By ROY HESS | The Brownsville Herald

The Brownsville Veterans Memorial Lady Chargers were in ninth place out of 12 teams after Monday’s opening round of the UIL Class 5A state tournament at Georgetown’s White Wing Golf Club.

The final round of the two-day state tournament is today.

The Lady Chargers, who finished fifth at the 5A state tournament a year ago, encountered a challenging course in Georgetown on Monday. Their top four scores out of five players gave them a 351 total, which was quite a ways behind team leader Grapevine at 305. Magnolia was second at 320 and Midlothian was third at 321. Sharyland High was fourth at 324.

“We’re 30 strokes back of third place for now,” Lady Chargers coach Thomas Abete said. “We just need to stick to the basics and play the way we know how to play.

“It was tough today with our confidence,” he added. “The girls were a little nervous, but we will continue to play hard until the 18th hole on Tuesday.”

The individual scores for the Lady Chargers on the par-72 course at White Wing Golf Club were Julie Lucio, 75; Fahtima Avila, 82; Ceci Garza, 96; Anisa Nieto, 98; and Gigi Ramirez, 101.
Lucio, a University of Houston signee, was one of four players tied for seventh place individually at 75. Also in the group of players with 75s is Sharyland High’s Laura Rodriguez. Lucio and Rodriguez posted the best first-day individual scores for the Valley.

Abete was encouraged by Lucio’s opening round and said she’s within striking distance of a place in the top three.

“Julie played great and is only six strokes back of the leader,” Abete said. “She’s calm and focused. She shot 3 over. It was a great round for Day One.”

The individual leader is Grapevine’s Gabriella Tomanka with a 3-under-par 69. Tied in second place are Grapevine’s Anna Takahashi and Magnolia’s Halle Whitney, both with 1-under 71s.

Aysis Azarcon of Mansfield Timberview and Jasmine Zhang of Midlothian are tied for fourth place with 72s, while Elise Parel of Humble Kingwood Park is alone in sixth place at 73.

After the four players with 75s, which included Lucio and Rodriguez, Sharyland High’s Raquel Flores was one of four players with 76s.

To qualify for state, Sharyland High, Brownsville Veterans and Boerne Champion placed first, second and third, respectively, as teams at the Region IV-5A Tournament on April 26 at San Antonio.

By ROY HESS | The Brownsville Herald

College scholarship signings for athletics are a rare event at IDEA Frontier.

Prior to Monday, the only one in school history for the Chargers took place four years ago.

Frontier celebrated two more such signings in the school’s gym on Monday morning. Sabrina Garcia signed to run cross country and long distances in track next school year at Our Lady of the Lake University of San Antonio, while Julian Puente, a discus and shot put thrower, signed with Fontbonne University of St, Louis, Missouri.

OLLU competes in NAIA Division I, while Fontbonne is an NCAA Division III school.

It was a happy day for everyone in attendance. Even a group of grade-schoolers took a break from their PE class in the gym to sit in on the signings and looked on with interest as the two senior athletes secured their college futures.

Both Garcia and Puente plan to pursue degrees in biology to eventually enter the nursing field.

Garcia has been to UIL state meets in Class 3A three times in cross country and once in track earlier this month. She did well at regionals in track to qualify for state in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters, but was hampered by a strained calf muscle at the state meet May 11-12 in Austin. Had she not been hurt, Garcia figured to medal in Austin as her time from regionals in the 3,200 was the second-best time at state. Last fall, she took fifth place in the 3A girls race at state in cross country.

Garcia can now smile about her middle school days when she first began running competitively. She was so shy back then, she was reluctant to pass other runners on the track because she didn’t want to offend them.

“I told her if she ever wanted to be successful, she’d have to learn to pass people, and she eventually did,” said Albert Alanis, Frontier’s athletic director/track and cross country coach. “She didn’t want to be rude to the other runners, but she has no problem passing them now.

“I am personally very proud of her and the accomplishment she has made,” Alanis added. “I’m very grateful to Sabrina’s parents and to Sabrina for allowing me to work with her.”
Said Garcia, “I’ve come a long way. When I was younger, I didn’t want to pass anyone, and if I did, I’d say, ‘I’m sorry’ and I’d look back. Coach Alanis told me not to look back. Now I’ve reached the point where I just go (past other runners). You’ve got to be a little bit competitive sometimes.

“Mainly what I’ve done is because of my coach,” Garcia added. “He’s pushed me to where I wouldn’t have ever thought I could go and to where I didn’t think I was capable of going. He’s pushed me in telling how to eat well and drink water (to stay hydrated). He’s just a good coach and he’s always been there for me.”

Regarding his standout runner, Alanis said, “I would definitely say Sabrina is a dedicated athlete. She’s one of the more committed and consistent athletes we’ve had. Academics is important to us at this school and she found a way to balance academics and athletics, which is hard to do here. She was shy at first, but through the years, I’ve really seen her grow.”

Meanwhile, Puente is expected to compete in the javelin and hammer throws along with the discus and shot put in college.

“I’ve been throwing here at IDEA since the eighth grade,” Puente said. “This year I worked really hard and made it to the 3A area meet.
“It’s been hard to compete in sports because our focus here at IDEA is on academics and we don’t have the facilities that other schools have,” he added. “But I’ve worked really hard (to do well in my events).”

Alanis praised Puente for his accomplishments and getting an athletic scholarship. He becomes the first male athlete from the school to do so.

“Julian is one of those student-athletes who is very committed,” Alanis said. “He’s always asking what he can do to get better as far as weight training and things like that. He’s always ahead of the ball game (with his training). He’s a hard-working athlete who never misses practice. He’s constantly seeking information about different ways to improve and even going online. He’s someone who is self-driven to do well.”

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

It was quite an accomplishment a year ago when Brownsville Veterans Memorial sent the city’s first girls golf team to the UIL state tournament.

And now the Lady Chargers are going back to state.

The Class 5A girls state tournament tees off today at White Wing Golf Club in Georgetown. The final round is Tuesday.

“I think it’s going to be a lot of competition, but I feel we’re ready for it,” said Gigi Ramirez, a junior member of the squad. “We’re very competitive and we’re like a family, so it helps us work together.

“We want to stay focused and calm and not think of it as the state tournament,” Ramirez added. “Our approach is we want to take it as just another tournament. There’s less pressure that way.”

The Lady Chargers qualified for state again by taking second place as a team behind Sharyland High at the Region IV-5A Tournament in San Antonio on April 26.

Besides Ramirez, other members of the Brownsville Veterans squad are Julie Lucio, Fahtima Avila, Cecilia Garza and Anisa Nieto.
Lucio, Avila and Garza played on the team at state last year, while Ramirez and Nieto are newcomers to the squad, which is coached by Thomas Abete and assistant Richard Stewart.

“This team is very hard-working and it’s a great group of girls who work together well,” Abete said. “For them to come out here (to practice) and work hard every single day in all kinds of weather (throughout the school year) is something that is truly a blessing for me as their coach.

“These girls don’t expect anything (to be given to them),” he added. “They know they have to go out, work hard and get it. Their work ethic has helped us get to this level.

“They also have a short-term memory on the course. Whether it’s a good or bad hole, they shake it off and move on. We have a lot of leadership as well from Julie, Fahtima and Ceci, who are the ones from last year’s state squad.”

Lucio is one of only two seniors (the other is Garza) and she recently signed a scholarship agreement to play for the University of Houston women’s golf team at the NCAA Division I level next school year.

Lucio carries a 71.38-stroke average for 18 holes, which is the best mark in the Valley among high school girls. Avila is the Valley’s No. 3 golfer with a 76.67 average. Garza is No. 8 with an 80.94 average.

“This year as a senior, I just want to be in the top five individually and help my team the best I can (at Georgetown),” said Lucio, who will be playing for the third time at state this week. “This will be my last tournament to play (in high school). It’s going to be fun. I’m excited to be with the girls and just have a good time while doing our best. I’m looking forward to giving it 100 percent for this last time (playing for the Lady Chargers).”

Avila, a junior, is approaching state with a similar mindset.

“Our expectations are to play well, concentrate, stay focused and to just have fun,” she said. “That’s all you really can do. You have to be relaxed and enjoy yourself out there. You can’t be stressing out.

“We just work together and pick each other up,” Avila added. “I would say that’s what has made us successful in our tournaments and gotten us to state.”

The Lady Chargers were fifth out of 12 teams at state last year and finished just one stroke behind fourth place.

“We want to win and bring home that state trophy,” said Nieto, a sophomore. “We’ll have to work hard and all of us do our part (to achieve it). We want to play our best and see what happens. Hopefully we get first.”

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

As a senior in 2018, Kryssie Rivera enjoyed the kind of soccer season for the Pace Lady Vikings that made her an obvious choice as The Brownsville Herald’s Girls Soccer All-Metro Most Valuable Player.

Rivera consistently thrived on the field and led her team with 56 goals. It boosted her teammates, who were talented as well, and everyone shared in the squad’s success. Rivera finished her four-year varsity career with 127 goals and has signed to play soccer next school year at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley at the NCAA Division I level.

The Lady Vikings recorded their most successful season in 2018 with a 28-2-1 overall mark that included an undefeated District 32-5A championship with a 14-0 league record. There was also a trip to the third round of the Class 5A playoffs for the second straight year.

It was the kind of season other teams usually can only dream about. Yet, Pace’s standout scorer, who recently was voted the MVP in 32-5A, helped make it a reality.

“It means a lot to me to be recognized (as an MVP), especially because I’ve been working really hard and I’ve made sacrifices for the sport,” said Rivera, who also plays for the Dynamo Academy club team out of McAllen. “I’m really happy to be acknowledged for what I’ve been doing these past four years.

“I started playing soccer when I was like 5 years old,” she added. “I kept moving forward and eventually joined club teams and they’ve developed me into the player I am (in high school). I’ve been playing with the Dynamo since I was 11. Actually, I think I’ve learned responsibility and discipline playing soccer all this time while becoming a team captain.

“What stands out to me (about my high school soccer years) is the bond we’ve formed between each other. We get along super well. If we didn’t like each other inside or outside of the team, I don’t think we would have ever gone that far.”

Pace coach Jesus O. Villarreal said his star scorer has brought a variety of positives to the Lady Vikings during her time on the team. Rivera has played mostly at the forward position and also has spent time as a midfielder.

“Kryssie has shown a lot of talent since Day 1,” Villarreal said. “We quickly saw that we wanted the ball to pass by her (in our offense to give her chances to score). Ever since she came to Pace, it’s been an amazing ride. I’m pretty sure she’ll do well in the future (at UTRGV) because when she first started with us four years ago, she adapted to the team and the juniors and seniors back then saw that she was going to be able to contribute (as a freshman).

“Kryssie is more than just a finisher, she’s about everything as a player,” Villarreal added. “Yes, especially this year, Kryssie showed that she can finish plays. One of her skills is finishing, and she can also create (scoring opportunities for her teammates) because she moves all around the field and makes it hard for other teams to cover her.”

Rivera said playing at Pace has been a mutually beneficial and memorable experience.

“My (Pace) team has taught me a lot and maybe I’ve been able to teach them some things, too,” she said. “We’ve had some crazy bus rides. We always brought each other up and made what we accomplished a team effort. I’m very happy to be a Pace Viking. My teammates couldn’t have been any better. I’m very proud of them.”

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

The Brownsville Herald’s 2018 All-Metro Girls Soccer Team

MVP

Kryssie Rivera, Pace

Offensive Player of the Year

Samantha Bodden, Brownsville Veterans Memorial

Defensive Player of the Year

Allison Spier, Los Fresnos

Utility Player of the Year

Alexis Guajardo, Pace

Newcomer of the Year

Brigitte Iglesias, Rivera

Coach of the Year

Peter A. Rodriguez, Rivera

First Team

Forwards — Priscila Cortinas, Porter; Sytlaly Loyde, Hanna

Midfielders — Gabby X. Mariscal, Los Fresnos; Alyssa Ayala,
Rivera; Alma Perez, Pace; Arianna Garcia, Pace

Defenders — Quetzali Cortez, Porter; Alexa Gutierrez, Los
Fresnos; Perla Briseno, Los Fresnos; Myrka Guevara, Rivera;

Goalkeeper — Jazul Amaya, Pace

Second Team

Forwards — Ashley Torres, Rivera; Myrka Garcia, Lopez

Midfielders — Kaylyn Maradiaga, Brownsville Veterans; Celia
Polsky, Port Isabel; Zaida Esquivel, Lopez; Lesly Pena, Rivera

Defenders — Yadira Dominguez, Pace; Carla Longoria, Porter;
Arely Guzman, Brownsville
Veterans; Angelina Castillo, Hanna

Goalkeeper — Abigail Mata, Hanna

By ROY HESS | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

Alexis Guajardo of Pace is comfortable playing just about any position on the soccer field.

“I don’t believe she’s played goalkeeper, but she’s played all the other positions and done well,” Lady Vikings coach Jesus O. Villarreal said.

Guajardo, a junior whose primary position is attacking midfielder, is The Brownsville Herald’s Girls Soccer All-Metro Utility Player of the Year.

This season, she helped the Lady Vikings win District 32-5A with a 14-0 record and advance three rounds in the Class 5A playoffs before they ended the season with a 28-2-1 overall mark. It was the best record in the history of the girls soccer program at Pace and matched the team’s best showing of going three rounds in the playoffs, which was first done in 2017.

“I’ve been working hard, and actually, all of us on this team have been working hard,” said Guajardo, who recently was named a first-team all-district selection at forward. “I wouldn’t have gotten awards without the help of my team. I feel really honored. It took a lot of hard work to get to the point that we wanted to go this season.

“I play wherever they need me because it’s all for the team, of course,” she added. “Whatever I can do to help us win, I’m willing to do. I’ve always tried to do what’s best for the team.

“I’m just excited and happy with how well we did this season.”

Villarreal is grateful for Guajardo’s contribution and he’s looking forward to great things from her during her senior season. The Lady Viking coach estimates she has scored 65 goals so far during her three-year varsity career. She was the All-Metro Newcomer of the Year as a freshman in 2016.

“Alexis has a lot of dedication to the game and a lot of power (in her leg),” Villarreal said. “Every time we play, she goes all out and she has this explosion (in her shot). She has the speed to move the ball right or left and when she takes her shot, it’s an explosion and it’s one of her keys (to success).”

Guajardo has a specific goal in mind for the Lady Vikings in 2019.

“Going into next season as a senior, I want us to finally make it to the regional tournament,” she said. “We’ve made it to the third round the past two years and we want to go farther.

“I know we can,” she added. “We have the girls, we have the talent and we can do it. It’s just a matter of putting in the hard work in the preseason and making sure everything falls into place. I’m proud of everyone on our team and I’m ready for us to do it.”

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

Allison Spier embodies all the best qualities of a skilled soccer player, especially one who plays defense.

The Los Fresnos standout is The Brownsville Herald’s Girls Soccer All-Metro Defensive Player of the Year.

As a central defender and team captain for the Lady Falcons, the steady play of Spier, a junior and three-year starter, was an important factor in the team capturing another District 32-6A championship in 2018.

The Lady Falcons went 12-2 in 32-6A and finished 21-9 overall.

While Spier grew up kicking a soccer ball and has spent quite a bit of time playing on youth teams and club squads, she cherishes her time with the Lady Falcons.

“ This school is great, the coaches are amazing and it’s just a great environment to be in,” said Spier, who this season was voted MVP of 32-6A. “Honestly, I’ve had everything here that can help me thrive (as a student and soccer player).

“ (On the field) I always think of my team and speak to them to let them know what’s going on,” she added. “I feel my job back there (in the center of the defense) is to be a leader, direct them in what we want to do and just to keep going. I want to push them to do their best every game.”

Lady Falcons coach Patricia A. Hernandez said Spier is a vital part of the team’s success.

“ Allison has been an exemplary leader, even as a freshman and sophomore,” Hernandez said. “She’s brought a presence to the field and a sense of leadership. Her work ethic is by far one of the best I’ve seen in a high school athlete. She’s very dedicated and committed, and the girls rally around that. They like and enjoy being her teammate because she brings such positivity to the team.

“ Allison has a great vision of the field,” the Lady Falcons coach added. “She can anticipate what’s going to happen next, and that’s her greatest asset. There were a lot of plays in the back this year where she saved us from having our opponent score because she was able to anticipate. That’s why we have her back there (directing things). She’s our fastest player in the back. Once she gets the ball, she knows how to distribute it (and start a counter attack). She’s very good in communicating and she knows how to control the rest of the defense. She has a purpose to every pass she makes and she’s earned her teammates’ trust.”

With Spier returning for her senior season next school year, the Lady Falcons, who return other talented players as well, have a bright future.

“ Allison has been a joy to coach over the last three years,” Hernandez said. “Not once have I heard her question (a coach’s request). She’s the first one to step up and lead her team. I’m very excited for what she will bring to the field for us next year.”

Spier has already committed to play soccer for Adelphi University of Garden City, New York. She plans to sign an athletic scholarship agreement with the school sometime as a senior.

Winning All-Metro and all-district honors is just one step in the right direction for her standout soccer career.

“ It’s really amazing (to receive these awards),” Spier said. “I’ve worked for a long time and I’m glad to see my work is finally paying off. In all my years of high school, my goal has been to play in college. (Since I’m committed to Adelphi) now my goal is to prepare as much as I can to play in college. With the girls here, I know I’ll be challenged in every game and every practice. I feel it will be a good step.

“ I want to thank my parents, my family and my high school and club coaches,” she added. “I would just encourage anyone who has a dream to follow it.”

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

SAN JUAN — The Edinburg Vela Sabercats rallied to win again. This time it meant the end of the baseball season for the Los Fresnos Falcons.

The Sabercats trailed 2-1 Saturday but came alive to score three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to prevail 4-3 in the deciding Game 3 of a Class 6A regional quarterfinal series at PSJA High’s C.V. Cain Field.

On Friday in Game 2 at Los Fresnos, Vela trailed 5-2 before rallying to win 12-7. In the series opener on Thursday, the Falcons edged the Sabercats 5-4 at C.V. Cain Field.

District 31-6A champion Vela (27-5) advances to the regional semifinals for the first time after going three rounds in the playoffs a season ago. The Sabercats will face San Antonio Churchill or San Antonio Madison in the coming week.

Vela coach Jaime Perez, who was doused with the contents of the team’s water cooler by his players immediately after the contest, said it was quite an interesting, back-and-forth series between two evenly matched ballclubs.

“ We lost a tough one here (at C.V. Cain Field) Thursday night, and the resiliency of this team showed in Games 2 and 3,” Perez said. “More than anything, we showed our character (by coming back to take the series).

“ That’s the great thing about baseball,” Perez added. “What a life-building sport baseball is because one moment you’re down and the next minute you’re up again. The character this team has is so special. I don’t think I can even (adequately) put it into words. It’s just amazing.”

Across the field, it was a somber atmosphere around the dugout for the Los Fresnos coaches and players, who could only console themselves after coming so close to being the team celebrating a victory.

The District 32-6A tri-champion Falcons closed their season with a 27-11 record.

“ It was a pretty even series and we just came up one run short in this one,” Los Fresnos coach Rene Morales said. “Hats off to Vela. They played great baseball like we did. It basically came down to one play (in the fifth inning). They got a big hit (to bring in two runs for a 3-2 lead) when they needed it. That’s baseball. You get a little momentum and then the other team gets it back. That’s what happens.”

Morales praised his players and coaches for a standout campaign.

“ I just love these guys to death and thanks to them for the ride they gave us this season,” the Falcons coach said. “We’re going to continue being a family and go from there.”

It was 1-1 after the first inning before Hugo Sanchez’s RBI single to center field in the top of the fifth gave Los Fresnos a 2-1 advantage.

The bottom of the fifth was when the Sabercats did their most damage. A two-out, two-run single to right-center field by Ramsey Amador made it 3-2 and put Vela out in front for good. The next batter was Erik Martinez and his RBI single up the middle increased Vela’s lead to 4-2.

In all, the Falcons gave up four hits and three runs in the bottom of the fifth.

In the top of the sixth, Los Fresnos’ Alex Salas reached base on a throwing error to first and got to second before moving over to third on a passed ball. Salas came home on another passed ball to pull the Falcons to within one run, 4-3, but that’s as close to the lead as they could come.

Vela finished with seven hits, while Los Fresnos had six.

Yulean Torrellas was Vela’s top performer at the plate as he batted 2-for-3. Amador went 1-for-2 with two RBIs and Martinez batted 1-for-2 with an RBI.

Victor Loa led the Falcons at the plate by batting 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and a single. J.J. Sanchez, Hugo Sanchez and George Villafranca each had a hit and Hugo Sanchez recorded an RBI.

Vela’s Nico Rodriguez started and picked up the pitching victory with relief help from Amador, who came to the mound with one out in the sixth. Together, they struck out 11 batters, walked three and had a hit batsman by Rodriguez.

The Falcons used three pitchers with Loa as the starter who took the loss. Victor Montemayor and J.J. Sanchez also took turns on the mound in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively.

Perez emphasized that it was a closely fought series.

“ What a series,” the Vela coach said. “Coach Morales and his staff do a great job. We had to prepare for what they do time and time again. It made it hard on us a little bit. But our players did a really good job of handling things. Los Fresnos put some pressure on us and we worked on that.

“ What a heck of a series,” Perez added. “We’re making history at our school. What a great feeling this is right now (to be advancing to the regional semifinals).”

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

All those who thought the Rivera Lady Raiders reached the peak of their soccer capabilities in 2017 by advancing three rounds in the playoffs were sadly mistaken.

The Lady Raiders did even better in 2018 by going four rounds deep and qualified for the Class 6A regional tournament in San Antonio for the first time in program history.

For guiding his team to another milestone in girls soccer, Rivera’s Peter A. Rodriguez is The Brownsville Herald’s Girls Soccer All-Metro Coach of the Year.

Also, Brigitte Iglesias, a sophomore playing her first year on the varsity for the Lady Raiders, is The Herald’s Girls Soccer All-Metro Newcomer of the Year.

Iglesias scored some timely goals for the Lady Raiders, particularly during their playoff run, and was a solid performer throughout the season.

“ Definitely (what stood out to me this season about Brigitte) was her dedication to being a well-rounded player,” Rodriguez said. “What she did wasn’t for herself, it was for the team. Everything she did on and off the field was to get better and to contribute to the team. She did her part by helping keep the girls together in addition to displaying her talent on the field.

“ It was a benefit for us to have her this year,” he added. “She’s just a well-rounded player.”

Iglesias, an attacking midfielder, was chosen as the top newcomer in District 32-6A this season, as well.

“ It was a privilege to have played on this team and to have worn the shirt for Rivera,” she said. “It was amazing to play on the pitch with such talented players (as teammates). It was a great season and a great experience.

“ The most important thing for us (as far as being successful) was we bonded more towards the end,” she added. “Every game we had a motivation and told each other that we had to get better. As we went along, we started talking (to each other) more and gained more confidence. That’s what really helped us a lot.”

Regarding her postseason awards for All-Metro and in 32-6A, the standout sophomore said, “It’s really an honor. I thank God so much, our team and the coach. The season we had was just something amazing.”

Iglesias said Rodriguez did a lot to boost the team.

“ Coach Rodriguez did an amazing job,” she said. “He contributed a lot to our success. He’s the one who believed in us in the first place when we didn’t believe in ourselves. He would motivate us and tell us we could do it and win.”

This was Rodriguez’s second year as the Lady Raiders’ coach and he has a good feeling about what the team can do in the future after what’s happened for the Rivera girls in 2017 and 2018.

He earned All-Metro coaching honors last season as well for guiding the Lady Raiders to the third round of the postseason for the first time.

“ It’s been very rewarding,” Rodriguez said. “Hands down, it’s probably one of my most personally rewarding accomplishments in this profession. It was rewarding because the girls went out, played hard and gave it their all.

“ I told the girls what we did in soccer class way back in September paid off in the playoffs (in March), and they could see that,” he added. “Going to the regional tournament for the first time was a very exciting feeling.”

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

Signing day is a proud time of achievement for the Pace Vikings.

Three of Pace’s senior soccer players shared in that celebratory experience on Thursday afternoon at the school’s auditorium.

Viking teammates Joe Ramirez, Leoncio Estrada and Antonio Avila all signed college scholarship agreements to play their sport next school year at Central Methodist University, an NAIA school in Fayette, Missouri.

All three are midfielders with Avila also playing some at forward.

Ben Lopez of Mission, a Valley recruiter for Central Methodist, was on hand to supervise the signing ceremony, which was attended by the players’ family members, their soccer teammates, coaches, teachers, classmates and various Brownsville ISD personnel.

“First of all, these guys have had a tremendous commitment to our team and to the program,” Pace coach Mario A. Zamora said. “They are true leaders inside and outside of the field. They transmit what they do on the field (to their teammates). They’re always doing their best and showing their willingness to win, displaying their commitment to their teammates and just being true student-athletes. What they do (well) is not just on the field, but in the classroom as well.

“I told Mr. Lopez that his school is getting not just great soccer players, but they’re getting great human beings,” Zamora added. “These guys are going to grow (in college), not just as players, but as persons, too. Hopefully in four or five years they’re going to come back here with a degree, which is the most important thing.”

Avila said the three of them plan to major in civil engineering and take the same classes so they can help each other do well.

“We’ve played together since we were sophomores on the junior varsity and then on the varsity, and now we’ll continue to do that,” Avila said. “We plan to take the same classes so we can help each other with our studies.

“I thank our coaches and teachers for all the time and dedication they’ve given to us,” he added. “It’s a very good feeling to be here signing to play in college. (Still,) what’s ahead is a really hard situation for my family (with me being so far away at college), but my family has been dedicated to me (and wanting the best for me) since I was a little boy. They want me to reach my goals and get to the top.”
The three players made sure to thank their parents and families for all the support they’re received. When each player was handed the mic and given a chance to speak, it was an emotional time as each voiced heart-felt appreciation to his loved ones.

“Since I arrived here (at Pace), it’s been my most important goal to play soccer and study in college,” Ramirez said. “My grandfather told me this (signing) day would come sooner or later (and now it has). My major objective now is to obtain my diploma in college and play well on the soccer team. It’s great to be going over there with my friends from high school.”

Added Estrada, “It’s a happy day and it’s a little bit sad too (because we’ll be graduating from Pace soon). The main goal is to do well in our studies in college. It will be important to do well in soccer, too. I’m grateful for my family and everyone who has been on my side helping me. Now it’s time for us to go forward with a desire to do well.”

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

Two of this season’s top soccer players for the Rivera Raiders are moving on to play their sport in college.

Julian Espinoza and Roberto “Tito” Melendez signed college scholarship agreements Tuesday morning at Rivera to play next school year at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley and Laredo Community College, respectively.

Both are four-year members of the Rivera varsity and were freshmen in 2015 when the Raiders captured the inaugural UIL Class 6A boys state soccer title with a 28-0 record.

Since then, their presence in the program has been a big plus for the Raiders, who won the District 32-6A title this year and returned to the Region IV-6A Tournament in San Antonio before finishing the season with a 22-5-4 record.

UTRGV plays NCAA Division I soccer and LCC is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association. Rivera has sent players to both colleges in the past. Most notably, the Raiders’ Isidro “Chelin” Martinez signed with UTRGV in 2015.

Rivera coach Salvador Garcia is pleased to see two more of his senior players sign to play at the next level. He said they each brought the kind of character qualities to the team that made it successful.

“More than anything else, we’re going to miss the leadership of Julian and ‘Tito,’” Garcia said. “Talent is something you can many times replace, but leadership is something these guys have along with talent, and it’s hard to find players like that.

“But we’ll try our best (to replace them),” he added. “That’s all we can do.”

Espinoza, who has been hampered by injuries the past two seasons, plays attacking midfielder and recently was named MVP of 32-6A for the second straight year. Melendez, a central defender, was the defensive MVP in 32-6A this season after earning first-team all-district honors at his position a year ago.

Espinoza said the Raiders are disappointed they couldn’t bring home another state championship this season and added everything happens for a reason.

“God’s timing is perfect,” said Espinoza, who plans to pursue a degree in engineering at UTRGV. “I have another step (ahead of me) to play soccer in college, where I can win something even better than a state title (by earning a degree).

“I’ve been so nervous, particularly last night, because I never thought I’d be signing with UTRGV,” Espinoza added. “I was hoping I could go play at the Division I level (and now that it’s happened) I’m really going to take advantage of it.

“I’ve been told it’s really different than high school soccer. The game in college is a whole lot faster, but I feel I’ve gotten a good preparation here at Rivera and I hope to play this summer for the (semi-pro) Brownsville Coyotes, too.”

Melendez said he plans to study law enforcement with the intent of becoming a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent.

“I’ve been working hard since my freshman year, so this (signing) is an honor,” he said. “I want to continue my education and I’ve put all my hard work into this, especially this year because I knew that it would be very important for colleges to see me play (as a senior).

“Thanks to God, I got this opportunity,” Melendez added. “I’ve been anxiously waiting for this moment and finally it came. Actually, things have gone by pretty fast, and today is a moment to remember.

“It’s going to be a whole different environment over there (playing at the college level), but all the guys that left from here have been able to play soccer over there (in Laredo), so that motivates me that I can do well over there, too.”

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