Some of the team members jumped for joy while hugging one another, others smiled from ear to ear and some even cried as the shiny, gold trophy got passed around.
Meanwhile, the near-capacity home crowd, which remained raucous all evening long on Monday, roared with excitement after witnessing their girls sweep Raymondville 25-18, 25-17 and 25-12 to clinch their first outright conference crown since 2009.
“It’s amazing,” said a beaming Lionettes senior hitter Anelli Rodriguez as friends, family and well-wishers congratulated her from all sides.
“We came a long way throughout the season. We had some bumps, but we worked it all out and accomplished what we set out to do.”
However, just a little more than a week ago the scene that played out on Monday didn’t seem possible since Raymondville held a one-game lead atop the league standings.
At the time, the best the Lionettes could have hoped for was a share of the title. But all that changed last Tuesday when Hidalgo upset the Lady Kats in Raymondville to fall to 11-2 along with La Feria.
Suddenly, Monday night’s regular-season finale was for all the marbles and it was La Feria that took advantage of the opportunity.
The Lionettes came charging out of the gates and took a 12-4 lead in Game 1 before fans had even settled into their seats.
The Lady Kats did fight back and showed the fierce tenacity that got them to within a win of the league title. However, La Feria would not be denied as the Lionettes took the first set then rode the momentum of that win the rest of the way.
“We seemed very composed tonight and that helped us,” said Lionettes head coach Rebea Fraga. “Everything just came together at the right time and the girls did their job.
“However, we now have to get ready for the playoffs, which begin next week. That’s the next season so we have to celebrate this win for a bit tonight then get back to work.”
As for the Lady Kats, while the regular season didn’t end like they would have hoped, they did qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2013.
However, they may still have business to attend to before they start the playoffs. With the loss they fell to 11-3 and depending on what Progreso did on Monday vs. Zapata, there may be a two-way tie for second place.
“We’ll be ready no matter what,” said a disappointed Lady Kats head coach Norma Rodriguez after the match. “We played hard and that’s what counts, but injuries hurt us. Still, they (La Feria) are a tough bunch and I have to hand it to them.”