By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

RIO HONDO — Rio Hondo softball coach Brett Esparza believes senior pitcher/third baseman Nayeli Garcia may be one of the most significant players to put on a Lady Bobcats uniform.

“She came into the program in her first year and went to (the University Interscholastic League Class 4A Region IV final),” Esparza said. “So she’s got that under her belt. And then the very next year, the Sweet 16, and on and on. Her accomplishments far outweigh the norm that you would (expect) in one career.”

Among a gathering of friends, family, school administrators and coaches, Garcia signed her intent Wednesday outside her high school’s entrance to attend Schreiner University, where she will major in exercise science and minor in psychology. Garcia has been on the school’s radar since her freshman year, and the interest was mutual.

“I’ve always kept them in my head as my No. 1 choice that I wanted to pursue,” Garcia said. “I started seeing (Schreiner coaches) at my showcases more, and everything fell into place.”

Schreiner University is a small private Presbyterian university in Kerrville, 70 miles northwest of San Antonio.

The Mountaineers compete in NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.

One wrinkle that Garcia noted will make the first semester of her college experience different as a result of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is Schreiner’s policy that students will not be assigned roommates to try to curb the spread of the disease.

Her academic interest is closely tied to her post-collegiate plans — Garcia aspires to go into coaching and one day open a training facility for softball players.

“I’ve always known that playing a sport is more mental than it is physical,” Garcia said. “I’ve always wanted to know how the brain works and how it affects our emotions on the field and off the field. Whenever you’re in a happy mood, you always seem to play better. I’ve seen that with everybody I’ve played with, and the girls who have a good bond together, we always have a solid team.”

Garcia likely will play one of the corner infield spots at Schreiner, a young squad that had just one senior and three juniors on its 2020 roster.

Esparza said with her travel and select team experience, Garcia has demonstrated an ability to adapt to any position, having played at almost every infield spot during her career with the Lady Bobcats. Garcia said she will look back proudly at what she and her teammates accomplished during her time on the diamond at Rio Hondo.

“(I will remember) being able to experience the nerves and excitement and the feeling of winning, being one of the top teams in the (Rio Grande Valley),” Garcia said. “Going to the fifth round (as a freshman) and competing at the highest level you can possibly compete at. … I’m thankful for the memories and the bonds and the love and the support I got from my teammates that I could do whatever I wanted and I was capable of getting a scholarship.”

She went 4-for-5 and picked up a win in the circle in a decisive 17-2 victory over Raymondville on March 13 in her final high school contest.

“She’s definitely going to be missed,” Esparza said. “She’s definitely very driven, she comes from a great family. She understands hard work and what it takes to make her dreams come true. And lucky for her, we’re here to celebrate the fact that they did.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

Until the very end, Roy Hess was in the loop.

Even as a part-time reporter, the veteran Rio Grande Valley journalist remained the preeminent point man in the region for sports news, developing relationships with coaches, student-athletes, and administrators.

As an editor, he helped develop and mentor several young sportswriters who have gone on to work across the Valley and the state of Texas. His last byline appeared in print Monday, and fittingly, it was a soccer story.

He died Thursday morning at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen at the age of 66.

Hess was born on Jan. 9, 1954, in Neligh, Neb.

A 2016 inductee of the Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame, Hess covered Valley sports since 1978 — a period spanning six decades.

Los Fresnos volleyball coach Becky Woods, a friend of Hess and a fellow member of the 2016 Hall of Fame class, praised Hess for his dedication to covering smaller sports with as much interest as bigger sports year round.

“He’s been to probably hundreds of my volleyball games,” Woods said. “He was a very polite, very conscientious, very fair and honest man. He told you straight up the way it was. He was very interested in how the girls played, who they were, and if you had a good player and they were young, he followed up on them until the time they graduated. He was amazing. I never had a sportswriter like him, ever.”

Hess remains the only person to have the distinction of holding the position of sports editor of the Valley’s three main daily newspapers — The Brownsville Herald, The Valley Morning Star, and The Monitor.

He began his college career at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla. He arrived in the Rio Grande Valley in 1978 as an intern at The Star’s sports desk. He met his wife, Nellie, in 1980, and obtained his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin that same year, returning to the Valley in 1981 as a sports reporter.

Ronnie Zamora, the communications and marketing coordinator at Los Fresnos CISD, was the sports editor who hired Hess, along with Tom Drew, the sports director of all three Valley daily newspapers.

He is survived by his wife, Nellie, his three children, Merry Christine, Erik James, Erika Amanda, his brother Terry and his sisters Sharon Hess Schweer and Marsha Grafton.

Hess became the sports editor of The Herald in 1982.

Hess was the only journalist to cover each of the Valley’s five state championships in soccer. He was also committed to chronicling the rise of three Valley boxers to national prominence.

During his long and storied career, Hess made an impression on many of the young journalists who worked for him. Many of his friends and former colleagues shared their memories of him in an outpouring of goodwill and condolences on Facebook.

He had a passion for fantasy football and Mexican League Baseball — former Herald sports reporter Josh Caldwell, who worked alongside Hess for four years, recalled his colleague’s team was called “Los Killer Bozos.”

Caldwell’s mother helped to train Hess during his 11-year stint as a licensed vocational nurse. Many of his longtime friends and colleagues have commended Hess’ sacrifice to help put his children through college.

“His institutional knowledge was incomparable, but his passion for people and telling stories was even greater,” Caldwell wrote in a Facebook post Friday. “(My mother) always told me how much the patients loved him because he took time to talk and listen to them. Roy had qualities as a legendary journalist, family man, and human being we should all emulate. I’ll miss him.”

Former Monitor reporter and San Antonio Express-News sports reporter David Hinojosa got his start during Hess’s tenure in McAllen in 1992.

“He was a great editor and one of the nicest guys in the world,” Hinojosa said. “I’ll always be grateful to him. While I was still at (University of Texas-Pan American), he hired me as a part-timer in 1992 to cover high school football. After that, he gave me the girls basketball and track and field beats. I didn’t know anything about covering track, but he trusted that I’d figure it out.”

Gary Long, The Herald’s education editor, and Teclo Garcia, whom Hess hired as an assistant sports editor at The Monitor, were among those who shared Roy’s interest in baseball across the border.

Long, Garcia and Hess took a road trip together to watch Mexican League games during the early 2000s. One of their first stops was Estadio Adolfo Lopez Mateos, the former home of the Reynosa Broncos.

“I remember we drove to the stadium and sat right on the third base line,” Long said. “It was one of the most enjoyable nights of my life. … I will miss Roy a lot. He was just a great guy. “

Garcia is the former editor in chief of The Herald and a columnist at The Monitor who also serves as the economic development director at the city of Laredo.

“I knew him as a gentle, tolerant boss, sports fanatic, an old-school journalist, great friend and mentor,” Garcia wrote in a Facebook post Friday. “I think we did four trips into the interior of Mexico to watch and cover games! Pretty sure it was Monclova, Saltillo, Monterrey and the Yucatán, where we also climbed the pyramids at Chichén-Itzá. We also ran over an Iguana and got a ride on a fire truck in Merida on that trip!! Man I’m gonna miss him. A man with a great spirit and perspective. Understated for sure. But he’s a certified RGV Sports Hall of Famer… and should be considered the father of Valley soccer.”

Many East Valley soccer coaches expressed their condolences to the Hess family and credited him for being an advocate of the sport on its biggest stages.

“All of us who are in this profession and coaching in this area will miss Roy,” Harlingen South girls soccer coach Omar Pedroza said. “He was a really nice man and loved covering high school soccer.”

Hanna boys soccer coach Reyes Prado said Hess always pushed for Valley athletes to be recognized for their achievements.

“I would like to thank God for allowing me to be one of Roy’s friend’s,” Prado said. “Roy was a great person. Always upbeat and a very positive human being. I will always miss seeing him at our games. … Roy always pushed for our soccer programs to be recognized all over Texas. Roy was a humble person always ready to help others. Futbol in BISD will not be the same without Roy.”

After a University Interscholastic League Class 5A state semifinal victory over El Paso Eastlake in 2016, Porter boys soccer coach Jose Espita said Hess told him the rest of the visiting media speculated that the Cowboys wouldn’t fare well against Frisco Wakeland.

Porter went on to win its second state title in 10 years, 3-2 in 10 rounds of penalty kicks.

“He mentioned he had been hearing other reporters (from around the state) talking about how we needed so much improvement if we wanted to have a shot at beating Frisco Wakeland,” Espitia said. “(Hess) then said, ‘I just sat and heard their comments and thought to myself, these guys have no idea of what Valley Soccer is all about.’ This comment made me feel confident about our chances and secured my faith. This was Mr. Roy Hess. He genuinely loved the Valley and firmly believed in our student-athletes. He will be dearly missed. I can guarantee you high school soccer will never be the same without him.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

Third-year Hanna softball coach Greg Larson had his team off to an 11-6 start when the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic brought his team’s season to a premature end.

“It was a really disappointing way to end,” Larson said. “We were looking forward to finishing the season and hopefully making the playoffs and winning some playoff games. When it stopped … I don’t know how you describe it. You’re kind of lost.”

The Lady Eagles were led by seniors DD Guerrero and Kiara Mascorro.

“They were very disciplined,” Larson said. “They were just great kids to be around.”

Guerrero, a pitcher, and Mascorro, a third baseman, were the only seniors who played majors roles on last year’s Hanna squad, which clinched its first playoff berth in six years in 2019. Also, Larson was The Brownsville Herald’s All-Metro Coach of the Year last season.

Guerrero posted an earned run average of 3.67 and struck out 34 batters, issuing just five walks in 42 innings. She also led the Lady Eagles with a .452 batting average, driving in 13 runs on 19 hits.

“For me, this season has been the best by far,” Guerrero said. “The chemistry was there, we got along super quickly. … When we heard our season was going to end, I was pretty sad. I knew I was pretty bummed out.”

On Monday, Guerrero signed with Eastern Oklahoma State College. Last Friday, her parents and her three brothers made the 11-hour drive north with her to Wilburton, Okla., near the Oklahoma-Arkansas border, and they returned to Brownsville early Tuesday morning.

“We were sitting around, and (EOSC coach Kendra Whisenhunt) said, ‘We can give you the paperwork, and you can bring it home (to have a signing ceremony with your family),” Guerrero said. “And my mom said, ‘We might as well do it now.’ … So the coaches set it up, and we did it there and then. It was pretty fun and surprising. It’s nice that I’ve got it done, and I can finish practicing here at home.”

The Mountaineers compete in Region II of the NJCAA, and this year’s team featured five Texas natives on its roster.

The Lady Eagles are well-positioned to succeed in the future with all but three players departing from this year’s squad, including a pair of talented freshmen in Arianna Martinez (17 hits, 14 RBIs, and a .362 batting average) and Sarah Trinidad (13 hits, 13 RBIs and a .371 batting average).

“Things happen for a reason,” Guerrero said. “Kiara and I talked about it, and we’re just ready for the future and what’s to come. I know Hanna’s going to have a good softball program in the coming years.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — Veteran Rio Grande Valley journalist and sportswriter Roy Hess died Thursday morning at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen.

He was 66 years old.

A 2016 inductee of the Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame, Hess covered Valley sports for five decades. He remains the only person who has served as the sports editor of the Valley’s three main daily newspapers — The Brownsville Herald, The Valley Morning Star and The McAllen Monitor.

“I was saddened to hear about Roy’s passing,” AIM Media Texas publisher and vice president Stephan Wingert said. “We have lost a giant in the south Texas sports community.”

Roy Hess was born Jan. 9, 1954, in McCook, Neb., and raised in Neligh, Neb. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1980 after arriving in the Valley in 1978. He was also a licensed vocational nurse at Valley Baptist Hospital for 11 years. Hess is survived by his wife, Nellie; his three children, Merry Christine, Erik James and Erika Amanda; his brother, Terry; and his sisters Sharon Hess Schweer and Marsha Grafton.

During his tenure at The Monitor, the publication expanded its sports coverage area beyond the McAllen city limits to all of Hidalgo County.

Hess was the only sportswriter to cover each of the five Valley state championships in soccer. He was equally dedicated to the boxing beat, covering the ascension of three Valley boxers to the national spotlight.

“He was the kindest, most gentle soul, and a pro’s pro,” said Louie A. Vera, journalism advisor and social media liaison at Porter High School and a former Herald and Star reporter. “Even when I worked with opposing media outlets throughout the years he would offer help if I missed a quote or needed a stat. He was a great mentor and friend. I’m going to miss him very much.”

During his decorated career, Hess was named Region IV sports writer of the year by the Texas Association of Soccer Coaches in 1992, 2005 and 2012. In 1982, Hess was awarded first place for his sports column by United Press International. The Associated Press recognized him with an honorable mention award for a sports story in 2005, and he earned third place spot sports reporting (2012).

In a Facebook post Thursday, George Green of the Brownsville Futbol website said Hess was “A true friend to the soccer community and the youth of the Valley.”

“You will be missed, I can’t believe I (we) won’t be seeing you at all high school sporting events,” Green wrote. “A true Valley Legend!”

A viewing will be held from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, with a service at 7 p.m. at Rudy Garza Funeral Home in Harlingen.

The funeral is set to take place Tuesday at Mount Meta Memorial Park Cemetery in San Benito.

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

Everything seemed to be coming up aces for the Pace boys golf team as it rolled through its spring predistrict slate.

Pace coach Ronnie Zamora was excited for his top two players — seniors Cristian Garcia and Marcos Abete — to showcase their growth in just their fourth year of competitive golf when the Vikings were slated to host the District 32-5A tournament April 1-2 at River Bend Resort & Country Club.

“It was rough, I feel really bad for them,” Zamora said. “They were in golf all four years. … Putting in the work all year leading up to this, and they didn’t get to see it through.”

The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic led to the University Interscholastic League’s cancelation of the golf season and brought about an unceremonious and unresolved ending to the careers of Abete and Garcia, who had aspirations of making a run to the Class 5A Region IV tournament and giving their best shot at qualifying for state.

Neither of those things came to fruition. However, the Vikings are grateful for the opportunity to play a sport that evolved from merely being an extracurricular activity worth trying into something from which they hope they will be able to derive lifelong enjoyment.

“It was really devastating,” Garcia said. “It was four years of hard work with coaches from school and outside of school. Me and Marcos always worked together, and we always took our time to dedicate ourselves to golf. We would pretty much go five days a week.”

Garcia was a golf novice when he began, but he credited his uncle and his family’s interest in golf for helping him to quickly acclimate to the sport.

“My freshman year I finished 48th place in the district,” Garcia said. “Every year since then, I went up 12 spots. … Last year I started shooting in the low 90s. … I noticed my pattern (of improvement), and I knew I had a good shot at finishing first in district.”

Garcia earned a spot on the All-District 32-5A first team with a stroke average of 93.64, good for sixth-best in the district, and Abete was named to the all-district second team with an average score of 98.42.

As for their post-high school plans, Abete said he is likely to attend the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, where he will major in finance and pursue a career as a stock broker. Garcia plans to become a commercial pilot and attend either the University of Nevada-Las Vegas or University of Nevada-Reno.

Garcia and Abete have both been playing recreationally since golf courses were allowed to resume play after the first phase of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s plan to reopen the state for business.

“Christian and I would practice a lot together (during the season),” Abete said. “We would always stay at the same level. … It’s kind of a bummer that when (the season) got canceled is when I was doing my best.”

The two played a round Thursday at Valley International Country Club in Brownsville.

Zamora said the Mercedes Invitational, held March 6-7 at Treasure Hills Golf Club in Harlingen, was when both Garcia and Abete were rounding into their top form, and that their momentum likely would have carried them to top five finishes in 32-5A.

Garcia shot an 86 on the first day of the Mercedes tournament and an 85 on the second day, and Abete rebounded from a rough first round with a score of 104, ending his final round with an 86.

“That course was new for me,” Abete said. “I don’t think I had played it before. But that was our best tournament of the year.”

While they won’t ever know how their postseason would have played out, Zamora said his players should take pride in their rapid growth after picking up the sport in such short order.

“They had joined golf as freshmen having never touched a golf club before in their lives,” Zamora said. “They stuck it out with the program for four years. … Year by year, they got better and better.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

The preparation for the Pace Lady Vikings’ 2020 softball campaign happened during a period when so many student-athletes work on their craft — the previous summer.

“These girls really spearheaded that summer league team,” Pace coach Boris Vega said. “They got everything together, they set practices up.”

The momentum carried forward into the school year, when the Lady Vikings’ seniors asked Vega if they could hold weightlifting sessions before school in the morning in order to have more time to focus on fundamentals in practice.

Vega welcomed this chance for his team’s upperclassmen to put extra work in and to take on the responsibility of mentoring the younger girls.

Pace had six seniors on this year’s team, and three sets of sisters. Twins Alexis and Cassandra Rodriguez, Lauren Mares, Nikki Ramirez, Yvonne Ramirez and Valerie Vera are set to graduate June 4 at Sams Stadium. The Lady Vikings went 8-6 before the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic resulted in a shortened season.

Vera, Pace’s shortstop, said the team’s work ethic helped promote accountability from the top down throughout the season.

“I worked hard because I didn’t want to let the girls down,” Vera said. “Because I knew how hard they were working.”

Pace won its District 32-5A opener 18-1 over Lopez, the final high school game for the team’s seniors.

Alexis played center field, hit .367 and posted an on-base percentage of .537. She had 11 hits and scored 15 runs. Cassandra, the Lady Vikings’ third basemen, hit .250.

In addition to the Rodriguez twins, Pace has two other sets of sisters — junior first baseman Andrea Toledo and sophomore pitcher/infielder Arlette Toledo, and corner outfielders Nikki Ramirez and Yvonne Ramirez.

“It’s been pretty fun, we both kind of get on each other’s nerves,” Cassandra said about the team’s family dynamic. “We both get pretty competitive if we’re on different teams. It’s just fun having a sister there to share that time and experience with.”

Alexis believes having such a close-knit group is a source of motivation for the Lady Vikings.

“It pushes us to be a better person and a better athlete,” Alexis said. “The way I see it, it’s just awesome having a sister there.”

Mares, a pitcher and second baseman, posted a .385 average, a .400 on-base percentage and drove in 16 runs on 15 hits.

“A lot of us started off in our freshman year together,” Mares said. “And that’s where the bonds grew, and that competitiveness also grew along as we came up as seniors. … This year was supposed to be our ‘Oorrah.’”

Yvonne, the Lady Vikings’ left fielder, also expressed disappointment in not being able to make a playoff run, but she reciprocated the appreciation her teammates shared for their chemistry.

“I had a lot of hope for us to make it to the playoffs,” Yvonne said. “I really love these girls. We tell each other everything.”

Nikki, Pace’s right fielder, hit .412 and recorded a .615 on-base percentage.

“I know a lot of girls say that their team is like a family, but we actually were,” Nikki said. “We did everything together. We had spaghetti nights, we told each other everything. … We just felt comfortable around each other. It was a good team, unfortunately, (the pandemic) happened, and we just couldn’t finish the season.”

Going forward, the Toledo sisters figure to be a key part of Pace’s DNA. Andrea notched a .400 batting average and .475 on-base percentage along with 14 hits and 15 RBIs. Arlette hit .400 and posted a .500 on-base percentage.

Other returners who will look to make a big impact in 2021 include junior outfielder Rebeca Garza and sophomore catcher Alexa Bolivar, who recorded a .310 batting average and .444 on-base percentage.

Two freshman infielders have the potential to be four-year lettermen for Vega. Shortstop Felicitas Figueroa hit for a whopping .639 and a .690 on-base percentage, posting an .861 slugging percentage. She led the team in hits, with 23, and RBIs, with 16. She also scored 21 runs and hit one home run.

Kayla Gutierrez hit for a .353 average and also posted a .436 on-base percentage. She added 12 hits and scored 10 runs.

“What we had was something no other team has had,” Nikki said. “Next year they’ll have a new team, and hopefully they’ll be the same as this year’s team. We didn’t really know each other, but then we had summer league and we got along. We got closer that way. Hopefully (next year’s team) will be able to do the same. … We’re going to be there to support them (next year) and hopefully see them make it to the playoffs. Unfortunately we couldn’t, but hopefully they’ll be able to change that.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

Back on March 10, the Lopez Lobos were riding high after a momentous 3-2 win at Edcouch-Elsa.

Coach Victor H. Martinez’s squad capped off a thrilling victory with a diving catch in foul territory near the home dugout by senior third baseman Jose “Meme” Cruz, the first and only District 32-5A game Lopez played this season.

When Martinez and the team decamped after the final practice of the 2020 season March 13, the day the University Interscholastic League first suspended athletics due to the COVID-19 pandemic, few anticipated that the coronavirus’ spread would hasten so quickly that it meant it would be the last time this group of Lobos would gather together as a team.

Martinez wanted to commemorate the achievements of his seven seniors, four of which were starters and four-year varsity lettermen, so he obtained the approval of the Lopez administration to distribute yard signs Tuesday morning with photos of each of the members of the Class of 2020 to their homes.

“We’re one of those programs where we believe a lot in relationships,” Martinez said. “(Our coaching staff) has worked together since we were younger. … We have a lot of tradition. We wanted to make sure we were there to say goodbye and to give (the seniors) congratulations before their graduation ceremony, because we might not be able to go (if the commencement is limited to family members).”

He and assistant coaches Rafael Gonzalez, Ismael Trevino, Jerry Garcia are all Lopez alumni who played for the Lobos baseball administration. Martinez has been involved with the coaching staff for nearly two decades, ever since he graduated and became a volunteer assistant under Beto Leal, the current athletic coordinator and football coach at Rivera.

“It’s sad that it’s over,” outfielder Jesus Moya said by phone from his family’s home in Matamoros. “But I want us to stick together and to be united. … I was expecting big things this season because we had all worked hard.”

Moya has been working in the food service industry to help support his family, and said he and his family have been safe and healthy throughout their period of quarantine.

The first destination for the Lopez coaches was the home of shortstop Jesus “Chuy” De Leon, The Brownsville Herald’s 2019 All-Metro Offensive Player of the Year.

“It was a big surprise for them all to show up at the same time,” De Leon said of the coaches’ visit.

The Lobos’ leading hitter was eager to hop in his car and followed his coaches in the procession to his teammates’ homes, where he waved at them from the driver’s seat.

De Leon was disappointed that his team’s strong, experienced core didn’t have a chance to play out a district season and make a playoff run. But he remained consistent to the very end, going 4-for-4 in the team’s final game.

“My team always had my back,” De Leon said. “I just came through for them, and it felt good.”

Robert Guerra, De Leon’s cousin and infield counterpart at second base, overcame an ACL injury suffered during football season. He adhered to a strict rehabilitation routine over four and a half months and — after gaining approval from his parents and a doctor — came back at what he described as “75 percent.”

Martinez carefully managed Guerra’s playing time and knew it would be important to save him for the stretch run. But the UIL’s decision to cancel the remainder of the 2019-20 athletic year made it seem that all of the effort Guerra put toward getting closer to full strength was for naught.

“I was worried (about my health) but I had to be there for the team,” Guerra said. “It didn’t really sink in until a month later that I wasn’t going to play anymore.”

When asked what they will remember from their final season, several Lopez players cited the win over the Yellowjackets, a tournament win over Mission Veterans Memorial, and a hard-fought 3-2 defeat in the Los Fresnos-Port Isabel tournament to Sharyland High, one of the top teams in the state in Class 5A in 2019.

Isaac Perez, a senior outfielder who is in the top 10 percent of his graduating class, has tried to make the most of the lessons he has learned in relative isolation and expressed gratitude for the program’s ability to keep the team together in spirit.

“It means a lot (to be recognized by the coaches),” Perez said. “But for it to end like this, it’s hard. Life happens, you just have to move on, and you have to learn to deal with adversity at times. … For (the coaches) to care, for them to do the little things, that’s what Lobo baseball is all about.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

PORT ISABEL — Daniel Rinza wasn’t sure if he’d be able to have a signing ceremony like the one he’d envisioned due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Then, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s Phase 2 of his plan to reopen the state allowed schools to hold graduation ceremonies, like the one now slated to take place June 4 at Tarpon Stadium.

And while the venue was slightly different than the gym at the school, with the help of Port Isabel principal Imelda Munivez and Point Isabel ISD superintendent Theresa Capistran, several of Rinza’s friends, family, teachers and coaches gathered in his front yard Thursday to watch him sign his intent to attend Central Methodist University.

Also notable was new Port Isabel athletic director Tony Villarreal III making his first public appearance since he was hired last Wednesday to begin his second stint with the Tarpons.

“We decided to do it today, and it was a great turnout,” Rinza said. “I appreciate everybody that came.”

CMU is a small private university in Fayette, Mo., located nearly halfway between St. Louis and Kansas City, Mo. The Eagles compete in the NAIA’s Heart of America Conference.

Rinza said he will major in kinesiology at CMU.

He first came onto the school’s radar when Amos Salas, a recruiter for the program, saw Rinza play a game at La Feria during his junior year. Salas said Rinza’s humility and poise will help him adjust to playing at the college level.

“He’s one of those types of athletes who has that vision on the court,” Salas said. “You really can’t teach that, a lot of that he developed on his own. He’ll be a smaller guard up there (at CMU), but he’s got the skills to play for one of our teams. … Sometimes he had the pressure of carrying the team (at Port Isabel), but (at CMU) he’ll be able to just play and be himself.”

Port Isabel coach Mike Hazelton believes Rinza is the first basketball player from the school to play at the college level since at least the 1990s.

“He’s setting a trend, he’s kind of a pioneer,” Hazelton said. “He was with me for three years. He’s a great kid, he’s a real humble, quiet kid. He’s worked real hard at it.”

Rinza’s close friend, District 32-4A rival and RGV Lakers teammate Jabez Villarreal of Rio Hondo attended the ceremony, along with Port Isabel’s Dennis Lozano and Cole Pinkerton. Villarreal signed with CMU on Wednesday.

“They have a family tradition out there,” Rinza said. “That’s what really took me in, as well. With Jabez going, and them recruiting me highly. It’s like a family out there, it’s a small town like Port Isabel. It’s going to be a challenge, going 17 hours away from home, but I think I’ll be comfortable. … It will be a smooth transition going out there to college.”

Rinza’s trainer lives nearby, he said, and so Rinza and Villarreal have been working out together when they can to prepare for the fall.

“We planned to have a great summer with our travel team,” Rinza said. “But unfortunately, due to the coronavirus, we aren’t able to do that. Hopefully everything opens up and we’ll be able to get some games in before we go off to college.”

Rinza said he will always cherish playing important roles on three successful Tarpons squads, including the team that made program history by becoming the first Port Isabel team to reach the third round of the playoffs during his sophomore year.

“That’s probably my favorite memory,” Rinza said. “I think just looking back at that, it’s a great feeling, knowing I was able to be a part of that team.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

RIO HONDO — Rio Hondo senior Jabez Villarreal signed his intent to attend and play basketball at Central Methodist University on a typically warm May afternoon Wednesday outside the school, surrounded by several coaches, family members and friends, many of whom were wearing masks.

“I felt like I wanted to have the people who supported me here to witness (my signing),” Villarreal said. “The people that stuck with me throughout my years. It comforts me, because I didn’t want to sign on my own (due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic). It means a lot to me, because this is something I dreamt about, when I was a kid.”

Rio Hondo athletic director Rocky James and basketball coach Mike Alvarez were among those in attendance Wednesday.

“Especially in times like these, this is something to uplift (Villarreal’s) spirits,” Alvarez said. “For him to sign today and have so many friends and family here, I’m sure it makes him feel good to see the support.”

CMU is a small private university in Fayette, Mo., located nearly halfway between St. Louis and Kansas City, Mo. The Eagles compete in the NAIA’s Heart of America Conference.

The opportunity to play with his close friend and District 32-4A rival in Port Isabel senior Daniel Rinza, who has announced he would sign with CMU today, was one of the key factors for Villarreal’s decision, after weighing several other offers.

“Ever since our last offseason, we wanted to play together,” Villarreal said. “We’re a dynamic duo. That’s my brother, and we would talk about it every day through Snapchat and through text, that we should commit together. Especially since the school is (far away), it will be good that we’re not alone.”

Alvarez said Villarreal’s motivation to play at the college level stems from the determination he displayed as a sophomore.

“It’s the work ethic that he had,” Alvarez said. “The motivation for him to want to play, I know he had talked to me about it over and over again. It didn’t start this year. … He’s been continuing to work on his game. There were multiple schools interested in him, and hearing that kept him motivated.”

Villarreal was the Bobcats’ top scorer, averaging 18.1 points per game in 30 games. He was the 10th-best scorer in Class 4A of the University Interscholastic League. He also recorded 78 assists and 255 rebounds.

According to a report from The Fayette Advertiser on Tuesday, CMU announced it would hold in-person classes. The NAIA is set to make a final decision on whether or not to hold a fall athletic season by July 1.

CMU president Roger Drake serves on the NAIA Council of Presidents.

During a normal summer, Villarreal would play for his club team, the RGV Lakers. But in the interim, he is still working out and putting up shots at the court at his home.

“I haven’t gotten any information on that yet,” Villarreal said about his introduction to the team upon his arrival on campus and any team activities. “But I feel like I’m going to have to adjust quickly. Because I’m going to have to leave in a couple of months, and I’m going to have to be ready for it.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

Brownsville Veterans Memorial’s Liam Longoria made his mark on the school’s history in his two seasons as the Chargers’ starting quarterback.

The senior signal-caller ended his football career at or near the top of several of Brownsville Veterans’ passing and rushing statistical leaderboards. The team went 14-7 during the three-year varsity letterman’s two seasons as a starter.

“You put so much work in from the offseason to the beginning of the season,” Longoria said. “And to have your name in the record books, that’s phenomenal to see that that work paid off.”

Longoria eclipsed the single-season passing record of 1,410 yards he set during the 2018 season with 1,632 yards during the 2019 season. He also holds the career mark of 3,369 yards previously held by Marcus Castillo, who played for the Chargers from 2013 to 2015.

Longoria’s 251 career completions and 28 career touchdown passes also are the most in program history.

His 22 completions during a District 16-5A Division I game against Mission Veterans Memorial on Sept. 12, 2019, was good for a share of the school record for single-game completions along with Rolando Izeta, who completed the same number of passes against Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial in 2018.

One of the most significant tests of the season for Longoria came in his season opener against Rivera on Aug. 30, 2019.

“That was our first game, and I had started off really weak,” Longoria said. “One of the worst halves I had ever played in my life. And then in the second half, I just had to go into the locker room and get mentally right. And I brought the team back, and we ended up winning that game in the final seconds.”

Trailing by one late in the fourth quarter, Longoria’s 75-yard touchdown pass to Mauricio Garza gave the Chargers a 26-21 victory, the first of their seven wins on the season.

It was moments like this that gave Longoria’s teammates and coaches confidence in him.

Brownsville Veterans coach David Cantu developed a high level of trust in his quarterback’s ability to see the field and read opposing defenses.

“The respect I had for him, and knowing how much he studied our scheme and had a grasp of everything (made it easier),” Cantu said. “When he knew something was going to be there, that made me extremely confident (to defer to Longoria). So many times, it led to some incredible plays.”

Longoria said two of his longtime friends, receiver Elijah Masten and tight end Damian Maldonado, were among his most reliable targets.

“Just bringing (the chemistry) onto the football field, it was pretty seamless and easy,” Longoria said.

Longoria was a sprinter on the track team and was seventh in his weight class (165 pounds) in the Texas High School Powerlifting Association’s Region 5 rankings. He had earned a trip to the state tournament as a powerlifter with season highs of 520 pounds in the squat, 320 pounds in the bench press and a 550-pound deadlift, but the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic caused the THSPA to cancel the 2020 state meet.

He intends to study business at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and pursue a career in finance or marketing, two areas in which he said he has an interest.

His playing days may be over, but he was among those who returned to gyms when Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared Friday that fitness centers would be permitted to reopen in a limited capacity.

Longoria works out at 5 a.m. in order to maintain as much social distance as possible from other gym-goers.

“I’ve been trying to go to the gym as much as I can,” Longoria said. “I’ve been really lazy during quarantine, it’s been hard to work out. I’m just trying to establish a routine.”

Pandemic aside, Longoria’s work ethic has always been the talk of the town in Brownsville Veterans circles.

Cantu recalled one of his earliest memories of Longoria’s regimen in the thick of the heat of Rio Grande Valley summers as he drove up to the field at 8 a.m. for strength and conditioning camp.

The Chargers’ coach saw Longoria tossing a football into a net, and after asking the young quarterback about what he was doing before Cantu showed up, found out that he was also running nearly four miles on the track each day before practice.

“That’s the kind of hunger this young man had,” Cantu said. “He really wanted to lead by example. Ninety-five percent of his teammates never saw him out there, because they pretty much got there right when (practice) started. But perhaps for one or two or three guys that saw him, maybe that word started to spread, ‘Hey, this guy is, for sure, our No. 1 QB. Because he cares.’”