BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER

Joe Mancha spent the hot summer days in Hidalgo picking cotton on his father’s farm, or attending to the crops or animals.

With eight children in the family, all the work on the farm was always done. In fact, the kids were so useful on the family’s 200-acre plot that the workers on the farm used to tease the children, saying, “You work harder than we do.”

That workmanlike attitude followed Mancha, born in March 1932, onto the football field, where he made his mark.

At the time, Hidalgo didn’t have a high school, so Mancha was sent to McAllen High.

McAllen High was about 12 miles from the family farm, and Mancha would walk those 12 miles home every day after football or track practice.

“You should have seen how muscled his legs were with all that walking,” Joe’s youngest brother, Nick Mancha, said. “That is why he was so hard to block.”

Mancha’s commitment to the football team allowed him to become one of the most dominant players in the state.

Joe Mancha is one of nine inductees who will be honored at the 31st annual RGV Sports Hall of Fame ceremony tonight at the Pharr Events Center. The event begins with an informal reception for the inductees at 4 p.m., followed by a catered meal at 5 p.m. and the program at 6 p.m.

Mancha was a lineman, and in that time, that meant he played on the offensive and defensive lines.

On defense, Mancha was so feared that Nick Mancha said he was double-teamed on almost every play.

On offense, Joe Mancha was just as effective, if not more. In 1952, he cleared the way for McHi’s dominant ground game, which posted 353 rushing yards per game.

He was selected to the all-district first team three times and was named to the all-state team in both his junior and senior years.

The Bulldogs had successful postseasons during his junior and senior years. In 1952, his junior year, the Bulldogs won 11 straight games and advanced to the state semifinals. At the time, they were ranked No. 5 in the state of Texas.

“He was always double-teamed,” Nick said. “They did that because it was just too difficult to stop him or bring him down.”

Joe also competed in boxing and shot put.

He earned a full scholarship to Schreiner Institute in Kerrville, where he spent his first two years in college. During Joe’s second full college season, he sustained a back injury that required surgery, ending his playing career. The injury took its toll on him physically, but he never once thought of giving up.

Mancha was the first member of the family to pursue higher education, and it meant a lot to him to earn his degree in spite of the setback.
Mancha’s recovery and will to succeed in the face of opposition allowed him to lead a successful life after football. He moved to Illinois, where much of the Mancha family ended up, and he started working for General Motors.

He raised four children — Regina, Lourdes, Rachel and Jose Luis. Joe passed away on Oct. 15, 2016.

Joe Mancha was a quiet man, always humble, but he did have a playful side, as well.

One of his favorite practical jokes came about when he was asked to drive his grandmother to San Juan for her weekly grocery trip.
Joe gradually increased the speed of the vehicle while distracting his grandmother with conversation. As they approached the slant of the flood levees, the terrain on the other side disappeared from view.

“On the other side was a sharp drop,” Nick said. “The drop would catch them unaware, and my grandmother was one to cuss. At first, her reaction was of anger, but once she was over the shock, they would all laugh about it.”

[email protected]

BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER

Big John Tripson from Mission was always in the center of the action, whether he was on the line during a football game crashing into his opponents or pulling injured soldiers out of the water during the Invasion of Normandy.

Tripson grew up in Mission and played for the Eagles. He played all four years with Bill Landry, Tom’s brother, in the 1930s. He was part of an Eagles team that went undefeated.

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

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

Tripson’s play at Mission High earned him a full ride to Mississippi State.

“Georgetown and Boston College, in those years, had swapped places between No. 1 and No. 2 often,” Mark Tripson, John’s eldest son, said. “They were both at the top.”

In 1937, Tripson’s team played Georgetown in the first Orange Bowl held in Burdine Stadium, the same stadium that would eventually be known simply as the Orange Bowl. At that time, the stadium seated 23,000. When it was demolished in 2007, it held 72,000.

Tripson’s team came out victorious.

“For upstart Mississippi (State) to beat them, that was big,” Mark said. “We went to the 50th reunion of that game, and the players from Georgetown were still mad that they got beat.”

Tripson tried to get Tom Landry to join him at Mississippi State, but to no avail. Bill was one of many soldiers lost in World War II.

After his college career, Tripson was drafted by the NFL’s Detroit Lions. He played spectacular during his rookie year, earning a first-team NFL All-Pro selection, a Pro Bowl selection and the Rookie of the Year award.

Following his rookie year, however, he found himself in a different draft.

“At the beginning of the war they were drafting Army, Marines and Navy,” Mark Tripson said. “He knew somebody, or, I don’t know how he did it, but he wanted to be in the Navy. Not that he knew anything about boats — he told us he was ‘sea sick for four years’ — but he felt it was better than being a foot soldier.”

Tripson had many close encounters during his Naval career, but like with almost anything he did, he was good at his work right away.

During his service, he served in Northern African, Southern France and Normandy.

The story of Tripson’s time leading up to D-Day was chronicled by his squad mate, Ira Wolfert, to Reader’s Digest:

The war reached out a giant paw and struck dead ahead of us. There was a big explosion. Grey smoke and white water rose hundreds of feet into the air. Out of its centre a mortally stricken minesweeper plunged and tilted, bleeding oil in spouts as if an artery had been severed. Then it righted itself and lay quietly, with the big, gaseous-looking bubbling that ships make when they die.

Standing by to pick up survivors we came first to those who had been blown farthest by the explosion. They were all dead. ‘Leave the dead and take the living first,’ cried Lieutenant John Tripson. And then, from all over the sea around us, sounding small and childlike in the wild world of waters, came cries of ‘Help! Help!’ and one startling, pathetic cry of ‘Please help me!’

Big John Tripson is a Mississippi boy who used to play football for the Detroit Lions. His strength came in handy now. The wet boys in the sea with all they had on them weighed up to 300 pounds. Big John reached out and scooped them up with one hand, holding on to the boat with the other. We fished six out of the water, two of them uninjured, taking only the living and leaving the dead awash like derelicts in the unheeding sea.

Tripson said the proudest day of his life was the day the U.S. dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagaski.

“(Tripson and his unit) were someplace I don’t know where, I think in California, practicing for the invasion of Japan,” Mark Tripson said of where John was when he heard the news. “They had already told him they were going to lose a million men in the first week. He had already been through North Africa, Sicily, southern France and Normandy. He just felt like the odds were against him.”

Tripson served in the precursor to the Navy Seals, known as the Scouts and Raiders. Both were subdivisions of the UDT, or Underwater Demolition Team.

During his service, he was stationed at Fort Pierce, Fla. During that time he met his wife Barbara, who was born and raised in Vero Beach, Fla.

After the war, Tripson moved to Vero Beach and never left. He bought his wife’s family’s dairy farm and grew it from 120 cattle to over 500 cattle and 40 milk trucks.

Tripson passed away in 1997 and Barbara passed in 2003. Together, they had four children: Logan, Karen, Mark and Jens.

“He died as he lived,” Mark said. “They had a party up at their house in North Carolina. He said this has been wonderful, went in, and went to sleep and died.

“He was a good man. He wanted to do right by his family. He believed in doing right. He was driven to be successful, and he was.”

sberrios-thomas @themonitor.com

BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER

MISSION — The 7-on-7 qualifying tournament at Sharyland High was only ever going to end one way —

Mercedes versus Edcouch-Elsa.

The classic rivalry was renewed again on Saturday as the two 5A powerhouses met in the final.

Mercedes players have heard the talk. “All the important seniors are gone.” “The team doesn’t have a quarterback.”

Rising senior quarterback Israel Alegria put an end to all of the talk Saturday, leading a drive that culminated in the game-winning touchdown with just seconds left on the clock.

“That was huge for us,” rising senior defensive back Sebastian Arteaga said. “Knowing that we can put all of our trust in our quarterback to finish the game is big for us.”

Mercedes beat Edcouch-Elsa 39-35 to advance to the state tournament, which will be held June 29 at Veterans Park and Athletic Complex in College Station.

“This is exciting,” Mercedes 7-on-7 coach Randy Smith said. “These are the types of games that you love to watch. We have this long tradition of a rivalry with Edcouch. This is just the setup for Friday nights. We knew what was at stake, and we got the job done.”

The road to the final was tough for the Tigers. They faced some of the best opponents in the Valley, and the heat was unrelenting all day. Fatigue started to set in when Mercedes faced host Sharyland High in the final game of pool play.

“The offense had a terrible game,” Alegria said. “Me personally, I had a terrible game. Getting here was hard. It was hot. It was competitive. A lot of good teams.”

No matter, though, as the Tigers came out with a new intensity to face the Yellow Jackets.

The teams traded scores, but the big swing in momentum for Mercedes came on defense.

Arteaga, playing defensive back, read the Edcouch-Elsa offense and knew a pass was coming toward him. He jumped in front of the receiver to grab the interception and return it for a score.

A few series later, Arteaga saw another pass headed his way.

“We were in Cover 2, so I was just trying to play my zone,” Arteaga said. “When I saw (the receiver) bobble it, I knew it was a free ball.”

Arteaga pounced, grabbed the loose ball and returned it for his second pick-six of the game.

Still, the game came down to the wire, as Edcouch-Elsa scored a touchdown with only about two minutes left on the clock.

“We have been preparing for this,” Alegria said. “Last week, we had a tournament, and we were in our two-minute drill. We kind of messed it up and we went three and out, and we ended up losing the game. Because of that, all week, we have been working on our two-minute drill.”

The Tigers moved the ball up the field and advanced into the red zone. They were inside the 5-yard line when Alegria looked for rising senior Leeroy Garcia. The pass was incomplete, and the Tigers were in disarray as the clock ticked toward zero.

“I thought it was over after the one I dropped,” Garcia said. “Then I heard everyone yelling, so I got lined up quick.”

“I was worried about the formation, because we weren’t in the right formation,” Alegria said. “But, everyone was there, so I called a play, and everyone kind of ran their own thing. Logan (Luevano, a receiver) did a good job of going inside and taking the safety. Leeroy came from the back. I trusted him, he trusted me, we were on the same page, and that was it.”

Just after the catch, the Tigers started to jump around in elation as the air horn sounded to signal the end of the game.

“It feels really good knowing we are going to state,” Arteaga said. “(Beating E-E) feels even better. All the hard work was worth it.”

Despite all of the history between the two clubs, some recent events ratcheted up the intensity.

“During the 7-on-7 season, we have played them a couple times at our stadium, and we didn’t come out victorious on any of them,” Alegria said.

“So, coming out here, facing that challenge, knowing that everyone is counting you out, it is good to come out here and compete, and prove that we deserve to be here.”

After E-E beat Mercedes for the second time this summer, the talk started to heat up. Both teams claimed they would be the one to emerge Saturday. Once the game began, the players said there was no chatter on the field, strictly business.

As the Tigers prepare for state 7-on-7 and eventually the regular season, their message is simple.

“Just don’t count us out,” Alegria said. “A lot of people think that on paper, we are not as good as previous Tigers teams, especially with all of the talent we have had go through here. Now, we have a lot of new faces, and a lot of people are doubting us. Just watch and see.”

“All the doubters thought we weren’t going to state,” Garcia said. “We shut them up, and we are going now.”\

So are the Tigers being counted out?

“Not anymore,” Arteaga said.

[email protected]

BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER

EDINBURG — Saturday morning before the big game, Edinburg Vela got the worst possible omen.

Senior outfielder Matthew de la Cruz was warming up. He was still nursing an arm injury he picked up during Vela’s regional quarterfinal series against Los Fresnos, but he was eager to contribute.

“I’m not sure exactly how he rolled his ankle, but he rolled it pretty bad, to where it took him out of what we wanted to do,” Vela coach Jaime Perez said.

During the game, his teammates lifted him up onto the railing so he could watch and cheer, because he didn’t appear to be able to put any weight on his injured ankle. After the game, his teammates helped him as he walked through the handshake line, then carried him over to Vela’s final huddle for the year.

San Antonio Churchill was, as Perez described, “a buzz saw,” and the Chargers cut right through Vela on Saturday, taking Game 2 of the regional semifinals 9-2. Churchill swept Vela out of the playoffs, just a year after the Chargers eliminated McAllen High in the same round.

“Losing (de la Cruz) really hurt,” Perez said. “He was that consistent leadoff guy. We used three different guys trying to replace him. We just couldn’t get it right.”

Still, Vela didn’t make any excuses after the game.

“We just didn’t make the plays when we needed to,” Perez said. “We pride ourselves on making the routine plays, and we just didn’t get that done. It came back to haunt us. We just didn’t throw enough strikes to win games.”

De la Cruz is committed to play baseball at Incarnate Word next year.

“That was really tough,” junior shortstop Ramsey Amador said. “I felt so bad for that guy. He is such a great player. Even when he got hurt today, he wanted to go out there and play. He will do really good over at UIW, and I can’t wait to see what he can accomplish there.”

Churchill scored three runs in the first two innings and never looked back.

Vela senior pitcher Adam Alviso has been dominant all year, picking up eight wins and posting a 1.87 ERA, but he just didn’t have it on Saturday.

“Every pitcher goes through that,” junior Nico Rodriguez said. “He didn’t have his best stuff, but Marc (Esquivel) came in and threw well.”

Esquivel, a junior, entered with one out and the bases loaded in the second inning, but he induced a double-play ball that got Vela out of the jam.

“My mindset was just to throw strikes. I know my team has my back, so even if I get hit, they will clean it up,” Esquivel said. “The main thing was just mix it up and keep them off-balance. That was the game plan going in.”

Esquivel executed to near perfection, pitching 3 2/3 innings while allowing only one earned run on three hits.

“At this level, you can’t let it get to 3, 4 or 5 to 0 if you even want to have a chance,” Perez said. “I pulled the trigger right away and went to the junior righty, and he gave us a chance. He gave us three or four innings. He chewed up innings and gave us a chance.”

Through four full, Vela didn’t have much of anything going on at the plate, and the game looked to be slipping away. Then, freshman catcher Jaime Perez Jr., son of coach Perez, stepped to the plate to lead off the bottom of the fifth.

“I knew I was going to get a fastball in, so I was ready for it,” Perez Jr. said. “My mentality going up to the plate was, ‘I need to get a hit.’ We were down, and we needed base runners. I looked into the dugout after the hit, and I knew what I did was right.”

Perez Jr. connected on a double that brought the crowd at UTRGV Baseball Stadium to life. Rodriguez stepped up to the plate with two outs and Perez Jr.’s courtesy runner, senior Joel Jasso, at second.

“There was a lot of pressure, but we knew if we just kept hitting, we would eventually be able to break through,” Rodriguez said. “They were throwing me fastballs and sliders all day, so I hit the fastball on the first pitch.”

Rodriguez notched a double that scored the run. Senior Aaron Galvan drove in Rodriguez on the following at-bat.

As the season came to a close, the SaberCats reflected on their year. Vela won the first district title in program history and advanced to the third round of the playoffs for the second time, and then reached the fourth round for the first time.

“It was one heck of a year,” Galvan said. “We made history. We won a district title. It was a great ride, and I couldn’t be happier. Of course, I am a little ticked off that we lost this round, but it is a lesson learned.”

Saying goodbye to the seniors will be the hardest part.

“That’s my guy (Galvan). I can’t even put it into words,” coach Perez said, fighting back tears. “He was our captain. He was our leader. He knew his role, and he made us work. That guy was our heartbeat, man.”

“Coach Perez a big part of my life and a big part of my game,” Galvan said. “He’s taught me a lot. He taught me how to be a man. We have had our ups and downs, and I am grateful for him. He is a great aspect to my life, and he’s like a second father to me. I am grateful for everything he has done for me.”

The other seniors on the team also made an impact on the lives of those around them.

“Adam prepared me a lot,” Perez Jr. said. “Knowing he has been in these positions before, the tight games, one-run games, walk-offs, he prepared me for that. Kudos to him. He taught me everything that I need to be successful. I love him for it.”

“This senior class set the foundation for the future of this program at Vela High School,” coach Perez said. “They created the standard for playing here. The camaraderie that is inside that dugout is special.”

The SaberCats graduate eight seniors. Five of them played in the series against Churchill, and only two were on the field for the final out.

“We are really confident for next year,” Rodriguez said. “We like what we have coming back, and we have some guys coming in that we feel really confident.”

“They have a big group coming back,” Galvan added. “Yeah, they lose me, but Ramsey will be able to pick it up. The freshmen will pick it up. We will be all right. The foundation is there. They know they just have to play hard and believe in each other, and they will be fine.”

The 2018 SaberCats will be remembered for their accomplishments on the field. But for the players, the relationships they have created are what will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Some of those relationships ended today. Others are just beginning.

One relationship will not change. Galvan and Amador will remain best friends. Galvan is off to UTRGV next year, but the proximity will allow the two to continue their long-standing tradition of late night batting cages trips and shared workouts.

“It is tough to see him leave, because he is my best friend, and everything we did together over the last few years really helped us,” Amador said. “Our grind won’t stop, though. We are still going to go to the cages together. I’ll still see the guy.

“It was a hell of ride together. Now I have to step up and fill in, because Aaron is gone. After that, we will be back on the same team again here at UTRGV, and I can’t wait to see how far we can go.”

[email protected]

VALLEY HS BASEBALL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

Regional semifinals

Thursday, May 24

Class 6A

San Antonio Churchill 7, Edinburg Vela 3

Saturday, May 26

Class 6A

Edinburg Vela vs. San Antonio Churchill, at UTRGV, 1 p.m. (If needed, Game 3 will be played 30 minutes later)

BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER

SAN ANTONIO — Edinburg Vela junior third baseman Yulean Torrellas was the fire that ignited the SaberCats on Thursday with his heads-up base running and timely hitting.

“He has done that all year for us,” Vela coach Jaime Perez said. “That is how he plays. He is the little spark plug that gets us going. He does what he has to do to help us win.”

Not only does he show the fire on the field, he is also the source of most smiles in the dugout. Torrellas is constantly dancing and cracking jokes. Sometimes he will go up to the mound when a pitcher is laboring, and he will say just the right thing to get a quick chuckle out of his teammate, which usually helps the pitcher refocus.

“He knows how to have fun with the game that we all love,” senior pitcher Aaron Galvan said. “But he also knows when to take the game seriously and get his job done on the field.”

Torrellas drove in the game’s first run, and his hustle late in the night built some momentum for Game 2.

Vela got timely hits with men on against one of the best pitchers in Texas, but the SaberCats couldn’t muster enough offense to keep up with the hot bats of Churchill.

Churchill took Game 1 of the best-of-three regional semifinal series 7-3. Game 2 will be played at 2 p.m. Saturday at UTRGV, and if a Game 3 is necessary it will be played 30 minutes after the conclusion of Game 2.

Churchill threw 6-foot-9, 230-pound righty Jack Neely. The senior is committed to the University of Texas, and on Thursday, his fastball was sitting at 93-95 mph, according to the SaberCats.

“Their pitcher did a heck of a job tonight,” Perez said. “Coming in, he couldn’t get his breaking stuff over for a strike. After the first, he started getting the slider over, really started getting that changeup over, and that made it tough.

“Still, the kids battled. We made solid contact against him — seven hits. We just missed a few basic plays on defense. We catch that ball at third, we catch that ball in center, it’s a 4-3 ballgame right now. I’m not saying we win just because of that, but the ballgame is a little closer, and we adjust our strategy as a coaching staff if that happens.”

In the top of the second, Vela senior first baseman Joey Recio walked.

“His ball was kind of flat,” Recio said of Neely. “I was just thinking anything close. Typically, I like to swing at the first pitch that’s close.”

Recio showed sound judgment and took four straight balls to get Vela rolling.

Freshman catcher Jaime Perez Jr. bunted Recio over to second, and then Torrellas delivered. He smacked a ball in the gap in right-center field for a double, scoring Recio.

“It feels good,” Torrellas said. “The ball is coming fast. You just have to put the bat there and hit the ball. It feels like the major leagues. He is 6-9, throwing 95 (mph). That hit was a big accomplishment for me.”

Seeing the run cross the plate gave the SaberCats a lot of confidence.

“That was really big,” Recio said. “Yulean has been hot. He’s a really good player, and when he hit that, it was awesome, got the whole team fired up.”

Galvan started, and he started well. He retired the side in order in the bottom of the first, but Churchill responded to Torrellas’ RBI by putting up five runs between the second and third innings.

“In the second inning, I kind of fell apart,” Galvan said. “I got behind in the counts to some of the big guys. I had to throw a strike, and that is what they teed off on. I left pitches up, and that is where they hurt me.”

Despite his struggles with the strike zone, Galvan was still in position to limit the damage a few times, but his defense failed him. A ball fell between fielders, a ball that looked foul to everyone on the Vela side was ruled fair, allowing runs to score, and then a double play was missed by a hair.

Galvan showed his tenacity, though, battling to keep his team in the game and regaining his composure to limit the Churchill offense.

“He didn’t quite have his best stuff, but he never stopped competing,” Perez said.

“We couldn’t get the breaking ball over. When we couldn’t get the changeup or the curveball over for a strike, they started sitting dead red on fastball. I knew we were in a little bit of trouble, but he still gave us a chance. He has the heart of a lion.”

In the fifth, freshman center fielder A.J. Sotello and senior second baseman Angel Salinas both reached on singles. Galvan came up with two outs and two on, and he smashed a single to drive in the pair. The two runs cut the Churchill lead down to 6-3.

Churchill responded with a run in the bottom half, and the Chargers loaded the bases to chase Galvan. Junior Marc Esquivel came in and pitched 1 2/3 innings of no-hit ball to close out the game.

In the seventh, Torrellas legged out an infield single to lead off the inning. He advanced to second on a wild pitch, then stole third. On his steal of third, he took a hit to the face on the tag.

“I’m hurting right now,” Torrellas said. “My knee is banged up, my elbow is hurting, my back is hurting, but it’s baseball. We are all feeling something at this point. I will be ready for Game 2.”

For Torrellas, senior Matthew de la Cruz — who injured his knee during the previous series against Los Fresnos and didn’t play Thursday — and the rest of the SaberCats, the day off between games will be hugely beneficial.

“Friday is going to be a big heal day,” Torrellas said. “We will be taking ice tubs, bands, running, just trying to let the body heal and be ready for Saturday.”

Despite the pain, Torrellas never stopped hustling Thursday, fighting to keep the SaberCats alive. That fighting spirit is what the SaberCats are hoping will help propel them to force a Game 3 Saturday.

“We are going to come out strong in Game 2,” Torrellas said. “Then, hopefully, we will come out strong in Game 3, as well.

“I did whatever it takes to get to third for my team tonight, and that will be the same every chance I get on Saturday.”

[email protected]

BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER

EDINBURG — Here they are, the Valley’s last baseball team standing: the Edinburg Vela SaberCats.

Only six years ago, the program was in its infancy, just starting to field competitive teams. Over the years, coach Jaime Perez has put in tireless work to get his team to this point, and the talent on the roster has certainly made that work just a little bit easier.

“It’s such a great feeling to be here, because these kids deserve it,” Perez said. “We teach our kids to prepare, so that they can say we prepared harder than anyone standing across the field from us.

“Unity is the secret for us. We are one big family — 27 guys. That is a lot of dudes to carry. But they are around each other so much. It makes my job easy. It makes the game fun for all of us. These kids do such a great job.”

The SaberCats are in the fourth round for the first time in program history, in the same season they won the program’s first district title.

“It feels great to be here,” junior shortstop Ramsey Amador said. “It is history with coach Perez. He deserves it after all of the hard work he has put in. It feels amazing.”

Vela faces San Antonio Churchill in a UIL Class 6A regional semifinal series that begins at 7 tonight at Blossom Athletic Center in San Antonio. Game 2 will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at UTRGV, and Game 3 will be played 30 minutes later, should a Game 3 be necessary.

“I think our kids are up to the challenge,” Perez said. “Our kids are not intimidated. There is a lot of talking, but we try to stay out of the limelight and handle our business.”

A big factor in Vela’s success this year has been the team’s adaptability. The SaberCats used five pitchers in their series against Los Fresnos, and each brought his own unique approach, which forced the Falcons to react.

The SaberCats began the series with senior Aaron Galvan, a UTRGV commit who has pro potential. Vela then had the luxury of bringing in senior Adam Alviso, whose signature sidearm style has given opponents fits all year.

Then, late in Game 3 — a one-run game with the season on the line — Amador got the ball and took the bump for the first time in exactly 10 months.

“It felt really great,” Amador said. “I just wanted to come through for my team. … I had been telling coach, half joking, ‘Put me on the mound. I want to show you what I can do.’ The last time I pitched was at Texas Tech over the summer with the Sliders. I haven’t been on since then, and I told coach, ‘Just let me show you I can do this.’ The team had my back, and it motivated me. One pitch at a time, throwing strikes, and knowing that I have a great defense behind me, I got it done.”

Amador pitched 1 2/3 innings, earning the save. He allowed just one hit and struck out a pair of Falcons.

“That was big time,” Perez added.

The SaberCats’ versatility doesn’t end on the mound, either. Their talent pool allows them to throw different lineups at opponents like the NBA’s Golden State Warriors. Instead of the Hamptons Five, Vela has its own death lineup, featuring power, speed and plate discipline, 1 through 9 in the batting order.

“We have been tested all year long,” Perez said. “We went to the Border Olympics in Laredo, and then we went down to Mira’s Tournament in Corpus. That helped us a lot to prepare for this series right here.”

Eric Martinez is the embodiment of the transformation the team has gone through. Last year, he struggled to find playing time, because his bat ran hot and cold. But, after the season, he dedicated himself to baseball. He went through a rigorous offseason schedule facing top competition. Churchill senior Jack Neely, a 6-foot-9, 230-pound right-hander who is committed to the University of Texas, was one of Martinez’s teammates last summer.

“From what I hear, he has only gotten better since we played together,” Martinez said. “I am hoping the little bit of information I have can help the team.”

Martinez’s dedication has paid off, and it showed in the series against Los Fresnos. He had four hits and six RBIs, including a two-run home run in Game 1 that gave the Vela the lead.

“It feels wonderful to see all of the hard work we have put in to come to fruition,” Perez said. “He has been through the ups and downs. Mentally, I knew it was hard for him. What he has done on and off the field to prepare himself for this moment, that was big for us.”

Martinez is just a microcosm. Many of the Vela players have similar stories.

“We have so many arms on this team,” Galvan said. “I think everybody on this team can throw, and we are very grateful for that. Everyone has a live arm, and we are all good enough to compete and hold the opponent to minimal runs.”

Some may see the SaberCats’ rise to the top of the Valley as a bit of a surprise, but the SaberCats have known this was coming for a while, and they want to welcome everyone along for the ride.

“Last year, when our season ended in the playoffs, Aaron and I, along with Adam and Matt de la Cruz, we were saying we are going to come back stronger than ever,” Amador said. “We looked at our team, and we had a few big loses, RJ (Ochoa) at catcher and Ryan (Rodriguez) at third, but we are filling in with Mito (Jaime Perez Jr.) behind the plate now, and as a freshman he has really grown. We also have Yulean (Torrellas) at third. He has done a great job.

“It’s a really strong team, and we are here to make a historic run.”

[email protected]

BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER

Tuesday marked the end of an era at Sharyland High School. Three seniors will be graduating from the girls golf team — Laura Rodriguez, Raquel Flores and Amanda Shinn-Roldan.

Before they left, though, they wanted to make their mark on the program that they have given so much to over the last four years.

They did just that at the UIL Class 5A state tournament, finishing second overall as a team on Tuesday at White Wing Golf Club in Georgetown.

“The tournament went well,” Sharyland coach Ashley Garza said. “We didn’t perform as well as we wanted to yesterday, which put us in fourth place. We were only five strokes off of second place, so that’s not that many strokes. Grapevine played really well yesterday, and they were about 19 strokes ahead.”

Sharyland took second place by two strokes, scoring 644 to Midlothian’s 646. Grapevine won the tournament with a 620.

“I didn’t look at the score until we got to the back nine. When I looked at the score, I knew it was very integral that we just par out,” Garza said. “If we didn’t par out, I knew we would lose it.”

Rodriguez capped off her career with her best finish at state, taking seventh individually. She shot a 75 on the first day before coming back with a second-round 73 to give her a 148 overall.

“It’s a huge accomplishment,” Garza said. “Last year, she played really well the first day, and she came back on the second day, and didn’t play as well as she wanted to. For her just to finish with two solid scores was her goal. …This was her tournament. She needed to play well, because she got second at district and then she placed fourth at regionals. So I think this was her tournament to shine.”

Magnolia’s Halle Whitney won the tournament with a 143. Midlothian’s Jasmine Zhang (144) took second, and Gabriella Tomanka of Grapevine (145) was third.

Rodriguez will go on to join former Sharyland teammate Ana Erana at St. Edwards next year. Raquel Flores will join her older sister Mariana at Rogers State University. Their younger sister Paulina is a junior and will take over as one of the leaders for the Rattlers next year.

This year’s finish is the best team showing at state for all of Sharyland High’s seniors.

“I feel like all three seniors are very strong players,” Garza said. “They do not give up. They are very strong-willed, and they really practice their hearts out. I know that they will all be successful in the next step of their careers.”

[email protected]

BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER

Edinburg Vela boys basketball coach David Keith looked around and realized he needed to make a change.

Keith has always lived the mantra, “Faith and family first, and then everything else.”

On Monday, he made a decision based on that philosophy when he turned in his letter of resignation, leaving Vela after one season.

“Vela is a great place. ECISD is an awesome school district,” Keith said. “If my intention was to coach next year, I believe that I am in the perfect spot. … My experience here has been incredible. But, what I found was I wasn’t having enough time with my own kids at home.”

Keith and his wife, Rosette, have three children living at home. Liv is 11, and the 13 year-old twins Callie and Gavin are entering junior high school next year.

“They are about to start junior high sports, and I wasn’t going to have time to get to all the events,” Keith said.

Keith also hopes to spend more time with his stepdaughter, Sidra, who is 22 and currently attends Texas State.

Keith said the decision weighed on him. He took time to think about it before committing.

“I felt like family had to come first in this decision,” Keith said. “It wasn’t an easy decision. It was a process. I’ve got a great crew around me, and God has provided me with some great friends and a great family. My wife and kids are amazing, and they have been so supportive. I just realized that at this point, I have to take some time for them.”

Keith said he knows leaving Vela is going to be hard. His job was a dream job, and his first year showed promise for what his program could become.

“I guess it boils down to if I am going to have a regret for my future, my regret is not going to be that I didn’t get to spend time with my kids,” Keith said. “It will be that I didn’t get to coach.”

[email protected]

BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER

EDINBURG — Edinburg Vela quarterback Nathan Garcia was the key to the SaberCats’ offense last season.

He is graduating this spring, and the SaberCats are seeking to replace his production.

Over his career, Garcia passed for 4,571 yards and 47 touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,034 yards and 15 TDs.

While all of his production may not come from one place next season, the SaberCats hope to reach similar numbers with the 2018 offense.

One of the biggest reasons for optimism is the move of sophomore Daniel Enriquez. The stellar athlete played all over the field last year. His home base was defensive back, but he also returned kicks and punts, and he occasionally snuck into the offense. His play in the return game — kicks, punts, interceptions and fumbles — was just what the Vela coaches needed to see to trust him with one of the most pivotal roles on the team.

“(Enriquez) has been spending a lot of time getting reps on the offensive side,” Vela coach John Campbell said. “We have him filling in where Brandon Guzman was playing last year.”

Last season, Guzman hauled in 41 catches in the slot for 682 yards — second most on the team. He was also a strong option to take an end-around and try to find some running room, which is something that should suit Enriquez well.

“This opportunity feels really great,” Enriquez said. “It is a dream come true.”

Growing up, Daniel Enriquez and his older brother Nick played a lot of receiver. When Nick reached high school, he started playing on the defensive side, and Daniel eventually followed.

Nick will be graduating this year, and Daniel hopes his move back to offense as a junior next season will be the spark the SaberCats need to help fill the vacancy left by Garcia.

Of course, Enriquez will not be alone in hauling in passes next year. Returning are Aziel Garcia (601 yards), Justin Cantu (833) and Nico Rodriguez (325).

“I’m really excited about our group of receivers,” Enriquez said. “Even the newcomers, coming up, Joe Ramirez, Kevin Rojas, Matt Lopez, Leo Mackenzie, all of these new receivers. They are all going to do good.”

UNDER CENTER

The biggest piece of the puzzle on offense for Vela is the quarterback, and the team still isn’t sure who will get the nod.

“It’s up in the air,” Campbell said. “We have AJ Sotello, who has been doing a really, really good job. We feel good about Elijah (Trujillo), who has been doing well also. And then we have a move in, so we have some bodies.”

Vela also has some younger players moving up to varsity who may have a chance to sneak into the competition in the fall.

Sotello, a freshman, made one appearance for varsity last year.

Sotello also plays baseball, which has limited the time he has been available for spring football.

“They are playing with confidence right now,” junior running back Aaron Alvarez said. “It will be a fight to see who starts, and whoever wins the job, we know they can get the job done.”

Two of Vela’s receivers, Cantu and Aziel Garcia, have played quarterback in the past, as well.

The picture will become clearer after 7-on-7 and fall preseason, but the SaberCats are confident in the skill they have.

TWO-HEADED MONSTER

Alvarez, last year’s leading rusher, will return to the backfield, but he will not be alone.

“We feel really good about the running back position,” Campbell said. “We have Aaron coming back, we have Cristian Flores over here, and we have Kevin McKinney, who has experience. So, we feel good about that. We feel like we are in a situation where the quarterback won’t have to carry as much of the weight.”

Flores transferred to Vela from Edinburg North, where he played last season after transferring out of Vela during his sophomore year.

In 2016, Flores put up 984 rushing yards and 11 TDs for Vela. Last year for the Cougars, Flores rushed for 1,244 yards and 13 TDs.

“We are close friends from last time he was here,” Alvarez said of Flores. “I am glad to have him back. He is a good running back, and I’m glad I will be blocking for him this year.”

The SaberCats plan to run a decent amount of offensive plays with both Alvarez and Flores on the field.

“I actually played with (Flores) freshman year,” Enriquez said. “Cristian is actually a really good ballplayer. He’s going to do big things this year. … It’s really exciting, because now we can use Aaron and Cristian together — dual threat. They are going to be unstoppable.”

[email protected]

EDINBURG VELA

Returning starters (O/D): 5/8

Key Players: WR Daniel Enriquez, WR Justin Cantu, RB Aaron Alvarez, DL Sergio Carrizales, LB Luis Gutierrez, DB Justice Rivera.

Coach: John Campbell, second year

2017 Record: 12-1, 7-0