By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — District 32-6A boys soccer champion Los Fresnos was well-represented on the all-district list for the 2020 season, as voted on by 32-6A coaches.

This year’s most valuable player was Obed Sepulveda. Falcons coach Michael Miller was named coach of the year by virtue of winning the district title.

“I was really happy for my seniors, a lot of them got recognized,” Miller said. “They’re such an awesome class. Obed is such a hard worker and leader. When I told him the news, he was so excited. That gives you that joy that you get from coaching to see your kids excited and happy.”

San Benito’s Senovio Cerdan was the coaches’ choice for offensive player of the year, and Brownsville Hanna’s Roberto Palomo was selected as the defensive player of the year.

Rounding out the superlative awards were Alejandro Sanchez of Harlingen South, who took home the newcomer of the year award, and Brownsville Rivera’s Kevin Zarrazagas, the utility player of the year.

The Greyhounds’ Jaren Cerdan got the nod as the first-team goalkeeper.

The Falcons had four first-teamers: defender Jose Casanova, midfielders Andderson Rocha and Humberto Trinidad, and forward Angel Mancillas.

“Whenever I put on our group chat (announcements about individual awards), the players would always respond ‘I couldn’t have done this without the team,’” Miller said. “The reason we did what we did this year — why we were successful — was because we were a team. No one was worried about minutes, no one was worried about who scored the goals. We were just worried about winning games.”

San Benito’s remaining first-team selections were midfielders David Davila and Jose Lucio, and forward Adrian Martinez.

“Our kids represented their school well,” said San Benito coach William Huerta, who was also the All-STAR coach of the year. “All of the hard work and dedication they put into the program showed. Senovio winning the (offensive player of the year award) was a good honor to our team and to our program, because I did feel he was a very good asset to the team. … The other nominations we had … those guys also, of course, dedicated themselves, and their hard work paid off as well.”

There were five players from Harlingen who made the first team, including Harlingen South defender Joaquin Ovalle, Harlingen High defender Oscar Martinez, Cardinals midfielders Sky Perez and Jacob Garza, and Hawks midfielder Leo Torres.

Also, Brownsville Hanna and Brownsville Rivera were prominently featured on the 32-6A first team. The Eagles’ selections were defenders J. Luis Guajardo and Osvaldo Serna, midfielder Jesus Guerrero and forward Tommy Green. The Raiders had defenders Michael Esquivel and Salvador De Leon, midfielder Juan Diego Ruiz and forward Ryan Macias named to the top squad.

In District 32-5A, champion Brownsville Veterans Memorial took home the MVP award, won by midfielder Albert Maradiaga, the All-Metro offensive player of the year. The program also captured a share of the offensive player of the year award, given to Chargers forward Mark Boswell and Valley View midfielder Pablo Torre.

Brownsville Porter’s Isaac Acevedo was the goalkeeper of the year.

The Chargers led the way with five first-teamers: goalkeeper Alek Medrano, forward Felipe Esquivel, midfielder Cesar Cepeda, and defenders Angel Estrada and Jose Luis Capistran.

The Cowboys had three players named to the top squad: midfielder Brandon Montes, the All-Metro MVP; defender Alan Romero; and forward Xavier Mateos.

“I think the results were fair considering the final standings,” Porter coach Jose Espitia said. “Our district competition is very even. Almost all schools had their share of recognitions, which is good for the student-athletes. I want to congratulate all the students who were recognized in our district and the rest of the Valley.”

Brownsville Lopez also earned three selections, including goalkeeper Angel De La Garza, defender Abraham Salazar, and midfielder Daniel Cruz.

Brownsville Pace had two players named to the first team — midfielder Jose Capistran and forward Erik Chavez.

Mercedes’ Rodrigo Martinez and Arturo Hernandez also received first-team nods.

In District 32-4A, Raymondville’s Saul Garcia was named the MVP. Defensive MVP honors went to Jorge Chavira of Brownsville IDEA Frontier, and Monte Alto’s Deyved Reyes-Martinez was selected as newcomer of the year.

Brownsville Jubilee, the 32-4A champion, also won the team of the year award, and its coach, Roberto Coronado, was voted coach of the year.

The Titans had two first-team selections, including defender Eduardo De Ledesma and midfielder Diego Araujo.

“We had a lot of kids who got individual awards that reflect the team’s success,” Coronado said. “So that was important, and I know the kids feel good about it. At least for me, the important thing was that they succeeded and that they listened to my ideas about how to play the game, and it was reflected in the results. Every game they matured as a team, and obviously I got the award, but I believe it’s more of the kids’ success.”

Luis Ramos of Brownsville IDEA Riverview was named the goalkeeper for District 32-4A’s first team, and the remaining defenders were Antonio Soto of Brownsville IDEA Riverview; Axel Parrazal of Port Isabel, Esteban Sanchez of Rio Hondo and Monte Alto’s Jorge Lugo.

Rounding out the midfielders on the top squad were Angel Fernandez of Port Isabel; Bryan Hernandez of Brownsville IDEA Frontier, Christian Arriaga of Monte Alto and Victor Sanchez of Rio Hondo.

Forwards Cristian Mejia of Brownsville IDEA Riverview, Edgar Cortez of Rio Hondo and Juan Franco of Brownsville IDEA Frontier also earned spots on the first team.

District 32-6A

Most Valuable Player

Obed Sepulveda, Los Fresnos

Offensive Player of the Year

Senovio Cerdan, San Benito

Defensive Player of the Year

Roberto Palomo, Hanna

Newcomer of the Year

Alejandro Sanchez, Harlingen South

Utility Player of the Year

Kevin Zarrazagas, Rivera

Coach of the Year

Michael Miller, Los Fresnos

First Team

Goalkeeper: Jared Cerdan, San Benito

Defenders: J. Luis Guajardo, Brownsville Hanna; Joaquin Ovalle, Harlingen South; Jose Casanova, Los Fresnos; Michael Esquivel, Brownsville Rivera; Oscar Martinez, Harlingen High; Osvaldo Serna, Brownsville Hanna; Salvador De Leon, Brownsville Rivera

Midfielders: Andderson Rocha, Los Fresnos; David Davila, San Benito; Humberto Trinidad, Los Fresnos; Jacob Garza, Harlingen High; Jesus Guerrero, Brownsville Hanna; Jose Lucio, San Benito; Juan Diego Ruiz, Brownsville Rivera; Leo Torres, Harlingen South; Sky Perez, Harlingen High

Forwards: Adrian Martinez, San Benito; Angel Mancillas, Los Fresnos; Tommy Green, Brownsville Hanna; Ryan Macias, Brownsville Rivera

Second Team

Goalkeeper: Alexis Gonzalez, Los Fresnos; Luis Beadle, Harlingen South

Defenders: Adrian Longoria, Los Fresnos; Anthony Enriquez, Brownsville Rivera; Efrain Garcia, Brownsville Rivera; Ignacio Gutierrez, Brownsville Hanna; Juan Lemus, San Benito; Luis Aguilar, Harlingen South; Luis Garcia, Harlingen High; Yahir Reyes, San Benito

Midfielders: Hector Garcia, San Benito; Joseph Garza, Harlingen High; Juan Serrato, Brownsville Rivera; Lucas Zepeda, Harlingen High; Luis Renteria, Brownsville Hanna; Thomas Sauceda, Los Fresnos

Forwards: Axel Guzman, Brownsville Hanna; Dante Esqueda, Los Fresnos; David Villarreal, Brownsville Rivera; Daylon Hernandez, Harlingen South; Ever Cruz, San Benito

Honorable Mention

Goalkeeper: Alex Nunez, Harlingen High; Raul Lopez, Brownsville Hanna;

Defenders: Alberto Garcia, Brownsville Rivera; Andy Mares, San Benito; Ayden Hernandez, Harlingen South; Jose Uribe, Harlingen High; Edwin Segovia, Johnathan Jimenez, Brownsville Rivera; Los Fresnos; Jorge Hernandez, Los Fresnos; Jorge Pineda, Brownsville Hanna; Ricardo Sanchez, San Benito; Ronaldo Zuniga, San Benito

Midfielders: Abelardo Davila, San Benito; Anthony Villines, Harlingen South; Carlos Hernandez, Harlingen South; Javier Gallardo, Brownsville Hanna; Marcos Cruz; Brownsville Rivera

Forwards: Brian Delgadillo, Brownsville Hanna; Erik Rios, Brownsville Rivera

District 32-5A

Most Valuable Player

Albert Maradiaga, Brownsville Veterans Memorial

Co-Offensive Most Valuable Players

Mark Boswell, Brownsville Veterans; Pablo Torre, Valley View

Defensive Most Valuable Player

Adrian Rodriguez, Valley View

Co-Newcomers of the Year

Axel Lopez Bermudez, Edcouch-Elsa; Fernando Diaz, Donna High

Utility Player of the Year

Angel Crispin, Edcouch-Elsa

Goalkeeper of the Year

Isaac Acevedo, Brownsville Porter

First Team

Rodrigo Martinez, Mercedes; Arturo Hernandez, Mercedes; Alek Medrano, Brownsville Veterans; Felipe Esquivel, Brownsville Veterans; Cesar Cepeda, Brownsville Veterans; Angel Estrada, Brownsville Veterans; Jose Luis Capistran, Brownsville Veterans; Erik Chavez, Brownsville Pace; Jose Capistran, Brownsville Pace; Reynaldo Puga, Donna High; Bladimiro Mondragon, Donna High; Carlos Resendez, Donna High; Alan Romero, Brownsville Porter; Brandon Montes, Brownsville Porter; Xavier Mateos, Brownsville Porter; Angel de la Garza, Brownsville Lopez; Abraham Salazar, Brownsville Lopez; Daniel Cruz, Brownsville Lopez; Alex Quinones, Edcouch-Elsa; Carlos Cua, Edcouch-Elsa; Jorge Amaya, Valley View; Cuauhtémoc Gonzalez, Valley View; Christian Gonzalez, Valley View; Cesar Arredondo, Valley View

Second Team

Cesar del Angel, Mercedes; Josue de la Fuente, Mercedes; Alejandro Castro, Brownsville Veterans; Aksel Cabrera, Brownsville Veterans; Javier Ballesteros, Brownsville Veterans; Humberto Sosa, Brownsville Veterans; Osvaldo Cortez, Brownsville Veterans; Yahir Mina, Brownsville Pace; Ignacio Zamora, Brownsville Pace; Alejandro Garcia, Donna High; Abdiel Ramirez, Donna High; Armando Ramirez, Donna High; Jean C. Villegas, Brownsville Porter; Erick Esparza, Brownsville Porter; Julian Gallegos, Brownsville Porter; Diego Anzaldua, Valley View; Carlos Medina, Valley View; Rogelio Saldivar, Valley View; Joaquin Ramirez, Valley View; Nathaniel Navarro, Edcouch-Elsa; Carlos Estrada, Edcouch-Elsa; Milton Solis, Brownsville Lopez; Luis Gonzalez, Brownsville Lopez; Mario Briseno, Brownsville Lopez

Honorable Mention

Irvin Romero, Mercedes; Arnoldo Coronado, Mercedes; Jose Muniz, Brownsville Veterans; Ruben Garcia, Brownsville Veterans; Amado Caballero, Brownsville Pace; Alfredo Gallegos, Brownsville Pace; Sergio Gonzalez, Donna High; Yahir Madrid, Donna High; Elijah Cantu, Edcouch-Elsa; Hector Bautista, Edcouch-Elsa; Wilver Chavez, Brownsville Porter; Rodolfo Armendariz, Brownsville Porter; Jose L. Perez, Brownsville Porter; Benito Leon, Valley View;

Diego Cuellar, Valley View; Juan Magdaleno, Valley View; Adrian Balleza, Brownsville Lopez; Juan Velez, Brownsville Lopez; Aaron Martinez, Brownsville Lopez

District 32-4A

Most Valuable Player

Saul Garcia, Raymondville

Defensive Most Valuable Player

Jorge Chavira, Brownsville IDEA Frontier

Newcomer of the Year

Deyved Reyes-Martinez, Monte Alto

Coach of the Year

Roberto Coronado, Brownsville Jubilee

Team of the Year

Brownsville Jubilee

First Team

Goalkeeper: Luis Ramos, Brownsville IDEA Riverview;

Defenders: Antonio Soto, Brownsville IDEA Riverview; Axel Parrazal, Port Isabel; Eduardo De Ledesma, Brownsville Jubilee; Esteban Sanchez, Rio Hondo; Jorge Lugo, Monte Alto;

Midfielders: Angel Fernandez, Port Isabel; Bryan Hernandez, Brownsville IDEA Frontier; Christian Arriaga, Monte Alto; Diego Araujo, Brownsville Jubilee; Victor Sanchez, Rio Hondo;

Forwards: Cristian Mejia, Brownsville IDEA Riverview; Edgar Cortez, Rio Hondo; Juan Franco, Brownsville IDEA Frontier;

Second Team

Goalkeeper: Mariano Quezada, Rio Hondo

Midfielders: Angel Fernandez, Port Isabel; Christian Herrera, Gustavo Cardenas, Brownsville IDEA Riverview; Brownsville IDEA Frontier; Luis Garza, Brownsville Jubilee; Ricardo Davila, Brownsville IDEA Riverview;

Forwards: Anthony Vega, Rio Hondo; Artemio Guipes, Monte Alto; Fabian Covarrubias, Brownsville Jubilee;

Defenders: Damian Elizondo, Brownsville IDEA Riverview; Juan Ortiz, Brownsville IDEA Frontier; Luis Duron, Brownsville IDEA Frontier; Miguel Vallejo, Rio Hondo; Rogelio Covarrubias, Brownsville IDEA Frontier; Sebastian Pulido, Brownsville Jubilee;

Honorable Mention

Goalkeeper: Cameron Davila, Brownsville Jubilee; Jose Mendieta, Brownsville IDEA Frontier;

Midfielders: Cesar Perez, Brownsville IDEA Frontier; Jesus Belmares, Brownsville IDEA Riverview; Kevin Ramirez, Brownsville Jubilee; Luis Garza, Brownsville Jubilee; Noe Robledo, Brownsville Jubilee; Omar Esparza, Rio Hondo;

Forwards: Alejandro Garfias, Brownsville IDEA Frontier;

Defenders: Carlos Gonzalez, Port Isabel; Frank Hernandez, Brownsville IDEA Frontier; Roberto Campos, Brownsville IDEA Frontier

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated with new information provided to The Brownsville Herald.

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

BROWNSVILLE — The Los Fresnos Consolidated Independent School District opted “out of an abundance of caution” Wednesday to pause its summer strength and conditioning program just 10 days after the University Interscholastic League gave its member schools the opportunity to begin workouts.

The district said in a press release that while no LFCISD student-athletes have tested positive for COVID-19, the move was done in response to an increase in cases in Cameron County, a concern that prompted the Brownsville Independent School District to also cease holding summer workouts on its campuses.

Los Fresnos athletic director Patrick Brown spoke with district administrators late Tuesday night, and the group determined that the safety of the student-athletes and coaches was paramount.

“I don’t want to be the AD that causes our seasons to possibly get canceled,” Brown said. “So we decided last night that at this point, it would be good to step back. We’re not going to say we’re going to start it July 14 — we’re going to re-evaluate and see where we are.”

Thus far, BISD is the only East Valley school district that has put out a target restart date for its strength and conditioning program.

Brown said the rise in positive tests for the population under 30 years old in the area was of particular concern. He and several other local athletic directors have emphasized the unpredictability of the external and home environments of the students and their families makes it nearly impossible to guarantee the safety of all involved.

According to data from the Texas Department of State Health Services, people between the ages of 10 to 29 account for 20.4 percent, or 3,747, of the 18,346 active cases reported by the state. There were 2,622 new cases reported statewide Tuesday for patients of all ages.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to make a recommendation next Tuesday to the Texas Education Agency, which will in turn advise the UIL. The UIL, which said on its website Wednesday that its Austin office is closed and its employees are working remotely, has not yet altered its plan to increase its maximum weight room capacity regulation to 50 percent from 25 percent. Unless otherwise updated or changed, the measure is slated to go into effect Monday.

“I hope they give us a little more guidance,” Brown said. “Because when you read the rules and regulations, there’s a lot of gray areas — whether or not you’re an AD or a superintendent trying to figure it out. … There are so many gray areas that we just have to step back and see where they’re going to lead us.”

Brown has spoken with athletic directors in Frisco, Houston and El Paso for guidance on how to proceed as the surge in coronavirus cases has made its way across the state.

“I think the vast majority of the ADs feel that since there is not a cure for this right now, there really is nothing else we can do to prevent this virus except for social distancing and wearing masks,” Brown said. “At some point we’re going to have to figure out a way to learn to live with this until we get a vaccine, because it’s not going anywhere.

“I think some of us kind of feel like after 14 days (of self-quarantine if testing positive or exposure to someone who tested positive or was symptomatic) you’re going to come back out of your house and face the exact same threat as when you went in your house.”

While several coaches have said the short stint of group workouts was an emotional boon to the boys and girls who have been stuck indoors for several months, they were also disappointed to have to return to virtual instruction.

Nonetheless, Brown and his staff have tried to establish a routine, especially for the more than 100 Falcon football players who have been participating in such workouts and working on sport-specific skills with the support of the coaches via videoconference.

“We were immediately able to get back on Zoom today at 10 a.m., and all of our kids were there ready to work out,” Brown said. “Even though we were disappointed that we had to pull back on it, we were able to get right back into that routine.”

Wednesday afternoon, La Feria officially postponed its strength and conditioning program. Later, San Benito CISD posted on Facebook that a decision was made to postpone its program, too.

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

Rivera senior forward/midfielder Yianey Diaz has learned some hard lessons during her career with the Lady Raiders.

Motivated by missing the postseason her junior year, Diaz went on to be named to The Brownsville Herald’s All-Metro first team. While she put her team in position to qualify for a postseason that went unplayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she secured a place on a college roster Wednesday when she signed her intent to attend Eastern Oklahoma State College in front of the high school.

“Because of (missing the playoffs), we learned we needed to work harder and dedicate ourselves more,” Diaz said. “This year, we put in everything — we put in the work, we put in the mentality, we put in the sweat and that really helped us with our outcome in qualifying for the playoffs.”

Diaz has been praised not only for her ability but for her role as a teammate.

“Yianey, first and foremost, is an excellent athlete,” Rivera coach Eduardo Torres said. “What I really loved about her was her attitude. She always stayed humble. Even if she knew she was the best player on the field, she acted like she was one of the rest. … I believe that’s one of the ingredients that she put into this season that’s helped her get to where she’s headed to.”

The Mountaineers compete in the NJCAA’s Region 2. EOSC had six Texas natives on its 2019-20 roster.

“They offered me a lot that would help me with school,” Diaz said. “And also with soccer.”

She remains undecided in her major but said she plans to decide between kinesiology and teaching, adding she ultimately hopes to pursue a career in coaching.

EOSC coach Justin McCain was in attendance for Diaz’s signing and said he discovered her through her highlight film on various recruiting websites.

He is in his fourth season leading the program and also serves as assistant for the men’s team.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the ability to scout and recruit virtually helped the Rivera standout sort through several offers to find a match for her to play at the college level.

“This year has been a little bit different with recruiting for everybody,” McCain said. “High school seasons got canceled, showcase tournaments got canceled. One of the benefits of our time period is technology, and that’s how I found out about Yianey. … I’ve been down here almost every year to get some girls from (the Rio Grande Valley). There’s a lot of talent down here that gets overlooked sometimes.”

McCain said he has also recruited players from McAllen Memorial and PSJA Memorial in his 2020 signing class.

“The great thing that I have with this group is a lot of them are a lot like Yianey,” McCain said. “They’re very versatile. They might play one position for their high school team and one for their club team. A lot of it for me is how they come in, how fit they are and what fits best for us. But I think we’ll definitely try to figure out where she fits best as far as forward or midfield.”

What Diaz believes separated her was her desire to stack up against the best competition in Brownsville.

“I’m very proud of her for accomplishing this (goal),” Torres said. “As long as she keeps that winning attitude, that humble attitude, she’ll get anywhere in life and she’ll do whatever she wants with it.”

BISD student-athlete tests positive for COVID-19

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

The Brownsville Independent School District confirmed Tuesday in a statement that a student-athlete tested positive for COVID-19, coming after the district decided Monday to postpone its summer strength and conditioning programs, which began June 8 with the approval of the University Interscholastic League.

BISD said it plans to reinstate the program July 13, and that students “will not be allowed on campus until further notice.”

The statement followed a letter from the district’s athletic director, Gilbert Leal, informing students and parents of BISD’s decision to suspend the program.

Leal said the student was tested Sunday and, on Monday morning, that student-athlete and other students who were in the workout group together were told not to report to the strength and conditioning camp that day.

“It’s just not something that, with Brownsville being so big and with the number of students that we’re servicing, that this is going to be a pattern that we’re not going to be able to battle,” Leal said. “(The coronavirus) is so widespread in our community that we didn’t want athletics or the school district to be the reason that this is happening.”

A notable aspect of BISD’s approach that differed from some Rio Grande Valley schools was the option to remain outdoors as a precaution beyond the UIL’s recommended reopening of weight rooms or gymnasiums at 25 percent (which was later amended by the UIL to open to 50 percent beginning June 22.)

“This is not something that’s independent for us, it’s happening all over the state of Texas right now,” Leal said. “You’ve seen school districts that are taking the safe way out. … The risk is not worth the reward right now.”

The BISD AD said he has spoken with athletic directors from across the state, including the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

During a Zoom meeting with coaches from around the state Monday, Leal said the shift in tone was a marked difference from the prior week.

“Leading up to June 8, there were a lot of athletic directors in the state of Texas that were extremely excited and positive,” Leal said. “And you could just tell in (Monday’s videoconference) that it was just a really somber meeting, all around.”

McAllen ISD, PSJA ISD, Sharyland ISD, Odessa High and Arlington Martin also announced Tuesday that their strength and conditioning programs were coming to a halt.

Leal recommended that student-athletes stay in close contact with their coaches while continuing to practice social distancing at all times.

“Just by stepping on to our campuses shows what type of character you are already,” Leal wrote. “Continue waking up every day with a plan to improve yourself daily.”

Due to the unprecedented nature of the pandemic, Leal said there were several ideas and proposals made to try to safely operate the summer athletics programs. While he hadn’t yet spoken with UIL officials individually regarding the organization’s adjustments, Leal expects the organization to issue an update modifying its current standards for summer workouts “within the next week or so.”

“As coaches (the first week of workouts) was our first dry run,” Leal said. “There’s no data to go off of as far as best practices.”

BISD followed UIL guidelines to establish its check-in and on-field workout protocols, including requiring masks to be worn by students during check-in, using a set of five questions to assess them for symptoms and determine whether or not a student may have been near a family member or someone else who was at-risk or may have been exposed to the coronavirus.

“The bottom line is, we can do everything perfectly for four hours, and once they go home there’s no way to track what they’re doing once they leave our campus,” Leal said.

San Benito athletic director Dan Gomez wrote a letter to parents and students informing them that a student tested positive for the coronavirus Monday. The Greyhounds have postponed their programs and asked those who may have been in contact with the student who contracted the virus to self-isolate for 14 days.

Rio Hondo held workouts Tuesday and later announced it would also postpone its program until further notice. Weslaco ISD confirmed two of its students had tested positive for the virus and called off its workouts. Harlingen High and Harlingen South held workouts Tuesday at their respective campuses.

As of early Tuesday afternoon, Los Fresnos athletic director Patrick Brown said LFCISD is continuing with its strength and conditioning program, but noted that those plans are subject to change.

Point Isabel ISD announced June 7 it would be suspending its strength and conditioning programs indefinitely.

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

Brownsville Veterans Memorial softball coach Rayner Cardenas never backs down from a challenge.

Having recovered from a cardiac arrest in July 2019, the veteran coach spent a month and a half in the hospital for rehabilitation and came back determined to prove that his squad was still the team to beat.

“I had a lot of friends and family telling me, ‘Don’t do it, your health is important,’” Cardenas said. “I wanted to redeem myself as a coach. … That we would be able to do it again even though nobody gave us any credit. It didn’t matter how big of a star you were in our program, all that mattered was you had the right mindset and were willing to compete.”

The first obstacle facing his Lady Chargers in 2020 was one of addressing perceptions and expectations. The departure of Mia Anzaldua, one of the most dominant pitchers in program history, along with nine other seniors, including Liz Abete and Joselyn Head, led some to question the ability of the defending District 32-5A champions to win the crown for the fourth straight year.

“I was excited about this group,” Cardenas said. “We had three girls that were returning, and the other six spots on the field were going to be filled by freshmen. … It was a personal challenge to me and to us and the program to say where we were at. We wanted to stay at that elite level with the other schools we had been a part of for the last few years and continue to excel on the diamond.”

This year’s Brownsville Veterans squad featured corner outfielder Brianna Rodriguez, shortstop Sheng Martinez and first baseman Alexys Bustos.

Cardenas said Rodriguez was a dependable defender and praised her attitude and demeanor.

“When it was her time to shine, she was the brightest star out there,” Cardenas said. “It was a pleasure having her in our program.”

Bustos filled in after an injury to Brownsville Veterans’ starting first baseman and ended up playing the majority of the season.

“(Bustos) was very instrumental in keeping us in games,” Cardenas said. “She was under a lot of pressure because she was the only backup at that position. We didn’t miss a beat with her on the field.”

Martinez, a transfer from Pace, sat out the entire district season and playoff run in 2019 and was the only returning starter from this year’s small group of seniors. She played shortstop and hit .364 with an on-base percentage of .417.

“She was the heart of the team,” Cardenas said. “The girls took her and brought her in, and made her feel like she was with us since the beginning. She just has a great positive attitude and outlook in life. … She has the biggest heart I’ve ever seen from a kid.”

Martinez has enrolled in the Air Force Academy, where she will report after her graduation. She said she will miss the team’s camaraderie and genuine spirit of friendship and cohesion, both on and off the field.

“It’s sad that I never got to finish (the season) and go to the playoffs,” Martinez said. “We all grew up playing together, and I could trust (my teammates) as much as they could trust me. Our chemistry was really good. The whole team wasn’t about trying to beat someone out for a position. … We all had the same goal. Most teams are separated into groups, and they try to fight their way to being a starter. That wasn’t us. We trusted that the decisions Coach Cardenas made were good ones.”

A pair of juniors — Cristina Gonzalez (.349 batting average, 15 hits and 10 RBIs) and Lorena Rodriguez (.432 batting average, five home runs and 24 RBIs) — also had an outsized impact on the team’s success.

“It was an emotional rollercoaster for us,” Lorena said. “When he came back, we wanted to make it the smoothest possible ride for him and to prove to people that we’re still that team. … When (the University Interscholastic League suspended the season March 13), we found out an hour before the game that it was going to be our last game. It was pretty emotional, we had a lot of sad faces in the dugout.”

Gonzalez felt the need to step up as a leader and let the younger players know how significant it was that the team elevated its play for Cardenas.

“It was kind of scary, having your coach in critical condition,” Gonzalez said. “Lorena and I really wanted to make this season special for him. … I kept telling the girls, ‘We need to do this for Cardenas.’ I made sure that these underclassmen knew what we were doing. I just wanted to make him proud, and to know how much we wanted to win for him.”

Despite the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic ending the Lady Chargers’ season at 9-6-1 and without the opportunity to make a playoff run, Cardenas and Co. feel their impressive play this year speaks for itself.

“What they were able to accomplish in that short period of time was beyond what a lot of people had expected from us,” Cardenas said.

Brownsville Veterans’ coach appreciated not only how hard his girls worked for each other, but also how motivated and inspired they were by his comeback and belief in them.

“I feel the worst for (the seniors), because they’ve been a part of so much history we’ve been able to make at Brownsville Veterans,” Cardenas said. “We wanted to go for that fourth district title in a row, and we believed we had the team to do it. … They were a part of history but weren’t able to finalize anything on their own.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

Senior Lemuel Leija’s evolution in the Lopez track program is perhaps the best example of what coach Mike Gonzalez and the Lobos have been building toward — finding a niche for each of their athletes to succeed.

Leija began his preparation more than two months before the track season officially began, and his dedication continued with early morning workouts of four to five miles before school.

“I wanted to put in work because it was my senior year and I wanted to make it count by hopefully advancing to (the area meet),” Leija said. “As time went on, we started pushing ourselves more.”

Gonzalez said Leija was “by far the most improved athlete in our track program” and that his ability to switch from distance events — the 3,200-meter run and the 1,600, to the 800 and 400, and the anchor of the 1,600 relay — was a testament to his work ethic.

“I definitely started doing way better than I was doing in longer distances,” Leija said. “I definitely had some sprinter speed in me, we just needed to bring it out more. I had specialized workouts to improve my speed.”

Earlier in the season, Leija set a personal record in the 800 with a mark of 2:03. He placed sixth at the BISD City Meet with a time of 2:06.18.

“It did cross my mind,” Leija said about the city meet being his last high school competition. “When I was running I did manage to push myself, and I ended the season with a personal record and I’m very proud of that.”

Cristobal Gonzalez, another runner who competed in both distance and middle distance events, also was a soccer player for three years. He passed on his final soccer season to focus on his track season.

The senior was the Lobos’ best performer in the 800, recording a mark of 2:05.84, and finished second in the 1,600 with a time of 4:48.01 at the city meet. His best time in the 800 was 2:02.

“(Cristobal and I) were very close friends, but at the same time we were very competitive with each other,” Leija said. “We just wanted to push ourselves and see who was going to get the fastest time.”

Junior Julian Juarez will look to be the top distance runner for Lopez in 2021. The three-year letterman in track & field and cross country has posted a personal-best time of 10:40 in the 3,200 meters.

Senior Jonathan Gracia was one of the Lobos’ leaders in the field events, excelling in the long jump and triple jump.

Gracia will attend the University of Texas at Austin, where he will major in chemistry, and said he plans to return to Lopez to volunteer as a coach next track season.

Mike Gonzalez and Gracia both credited former coach Robin Pyle, now at Porter, for his work in developing Gracia’s technique as a freshman and sophomore. Gracia’s best mark in the triple jump was 42 feet, 7 1/2 inches, moving him to third place all-time in the Lopez record books.

“(Gracia) never hesitated, helping and coaching the younger ones when he could,” Gonzalez said. “He would help whenever he could. He was very unselfish.”

But Gracia said he did struggle to find consistency with the jumping coaches that followed after Pyle left.

“It was very tough on me,” Gracia said. “I practiced on my own. … But I was still lacking that extra push. I tried not to depend on a coach, as an independent athlete I just tried to go above and beyond with my jumps.”

While Gracia and his teammates were unable to get an opportunity to try to earn a spot at a regional or state competition in 2020, he hopes he can mentor future Lobos to blaze their own trail to success in the sport and fully realize their potential.

“I’ve always thought about my senior season,” Gracia said. “You know what, it’s my last year, I’m going to make something of myself and make this program stay strong. I wanted to have jumpers that will represent Lopez at a higher level after I’m gone. They have so much potential. I’m going to try to be there every day or every moment that I can to help them get further.”

One athlete with ambitions of taking such a leap is sophomore Jonathan Muñoz, who has also lettered in football and basketball. Like Leija and Cristobal Gonzalez in their running events, Muñoz and Gracia battled back and forth in the triple jump and long jump.

Muñoz bested Gracia at the city meet with a long jump of 19-7 1/2, in what was just his second time competing in the event. He also won the triple jump with a mark of 41-5 1/2, and competed in the 110-meter hurdles and 300 hurdles.

“(Muñoz) is going to be an outstanding athlete,” Mike Gonzalez said. “He was just starting to get his steps and his timing down for the hurdles, and he excelled in the triple jump in a matter of three weeks. … In the next couple of years, we’re going to have some good jumpers at Lopez.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

First-year Hanna baseball coach Orlando Crenshaw knew exactly how much of a challenge he was up for when he was hired to replace Jameson Wicks.

The Eagles bottomed out in 2019 after nearly two decades as a strong postseason contender, going 5-26 overall and 0-15 in District 32-6A.

And so in stepped Crenshaw, who had previously worked under former Harlingen High coach Bryan Aughney with the JV light program. He also spent time working with the Lady Cardinals’ softball program and the Harlingen High football team, and serves in a similar capacity under coach Mark Guess and the Hanna football team.

“I wanted to take what happened last year, as far as what the mindframe was with current players and coaching staff,” Crenshaw said, “and try to build something from there. I tried to build a foundation from the ground up of teamwork, commitment and leadership.”

With six returning starters and seven seniors on Hanna’s 2020 roster, the Eagles appeared to have the potential to restore the standard of success that had been synonymous with the program.

“We wanted to get this program on track to what it used to be,” Crenshaw said. “That’s the mindset I came into the organization with.”

But one thing no one around the program foresaw was the effect the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic would have on the momentum the Eagles had generated during their first season under new management on the diamond.

“Because of the way it all came down, it forced us as coaches to say, ‘If our kids are going to have a short season, how can we maximize the rest of this time?” Crenshaw said. “That’s where we were stuck initially when everything came down right before Spring Break.”

Senior third baseman/pitcher/outfielder Derek Alvarado, senior pitcher/first baseman Marco Martinez, sophomore shortstop Anthony Ambriz, junior third baseman/pitcher Ryan Trinidad, senior pitcher/outfielder Mark Alonzo and senior pitcher/first baseman Aaron Moran made up the core of the team.

Despite the shortened season, the Eagles made their mark on the Texas High School Baseball website’s annual top 100 University Interscholastic League Class 6A statistical leaderboards.

Ambriz was 61st with 14 runs scored and 29th in stolen bases with 10. Martinez finished 17th among 6A pitchers with 28 strikeouts, and Alonzo finished 92nd with 19 punchouts.

Crenshaw said Alvarado, Martinez and Alonzo helped “right the ship” to ensure the entire team was on the same page.

“Alonzo was really instrumental in helping build a (sense of) team camaraderie with the group that we had,” Crenshaw said. “They went through so much through the last couple of years that they needed to start from the group up and have a sense of ownership of the team.”

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with new information provided to The Brownsville Herald.

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

Port Isabel made official its hiring of Brownsville Veterans Memorial offensive line coach Juan “JT” Torres on Monday night.

The Tarpons’ new offensive coordinator is a Brownsville Hanna alumnus who will be reunited with his high school coach and former boss at Weslaco High, Tony Villarreal III.

“Obviously, I’m very excited to have this opportunity,” Torres said. “To move to Port Isabel and help Coach Villarreal establish this program. … The fact that I’ll be able to help get the Port Isabel program up and running is a big honor. I’m just ready to hit the ground running, and to get to know the kids and the coaches.”

Torres was a defensive player who transitioned to the other side of the ball after a brief stint as a defensive coach in his first job at Saint Joseph Academy. The longest stint of his 16-year career spanned six years working under Villarreal at Weslaco High. Also, he was the offensive coordinator at Edinburg Economedes and worked at Brownsville Lopez for two seasons before he was hired by Brownsville Veterans Memorial coach David Cantu.

Torres credited Villarreal for making him the Panthers’ offensive playcaller for the freshman team, and he has since spent 12 years as an offensive coach.

“Calling plays in a game at any level is a big rush and a big responsibility,” Torres said. “So I was very happy now, looking back, that he made that decision to move me to the offensive side of the ball.”

Torres complimented Cantu, his former boss, for the program’s handling of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and its preparation for teaching the playbook and administering workouts via Zoom.

Cantu praised his outgoing offensive line coach in return for his dedication to teaching his craft.

“We at (Brownsville Veterans) are extremely thankful to Coach Juan ‘JT’ Torres and thrilled for him and his family on this promotion to offensive coordinator,” Cantu said. “He does everything first-class. The best way to describe him professionally is that he’s a teacher first. He takes pride in educating young minds and definitely prepares as though he were teaching his own two sons.

“On the field and court, Coach Torres is a tremendous motivator, understands the importance of life lessons we can teach as coaches, and is one of the brightest minds in the coaching circles. The Tarpons are the fortunate ones in this, and all the coaches, teachers, administrators and students he interacted with at (Brownsville Veterans) will be pulling for Port Isabel. They are getting a GREAT ONE!”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

Hanna, Lopez, Pace, Porter, Rivera and Brownsville Veterans Memorial all opened their summer strength and conditioning camps Monday in accordance with the University Interscholastic League’s new regulations for group and individual sport workouts during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

The UIL made the following changes just two days into its first phase of approved athletic summer instructional periods. Beginning June 22, indoor facilities may be used at up to 50 percent capacity, and group sizes may also increase from 10 to 15 students. A change that immediately went into effect Tuesday was the elimination of the 20 to 1 student-to-staff ratio.

Nonetheless, BISD has elected to limit its athletic activities to the outdoors. At Rivera, the garage doors of the Raiders’ new strength and conditioning complex have been lifted to allow for air ventilation, while the building provides shade from the intense Rio Grande Valley summer heat. The school saw a turnout of about 175 participants for each of its first two sessions.

“We still have to fit half of the kids (inside the hybrid facility) and half outdoors,” Rivera coach and athletic coordinator Beto Leal said. “But at least they’re not in the sun for the whole two hours.”

Student-athletes are permitted 90 minutes of sport instruction in addition to the strength and conditioning session, but they are allowed no more than 60 minutes of instruction in a given sport.

“We’re taking it slow, as far as weights,” Leal said. “Everybody’s been out. … We’re bringing them along slowly but surely, just to do the right thing. Water, masks, being 10 feet away from each other when we do a station, stuff like that. It’s great to get back to the grind. The turnout was pretty good.”

BISD athletic director Gilbert Leal visited each of the six participating campuses to observe their workouts, which are designed with a focus on fall sports. But all sports, including basketball and others which traditionally compete indoors, also are able to resume non-contact workouts.

Los Fresnos basketball coach Marco Hinojosa tweeted several videos Tuesday of his athletes participating in agility drills on the football field of the Los Fresnos United campus.

Point Isabel ISD has elected to suspend Port Isabel’s strength and conditioning programs until further notice, and is encouraging its athletes to continue with at-home workouts.

Brownsville Veterans coach David Cantu said masks are required for participants during their temperature check, which is conducted by a trainer and done before they can be admitted onto the field for the workout.

The Chargers’ athletic coordinator also said Brownsville Veterans had 164 players show up Monday and 167 on Tuesday.

“The (turnout) gets me very excited, because we’re gaining confidence as a community about being able to go back into a school facility,” Cantu said. “That means our parents are trusting us, that we’re doing things right and setting up safety measures.”

Brownsville Veterans has implemented a series of exercises that can be done with a plate and without a barbell, as the limit of indoor facilities for now includes a lack of access to the weight room, which is a staple of so many athletic programs.

Hanna also moved much of its equipment outdoors to the school’s courtyard, another safety measure to provide shade.

The Chargers, too, are emphasizing a gradual rise in intensity, with the understanding that a three-month layoff from their normal training will mean that some athletes need more time to recover.

At the same time, some of the social distancing measures can be a cause of social anxiety for coaches and athletes who have spent much of the spring in some form of relative isolation.

“You want to high-five, you want to hug,” Cantu said. “These are kids that — we’re with each other so much. There’s a lot of air-fives going around and a lot of mental embraces, I guess. But it was still fantastic and beautiful to see.”

Rivera’s coaching staff and strength and conditioning coach Chito Macias have been implementing CrossFit workout programs sent out over Zoom meetings from Baylor University, the University of Texas at Austin and Texas Tech.

The approach BISD coaches are taking is one of an abundance of caution, at the direction of Leal, the AD, and superintendent René Gutiérrez.

“We’re in uncharted territory, like everybody’s saying,” Beto Leal said. “When we went to school, they didn’t tell us anything about this.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

Brownsville Veterans Memorial track coach Jaime Castaneda is one of many coaches disappointed that the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic caused the Lady Chargers’ season to end before they could try to improve upon their second place finish in the District 32-5A championship last season.

But he was especially moved by the fact that several seniors and four-year letterwinners — including Carolina Davila-Beltran, Monica Garcia, Irlanda Moreno and Alexa Martinez — wouldn’t be able to have a shot at qualifying for the University Interscholastic League Region IV-5A championship meet or the state meet.

“We expected a lot of great things from these girls,” Castaneda said. “We just couldn’t finish the season. And of course, I understand why. The safety (of the athletes) is more important. “

Davila-Beltran, a sprinter, competed in the 100-meter dash and the 400 and 800 relays. She has been to the regional championship meet in each of her first three seasons.

“She was a real quiet girl, but she just worked hard every single day,” Castaneda said. “She was a leader, she led by example.”

Davila-Beltran said her goal was to return to the regional meet for the fourth straight year.

“My goal was to make it to regionals one last time,” Davila-Beltran said. “I also wanted to beat my (personal record in the 100). My time was a 12.7, and I wanted to hit at least a 12.5 this year. This season, even though it was cut short due to the coronavirus situation, I still enjoyed it because I got to run with my teammates and I also got to push the younger girls. (Coach Castaneda) wanted me to be a leader for them. … It made me feel good and like I had an important role on the team.”

Garcia, a thrower, also competed in shot put and discus. She took first place in the shot put at the BISD City Track & Field Meet on March 13 with a throw of 33 feet and second place in the discus with a throw of 100 feet, 7 inches.

The Brownsville Veterans girls won the city meet with 129 points.

Moreno, another thrower, was the runner-up to Garcia in the shot put at the City Meet with a mark of 32 feet, 5 inches.

“(Moreno) was always at the top of our district in shot put and discus,” Castaneda said.

Moreno said she wasn’t expecting the city meet to be her last competition.

“It was hard,” Moreno said. “But it was a fun day, because I had time to spend with my friends and everyone. My coaches were really happy any time we would place (in an event). … It was a good day, but I was sad that I couldn’t finish my season.”

Brownsville Veterans has had its sights set on giving its girls the best chance to contend beyond the district level, but the citywide competition at Sams Stadium ended up being the final chance for many track athletes to showcase their skills.

“I know (the city meet) is not the district meet that we look forward to, but that was a step in the right direction,” Castaneda said. “I would never have imagined that (the season would be canceled) and it would just end altogether. We had hoped that we would be back by Easter and that we would continue our season at that point. … I understand why they did it, it’s just unfortunate, because it did affect a whole lot of kids.”

Martinez, a distance runner who competed in the 400, 800, 800 relay and 1,600 relay, said she was pleased with the healthy level of intersquad competition, adding that she felt it elevated the team’s performance.

“I knew we were going to do pretty well, especially with the team that we had built,” Martinez said. “The bond that we had, we pushed each other even more so this year. … It was good to motivate each other that way. I even discussed it with my coaches and my teammates, that I expected us to win district, and it was because of the high scores we would get from distance and middle distance alone. And to have such a good relay team, that helped us as well.”

The examples set by this year’s group of Lady Chargers and their mature handling of the events that shaped the season are just some of the reasons cited by Castaneda for his praise of his senior class.

“They came to work every single day, they didn’t say very much,” Castaneda said. “But they were good role models for the younger girls. I’m going to miss them a whole lot. We have some younger girls that are going to step up. … So I’m not worried about that. I do wish that those girls would have had a chance to just compete a little bit longer than we had this year.”