By KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer
Brownsville Veterans Memorial had a big season on the softball field, bringing home its third straight District 32-5A softball championship and making a run to the area playoffs in 2019.
It was only fitting that the Lady Chargers were represented well on the 32-5A all-district list.
Head coach Rayner Cardenas directed the Lady Chargers ship to a clean 14-0 district record and was named Coach of the Year.
Right behind Cardenas was senior pitcher Mia Anzaldua. The south paw received the district’s Most Valuable Player award after a record-setting year in the circle. Anzaldua threw 121 innings and whiffed 269 batters along with a dazzling 0.463 earned run average.
Brownsville Veterans freshman catcher Natalie Mendoza received Co-Defensive Player of the Year, along with Porter’s Edith De Leija.
Mercedes, who finished second in the district standings, had Angelique Rangel win Offensive Player of the Year and Reeana De La Torre earn Newcomer of the Year.
P.I., RIO HONDO RACK UP HONORS
Rio Hondo won its sixth straight District 32-4A title with a 13-1 league record and reached the Sweet 16 for a second time in three years.
Senior pitcher Erika Cortez provided the Lady Bobcats with her leadership and presence in the circle, pitching 43 innings with 85 punch outs, issued just four walks and posted a .65 ERA, earning her the district’s MVP award.
Rio Hondo sophomore Abbie Torris showed no signs of slowing down at the plate in 2019, swatting a team-high 29 hits, 22 RBIs and batted .674 through the district season on her way to being named Offensive Player of the Year.
Defensive player of the year went to Zapata’s junior hurler Selene Garza.
Port Isabel’s sophomore center fielder Whitney Zaloski was one of three players to receive Newcomer of the Year. Zaloski batted .429 with 15 RBIs. Rio Hondo’s freshman first baseman Alyssa Silguero also shared the honor, batting .265 with nine hits in 34 at bats. Joining them on the list was Eryn Granger from Zapata.
At the plate, Ava Moore represented the Lady Tarpons as Co-Designated Player of the Year. Moore batted .372 with 15 RBIs, while Rio Hondo’s Savannah Gonzalez shared the honor after batting .400 with 20 hits, 15 runs and 16 RBIs.
Port Isabel’s Vivi Cantu received Utility Player of the Year.
In district 32-3A, the Lyford Lady Bulldogs were the feel-good story on the 2019 season.
Lyford ran the table and went 34-0 until losing the final two games of the season to Santa Gertrudis Academy in the area round.
Lyford’s junior pitcher and slugger Jerrica Rojas received the district MVP award.
Rojas batted .647 with seven homers, 22 doubles and a total of 66 hits. In the circle, she threw 93.2 innings and won 20 games with 142 strike outs and an ERA of 1.27
Offensive Player of the Year went to Lyford’s Mikaela Lopez who batted .560 with 50 runs, 60 RBIs and 51 hits. The awards didn’t stop there for the Lady Bulldogs as Defensive Player of the Year went to Hannah Garza and Newcomer of the year went to freshman Hailey Pena.
Pena batted .512 on the year with 50 runs on 36 RBIs and 43 hits.
The Utility Player of the Year was earned by Lyford’s Melanie Guajardo and freshman Tiffani Alaniz received Designated Player of the Year.
Alaniz batted .479 with 42 RBIs, 34 runs and 34 hits.
Coach of the year went to the Lyford skipper Joey Rios.
All of the awards were unanimous for the Lady Bulldogs.