By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

It may not be a mass exodus, but it’s something pretty close to one.

As another regular season of UIL soccer gets under way today, a number of Rio Grande Valley teams are traveling to faraway destinations to begin their 2016 campaigns.

For those Valley boys and girls squads hitting the road, it’s an opportunity to see what the competition is like in other parts of the state while still playing a good amount of games to help prepare players for the start of district later this month.

The Hanna boys, ranked No. 1 this week in the Valley by RGVSports.com, are among several Valley teams going to tournaments in Houston. The Golden Eagles will be playing at the Pearland Tournament starting Thursday.

“We want to get some experience against different kinds of programs (such as those in the Houston area),” Hanna coach Reyes Prado said. “We want to establish our style and get some momentum for the tough District (32-6A) competition ahead of us.”

Rivera’s boys also are headed to Houston and will play in The Woodlands Showcase.

“We have been talking about all the games before District (32-6A) competition,” Raiders coach Salvador Garcia said. “We would like to improve with every game and allow the players to get confidence in themselves and in the system that we are playing. With all our scrimmages behind us, this weekend will be a good test to see what we have learned from these games.”

The Porter boys, ranked No. 2 in the Valley, will play at the Cy-Fair Showcase in Houston along with Valley boys squads that include No. 3 Valley View, Harlingen High and Harlingen South.

The No. 8 Harlingen South girls also will be in Houston at the Spring Branch ISD Tournament.

The Porter girls are headed to the Aldine Tournament in Houston.

“I have great expectations for our girls this season,” Cowgirls coach Abraham Gracia said. “They have been doing great so far. Right now we’re looking to play all our players during the scrimmages, non-district games and tournaments to give everyone playing time so our athletes can gain experience. Hopefully we can have them peaking at the beginning of district.

“We — the coaches and our girls — are expecting a lot of great things for this team,” Gracia added.

Also making the trip out of the Valley are the girls teams from Brownsville Veterans Memorial and Pace. They’re playing at a tournament in Bastrop.

“My expectation from this trip is to bring the team together and experience a new soccer environment,” Pace girls coach Jesus O. Villarreal said.

Laredo will be the destination for a number of top Valley girls teams this weekend as they play in the Border Olympics Tournament. Among the Valley girls squads going to Laredo are No. 2 Lopez, No. 4 Sharyland Pioneer, No. 7 Los Fresnos and No. 9 Edinburg North.

McAllen Memorial, the Valley’s No. 1 girls team, will be in San Antonio this weekend for games against San Antonio schools Churchill, Brennan and Cibolo Steele.

CLOSER TO HOME

Tournaments in the Valley beginning today include the Mission Invitational for boys and the McAllen Showcase and Lionette Tournament in La Feria for girls.

The Mission Invitational is being played on the opening weekend of the season for the second straight year with a 42-team field. Teams are divided into six groups for pool play starting today.

Among the teams from the Metro area entered at Mission are Brownsville Veterans, Lopez, Pace and Los Fresnos.

At the McAllen Showcase, the six-team field includes host McHi, Hanna, Rivera, San Antonio Taft, San Antonio Clark and Del Rio.

The Lionette Tournament features a 20-team field with pool play in four groups for two days. Bracket play for the top two teams from each group is scheduled for Saturday.

ELSEWHERE

Port Isabel’s boys play host to St. Joseph Academy at 7:30 p.m. Friday in a season opener for the Tarpons. TAPPS member SJA already has played some games and will bring a 5-0 record into the contest.

The Bloodhounds are coming off their alumni game at Canales Field on Tuesday.

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, Staff Writer

SAN BENITO — The numbers 20, 2 and 0 were of particular significance Tuesday for the Brownsville Veterans Memorial basketball team.

The Chargers reached the 20-win plateau on the season with a 63-41 District 32-6A victory at San Benito.

Also, the road win meant the Chargers now have two victories in district against zero losses. Both are desirable numbers to have at this point of the 32-6A schedule.

“This feels great,” Chargers coach Larry Gibson said of reaching 20 wins. “Nothing but smiles. I don’t think we’ve ever won 20 games before. We won 19 two years ago, and this is the first time to get to 20, at least since I’ve been here.

“Our guys are playing very well,” Gibson added. “They’re pushing the ball, they’re not backing off from anybody and they’re just giving us everything they’ve got. This team makes you feel good.”

The Chargers never trailed. They led 11-0 before the Greyhounds scored their first basket during the final seconds of the opening quarter.

The first period ended with Brownsville Veterans on top 11-4. The Chargers were up 30-21 at halftime and 52-29 going into the final quarter.

“I thought this was a very physical game,” said Gibson, whose squad was coming off Saturday’s district-opening 60-35 triumph at home against Hanna. “San Benito makes you play physical because they’re a physical team. I think we adjusted to their style of play, and I think we fought hard and didn’t let their style of play affect our game. We missed too many easy shots, though, but we still played tough.”

The Greyhounds, 0-2 in district, cut the lead to four points, 23-19, when Smiley Escamilla hit a 3-pointer from the left side with 3:28 remaining in the half. But that was as close as San Benito came to catching the Chargers. A few minutes later it was 30-21 at intermission.

Brownsville Veterans held its biggest advantage of 26 points, 63-37, when Erick Saldana received a pass in the lane and scored from underneath at the 3:46 mark of the fourth quarter.

Escamilla made a pair of free throws with 3:06 to go, and teammate Ryan Reza put back a rebound with 1:42 left to account for the 22-point final score of 63-41.

San Benito’s guard duo of Mario Aguirre and Escamilla led the way for the Greyhounds with 21 and 13 points, respectively. Each hit three 3-pointers as Escamilla’s all came during the second period. No one else scored more than two points for San Benito.

Four of Brownsville Veterans’ six scorers in the game tallied double figures. Saldana led the way with 16 points. Next came Alex Marquez, Kevin Gomez and Darian Thuku with 13, 12 and 10 points, respectively. Gomez logged a pair of 3-pointers.

Next up for the Chargers is a 32-6A matchup at home at 6 p.m. Friday against Harlingen High (1-1). San Benito continues district play as well at 6 p.m. Friday at Lopez.

“It should be a great one when we play Harlingen (on) Friday night,” Gibson 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, Staff Writer

Many talented girls have played soccer for the Hanna Lady Golden Eagles since the UIL sport came to the Rio Grande Valley in 1997.

As a group, perhaps none ranks better at Hanna than the Class of 2016.

The current Hanna seniors have displayed solid skills since they were freshmen in helping the Lady Eagles contend for district titles and advance to the playoffs.

They are busy preparing to play their final season as a new UIL campaign begins this week.

The Hanna seniors include midfielders Adrienne Davis, Julissa Urbina and Frida Palomo, defenders Priscilla Villarreal, Samantha Rodriguez, Emily Garza and Paola Ibarra, and forwards Karen Lozano and Monica Aguilar.

Natalie Garcia, another player who is the most notable among Hanna’s seniors, may not be available due to an apparent injury. A standout midfielder/forward, she was the All-Metro MVP last season.

Despite Garcia’s absence, it’s still a pretty talented, experienced group.

“It’s my fourth and final year here playing soccer, and I really, really want a district title, especially after coming within a game of it last year,” said Davis, recalling that the Lady Eagles wound up second behind district champion Los Fresnos in 32-6A one season ago. “That still stings to this day.

“I feel that we have a very good chance this year,” she added. “We have a really good group of freshmen who remind me a lot of when we came in as freshmen. I just feel that a lot of good things are in store for us.”

Added Palomo, “We’ve grown up together on this team and matured. We’ve bonded throughout the years. I feel like this year’s team, with the players we have coming back and the freshmen we have coming in, that it’s going to be our year. We lost three players to graduation, but with all the freshmen we’ve got coming in, it more than makes up for it. We believe in ourselves.”

As a new UIL season gets under way, here is a team-by-team look at girls squads in The Brownsville Herald’s Metro coverage area:

HANNA LADY GOLDEN EAGLES

Jose Morales is starting his second season as the Hanna coach with positive feelings about the prospects for his team.

“We have a real good group, and we have great expectations,” Morales said. “There’s a strong group of freshmen coming in to complement the group of seniors we have on the roster who are seasoned veterans. We’re looking forward to a very competitive, successful district and season.

“The players are getting along well regardless of their age differences,” Morales added. “The seniors are taking the younger ones under their wing and helping them out. We have players who are skillful, talented and dedicated. They have each other’s back, and they work really well together. That’s what is going to make the difference for us.”

Among the freshmen who figure to help out are goalkeepers Abby Mata and Valeria Perez, defenders Nadia Sifuentes and Hillary Pina, midfielder/forwards Haley Pena and Lala Loyde, and defender/midfielder Angelina Castillo.

Juniors contributing as outside midfielders are Andrea Arjona and Giselle Pina.

“Hopefully this is our year,” Garza said. “Even though we lost three very talented players from the defense, I feel that our defense can be just as good or better this season.”

Added Villarreal, “I look around at our team and I have a lot of confidence that I can trust them (to play well). I have a good feeling that we’re going to have a good year. I really do.”

LOPEZ LADY LOBOS

Just like Hanna, the Lady Lobos also have plenty of optimism for the upcoming season in 32-6A since everyone in the starting lineup is back except one player.

Lopez advanced two rounds in the playoffs last season after its 2014 showing of winning district, going to the regional tournament for the first time and finishing 21-1.

Among the key returnees for the Lady Lobos this season are defenders Michell Salinas and Jady Ortega, midfielders Samantha Ruiz and Janie Medina, and forwards Carla Gracia, Estrella Espinosa and Christiane Escandon, who is coming off an injury.

“We’ll be more experienced this season,” Lady Lobos coach Alex Macias said. “Our district is pretty tough, so we’ll see how it goes.

“Christiane is back 100 percent healthy, so that’s good,” he added.

Escandon missed virtually the entire season last year after scoring nearly 30 goals as a sophomore in 2014.

LOS FRESNOS LADY FALCONS

Patricia K. Hernandez, previously an assistant on the squad, takes over as coach, replacing the departed Marissa Wood.

The Lady Falcons are coming off a 27-4 season during which they won 32-6A and became only the third Valley girls soccer team to advance to a regional final in UIL competition. They advanced five rounds in the playoffs in 2015.

Among the players expected back to spark the Lady Falcons this season are Clarissa “Claire” Castaneda, Veronica Bratschi and Gabby X. Mariscal in the midfield, Rubi Soto and Gabby Moya on defense and Ashley Ibarra at goalkeeper.

The Lady Falcons won district for the fourth time in six years last season with a 12-2 record. Getting to the regional final marked their best showing in school history.

BROWNSVILLE VETERANS MEMORIAL LADY CHARGERS

Mainly because of their strong defensive play, the Lady Chargers have been considered a tough team to beat in district during the past few seasons. They just haven’t put it all together to make the playoffs.

Lady Chargers coach Luis Troncoso hopes that changes for his squad in 32-6A this season.

“The team is improving and looking better as we continue to prepare for district competition,” Troncoso said. “We have a good number of returning starters and players who have significantly contributed coming off the bench.

“Although we demonstrated progress over the last couple of seasons with a young team, we came out short in many close games,” he added. “This experience has energized our efforts and motivation as we strive to turn things around this season.

“We are confident, excited and motivated by the challenge ahead of us. We have set our goals to make a run for the playoffs and to have the best season for our Lady Charger soccer program.”

There are nine returning starters, and they are Victoria Morales, Laura Cepeda, Stephanie Bender, Kathryn Bodden, Mariana Gonzalez, Samantha Bodden, Kasandra Jimenez, Andrea Morales and Nathalia Torres. Victoria Morales was the defensive MVP in 32-6A last season.

RIVERA LADY RAIDERS

Yesenia Ortiz topped the 100-goal plateau for her high school career last season as a junior, and she’ll try to establish a new standard as the Valley’s all-time leading scorer for girls in 2016.

Ortiz is back along with five other experienced players. As far as returning starters, there are four. Among the key returnees are Maricela Zaragoza, Michelle Morales and Viridiana Diaz.

“We are going to be really young with as many as six freshmen starting this year,” Lady Raiders coach Thomas Brashear said. “We will be counting on our experienced players to lead a very young team.

“We’ll get better as the season goes along as the young ones adjust to the tempo of the varsity game,” he added. “It is going to be fun and exciting.”

PACE LADY VIKINGS

Last season Pace made it back to the playoffs from District 32-5A for the first time since 2011.

There are six starters returning, including Kryssie Rivera and JoAnn Sanchez, who made an impact last season at forward and center midfielder, respectively.

Other players being counted upon to make important contributions are Hania Davila, Amanda Morales, Daniela Perez and Alma Perez.

“I see our team as having a lot of potential this season,” Pace coach Jesus O. Villarreal said. “It will be a balanced team. We are working hard to get our game strategies ready for the season.”

PORTER COWGIRLS

Making it to the playoffs for the first time has been an elusive goal for the Cowgirls.

There have been several times the Porter girls have come very close to reaching the postseason. It appears this could be the season that things change for the better for them in 32-5A.

“It’s going to be a young team for us this year with three seniors starting along with one junior, and the rest will be sophomores and freshmen,” Cowgirls coach Abraham Gracia said. “This year we actually have the numbers. Last year that was one of our problems because we didn’t have the numbers. When we lost people, some of them key players, to injury, it really hurt. This year we have at least two players for every position, so it should be better.

“I have a lot of good feelings about this group,” he added. “Getting to the playoffs has always been the goal. We’re going to take it one game at a time, go from there and see what happens. This is a team with a positive attitude and unity.”

Six players back with starting experience for Porter are forward/midfielder Alexis Vega, forward Priscila Cortinas, center midfielder Lizbeth Garcia, outside midfielder Hilda Valdivieso, defender Allysa Vega and goalkeeper Kasandra Reyes.

Newcomers who figure to contribute are defenders Roxanna Miranda and Quetzali Cortez, center midfielder Carla Longoria, fullback/midfielder Itzeth Cazarez and forward Kassandra de Metria.

PORT ISABEL LADY TARPONS

The Lady Tarpons are intent upon bettering their third-place finish of one year ago in District 32-4A.

There are five returning starters plus two or three other players with varsity experience back for Lady Tarpons coach Jesus Cardenas Jr.

“I believe we should be a better team this year as we look to improve from last year,” Cardenas said. “Most of the returning players (better) understand our formation and the variations we sometimes change into and their role in that formation. It’s making it easier for the new players to grasp and learn our system faster than the previous two years.

“We look forward to making the playoffs and going past the first round,” he added.

Players who figure to help the Lady Tarpons on the offensive end are Celia Garza, Jennifer Martinez, Susana Torres and Susana Villa. Helping out on defense will be Stephanie Bessichy, Felicia Calo, Ana Martinez and Odette Ruiz.

Newcomers include Melissa Lopez and Francesca Sandoval.

IDEA FRONTIER LADY CHARGERS

Albert Perez enters his second season as coach of the Lady Chargers with seven starters back to help the team attempt to reach the playoffs from 32-4A.

Key players for the Lady Chargers figure to be forward Veronica Quezada and midfielder Ashley Manzano. Perez said there are some incoming freshman players who have experience playing soccer in middle school and in youth leagues who should benefit the team.

“We hope to make a run for it,” Perez said. “I would like us to finish at least .500 or better.”

Five players to watch

Victoria Morales, defender, Brownsville Veterans Memorial

Clarissa “Claire” Castaneda, midfielder, Los Fresnos

Yesenia Ortiz, forward, Rivera

Priscila Cortinas, forward, Porter

Samantha Ruiz, midfielder, Lopez

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, Staff Writer

Oscar Cordova and Diego Acevedo remember Hanna’s 2013 soccer season very well.

They were freshmen on the team back then as the Golden Eagles went 26-1-3 and advanced all the way to the Class 5A state final.

Cordova and Acevedo are seniors now, and they see their team as having the same type of capabilities as the one in 2013.

“It’s very exciting,” said Acevedo, a defender who has started all four of his seasons on the varsity. “There’s a lot of potential. We’ve worked hard four long years, and many of us on this team have a lot of experience. We’ve reached the highest level (of the playoffs) and come up just short (in a 3-2 overtime loss to Coppell during the 2013 state final). This year our mission and our goal is we’re going for it all, and we’re going to do whatever we can to achieve it.

“We have a lot of young talent this season, which is what I saw on the team when I was a freshman,” Acevedo added. “Yes, we came up just short (in 2013), and here we are back together again, and the team is looking good. We know we have a lot of potential and that we’re in a really tough District (32-6A). It’s something that challenges each one of us. We know what this district can generate and what this team can generate.”

A new UIL soccer season unfolds this week with plenty of high expectations surrounding local boys and girls teams.

Here is a look at each of The Brownsville Herald’s Metro-area boys squads:

HANNA GOLDEN EAGLES

There’s an experienced group of 10 players back at Hanna that has coach Reyes Prado and his assistants feeling pretty good about the Eagles’ chances in 2016. Still, knowing there’s plenty of competition out there, the optimism is tempered.

“It’s up for grabs,” said Prado, whose squad advanced three rounds in the playoffs last season. “Yes, you need to prepare your team to win, and it depends a little bit on luck as well. (Getting) a break here and there, grades and injuries, they all play a factor. Hopefully we can make it to the playoffs again, get a break or two, and go where we want to go.

““This group has mental strength, these guys have experience and a will to make some noise and make something happen in the playoffs,” Prado added. “Going three rounds deep in the playoffs may be a dream season for some, but not for us. It seems the standards (for Brownsville teams) have been set high. It’s either state or bust.”

In addition to Acevedo, a central defender, and Cordova, an attacking midfielder, other players returning with experience are goalkeeper Eduardo Cazares, fullbacks Victor Rodriguez and Edgar Loyde, midfielders on the wing Jesus Hernandez and Adrian Montalvo, center midfielders Antonio Salazar and Eduardo Arellano, and forward Juan Alexis Hernandez.

A newcomer to the lineup who could contribute is forward Pedro Pompa.

Cordova said the Eagles feel confident about what’s ahead in 2016.

“It’s good knowing I’m sharing the field with my talented teammates,” he said. “It’s been great. We’ve shared the field before, even before high school. With the new ones coming in, we just try to keep them in the group and get them to be a part of our family. We try to orientate them so they can see themselves in a successful position because that’s how we want to be at the end of the season.

“We’re not trying to hide anything,” he added. “It’s our goal (to do well), and, God willing, we can reach it.”

PORTER COWBOYS

Just like Hanna, the Porter Cowboys have a strong group of experienced returnees who share the same high expectations.

The District 32-5A runner-up Cowboys went 21-3-2 last season and reached the Region IV-5A Tournament semifinals, although they felt they could have gone farther.

“We have about 13 seniors on our squad this year,” Porter coach Jose Espitia said. “Our guys look quick, united and they have a goal. They want to make this a memorable season, especially the seniors. They’ve been working really hard and showing discipline on and off the field.

“One of our concerns is that about half of our returning players haven’t had that responsibility as varsity starters before,” he added. “They’ve played and even started some but they haven’t started consistently, so they have to adapt to a different level of responsibility.

“In soccer (here in Brownsville) you have to win it all or you’re not happy. Last year we had a chance, but we didn’t take advantage of it. Our guys this season want to come out strong, stay humble and have the motivation to achieve our goals. Last year was a learning experience.”

The six returning starters for Porter are forward Alexis Anzures, midfielders Enrique Soto, Daniel Briseno and Marco Don Juan, and defenders Roberto Briseno and Anthony Cuellar.

Other players with experience are midfielders Uriel Sepulveda and Omar Estrada, forwards Alexis Armendariz and Ricardo Vidal, and defenders Luis Lara, Esteban Mata and Angel Silva.

Espitia said finding a replacement at goalkeeper is a priority.

BROWNSVILLE VETERANS MEMORIAL CHARGERS

There are nine starters back for the Chargers, who finished fourth in 32-6A last season and went two rounds in the playoffs.

The nine returnees are center midfielders Humberto Trevino and Estuardo Teran, outside midfielders Jesus Muniz and Ramon Perez, defenders Jesus Arenas and Humberto Aguillon, forward Gabriel Montoya, fullback/midfielder Jesus Gomez and forward/midfielder Aldo Guzman.

A newcomer is forward Guillermo Laguna.

“Many of our guys have been playing together since they were sophomores, so they’ve already bonded,” Chargers coach Alberto Vasquez said. “We already have that team chemistry.

“There’s definitely a lot of potential with this team,” he added. “We’ve just got to get everything together and capitalize on our opportunities. Our guys are working hard. We’re in a district that is extremely competitive. You can’t take a day off. The district race should be a very exciting. I just hope we can be one of the teams (advancing to the playoffs).”

LOPEZ LOBOS

The Lobos have eight starters returning from a team that uncharacteristically bowed out of the playoffs in the first round last season.

“I feel very confident about this group,” Lobos coach Amadeo Escandon said. “At Lopez we can always expect positive things from the players.

“These guys are working hard,” Escandon added. “I know it’s an old cliché, but that’s what they’re doing. They get along well, and that’s a big plus.”

The eight starters back are forward Leo Casanova, midfielders Jose Echevarria, German Vera, Allan Ramos and Ruben Sauceda, and defenders Benito Cazares, Ulysses Ortegon and Arturo Salazar.

A newcomer who figures to contribute is midfielder Alan Reyes.

Regarding the 32-6A race, Escandon said, “I think the two favorites are Hanna and (Brownsville) Veterans. After that, I think the third and fourth (playoff) spots are going to be wide open.”

RIVERA RAIDERS

One season after going 28-0 and winning the inaugural Class 6A state title in boys soccer, the Raiders basically will have a new-look team in 2016 with only two starters back. Fifteen players, including nine starters, have departed from Rivera’s state championship squad.

The two starting returnees are midfielder Hernan Cruz and midfielder/forward Eliezer “Chaii” Acero.

Defending 32-6A champion Rivera will draw heavily upon its successful junior varsity team of one year ago. Among the players who figure to contribute as newcomers to the starting lineup are defenders Jose “Memito” Villanueva and Roberto Melendez, midfielder Julian Espinoza and forward Jose Muniz.

“Ever since I got here (25 years ago), it’s been a soccer program with a team concept,” Raiders coach Salvador Garcia said. “Our program is not based on individuals, and more than ever before, that’s going to be our blueprint this season. If we want to be successful, we have to play as a team and do the things that we do best, and take it from there.

“I see our players as being hungry with a great team chemistry,” he added. “I told them that I want to see a team full of confidence on the field, and I believe we have that. I want them to enjoy the game, knowing what to do and what is expected. I’m expecting the team to be playing Rivera soccer by the end of the first round (of district).”

LOS FRESNOS FALCONS

The Falcons were a young team one season ago, and they figure to be that way again this time around with four returning starters. The Falcons missed the playoffs last year after advancing three rounds in 2014.

The returning group will be led by team captains Juan Lozoya and Ivan Jimenez. Other players also being counted upon to contribute are Marcelino Ornelas, Joshua Ramirez, Javier Alejandro Navarrete, Erick Arellano, Antony Garcia and Yonathan Vilano.

“Juan Lozoya and Ivan Jimenez are our leaders on and off the field,” ninth-year Los Fresnos coach Javier Navarrete said. “The other six are players from last year who will play an important role this season.

“We have a few newcomers that we have been developing, and we’re looking for them to step up to the next level,” the Falcons coach added. “I like our chances this year and the progress this young team has made in our offseason and preseason.”

PACE VIKINGS

The Vikings came on strong at the end of last season by advancing three rounds in the playoffs during Mario Zamora’s first year as coach.

Pace hopes to build on that success this season with the help of six returning starters.

“I feel like we can do the same thing (in the playoffs) and maybe even better,” Zamora said. “We’re going to take it game by game and focus on District (32-5A) first, and then go from there.”

Returning starters for the Vikings include goalkeeper Eduardo Gamboa, central defender Johan Rivas, outside defender Ricardo Monsivais, center midfielder Eduardo Ramirez, outside midfielder Alejandro Castaneda and forward Juan Garza.

IDEA FRONTIER CHARGERS

Jerry De La Garza begins his second season as the Chargers’ coach with seven starters back from the squad that qualified for the playoffs last season as the third-place team from District 32-4A.

Among the returnees are goalkeeper Osmar Garcia, center midfielder Brian Estrella and defenders Juan Tristan and Hector Espino.

“It’s tough with Progreso in our district,” De La Garza said. “We made a run at district last year, but we made some mistakes (that hurt us). I think we have a better chance this time.

“Our players have been together for a couple of years now and they’re stepping it up in practice,” he added. “We’ve got some new kids coming in that understand what we want. I’m excited and eager to see what these guys can do.”

ST. JOSEPH ACADEMY BLOODHOUNDS

The Bloodhounds, who are members of TAPPS, began playing in November and their season is already well under way. They took over the lead in its TAPPS district race with a 3-0 victory Saturday against San Antonio Central Catholic at Canales Field, staying undefeated on the season at 5-0 and improving to 3-0 in district.

Returning starters for the Bloodhounds are attacking midfielder Jose Kauachi, forwards Gerardo Moses and Mario Garcia, center midfielders Andres Rico and Gerardo Elizondo, outside midfielders Anuar Atiye and Luis Amado, central defender Rodrigo Sanchez and goalkeeper Mario Ramirez.

PORT ISABEL TARPONS

Among the expected returnees for the Tarpons, who compete in 32-4A, is Williams Romero, an all-district first-teamer at forward last season as a junior. The Tarpons finished second behind Progreso in district one year ago.

Underclassmen earning all-district honors for the Tarpons last season included midfielders Nathan Berman, Celso Callejas and Giovani Garcia, defenders Bryan Palestina, Fernando Pardo, Denilson Lozano and Leo Bravo, goalkeeper Saul Beltran and forward Jonathan Rivera.

Five players to watch

Roberto Briseno, defender, Porter

Eliezer “Chaii” Acero, forward/midfielder, Rivera

Diego Acevedo, defender, Hanna

Humberto Trevino, midfielder, Brownsville Veterans Memorial

Jose Echevarria, midfielder, Lopez

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, Staff Writer

The biggest sports story of 2015 in The Brownsville Herald’s Metro coverage area that includes Los Fresnos and Port Isabel was a fairly obvious one.

By a vote of The Herald’s sports staff, nothing came close to the Rivera Raiders’ achievement in April of winning the inaugural Class 6A state championship in boys soccer with a 28-0 record. It was the unanimous choice as No. 1 local sports story of the year.

Numerous other impactful events marked the Metro area sports scene in 2015.
Here are The Herald’s selections as the area’s top stories of the year:

1. RIVERA SOCCER WINS IT ALL
Thanks to the urging of coach Salvador Garcia before and throughout the soccer season, the Raiders stayed mindful of their date with destiny April 18 in the UIL Class 6A state final at Georgetown.

In fact, even before the team took the field for its first practice in November 2014, Garcia told his players that anyone who didn’t believe the Raiders would be playing in the final game of the season at state April 18 should just not bother being a part of the squad. No one walked away from the coach’s challenge.

The Raiders were led on the offensive end by Eliseo Ortiz (26 goals), Isidro “Chelin” Martinez (23) and Alexis Herrera (22). Hernan Cruz, Eliezer “Chaii” Acero and David Alexander solidified the midfield, and Israel Acero and Jesus Torres helped keep the defense intact.

Despite some delays at the state tournament that weekend in April due to stormy weather, the Raiders completed their ultimate mission by defeating Katy Cinco Ranch 2-0 in the first 6A boys soccer state final. They had won the state semifinal 5-1 against North Mesquite.

Moments after the April 18 match ended, heavy rain started falling again and forced the Raiders’ trophy presentation to be held inside a locker room. But the inclement weather didn’t dampen the euphoria of the Raiders as they celebrated their first state title with a perfect record after trips to the state tournament in 2005 and 2007.

“No words can explain how happy and excited we are, knowing that we’re 28-0 with a perfect season, making our dream come true and not being the team of ‘almost there, almost there,’” Cruz said. “An undefeated season with a state title is unimaginable.

“Since the beginning we knew it was going to be tough and everything, but we stayed humble and stayed together as a family, as brothers and as a unit, just playing Rivera’s style of soccer,” Cruz added. “That’s what helped us get to state and go 28-0.”

In May, Martinez was named the USA Today/Gatorade Player of the Year in Texas after being selected the UIL state tournament 6A boys MVP.

To win state it took seven victories in the playoffs.

“It has been an amazing, incredible journey,” Garcia said. “Since the very first day (of practice), somehow, we had a feeling that we were going to do something special.”

2. MURCHISON THREE-PEATS IN SHOT PUT
Daniella Murchison completed her stellar track career at Port Isabel by becoming the first Rio Grande Valley athlete, boy or girl, to capture a gold medal three consecutive years at the UIL state meet May 15.

As a senior at state in 2015, Murchison won the Class 4A shot put with a toss of 44 feet, 1 inch, and she took sixth in the discus with a throw of 120-10. The previous two seasons she had won the 3A shot put.

Murchison, now competing at SMU, set an all-time Valley best with a shot put toss of 46-1 1/2 at the Meet of Champions in March. It was a mark that established a new standard in the Valley for current-era girls competing with the 8-pound, 9-ounce shot put.

“I feel very honored and blessed,” Murchison said. “Getting recognized for all my hard work feels great. It definitely is a great sendoff to college.”

3. PORTER FOOTBALL SHINES AGAIN
The Porter football team qualified for the state playoffs for only the third time in school history in November. The Cowboys went 6-5, including a 4-3 mark in District 32-5A. Porter, which opened in 1974, previously qualified for the playoffs in 2003 and 2008.

The 2015 Cowboys were sparked by the tough running of senior tailback Jorge Gutierrez, a 2,000-yard rusher with 25 touchdowns. The Cowboys suffered a 48-21 loss to undefeated Edinburg Vela during the bi-district playoffs Nov. 13.

In December, Gutierrez was selected to the Texas Associated Press Sports Editors Class 5A all-state football team. He was named to the second team.

Porter coach Tom Campos was chosen as The Herald’s All-Metro coach of the year.

One of Porter’s most memorable wins was a 52-44 four-overtime triumph Sept. 25 at Donna North.

“Winning a four-overtime game opened our eyes that we can be the team to do it,” Gutierrez said after the victory. “Offense and defense, we certainly have more confidence overall. I’ve always known this team has a lot of potential. It just takes working hard for it to blossom out, and that’s what we’re seeing now.”

4. UTB ATHLETIC PROGRAM ENDS
With all the positive vibes generated by the opening of the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley in August, one of the negative aspects of the merger between UT-Brownsville and UT-Pan American was the dissolution of UTB’s successful NAIA athletic program.

UTB-TSC began competing at the NAIA level in 2006. The Scorpions, who later became the Ocelots, won NAIA national titles in volleyball in 2011 and 2013. They were national runners-up in volleyball with a 34-5 record in December 2014, which marked their final fall season. UTB men’s soccer also finished second in the country in NAIA with a 24-1 record in December 2014, so two of UTB’s strongest sports went out with a flourish.

When UTB’s 2015 spring semester ended in May, officially, so did the Ocelots’ athletic program. It ceased to exist without much fanfare as golf was the school’s only remaining sport still competing in the spring.

All too soon, a successful college athletic program in Brownsville disappeared. UTRGV’s sports at the NCAA level were based exclusively in Edinburg as a result of the merger.

“What all the guys and myself did (during the last school year of UTB sports) was something special,” soccer player Victor Parreiras said. “It’s something that will stay with me forever. I would just say thanks to the (Brownsville) community for supporting us. I felt it, we all felt it, and we did our best.”

5. LADY FALCONS FLY HIGH IN SOCCER
Los Fresnos became only the third girls soccer team from the Valley to reach the UIL regional final round of the playoffs on April 11.

The other two teams to do it were McAllen High in 2007 and Sharyland High in 2012 following the start of UIL girls soccer in the Valley in 1997.

After capturing the District 32-6A title, the Lady Falcons of 2015 advanced five rounds in the playoffs. In the Region IV-6A Tournament final April 11 at Brownsville Sports Park, the Los Fresnos girls led San Antonio Reagan 1-0 with 30 minutes remaining, but their lead didn’t stand up as Reagan tallied a pair of goals near the end to win 2-1 and earn a repeat trip to the state tournament.

The Lady Falcons came oh so close to becoming the Valley’s first UIL girls soccer team to go to state.

“Obviously, we would have loved to go to state,” said Lady Falcons coach Marissa Wood, whose team finished 27-4. “But we learned another lesson that we don’t always get what we want, but we get exactly what we need (to motivate us for the future). We were fortunate enough to go as far as we did.”

6. WOODS LOGS WIN NO. 600
There was a celebratory atmosphere Oct. 17 at the Los Fresnos gym as Becky Woods recorded her 600th career victory as a volleyball coach of the Lady Falcons.

It came during a 25-14, 25-13, 25-14 District 32-6A victory against Harlingen High.

Signs that read “600” were passed out to the home fans, who stood, raised them and enthusiastically cheered on the match’s final point. Some of the fans, along with Woods, donned T-shirts commemorating her 600th win.

The victory improved Woods’ career coaching mark to 600-319 through 31 seasons. That many victories for a high school volleyball coach is believed to be a first in the Valley.

“This is just a great win for the kids, for the school, for the community and Los Fresnos in general,” Woods said.

The Lady Falcons went on to capture the 32-6A title with a 14-0 record and advance three rounds in the playoffs before finishing 39-9.

7. BLOODHOUNDS REACH UNCHARTED TERRITORY
The St. Joseph Academy soccer team advanced to a TAPPS Division I state semifinal for the first time in 2015. After defeating strong teams from San Antonio and Dallas, the Bloodhounds’ best season of soccer came an end with a 1-0 loss to Houston Awty International on Feb. 24 in Corpus Christi.

SJA finished with a 16-4-2 record after winning a district title in soccer for the first time as well.

“We’ve established a new culture of reaching higher levels of success in soccer here at our school, so our expectations are pretty high now,” SJA coach Tino Villarreal said. “We realize that Brownsville is a powerhouse community of soccer, and we’re excited about representing the city in the private school division.”

8. LOCAL SWIMMERS, DIVERS GO TO STATE
The Metro area sent a contingent of five athletes to the UIL state swimming & diving meet Feb. 20 and 21 in Austin.

Three local swimmers advanced, each of them competing in two events. They were Brownsville Veterans Memorial’s Jonathan Ashford (100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke), Los Fresnos’ Ivana Besteiro (50 and 100 freestyles) and Hanna’s Maya Athena Imperial (200 individual medley and 500 freestyle).

The local divers advancing to state were Lopez’s Thadey Diaz and Hanna’s Raul Garcia.

It was a learning experience for each of the five athletes as none of them was able to qualify for the championship finals.

9. IDEA RUNNERS MAKE STRIDES
Charter schools such as IDEA Frontier of Brownsville aren’t really expected to make much noise when it comes to athletics. But the Chargers found a way to shine in cross country in 2015 as their boys team advanced to the UIL state meet Nov. 7 in Round Rock along with individual qualifier Sabrina Garcia.

The boys placed 10th in the Class 3A division. The coach was Albert Alanis. Members of the boys squad were Cristian Davila, Jesus Garcia, Kevin Sanchez, Jose Quintero, Irving Chavirra, Bryan Estrella and Arturo Gutierrez.

10. FALCONS SHARE DISTRICT TITLE AGAIN
Los Fresnos enjoyed another winning football season as the Falcons emerged as District 32-6A tri-champions with Harlingen High and San Benito in November.

Just one year earlier, the Falcons were district quad-champions with Harlingen High, San Benito and Rivera.

In 2015, the Falcons went 9-2, including a 6-1 finish in district. The lone regular-season loss was a 25-18 setback Oct. 16 at Harlingen High. The season ended for the Falcons on Nov. 13 with a 49-28 bi-district defeat at Weslaco High.

Standouts for Los Fresnos included safety Fabian Rodriguez on defense and quarterback Rene Ortega on offense. Ortega passed for 2,300 yards and 26 touchdowns, and he rushed for 500 yards and five TDs. Rodriguez recorded 97 tackles, including 10 for losses, and made two interceptions.

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

Judging by the result of Monday’s non-conference basketball game at Brownsville Veterans Memorial, the Chargers are quite ready for the start of District 32-6A competition.

The Chargers improved to 18-2 with a decisive 77-32 victory against the Porter Cowboys.

Brownsville Veterans opens 32-6A action at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at home against Hanna.

Chargers coach Larry Gibson is confident his squad is all set for what’s ahead.

“We’ve had a good preseason, and we’re ready for district,” he said. “We play Hanna, a top (district) team, and it’s going to be a good game. The key thing for us was coming out of today’s game with everyone healthy and we did that, so we’re ready to go now come Saturday.”

Porter (6-10) briefly led 2-0, but after that, it was all the Chargers. They were up 16-4 by the end of the opening quarter and held a 38-9 edge at halftime. The Chargers took a 58-20 advantage into the final period.

“I like the way we’re pushing the ball,” Gibson said. “We’re doing a good job of pushing it, and our defense was excellent today. We’re running the court, and that’s the key to this team. We’re getting up and down the court (quickly) so that’s good for us. We’ve been doing pretty good.”

Porter coach Luis Garza had hoped the varsity game wouldn’t turn out like the junior varsity contest, which wound up 73-20 in the Chargers’ favor.

But Brownsville Veterans was just too much for Porter, which opens District 32-5A action at PSJA Southwest at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

Garza said it didn’t help matters that he didn’t see his players putting forth the kind of effort they needed to give against such a strong team as the Chargers.

“I don’t take anything away from (Brownsville) Veterans because they have a very good team,” the Porter coach said. “But for us, a lot of it had to do with our guys’ (lack of) effort.

“I thought we would either come out competitive or terrible, and unfortunately, it was terrible,” he added. “The moment (early in the game that) we didn’t dive for a loose ball, that set the tone. We didn’t seem to want to win all that bad.

“We have to take it for what it is. Is it disappointing? Yes, it is. Still, I know we’ll get better. We have to.”

A 3-pointer by Brownsville Veterans’ Kevin Gomez with 1:48 left gave the Chargers their biggest lead of 47 points, 77-30.

Aaron Villarreal led all scorers with 15 points for Brownsville Veterans. Teammates Gomez and Alex Marquez added 14 and 13 points, respectively, and Darion Thuku and J.P. Delgado each contributed eight points. Gomez made a pair of 3-pointers, and Marquez had one.

Porter was led by Albert Garza’s 10 points. Joel Gracia and Luis Garza II each added four points, with Garza hitting a 3-pointer.

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, Staff Writer

Not long ago, Brian Wild decided to hit the pause button on his career with Brownsville ISD after 31 years as a teacher and swimming/diving coach at Pace.

He retired at the end of the school year last June at age 61 and hasn’t looked back.

“Life has slowed down a little bit, but there are plenty of things to keep me busy, believe me,” said the Wisconsin native, who came to Brownsville in 1981 and taught physical education at Castaneda Elementary for three years prior to moving over to Pace.

“My days are pretty active still,” he added. “I’ve got a lot of things to do around the house that I’ve put off for years. There are different projects. I’ve been up to see family in Wisconsin this fall and had the opportunity to travel (more than before). It’s been a lot of fun.

“Traveling a little more is still in my mind, plus I’ve got two children in high school yet (at Brownsville Veterans Memorial), so I’m staying busy.”

During the years, just like his fellow high school aquatic coaches, Wild has guided a broad spectrum of swimmers and divers at Pace. There have been those just getting started in the sport all the way to others whose skills he helped refine so they could reach the highest levels of high school competition and go beyond.

Still, it all starts with confidently knowing what to do in the water. That’s the most important thing, he said.

“When it’s all said and done, it’s a huge thing to learn to be safe in and around the water,” Wild said. “If you can learn that, you’ve got it for a lifetime. It’s a survival skill.”

Among Wild’s most notable swimmers at Pace were Ryan Maza (100 breaststroke) in 1988 and Victoria Salinas (50 freestyle) in 2011. Each earned All-America status during those particular years as Maza went to the UIL state meet four straight times and Salinas advanced three seasons.

Maza went on to swim for the University of Nebraska and Salinas competed for Texas A&M.

There are countless others, not only students and athletes, who have been influenced by the veteran coach.

One of them is Frank Sanchez, the swimming coach at Brownsville Veterans. He served as Wild’s assistant at Pace for 17 years.

“If there is anyone to work with and learn from, it’s Brian,” said Sanchez, who became the coach at Brownsville Veterans in 2010. “Everything I’ve learned (about being a swimming coach), I’ve learned from him, and I can’t thank him enough for introducing me to the sport and really helping me grow to love it.

“Brian is one of the best mentors any person could have,” Sanchez added. “It was a challenge going to a new school. I started the team (at Brownsville Veterans) on a small scale and built it up to where it is now. Brian, with his encouragement and support, had told me to pursue the job. I had been a little bit on the fence (about leaving Pace), and he encouraged me to go for it, so I did. I appreciate him doing that.”

Wild coached in Brownsville at a time before the opening of Margaret M. Clark Aquatic Center when Pace’s swimmers braved the elements while training outdoors daily at the Oliveira Park pool during the Rio Grande Valley’s coldest months. Temperatures sometimes dipped into the 30s, but it didn’t stop practice.

Wild remembers being told by his swimmers at practice one cold, early morning before sunrise that ice was forming on the sides of the pool. Sure enough, when he stepped up to a higher vantage point to time them swimming laps, he almost slipped on ice that was accumulating on a starting block.

“We’ve come a long way since those days (of the 1980s and 1990s),” Wild said. “The swimmers back then came through a lot. It was a great thing BISD did (building Clark Aquatic Center).”

Even though Wild is now very much embracing retirement, there are certain things he still misses about Pace.

“I do miss the other coaches, the athletes, teachers and students, and also the administrators,” he said. “That’s what I miss.”

Upon talking further with the recent retiree, it appears he may consider rejoining the workforce at some point before too long.

“I’m keeping all my options open for whatever it could be (as far as employment),” Wild said.

The experience of teaching and coaching for 30-plus years has been rewarding, he said, and added it’s entirely possible he could return to the same field or find something completely different to do.

“It’s an opportunity as a teacher and a coach to help kids,” he said. “Basically, coaching is teaching, so it’s helping students and athletes get to the next level, whatever that level may be, whether it’s in a classroom, in the pool or in PE class. (Doing that is) kind of what gives you your reward.

“I think a lot of them definitely appreciate what you do,” he added. “They come back and say they enjoyed their time (with you), whether it’s in a class, PE or swimming. They let you know they enjoyed the process (of getting better), and that is what is (most) meaningful to me. I think most teachers and coaches would feel the same way.”

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, Staff Writer

Those who pass by the Porter campus on any given afternoon are seeing soccer balls flying through the air and bouncing around in great numbers as practice sessions for the upcoming high school season in January are well under way.

For some, maybe the start of soccer workouts Nov. 30, as per UIL rules, was of little consequence. But for others, such as the Cowboys and Cowgirls, it was quite the opposite.

“It was painful for us (waiting for practice to finally start),” said Enrique Soto, a senior midfielder and captain for the Cowboys. “Now we’re waiting very impatiently to play our first games and see the team that we’re going to have. We know we can do well and make it to state.

“For the ones of us who are seniors, this is our last opportunity to give it all we’ve got,” added Soto, a four-year member of the varsity. “We don’t want to be disappointed by not achieving it.”

There are once again strong numbers of soccer athletes on the practice fields these days at Porter, including nearly 120 boys and approximately 70 girls.

“Actually, this is the first time we’ve had this many girls,” Cowgirls coach Abraham Gracia said. “It’s about double what we’ve had before, and we’re still pending a few more girls who need their physicals.

“Practices have been going great,” he added. “The girls are showing up, and they’re dedicated.”

Under UIL rules, teams can start scrimmaging Dec. 28. The first regular-season matches are scheduled Jan. 7.

The aspirations of the Porter boys and girls are basically the same in that both teams want to make the playoffs.

More specifically for the Cowboys, going to state a fourth time is the primary goal. Porter advanced to state in 1984, 2006 and 2011. The Cowboys won it all and brought home a Class 5A state title in 2006.

It’s a different story for the Cowgirls. Since UIL girls soccer first came to the Rio Grande Valley in 1997, the Cowgirls have yet to reach the postseason. Over the years, there have been at least three or four times the Cowgirls appeared to be in good shape and so close to qualifying for the postseason, but for whatever reason it just didn’t happen.

Such was the situation last season as the Porter girls went 9-5 in District 32-5A and tied for fourth place with Pace. But the Lady Vikings wound up being the team going to the playoffs.

Things could change for the Cowgirls in 2016.

The Porter girls return six starters, including sophomore forward Priscila Cortinas, the All-Metro newcomer of the year after scoring 27 goals as a freshman.

“I’m excited because we’re looking good, and I’m pretty sure we’re going to make it far,” Cortinas said. “We communicate a lot, we’re making good passes and we get along, so that’s good.

“Making it to the playoffs — that’s our goal,” she added.

Other players with starting experience back include midfielders Lizbeth Garcia and Hilda Valdivieso, forward-midfielder Alexis Vega, defender Allysa Vega and goalkeeper Kassandra Reyes. There’s also a talented group of incoming freshmen who could make key contributions right away.

“With this team I feel that we have a lot of potential this season,” said Alexis Vega, who is coming back from an injury. “We’re a young team, but I know we’ll do well.”

There are also six starters returning for the Porter boys, who went 21-3-2 last season and advanced to the Region IV-5A tournament semifinals.

In addition to Soto, the other returning starters are defenders Anthony Cuellar and Robert Briseno, midfielders Daniel Briseno and Marco Don Juan, and forward Alexis Anzures, a standout senior goal scorer since his freshman year who is the cousin of Priscila Cortinas.

There are at least seven other players with varsity experience back as well. Senior midfielder Uriel Sepulveda, also a captain, is one of them. He had to battle through an injury last season.

“Now I’m back on my feet, and I’m ready to help out my team,” Sepulveda said. “It’s a privilege to play with these guys, and it’s a big challenge to earn a spot as a starter.

“What I like that I’m seeing is we’re becoming one (as a team),” he added. “Everyone wants to practice hard and everyone has that positive mentality that we need so that we can go and go and go and reach that (state) medal that we want.”

Cowboys coach Jose Espitia also likes what he’s witnessing with his squad so far.

“From what we’ve seen, we’re excited,” he said. “We lost some important players from last year, but this team has potential. I think we have a good group coming back.

“The intensity these guys are showing in practice and the motivation they have is awesome,” he added. “It’s something you like to see every time we train. That intensity transfers to the field, so I like seeing that.

“This team looks quick, united and determined to reach its goal.”

The Cowboys play their first scrimmage at 10 a.m. Dec. 29 against Lopez at Sams Memorial Stadium. For their first action, the Cowgirls have a tri-scrimmage scheduled the same day at 9 a.m. against Edinburg North and San Benito at San Benito.

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, Staff Writer

Swimmers from Brownsville Veterans Memorial and Rivera are going into their holiday break on a more celebratory note after capturing team championships at Friday’s annual city meet at Margaret M. Clark Aquatic Center.

The Brownsville Veterans boys and Rivera girls came away with team titles from a field comprised of the city’s six public high schools.

The Brownsville Veterans boys and girls were defending champions.

The Chargers are city meet team champions for the second straight year after amassing 363 points, as runner-up Rivera had 291. Hanna was third with 179.

“I think our boys swam well,” Brownsville Veterans coach Frank Sanchez said. “Our top boys didn’t really have their best times today that they could have had, but that was OK. Some of our other boys, ones who are not usually at the top, had very good times, which was a good showing for them.

“(Boys runner-up) Rivera has a strong team, and actually, everybody swam well,” Sanchez added. “It was back and forth today, and maybe because we had a little more depth, it was something that helped us a lot. The fact of the matter is I think all the teams swam well. I was hoping our girls could win it again, too, but Rivera and Hanna have very strong teams this year, and I was missing just a few girls today.

“Now we’re going on vacation, and we’re getting closer to the District (32-6A) meet (Jan. 29 in Harlingen), so hopefully we’ll be conditioned and ready (to do well) by then.”

Rivera captured the girls team title with 348 points. Hanna was the runner-up with 304 points, and Brownsville Veterans was third with 258.

It marked the second time in four years that Rivera’s girls won the meet. Brownsville Veterans’ girls had won the previous two titles.

“Our girls did really well,” Rivera coach Ryan Shea said. “We’ve been working them really hard and pushing them, and they came together today and had a great meet. Everybody on the team stepped up. It was nice for them.

“It gives us a good boost with district coming up,” Shea added. “We don’t have a meet now until district, so it’s a good thing that we accomplished today and something to lead us into the 32-6A meet. The girls did great, and our boys did a really good job, too, so I’m proud of the whole team.”

Winning individual events for the Rivera girls were Sofia Gonzalez (100 freestyle), Ximena Gonzalez (500 freestyle), Stephanie Castillo (100 backstroke) and Fernandez Rodriguez (100 breaststroke). Also, those four girls swam on the first-place 200 medley relay for Rivera. The Lady Raiders took second in the other two relays.

Hanna’s girls claimed first in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays thanks to the joint efforts of Gloria Orta, Tahliya Martinez, Maya Athena Imperial and Natalia Davila.

Individual winners for the Hanna girls were Davila (200 freestyle and 100 butterfly) and Orta (200 individual medley).

The Brownsville Veterans girls were led by Tonnih Ruiz’s first-place finish in the 50 freestyle.

Meanwhile, for the boys, Jonathan Ashford again was a double-winner for Brownsville Veterans in the 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke. Teammate Daniel Flores won the 50 freestyle.

Flores and Ashford combined with Juan Sanchez and Angel Mena to win the 200 medley relay for the Chargers.

Adrian Flores was a double-winner for Rivera’s boys in the 200 individual medley and 500 freestyle. Also for the Raiders, Ryan Shea placed first in the 100 butterfly. Adrian Flores, Shea, Deven Cardenas and Pablo De Los Santos teamed to win the 400 freestyle relay.

Pace had some winners in the boys division as well. They were Victor Reyes in the 200 freestyle and Jose Hernandez in the 100 backstroke. Those two Pace swimmers, along with Denis Espinoza and Aldair Soto, combined to win the 200 freestyle relay.

The diving competition was not held this year due to a lack of participants.

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, Staff Writer

Brownsville’s high school swimmers and divers come together at 10 a.m. today for the annual City Meet at Margaret M. Clark Aquatic Center.

Warmups for the participants are scheduled at 9 a.m., with the meet’s swimming events to start at 10 a.m. The diving competition will take place soon after the swimming starts.

The city’s six public high schools again will be involved this year, but not swimmers from St. Joseph Academy and Brownsville First Baptist School due to midterm finals, Clark Aquatic Center director Monica Rosales said.

With the most important meets of the UIL season, which include district and regional competition, coming up during the next two months, the city meet offers a chance for the participants to compete under less stressful circumstances and contend for city bragging rights.

Many of the participants know each other well and have grown up together through their involvement in local youth swimming programs. As high schoolers, they practice at the same facility on a daily basis and now look forward to seeing which ones among them will be best in the city before the holiday break starts.

“Some of our girls know girls from Rivera (well), so it’s more than a rivalry, it’s more like a camaraderie,” Hanna coach Sam Perez said.

“The city meet sometimes creates a problem with finals and vacations (happening at the same time), but we do it hoping as many students as possible can participate,” Perez added. “Yes, we’re excited, and we’re really looking forward to it.”

In particular, the Hanna girls have high aspirations for the new year and want to make sure they stay on course by doing well at the city meet.

“Since it’s barely a few months into the season, I think we’re going to get a lot better, we’re going to work hard and get faster (as district and regionals draw closer),” said Hanna junior Tahliya Martinez, who usually swims the 50 and 100 freestyles along with relays.

Just like last year, the field Friday will comprise of six schools in each of the boys and girls divisions.

Brownsville Veterans Memorial’s boys and girls are defending team champions.

One year ago, the Brownsville Veterans boys won with 424.5 points, with Rivera second at 311.5 and Hanna third at 213.5.

The Lady Chargers won with 328 points as Hanna was second at 316 and Rivera was third at 286.

Brownsville Veterans is expected to be led by Jonathan Ashford, who won the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke at last weekend’s Brownsville ISD Pre-Regional Showcase at Clark Aquatic Center.

Other swimmers who could post strong showings at the city meet include Hanna’s Natalia Davila and Maya Athena Imperial, along with Rivera’s Adrian Flores and Stephanie Castillo.

Thadey Diaz is a standout diver for Lopez.

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