RGVSPORTS.COM
A strong group of worthy finalists have emerged from the list of nominees for Rio Grande Valley high school boys team of the year in the Class 6A and sub-6A categories.
Winners in the two classifications will be announced Tuesday at the 8th annual RGVSports.com and Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame awards ceremony at Yeckel Memorial Auditorium at Marine Military Academy in Harlingen. Admission is free.
The annual event, which starts at 6:30 p.m., will recognize the Valley’s top high school performances by individual athletes, teams and coaches during the 2014-15 school year.
There are three finalists for 6A boys team of the year and four finalists for the same award in the sub-6A division.
For the 6A boys, the finalists are Brownsville Rivera football, Rivera soccer and McAllen High basketball. In the sub-6A boys category, the finalists are Edinburg Vela basketball, Hidalgo baseball and Sharyland High football.
Halfway through the 2014 regular season, the Rivera football team was 0-5 and 0-2 in District 32-6A. Things turned around quickly for the Raiders, who won their next seven games under All-Valley coach of the year Tom Chavez. Led by quarterback Danny Elizondo, Rivera rebounded to gain a four-way share of the 32-6A title and advanced three rounds in the state playoffs to finish 7-6.
The Rivera soccer squad became the first Valley team to capture a UIL state title with an undefeated record. Winning seven games in the playoffs, the Raiders (28-0) captured the inaugural 6A championship in boys soccer by defeating Katy Cinco Ranch 2-0 in the state final April 18 at Georgetown. On the season, Rivera outscored its opponents 138-24 and finished as the No. 2 team in the nation behind private school Montverde Academy of Florida in the Winter FAB 50 rankings.
The McHi basketball squad didn’t have a player among the Valley’s top stat leaders in any category, yet the Bulldogs advanced in the playoffs as far as any team in the area by reaching the Region IV-6A tournament semifinals in March. Under first-year coach Ryan Flores, the Bulldogs went 6-0 during the second half of District 30-6A to claim a share of the championship. McHi captured an impressive 54-48 victory over Harlingen South during the third round of the playoffs before ending its season with a 30-9 record following a loss to San Antonio Clemens in their regional semifinal.
The Sharyland High football team was ranked No. 1 all but one week during the 2014 season en route to winning the District 31-5A championship with a 6-0 record. Led by All-Valley defensive player of the year Rudy Tornero, a middle linebacker, the Rattlers took a 9-1 mark into the playoffs and swept past Edcouch-Elsa (29-0) and Calallen(28-0) during the first two rounds before falling 52-24 to eventual 5A Division II state finalist Cedar Park to end the season with an 11-2 showing.
For a team representing a new school and playing only its third season of basketball, Edinburg Vela, led by All-Valley guards Ryan Garza and Hector Ruiz, enjoyed plenty of success. Vela recorded a 30-7 overall record and advanced to the fourth round of the 5A playoffs. Along the way, the SaberCats earned a share of the 31-5A title. During the playoffs they defeated PSJA High (101-57), Corpus Christi Miller (70-68) and Laredo Martin (102-42) before falling to San Antonio Sam Houston 66-57.
Hidalgo’s baseball team is the final Valley baseball team standing for the third consecutive season. The Pirates reached the Elite Eight for a second straight year after winning their third district championship in a row. So far in the postseason, Hidalgo has won its first seven playoff games, outscoring its opponents by 30 runs. The Pirates started the season ranked No. 1 in the state in Class 4A by the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association and are believed to be the only Valley team to be ranked a preseason No. 1 in the state in any sport.