McALLEN — It was a historic day for Rio Grande Valley high school golf.

The RGV is going to send two teams to the Class 5A state tournament after McAllen Memorial and Sharyland High finished second and third, respectively. Harlingen South’s Jeffrey Janik qualified individually to up the total of qualified golfers to 11 at the conclusion of the Region IV tournament at Champion Lakes in McAllen.

“This is the first time in my 35 years that we have sent this many teams and individuals to the state tournament at one time,” McAllen Memorial golf head coach Celso Gonzales said. “To have two go from the same district is telling of how tough our district is.”

Gonzales’ Mustangs finished second with a score of 44-over par, only 11 strokes off first. McAllen Memorial’s Dylan Villarreal, Evan McGurk, Liam McGurk, Diego Amour and Kai Tamez contributed to the team’s second-place finish.

Villarreal, a future University of Incarnate Word golfer, finished second individually with a score of 3-over for the tournament, two strokes off of Smithson Valley’s Ryan Griff.

Villarreal wanted to come out on top but, overall, was pleased with his performance, which helped the Mustangs to a back-to-back state tournament appearance as a team for the first time in school history.

“I am very proud of my teammates for hanging in there,” Villarreal said. “I was not wanting this to be my last tournament of my high school career.”

Gonzales was proud of how his team handled the wind, as was Sharyland High head coach Fernando Rodriguez of his golfers. The Rattlers only finished three strokes behind McAllen Memorial to finish third and grab the last team qualifying spot.

Both teams had a comfortable lead after Day 1.

“We can’t take anything for granted,” Rodriguez said. “We just got to go out there and play our game … anything is out of our control. We went out there, played without pressure and did what we needed to do to get back to state.”

Sharyland High’s Octavio Cantu, Lorenzo Garza, Vik Akin, Pablo Trevino and Nico Trevino represented their school Monday and Tuesday.

Cantu had a strong showing this week to finish tied for fifth individually at 6-over. Cantu barely missed out last year and is happy to help his team go to state.

“It is great to finally make it,” Cantu said.

Garza finished seventh, two strokes behind his teammate and Harlingen South’s Jeffrey Janik.

Janik, the District 32-5A champion, started shaky Monday after going 5-over after the first six holes, but the senior found his groove on the next 30 holes to finish tied for fifth and earn a spot at state.

“I was just trying to stay focused and not get in my head,” Janik said. “I just tried to stick to it and make putts.”

Janik is the first golfer from Harlingen South to qualify for state since 2011.

Smithson Valley, the defending state champion, won the tournament by going 33-over. Harlingen South finished sixth, Mission Veterans took 13th and Weslaco East came in 16th.

The Class 5A state tournament is scheduled for April 29-30 at Legacy Hills Golf Club in Georgetown.

Girls Tourney Preview

The RGV girls took the course for their practice round as the boys finished up their round. The Class 5A girls tourney is set for Wednesday and Thursday beginning at 8 a.m.

Competing from District 32-5A is Edcouch-Elsa’s Jordan Hernandez, the district individual champion. Hernandez won 32-5A by 17 strokes and is the second best overall girl in the Valley with a scoring average of 84.50.

Harlingen South won the district and is sending Sofia Pena, Daniella Sanchez, Mya Salinas, Ava Salgado and Morgan Hrushka. Brownsville Veterans finished second in district with Alexis Silva, Sophia Guerrero, Taryn Marta and Anapaola Nunez.

Brownsville Porter’s Yessenia Medellin returns to regionals with third best average in the Valley after finishing third individually at district.

McAllen Memorial’s Andrea Juarez, Sofia Alaniz-Choy, Sofia Oliveira, Natalie Morales and Kyndal Barron won the District 31-5A title. Sharyland Pioneer’s Alyssa Cedillo, Victoria Sandoval, Peyton York, Khloe Lopez-Garza and Gloria Almaguer qualified with a second place finish at district.

Edinburg Vela’s Amber Martin and Kylee Rocha qualified individually. Martin has the best average score in the Valley with an average of 84.15.

Mission Veterans qualified by winning District 30-5A with Amiably Rodriguez, Lauren Gonzalez, Victoria Olivarez, Marisa Pena and Brianna Ulloa. La Joya Palmview finished second with Karyme Longoria, Valeria Martinez, Dominique Requenez, Liberty Ortiz and Valentina Zamarripa.

Roma’s Abigail Escobar and Rio Grande City’s Jaylen Gonzalez qualified as individuals.

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McALLEN — McAllen Memorial and Sharyland High are in prime position to earn a spot at the Class 5A boys golf state championship tournament by taking second and third after Day 1 of the Region IV tournament at Champion Lakes Golf Course in McAllen.

Sharyland High finished Monday six strokes behind Smithson Valley at 24 over par with Octavio Cantu (1-over) leading the team. Cantu birdied three times on the front nine and is second individually behind Smithson Valley’s Ryan Griff, who is three strokes ahead.

Sharyland High’s Lorenzo Garza is at 5-over and tied for sixth, and teammates Vik Akin and Nico Trevino are both at 9-over.

McAllen Memorial is two strokes behind Sharyland High in third. The top three teams make it to state.

Memorial’s Dylan Villarreal is 2-over after a 74 and tied for third with Smithson Valley’s Aiden Page.

Villarreal, Diego Amour (7-over), Evan McGurk (7-over) and Liam McGurk (9-over) are holding off fourth place by 13 strokes.

Harlingen South is 15 strokes behind Memorial in sixth place. But even if the Hawks do not shave off enough strokes to challenge for a team spot, Jeffrey Janik is in the top individual qualifying spot and Hudson Gonzales is not far behind.

Janik is in fifth place at 4-over par after a terrific back nine. Gonzales had a strong front nine to come in at 8-over, only two strokes behind the last individual spot. Three individuals who are not on teams that qualify earn a spot at state.

Mission Veterans is 10th and Weslaco East is 16th.

Smithson Valley, the defending state champions, came in at 18 over and has players on its second team that are going to push for qualifying spots.

Day 2 tee times start at 8 a.m. at Champion Lakes GC in McAllen.

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HARLINGEN — For a third straight year the Harlingen South boys golf team has taken a district title, and now the girls have a streak of their own, winning back-to-back titles in District 32-5A.

Harlingen South head boys coach Anthony Milligan and head girls coach Tiffany Albury have been in charge of the programs the past three years as they shift their focus to the Region IV-5A tournament being held next week at Champion Lakes Golf Course in McAllen.

The Harlingen South boys team that won the district included Jeffrey Janik, Sebastian Romero, Hayes Garcia, Hudson Gonzales and Reese Garcia. South also had Christian Hernandez qualify for the regional as well.

The Hawks repeated their District 32-5A title this year and won a District 32-6A title before making the switch to 5A in 2022.

“It is a good testament to the kids we have and their work ethic,” Milligan said. “They are buying into the process, playing well, practicing hard and I really applaud them.”

Harlingen South has battled with some of the Lower Valley’s best teams in recent years to pull out those titles, Milligan added.

Now, the Hawks will be competing with some of the best in the state next week in McAllen. Smithson Valley, the defending state champion, returns three golfers from last season.

Grouped with the best in Group 1 will be Janik after shining at district. Janik, a senior, won the district title and is a golfer to watch next week after an impressive showing at Tierra Santa Golf Course, where he went 8-under-par for the two-day tourney. Janik won the individual district title by 14 strokes.

But Janik understands that what happened at his course is not necessarily going to translate to what could happen at Champion Lakes.

“You can’t really overthink it, you got to play safe,” Janik said about the course. “That course is pretty tight, the fairways, and there is a lot of trouble if you miss it.”

Making it to state is Janik’s biggest goal going into this season, and he has his coach’s backing.

“I think he is getting to that point where he realizes he belongs and he knows he is a good player. He just has to go out there and execute,” Milligan said.

Both Hawks teams are excited for the future. Even though Janik and Gonzales graduate, Romero is ready to step up and take over after finishing second in district this year as a freshman.

Milligan said Romero has grown a lot this golf season and expects the freshman to be one of the best the next three years.

Back-to-back champs

Harlingen South’s girls team of Sofia Pena, Daniella Sanchez, Mya Salinas, Ava Salgado and Morgan Hruska all return next season after taking the district title this season.

Albury is proud of what her team accomplished this season and with how much the team can grow.

“The fact that they have won two years straight tells me that I have some dedicated ladies that are determined to hold their titles and work for another one,” she said. “I have some really young talent and really good leaders.”

Sanchez, a junior, is a captain on the team and saw the team start from only a couple of athletes the first year under Albury to become the best team in the district.

Sanchez hopes the team goes out with a bang, as they have an eye on next season because of the talent on the team. Pena, a freshman, finished second individually at district.

Albury and Sanchez raved about Pena.

“I think we can get somewhere,” Pena said.

The boys begin the Region IV-6A tournament today and finish Tuesday, and the girls start Wednesday and finish Thursday.

 

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HARLINGEN — Harlingen’s Steven Bazan is the Life Begins at 40 champion for a second consecutive year.

Bazan, 51, held off past champion Justin Brown on the back nine at the Harlingen Country Club to win his second LBA40 title on Saturday. Bazan beat Brown by a hole, needing all 18 to see out the win.

Bazan would be happy to win the tournament twice he said, but going back-to-back is special as he joked with LBA40 president Jeffrey Scoggins about coming back another year as president despite Scoggins having to relinquish duties.

“The two years he has been president I have won, so he can’t leave,” Bazan said.

The back-to-back champion also praised his caddy Bryan Kennedy, also a competitor in the championship flight, for helping him Saturday.

Bazan, while already up a hole, placed his approach shot a few feet from the hole on 18 to all but seal title. Brown’s approach at 18 landed well short of the green, and too far to really threaten winning the hole.

“It was a heck of a match, I gave it my best shot, but I fell a little short,” Brown said.

Brown and Bazan neither won a hole from 12 to 17, both hit some terrific putts, especially Brown to ensure a chance at 18. Bazan never let his guard down against Brown despite being up a hole on the back nine and Brown not always having the best drive.

“There is a couple of guys out here that you can’t be that way with,” Bazan said. “They are going to make four some how, so my mentality was I knew he was going to par … I played well, but I feel bad for him that he did not have a chance to birdie at 18 or anything like that, but I guess that’s golf.”

Brown won 11 to cut it to a hole after Bazan went up two holes after winning 10.

Bazan won the fourth and third holes to go up one after Brown started strong by winning the first hole and hitting a terrific approach shot on the second hole, but missed from only a couple of feet to go up two.

“I got off to a hot start,” Brown said. “I missed the putt on two, it is nerve wracking with all these people out here and the greens were so much faster today than they have been all week.”

Brown said Bazan was better than him Saturday, and he did his best to hang around, but Bazan made his putts coming in.

Bazan joins Ron Kilby and Richard LaPierre as the only past champions to win back-to-back titles in the 21st century.

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HARLINGEN — It came down to the 18th hole to decide the final matchup for the Life Begins at 40 championship, scheduled for 1 p.m. today at Harlingen Country Club.

Harlingen’s Steven Bazan, the defending champion, and Justin Brown, the 2021 champion, came up clutch to set up an all-Harlingen final between two of the more recent LBA 40 champions.

Bazan defeated Henry Cabrera and Brown bested Mickey Boland in the semifinals Friday at Harlingen Country Club.

The defending champion said it was challenging, making it back to defend his title. Cabrera hit some terrific shots Friday and Ron Kilby, a LBA 40 legend, also took Bazan to 18 on Thursday.

“I just feel very fortunate to be here because you have to some good play and some luck involved,” Bazan said.

Bazan placed a long putt — which sat on the fringe of the green at 18 — within a few feet of the hole to put the pressure on Cabrera and ultimately win the match. The two went back and forth with those type of clutch shots, but it was Bazan that withstood the pressure in the end.

Brown jokingly said he was trying to give the match away, but Boland, the medalist in qualifying, missed too many putts during the final few holes.

The champion is going to be from Harlingen Country Club. Bazan and Brown are members and play together. The final paring was complimentary of each other’s all-around game after clutching up on the final hole and are excited for today.

“He’s one of the best players out here, a defending champion and he is the guy to beat,” Brown said. “I have to play better than I did today to beat him.”

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Harlingen’s Steven Bazan is set to defend his Life Begins at 40 title but will have to wait to see who he is up against after qualifying takes place today at Harlingen County Club.

“We have a pretty strong field vying for qualifying,” tournament president Jeffrey Scoggins said.

Thirty golfers are set to compete for 15 championship qualifying spots for the head-to-head tournament set to begin at 12:15 p.m. Wednesday. Only one golfer has a guaranteed spot for that: Bazan.

“The conditions of the course are really nice, and the weather is going to warm up pretty nice,” Scoggins added.

The field is comprised of multiple defending champs. Justin Brown, Chris Wicker, Ray Iler, Richard LaPierre and 12-time champion Ron Kilby highlight the field along with Bazan.

The 72nd annual tournament coincides with events held throughout the week at Harlingen Country Club. The championship round is scheduled to be held at 1 p.m. Saturday. Bazan defeated McAllen’s Arnoldo Curiel in 17 holes in the championship match last season.

“We are trying to keep up with the traditions of the tournament and hopefully bring some new innovations as well,” Scoggins said about his final year as president of the tournament. “It is a struggle to maintain traditions and change with the times as well. It has been fun and challenging as well.”

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EDINBURG — Money talks and …

You know the rest.

So does the RGV Aggie Moms’ Club, and that’s why the organization is asking golfers to sign up for the RGV Aggie Moms Scholarship Golf Tournament which will take place March 23, said Mary Ramirez, chairperson for the golf tournament.

The club is looking for three-person teams to sign up for the tournament. Each team will pay $500, and that money will be used to give $1,200 scholarships to local students attending Texas A&M University in McAllen, Galveston or College Station.

“We need about 32 teams and we’re at about 25 or 26 right now,” Ramirez said. “We have been doing the same golf tournament for several years. I want to emphasize that the students we help are from the Rio Grande Valley. We’re from the Valley, so our students need as much help as possible.”

The organization gave scholarships last year to 33 young Aggies from the Rio Grande Valley and hopes to give out more this year through its tournament at Los Lagos Golf Course in Edinburg. But there’s more to this golfing tournament than the golfing.

“There are breakfast tacos which were donated by a friend of mine who owns Anita’s Café in Edinburg,” Ramirez said. “Rudy’s Bar-B-Q is doing the lunch catering for all the players.”

Ramirez is passionate about providing financial support to Valley students attending Texas A&M.

“I come from humble beginnings,” Ramirez said. “I was blessed that now that my daughter has just graduated in December with honors, and I was blessed that I could help her and support her. But there are other families, a lot of families, that need the help. The kids need help financially.”

Past recipients of the $1,200 scholarships have talked about the importance of the extra boost.

Laura Macmanus was one of those recipients. When the 2019 graduate of Harlingen High School received the scholarship, it brought significant relief to her.

“The scholarship they gave me covered books, and a little bit of my rent as well,” said Macmanus, who was studying architectural engineering at Texas A&M University in College Station at the time of the interview.

The scholarship made a huge difference for her.

“It allowed me to focus on classes instead of worrying about trying to find money somewhere else,” she said. “It’s very helpful and it’s a pretty easy scholarship to apply for.”

Anyone wishing to participate in the tournament may email Mary Ramirez at [email protected] or text her at (956) 929-1212.

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McALLEN — A Division I college football program isn’t the only thing UTRGV athletics has been building.

UTRGV vice president and director of athletics Chasse Conque announced an investment to upgrade existing athletic facilities in April 2022. Two of those projects had their grand opening this month as UTRGV athletics unveiled the Vaqueros Golf Center at Champion Lakes Golf Course on Wednesday in McAllen, and new buildings and enhancements at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex last week in Edinburg.

The new Vaqueros Golf Center, located at Champion Lakes Golf Course in McAllen, cost nearly $3 million, while the new buildings and enhancements at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex on the Edinburg campus cost $10 million.

The construction is part of more than $85 million in projects being completed by UTRGV athletics to its athletic facilities during the next two and a half years. The projects are funded by revenue generated by the athletics department through ticket sales, sponsorships and fundraising, as state law forbids UTRGV to use tuition revenue to build or renovate athletic facilities.

“We’re excited for this day to officially open a state-of-the-art and first-class facility in the Vaqueros Golf Center,” Conque said Wednesday. “There are several people I want to thank, starting with D. Wilson, PBK Sports, UTRGV president Guy Bailey and our leadership team, the city of McAllen and Champion Lakes Golf Course director of golf Carlos Espinosa, our coaches, and last but not least, senior associate athletic director for facilities and operations John Evans. We’re in the midst of over $85 million in construction, and the proud thing for all of us is that it’s touching every one of our student-athletes and all of our programs, so it makes today even more special knowing that we’re celebrating golf and we can continue to celebrate all of our student-athletes as we give them the tools, the facilities and the resources they need to compete for championships in the very near future.”

The Vaqueros Golf Center spans more than 4,200 square feet with space for locker rooms for the men’s and women’s golf programs, two hitting bays, a study lounge, nutrition station and viewing area, and coaches’ offices. Click here to view a photo gallery of the Vaqueros Golf Center.

The new buildings at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex include more than 13,500 square feet of space for locker rooms for the men’s and women’s soccer and track & field programs, athletic training rooms, meeting rooms and coaches’ offices. Click here to view a photo gallery of the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex.

“When we look back on this day, we’ll see how important it was on the history of both our programs,” UTRGV women’s soccer head coach Mark Foster said last Wednesday during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “It’s breathtaking and very exciting to have the honor to coach out of a facility like this. I want to thank Chasse Conque, because if we didn’t have an athletic director that wanted all sports to have a chance to be successful and push for all sports to have facilities and what they need, it wouldn’t happen. I’m extremely grateful that, at a time when we’re trying to grow, he’s fighting for women’s and men’s soccer to have these facilities.”

Additional enhancements to the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex include a new goalkeeper and skills training area, as well as the Hinojosa Family Press Box and an upgraded sound system, which kicked off the upgrades in the fall of 2022.

“I think we have one of the best facilities, not only in the Western Athletic Conferencebut across the country,” UTRGV men’s soccer head coach Bryheem Hancock said. “Three years ago, when I took the job, I came out here on a golf cart and it was just a dream of what would be built. I’ve been a lot of places where I’ve been told certain things and you don’t see that happen. To see how quickly it happened here, to see the facility and how great it looks, I’m very appreciative and thankful for that.”

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