STAFF REPORTS

A range of single-sport standouts and three-sport ironmen are nominated for Class 6A Male Athlete of the Year and Sub-6A Male Athlete of the year.

The winners will be announced at the 2017 All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet on June 10 at Mario’s Banquet & Conference Center in Mission.

Former San Antonio Spurs forward Robert Horry will be the keynote speaker at the event, which is being put on with help from presenting sponsor Lone Star National Bank.

The nominees for Class 6A Male Athlete of the Year:

>> Adrian Bernal, McAllen Rowe: As a receiver on the football team, Bernal led the Warriors with 756 receiving yards and four TDs. As the point guard of the basketball team, Bernal averaged 10.3 assists per game — the only Valley player to average more than 10 assists. Playing baseball, he hit .255 with 12 runs and three doubles.

>> Trey Guajardo, PSJA High: As a freshman, Guajardo started at quarterback and completed 93 of 178 passes for a 52.2 completion percentage. He threw for 1,323 yards, 11 TDs and nine interceptions. He also ran for 1,009 yards and 10 TDs. He played shortstop and pitcher for the baseball team, putting up a .362 average with 14 runs and 12 RBIs. On the mound, he threw 44 innings and had a 1.91 ERA with 44 strikeouts.

>> Tristen Myende, La Joya Palmview: Myende owned the Valley’s best mark in the long jump this season at 23 feet, 2 inches and also ranked second in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 14.34 seconds. On the football field, he had 923 receiving yards with 14 touchdowns, 324 rushing yards with three touchdowns and 652 return yards with a pair of touchdowns.

The nominees for Sub-6A Male Athlete of the Year:

>> Diego Hernandez, Mission Veterans: The Monitor’s All-Area Player of the Year for football led his team three rounds deep in the playoffs. Hernandez completed 298 of his 504 passes for 4,175 yards with a 59.1 completion percentage. He threw for 45 touchdowns against nine interceptions and ran for 11 more TDs. Hernandez was awarded the District 31-5A MVP. He was also the second-ranked individual golfer to qualify for state at the regional tournament, finishing 25th at the UIL Class 5A state meet.

>> Leo Lara, Santa Rosa: The four-year varsity starter led the Warriors basketball team all the way to the UIL Class 3A state semifinals before the team fell victim to the eventual state champions Dallas Madison. On the season, Lara averaged 20 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals per game. He was named the District 32-3A Player of the Year and was a first-team all-state pick, as well. Lara is also a star football player and ran track.

>> Omar Silva, Port Isabel: Silva was a three-year starter who capped his senior season by rushing for 2,049 yards and 23 touchdowns in nine games. He rushed for 441 yards against La Feria and was named Built Ford Tough Class 4A Player of the Week in Texas for that performance. The RB/QB averaged 10.2 yards per carry as a senior and was named to the 2016 Texas Associated Press Sports Editors Class 4A first-team all-state squad. Silva was also tabbed the Offensive Player of the Year by the Brownsville Herald and Valley Morning Star along with his selection as District 16-4A Co-Offensive MVP.

The Banquet, hosted by RGVSports.com and AIM Media Texas in conjunction with the RGV Sports Hall of Fame, will see 33 awards presented to standout athletes, coaches and teams across all 12 UIL sports. The highly prestigious Tom Landry Award of Excellence will honor a student-athlete for outstanding achievements on and off the field.

The Monitor, Valley Morning Star, The Brownsville Herald, Mid-Valley Town Crier and RGV Sports Hall of Fame will vote to determine the winners in the sports categories. While The Monitor, the Star and the Herald have previously named their All-Area teams in certain sports, the All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet will recognize the very best across all three coverage areas.

Tickets for the catered banquet, which will run 6 to 8 p.m., are available through each newspaper’s website at a cost of $40 per person. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information, contact Marcia Kitten at 956-683-4463.

Horry won seven NBA Championships and earned the moniker “Big Shot Rob” for clutch performances during his 16-year NBA career that included stints with the Spurs, Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers.

Lone Star National Bank, first opened in Pharr in 1983, has grown to include more than 600 employees at 33 locations across South Texas. As part of its mission statement, Lone Star National Bank is committed to “helping our communities grow, and serving them with pride and integrity,” according to the bank’s website.

“Lone Star National Bank has a history of being a great community steward,” The Monitor Publisher Stephan Wingert said. “We are pleased to announce that Lone Star National Bank will be the presenting sponsor for the 2017 All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet. Thanks to their support, we will be able to celebrate the Valley’s best and brightest student-athletes.”

STAFF REPORTS

A group of multisport stars are in the running for Class 6A Female Athlete of the Year and Sub-6A Female Athlete of the Year.

The winners will be announced at the 2017 All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet on June 10 at Mario’s Banquet & Conference Center in Mission.

Former San Antonio Spurs forward Robert Horry will be the keynote speaker at the event, which is being put on with help from presenting sponsor Lone Star National Bank.

The nominees for Class 6A Female Athlete of the Year:

>> Taylor Marburger, McAllen Memorial: The Monitor’s All-Area Volleyball Player of the Year, Marburger led her team to the Sweet 16. As a setter, she was second on the team with 232 kills. The District 30-6A MVP finished the year with 200 assists, 166 digs, 39 blocks and 37 aces. She was also a part of the McAllen Memorial girls track 1,600-meter relay team that qualified for regionals and won district and area titles.

>> Jaida Muhammad, Edinburg Vela: Muhammad led her volleyball team to an undefeated district season and a District 31-6A title. She had 348 kills, 330 digs, 21 blocks and 17 aces. She led her basketball team to a share of the district title averaging 14.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.8 steals and 3.3 assists.

>> Tanya Prazelini, Los Fresnos: Prazelini, a forward, scored 68 goals during the 2017 soccer season, which is believed to be a Valley girls single-season all-time record. She was a main reason the Los Fresnos girls won district for the fifth time in seven years and advanced to the regional tournament for the sixth time in eight seasons. Prazelini scored at least two goals in each District 32-6A match this season as the Lady Falcons won the 32-6A title with a 14-0 record and finished 27-3 overall. She was voted overall MVP in 32-6A. She also advanced to regionals in track on relay squads for the Lady Falcons.

The nominees for Sub-6A Female Athlete of the Year:

>> Jackie Howell, Mission Veterans: Howell averaged 15.1 points and 10.2 rebounds per game on the basketball team to rank near the top of the Valley in both categories. As a middle hitter on the volleyball team, she put up 151 kills, 126 digs, 31 aces and 13 blocks in district play alone.

>> Jordan Rudd, Brownsville Veterans: Rudd led the Lady Chargers to a school-record 30 wins, a District 32-5A title (including an unbeaten 14-0 record) and to the area round of the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. The senior point guard earned back-to-back All-Metro MVP’s from The Brownsville Herald after she averaged 18.8 points, 7.6 assists, 7.1 steals, 7.2 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. Rudd, a national finalist for the Wendy’s High School Heisman, finished her career with 1,768 points, 825 rebounds, 542 assists, 233 blocks and 585 steals and helped her teams win 109 games, including four playoff games in four years. Rudd also competed in track and field.

>> Tina Sierra, La Feria: Sierra, a senior, has been a force at La Feria ever since she was a freshman. This season, she qualified for state in cross country and finished sixth. She also qualified for the state meet in three events in track: the 800-, 1,600- and 3200-meter runs.

The Banquet, hosted by RGVSports.com and AIM Media Texas in conjunction with the RGV Sports Hall of Fame, will see 33 awards presented to standout athletes, coaches and teams across all 12 UIL sports. The highly prestigious Tom Landry Award of Excellence will honor a student-athlete for outstanding achievements on and off the field.

The Monitor, Valley Morning Star, The Brownsville Herald, Mid-Valley Town Crier and RGV Sports Hall of Fame will vote to determine the winners in the sports categories. While The Monitor, the Star and the Herald have previously named their All-Area teams in certain sports, the All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet will recognize the very best across all three coverage areas.

Tickets for the catered banquet, which will run 6 to 8 p.m., are available through each newspaper’s website at a cost of $40 per person. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information, contact Marcia Kitten at 956-683-4463.

Horry won seven NBA Championships and earned the moniker “Big Shot Rob” for clutch performances during his 16-year NBA career that included stints with the Spurs, Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers.

Lone Star National Bank, first opened in Pharr in 1983, has grown to include more than 600 employees at 33 locations across South Texas. As part of its mission statement, Lone Star National Bank is committed to “helping our communities grow, and serving them with pride and integrity,” according to the bank’s website.

“Lone Star National Bank has a history of being a great community steward,” The Monitor Publisher Stephan Wingert said. “We are pleased to announce that Lone Star National Bank will be the presenting sponsor for the 2017 All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet. Thanks to their support, we will be able to celebrate the Valley’s best and brightest student-athletes.”

The winners will be announced at the 2017 All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet on June 10 at Mario’s Banquet & Conference Center in Mission.

Former San Antonio Spurs forward Robert Horry will be the keynote speaker.

The nominees for Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year:

>> Beth Ramos, Edinburg North: Ramos earned the right to compete in the state meet after placing second in the 1,600- (5:05.71) and 3,200-meter (10:57.84) races at regionals. Making her second consecutive appearance at the 6A state meet, Ramos set an all-time Valley record in the 3,200 with a 10:40.81. She also finished sixth in the 1,600 at state with a 4:57.26.

>> Brianna Robles, La Joya Palmview: As one of the top distance runners in the Valley, Robles performed well in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 competitions. While she set a personal best in the 800 this season, she excelled in the 1,600 (5:04.48) and 3,200 (10:55.34), earning the fastest times at the regional meet in San Antonio. At the 6A state meet, she finished eighth in the 1,600 with a 4:58.97 and eighth in the 3,200 with a 10:54.95.

>> Tina Sierra, La Feria: No girl’s name has been more synonymous with La Feria track and field in recent years than Tina Sierra. This year, the senior qualified for the 4A state meet in three different events: the 3,200, the 1,600, and the 800.

>> Valery Tobias, Edinburg IDEA Quest: Tobias won state gold for the second consecutive season in the 3A girls 800 run, posting a new personal record with a 2:13.08. As a sophomore, Tobias won gold in the 800 run at state, as well, with her previous best coming in at 2:16.86.

The nominees for Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year:

>> Sydney Mock, Port Isabel: Mock won eight gold medals in discus this season, including district, area, regional and 4A state championships. His mark of 175 feet, 4 inches at the state meet is the Valley’s best mark this season.

>> Tristan Pena, Edinburg North: Pena has consistently placed in the top five in the Valley in both the 1,600 and 3,200 (9:24.36) runs. He owns the fastest time in the 1,600 with a mark of 4:14.25 at the regional meet and finished seventh at the 6A state meet with a 4:19.57.

>> Joseph Ian Torres, Port Isabel: Torres had a big senior season throwing the shot put for Port Isabel. After winning championships at the district and area meets, Torres finished second at the Region IV-4A meet to qualify for the state meet. He will be signing with the University of Houston.

>> Jordan Wilson, Sharyland Pioneer: Wilson placed in the top five in long jump (23 feet), triple jump (44-0.5) and high jump (6-4) in the Valley this year. He qualified for the 5A state meet in the long jump and finished fourth in the event with a 23-00.75.

The Banquet, hosted by RGVSports.com and AIM Media Texas in conjunction with the RGV Sports Hall of Fame, will see 33 awards presented to standout athletes, coaches and teams across all 12 UIL sports. The highly prestigious Tom Landry Award of Excellence will honor a student-athlete for outstanding achievements on and off the field.

The Monitor, Valley Morning Star, The Brownsville Herald, Mid-Valley Town Crier and RGV Sports Hall of Fame will vote to determine the winners in the sports categories. While The Monitor, the Star and the Herald have previously named their All-Area teams in certain sports, the All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet will recognize the very best across all three coverage areas.

Tickets for the catered banquet, which will run 6 to 8 p.m., are available through each newspaper’s website at a cost of $40 per person. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information, contact Marcia Kitten at 956-683-4463.

Horry won seven NBA Championships and earned the moniker “Big Shot Rob” for clutch performances during his 16-year NBA career that included stints with the Spurs, Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers.

McALLEN — The high school volleyball season is not over just yet.

The annual all-star volleyball event presented by the Tip-O-Tex officiating association is scheduled for Sunday at McAllen Memorial. East and West squads that include players from across the Rio Grande Valley will square off in three matches.

The sub-Class 5A match begins at noon, with the 5A and 6A matches to follow at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively.

The East squad for the 6A match is coached by Rivera’s Elizabeth Avelar-Guerra. Her players include Rivera’s Lillian Vera, Hanna’s Lauren Webb, Halle Penrod and Alexa Herrera along with Jackie Kingsbury and Ashley Tumlinson, both of Los Fresnos.

Also on the East squad are San Benito’s Larisa Garcia and Aleiyah Mireles, plus Harlingen High’s Erica Flores.

The 6A West squad is expected to include players from McAllen Memorial and McAllen High who were members of the teams that advanced to the Region IV-6A Tournament last month in Edinburg.