KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star
MISSION — There was no shortage of star power Tuesday night at the 2018 All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet.
Seven awards were brought home to the Harlingen area, including San Benito whose football team won the 6A Boys Team of the Year award, edging out McAllen High baseball and La Joya Juarez-Lincoln soccer.
“This year, as a team, it was a goal for us to become a family and we did that,” said Hounds quarterback Erick Retta. “It’s an amazing honor to be named the 6A Team of the Year. It was an extremely competitive district. Our team put in so much work and the district was tough, but I felt we had the best team in the district.”
For a second straight year, Santa Rosa basketball highlighted the hoops world. Last year Leo Lara won both Sub-6A Male Athlete of the Year and was named the Boys Basketball Player of the Year as well.
This year, senior point guard AB Lozoya represented the Warriors as Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
“To represent our school another year is awesome,” Lozoya said.
Lara texted Lozoya as soon as he won the award, congratulating his former teammate.
“Leo told me that I deserved it. I was unsure if I was going to win it or not, but it’s an honor to win this award and to wrap up my career on a high note. I didn’t see it ending this way, but I’m glad it did,” added Lozoya
Warriors coach Johnny Cipriano won Boys Coach of the Year award for a second straight year, beating out Weslaco East head football coach Mike Burget and San Benito head football coach Dan Gomez.
“It’s a great way to end the year,” Cipriano said. “I felt we accomplished a lot this year. As a program we had different athletes and teams have successful seasons, and winning these awards makes it more special. Thank God for giving us the ability to do what we do, thanks to my family who supports me and to the kids who believe in the program. It’s a big accomplishment to win Coach of the Year again, but, again, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for my athletes.”
Meanwhile, the Warriors basketball team was tabbed Sub-6A Boys Team of the Year, edging out Mission Veterans football and Valley View soccer.
“This was very special; all year we were doubted,” Lozoya said. “We made state again this year and we as a team deserved it, especially Coach Cipriano. It’s tough to do what he does and get a new group of guys and make it back to state.”
On the track, Santa Maria’s Kristen Aleman won the Girls Cross Country Athlete of the Year award as just a sophomore.
Finally, Harlingen South wrapped up another strong year on the tennis court with a pair of winners as Jorge Garcia and Kara Lemarr both brought home the Boys and Girls Tennis Player of the Year honors.
ALL-VALLEY SPORTS AWARDS WINNERS
Boys cross country
-Cruz Gomez, PSJA Memorial
Girls cross country
-Kristen Aleman, Santa Maria
Volleyball player
-Jackelyn Alanis, McAllen Rowe
Football player
-Landry Gilpin, Mission Veterans
Girls basketball player
-Jocy Amaya, Rio Grande City
Boys basketball player
-AB Lozoya, Santa Rosa
Boys soccer player
-Mario De Los Santos, Valley View
Girls soccer player
-Katie Watson, Sharyland
Boys tennis player
-Jorge Garcia, Harlingen South
Girls tennis player
-Kara Lemarr, Harlingen South
Boys golfer
-Jun Min Lee, Sharyland
Girls golfer
-Julie Lucio, Brownsville Veterans
Boys swimmer
-Shaine Casas, McAllen
Girls swimmer
-Stacia Benitez, McAllen Memorial
Boys track
-Dominic Cavazos, Mercedes
Girls track
-Bianca Cardenas
Softball player
-Cassie Valdez, Brownsville Veterans
Baseball player
-Aaron Nixon, McAllen
Boys wrestler
-Caleb Muniz, Weslaco
Girls wrestler
-Serena Cervantes, McAllen
6A Female Athlete of the Year
-Serena Cervantes, McAllen
6A Male Athlete of the Year
-Shaine Casas, McAlen and Sebastian Gonzales, Los Fresnos
Sub-6A Female Athlete of the Year
-Cassie Valdez, Brownsville Veterans
Sub-6A Make Athlete of the Year
-Kai Money, Brownsville St. Joseph
6A Girls Team of the Year
-McAllen soccer
6A Boys Team of the Year
-San Benito football
Sub-6A Girls Team of the Year
-Sharyland golf
Sub-6A Boys Team of the Year
-Santa Rosa basketball
Boys Coach of the Year
-Johnny Cipriano, Santa Rosa (basketball)
Girls Coach of the Year
-Patrick Arney, McAllen (soccer)
6A Program of the Year
-McAllen
Sub-6A Program of the Year
-Brownsville Veterans