BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER
McALLEN — During the three-hour bus ride to Laredo, members of the McAllen Rowe Lady Warriors will do the usual to pass the time: sleep, crack jokes, gossip about boys or just stare out the window.
But overshadowing the trip for Tuesday’s bi-district game against Del Rio is a truth they all recognize, but won’t necessarily speak of. That this bus trip, for much of the team, could be their last one together.
The Lady Warriors boast a roster replete with seven seniors and ranks among the most successful Valley teams over the last two years. During that time, Rowe has won 45 games, accumulated a 22-2 record in District 30-6A, won back-to-back district titles and been a model of consistency.
Yes, the Xs and Os for a successful team are present. But the Lady Warriors know that success is more than know-how or talent. There is something to be said for chemistry, and playing alongside your friends.
“Chemistry wise, I would say this is the best team I’ve ever had,” Rowe coach Raul Vega said. “I don’t have any problems with them.
They all get along and they all look after each other on and off the court. They’re so together in a way that I’ve never seen before.”
Watching Rowe is akin to a basketball assembly line. Though the team lacks a go-to scorer, each player fits into a specific role and play to the best of their ability. The result is a methodical and exacting style of play that’s almost surgical.
Rowe’s corps of seniors has been playing together in large part since their time at Fossum Middle School. But the crew of seven who make up most of the varsity roster didn’t fully form until their sophomore season, wherein the young team took its lumps.
During the 2013-14 season, Rowe won just six games, finished second to last in district and appeared on the ropes. With players beginning to blossom in other sports — most notably volleyball — Vega offered the players a chance to pull the escape hatch.
Instead of discord, the Lady Warriors chose harmony.
“It was definitely something we had to figure out,” Mayda Garcia said during a phone interview. “We had no leadership on the team around that time. No one knew if we’d make the playoffs or how the season was going to go. We learned a lot about ourselves.”
The catalyst for the team’s run was last year’s McAllen Rowe round robin tournament, in which the team went undefeated to claim its first tournament crown together. That kick-started a 13-game win streak which propelled them to a district title.
“We were really excited to see what was to come after that,” Ryela Rodriguez said during a phone interview. “We went out there every time not knowing what was going to happen, but the wins started coming for us after that.”
Several members of the team say point guard Deanna Spear has improved the most since their time together as middle schoolers. Though reserved and shy in person, teammates describe Spear as a quiet leader who effectively runs the offense with an eye on chemistry.
“I’m always trying to keep people involved,” Spear said. “Whether it’s just making sure people are getting the ball when they’re open, getting people touches when there is a favorable matchup, it takes five people to score.”
Garcia says Rodriguez has made great strides as well, morphing from a player who got by on height, to a dual threat who can hold her own on the glass as well as handle the ball.
“She was that goofy tall girl that no one really thinks can do anything,” Garcia said. “She just stood there to look intimidating, more or less. She really wants to do something on the court now and has been working a lot in the post. She can actually run down the court too and take it to the rim. It surprises us.”
All of Rowe’s growth and togetherness will be tested Tuesday when they face Del Rio in the bi-district round at Texas A&M International. Though the Rams are technically the worst playoff team in District 29-6A, they’ve beaten Laredo Alexander and Laredo United, teams who split the district championship.
Though Rowe has played Laredo-area schools this season, Del Rio is not one of them. Vega hasn’t seen them in person, but he knows they have a 6-foot-2 post and a speedy point guard as a formidable one-two punch. He says quickness and starting strong will be keys to securing a victory and extending the Lady Warriors’ season.
Win or lose, however, there’s no denying Rowe is experiencing the end of an era. At some point, the season has to end. But it’s a thought the team will soak in once the moment arrives. For now, there’s a game to win.
“Every game going in, (Coach) looks at the seniors and says, ‘You play how you want to. You only have so much time left.’ We always thought, ‘Eh, it’s three months. That’s a lot of time.’ But this could be our last game. We’re taking things more seriously, trying to focus on what we can do better, but the end has been on our minds.”