coordinator and offensive line coach.

Pena said Villarreal has been a big influence in his coaching career.

“Tony truly used football as a vehicle to teach kids about life,” Pena said. “He did things the right way consistently and conscientiously day after day whether he was a Tarpon, (Eagle), Raider or Panther. I along with other (coaching) staff members witnessed ‘Coach Tony’ work his magic. (It was) his relentless pursuit of not only perfection, but of what was right.

“Tony was never one who needed to hear it, but I want to thank him for making my journey into coaching and athletic administration a great thing to be a part of,” Pena added. “Thank you, Tony.”

Over the years, Villarreal refined his coaching philosophy and style, which originally came from the “Slot-T” offense he learned under Bruce Bush at Alice in the early 1980s. Along with Bush sharing his football knowledge, Villarreal also credits school administrators Genaro Rodriguez of Port Isabel and Sharon Moore of Hanna among others for mentoring him and helping him learn how to guide and motivate his players and coaches.

He also said wife Arlene and son Anthony have been very influential in his success. Anthony is a dentist who is now setting up a practice in Edinburg.

Villarreal graduated from Hanna in 1976. He attended Texas Southmost College and was the leading batter for the baseball team as an outfielder in 1977 when the Scorpions made their only trip to the NJCAA World Series in Colorado in a bus borrowed from Coach Al Ogletree and Pan American University.

From TSC, Villarreal went on to SMU, where he received his degree in 1980. He made the dean’s list at both TSC and SMU.

Then it was time to coach football and learn from legendary coaches such as Bush, who is already in the RGV Sports Hall of Fame.

A two-time All-Valley Coach of the Year and a past president of the RGV Coaches Association (1995). Villarreal came to be known as a coach committed to excellence and doing the right thing.

“You have to win to make it work, right?” Villarreal said. “That’s the way things work. When you’re winning, you can set your standards for academics. You have to care about the kids all the time. That’s what makes it work. Being a teacher is the key to being successful and that’s what I’ve tried to do.”

Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess

By ROY HESS | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

MISSION — Brownsville athletes Cassie Valdez, Kai Money and Julie Lucio were among those winning top honors at Tuesday night’s All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet at Mario’s Banquet & Conference Center.

The event was hosted by RGVSports.com and AIM Media Texas in conjunction with the RGV Sports Hall of Fame as 33 awards involving 12 UIL sports were presented to the Valley’s most successful athletes, coaches and teams from the school year just completed.

Former San Antonio Spurs player and current team broadcast announcer Sean Elliott was the keynote speaker.

From Brownsville, top winners at the banquet included Valdez of Brownsville Veterans Memorial and Money of St. Joseph Academy. Both 2018 graduates, they were named Sub-6A Female and Male Athletes of the Year, respectively.

This school year, Valdez was The Brownsville Herald’s All-Metro MVP in softball for the third straight time and the District 32-5A Offensive MVP. An infielder/pitcher, Valdez led the 26-12 Lady Chargers to a repeat 32-5A championship by batting .611 with 60 RBIs, 58 runs scored and 11 home runs as a senior. She had glowing numbers as a pitcher as well.

In volleyball, Valdez was the 32-5A MVP and sparked her team to the 32-5A title. She also was named the All-Valley Volleyball Player of the Year at the banquet on Tuesday.

Softball, though, is her sport. Valdez has signed to play NCAA Division I ball at the University of Texas-San Antonio.

Regarding her awards on Tuesday, Valdez said, “It’s such an honor to be nominated and then get these awards. I’d like to thank all my coaches and everyone who has contributed to my career in sports. It’s a good way to transition into college and it gives me a confidence boost for what I can do in the future.”

Money was a four-year starter at quarterback for the Bloodhounds, who went 7-5 last fall and advanced to the second round of the TAPPS playoffs. During his senior season of football, Money passed for 2,539 yards and 35 touchdowns while rushing for 1,502 yards and 11 scores.

Money also played basketball and soccer and ran track.

“I’m very honored,” said Money, who plans to attend the University of Texas-Austin this fall and pursue a biology/pre-med degree and walk on to the Texas Longhorns football team. “It’s something I’ve worked for before high school and during high school.

“It’s awesome to come out here to this banquet and it’s very cool for Valley high school athletes to be able to experience this,” he added. “I’d like to give a shout-out to my parents for always believing in me and my teammates and friends throughout the past four years. It was an experience (in high school) I’ll cherish the rest of my life.”

Also Tuesday, Julie Lucio of Brownsville Veterans was named the All-Valley Girls Golfer of the Year. The University of Houston signee averaged 71.38 strokes over 18 holes this school year, which was the best average in the Valley for high school girls.

She sparked her team to a second straight appearance at the Class 5A state tournament in May.

“Having this award to end the (school) year means everything,” Lucio said. “It’s been amazing to be a Brownsville ISD student/athlete. I’m just looking forward to what I can accomplish in the future. I can’t wait for college.”

Brownsville Veterans picked up the award for Sub-6A program of the year. It was the second straight year for the school to win such a recognition. McAllen High captured the 6A Program of the Year award.

During the 2017-18 school year, Brownsville Veterans won district titles in football, volleyball, boys and girls swimming, girls basketball, girls golf, baseball and softball. All of the school’s teams went to the playoffs for the second consecutive year, including the boys soccer squad. It advanced to the Region IV-5A finals for the second straight season in April.

Among the other top award winners for athletes and teams at the banquet were McAllen High’s Serena Cervantes (6A Female Athlete of the Year), McAllen High’s Shane Casas and Los Fresnos’ Sebastian Gonzales (6A Co-Male Athletes of the Year), McAllen High soccer (6A Girls Team of the Year), San Benito football (6A Boys Team of the Year), Sharyland High golf (Sub-6A Girls Team of the Year) and Santa Rosa basketball (Sub-6A Boys Team of the Year).

Santa Rosa’s Johnny Cipriano was chosen All-Valley Boys Coach of the Year for taking his basketball team to the state tournament in back-to-back seasons.

McAllen High’s Pat Arney was named the All-Valley Girls Coach of the Year for guiding the Lady Bulldogs soccer team to the state tournament. The Lady Bulldogs became the first girls team from the Valley to make it to state in their sport.

Hanna’s Jay Medina was the winner of the annual Tom Landry Award for Excellence. He played baseball and ranked 19th academically out of more than 600 students in his class with a 4.5 grade-point average. He received a $2,000 check for college.