By CLAIRE CRUZ, Special to RGVSports.com
“Back to back” chants rang loud in the hallway of Harlingen South’s gym as the Harlingen High Lady Cardinals jumped in a group hug, celebrating a second consecutive District 32-6A championship.
There was no doubt in Harlingen High’s mind when it went into the fourth quarter tied at 35 with its crosstown rival as to who would come out on top. The Lady Cardinals had a tradition to uphold, and that they did as they fought for a 56-47 victory on Friday night.
“I had faith in my team. I know our skills and the hard work we put in, so I knew we could pull it out,” Harlingen High’s Callie Cervantes said. “It feels great to keep that Lady Cardinal tradition.”
The game was fast and physical from the jump, and both teams fell into foul trouble early. Ultimately, efficiency at the free throw line ended up being the difference, considering how often the two teams were there. Harlingen High hit 24 of 39 shots from the charity stripe, and the Lady Hawks hit just 50 percent.
Harlingen High started to pull away late in the first, prompting South coach Kelly Garrett to call a timeout. Her Lady Hawks then rallied with a 10-0 run to take their first lead.
But Harlingen High came roaring back behind solid post play from Juli Bryant and the aggressive offense of freshman point guard Rosa Zapata to take a slim 26-23 into halftime.
South’s half-court defense was strong during the third quarter, helping the team win the frame and tie the game heading to the final eight minutes. Harlingen High juniors Cervantes and Sydney Portillo stepped up big in the fourth, and they — along with Zapata — combined for 18 points to seal the win. Zapata led the Lady Cardinals with 14 points.
“They came out strong in the fourth quarter,” Harlingen High coach Ashley Moncivaiz said. “I told the girls to just play Lady Cardinals basketball, and the tradition we have is to play tough defense and to play as a team, and that’s what we did.”