Los Fresnos Lady Falcons Set To Begin Volleyball Playoffs

By ROY HESS/Staff Writer

This is the part of the volleyball season the Los Fresnos Lady Falcons always anticipate the most — the state playoffs.

The Lady Falcons have known for weeks they were headed to the postseason, and about the only question left in the regular season for them was if they would win District 32-6A again with an unbeaten 14-0 record.

They did, so now it’s on to the postseason, which begins for Los Fresnos at 6:30 p.m. Monday at PSJA North, the fourth-place seed from District 31-6A.

The winner of the Class 6A bi-district match advances to the area playoffs later in the week to take on McAllen Rowe or Laredo United.

Lady Falcons coach Becky Woods said it’s no easy matter to have a playoff match on the road, even though Los Fresnos, as a district champion, is favored.

“The most important thing is that we play as a team,” Woods said. “Everyone on the team has to communicate, everyone has a job responsibility and everyone needs to take care of business. We are playing on the road and we can’t be overconfident.

“We need to be ready mentally and physically, and at this point in the season, I believe we are,” Woods added. “We’re excited for the postseason. We’ve accomplished two of our goals (by winning 32-6A and doing it with an undefeated record), and now we’re aiming at our third goal (of advancing at least three rounds in the playoffs), but we must take it one match at a time.”

Three other teams from 32-6A are playing their bi-district matches on Tuesday. For them, it’s Hanna at Edinburg Vela at 6:30 p.m., Rivera at PSJA Memorial at 7 p.m. and Edinburg High at San Benito at 7 p.m.

Hanna, the fourth-place team from 32-6A, is going against the 31-6A champion in Vela.

“Here we are as the underdogs again,” Hanna coach Ansgar Hagemann said. “Our girls have worked hard for this (trip to the playoffs). They’ve believed in each other and played together to achieve it.”

Two Brownsville teams have bi-district matches scheduled at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Class 5A. They are 32-5A champion Brownsville Veterans Memorial along with Lopez, the 32-5A No. 4 seed.

Veterans Memorial goes against Laredo Nixon, the No. 4 team from District 31-5A, at Rio Grande City and Lopez plays at 31-5A champion Mission Veterans.

“It’s going to be a challenge,” Lopez coach Jacquelynn Touchet said. “Mission Veterans is an excellent team, but our girls have been fighting hard lately, and that’s what we’re going to go with. We’re going to keep the same mentality (of having an aggressive attack), and just go out there, play our game and fight.

“I’m just so proud of my team this year,” added Touchet, who has coached the Lady Lobos five seasons and now has taken them to the playoffs twice. “These girls have really evolved. They’ve taken a beating all season long (from some strong opponents), and it’s paid off in the end (as we’ve improved). Of course, I couldn’t do it without my coaching staff.”