By ROY HESS | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD
It always helps to have team chemistry and a solid group of seniors.
The Los Fresnos Lady Falcons are blessed to have an abundance of both.
As the 2018 UIL volleyball season gets underway, the Lady Falcons are one of the Lower Rio Grande Valley squads already experiencing some early success.
Los Fresnos coach Becky Woods, now in her 34th year of guiding the Lady Falcons, believes the high level of team chemistry her squad is displaying is thanks to her group of 11 seniors who have been playing together for quite some time.
“ I have a big senior group,” Woods said. “They’re a very close-knit team. They’ve played together for many years and that’s what makes them so good. They know the positions to play and not to run into each other. They know how not to interfere with each other’s ball.
“ I’m very satisfied with where these girls are at right now,” Woods added.
Los Fresnos’ 11 seniors include Alex Garcia, Hannah Castillo, Gaby Cuevas, Jovanna Adame, Sarah Villarreal, Emma Stambaugh, Kaitlyn Mata, Elizabeth Vasquez, Sandra Salazar, Victoria Garcia Lebron and Isis Delgado, who was the District 32-6A libero of the year in 2017. Also a season ago, Villarreal was an all-district first-team selection while Stambaugh and Salazar made the second team.
The Lady Falcons don’t have quite the height they’ve enjoyed in past years.
“ Height-wise, I think it’s more heart over height (for us),” said Salazar, an outside hitter. “We just play our hardest no matter who is on the other side (of the net as our opponent).”
Added Mata, also an outside hitter, “I’ve been playing with most of these girls since I was in second grade. And with the ones who are new, we have a great group and we just bond together.
“ There’s no thought of someone being a senior and someone else being a sophomore,” Mata said. “We’re all friends on and off the court, and we’re just one team. It doesn’t matter how old you are.
“ I expect us to go very far (in the playoffs), farther than we’ve gone before.”
Here is a brief team-by-team look at the other Brownsville area squads:
RIVERA LADY RAIDERS
The Lady Raiders will be defending their District 32-6A championship of a season ago in a six-team conference (no more Weslaco schools) as coach Elizabeth Avelar-Guerra begins her 26th season at the helm. She reached 500 wins for her coaching career (all spent at Rivera) last season.
Experienced players back for the Lady Raiders include Kourtney Shears, Madelaine Blanco, Claudia de la Garza, Martha Ramirez and Kaylyn Samano. Shears, now a hitter, was the 32-6A setter of the year last season and Blanco was the 32-6A defensive player of the year.
Newcomers who could make an impact include outside hitter Christina Garza and middle blocker Kenya Ibarra.
“ We have a young group with a lot to learn, but it’s also a group with a lot of potential,” Avelar-Guerra said. “I’m excited for the season. It’s a matter of how hard the girls want to work for it. District is going to be tough.”
HANNA LADY GOLDEN EAGLES
The Lady Eagles are looking for a fifth straight trip to the playoffs out of 32-6A this season.
Hanna has eight players returning with experience on the varsity. They include Odalys Gonzales, Ariana Arcenaux, Natalie Davila, Tabitha Fernandez, Angelina Castillo, Rebecca Slaughter, Vivian Izaguierre and Natalie Arnold.
Gonzales, a middle blocker, was named newcomer of the year in 32-6A last season.
“ These girls are very coachable and they’re also very athletic,” Hanna coach Ansgar Hagemann said. “The district race in 32-6A is going to be very unpredictable.”
LOPEZ LADY LOBOS
Last season, the Lady Lobos prevailed out of a three-way tie with Pace and Mercedes to make the playoffs as the fourth-place seed from District 32-5A. They’ll be trying for a higher finish in district this time around to avoid any “play-in” drama at the end of the regular season.
The Lady Lobos have three seniors who are expected to lead the way this year. They are setter Noemi Gallardo, right side hitter Amanda Parra and left side hitter Jennifer Cisneros.
Gallardo was a unanimous choice on the 32-5A All-District first team a season ago, while Parra was a 32-5A second-team selection.
Lopez coach Jacquelynn Touchet likes what she sees with her current squad.
“ They are a strong, positive group and have been in our program for three years now,” Touchet said. “They are dependable leaders and teammates and have grown as athletes in skill and character over the years. I’m excited to see the personal achievements these seniors have this season along with the success the team achieves.”
PACE LADY VIKINGS
The Lady Vikings welcome a familiar face as their head coach in Pamela McCumber. She is the daughter of former Pace volleyball coach Paula Gonzalez (now McAllen ISD athletic director) and is a former volleyball player and assistant coach at the school.
Top players for the Lady Vikings this season include middle blocker Stephanie Saenz, setter Atianna Jones, libero Alexys Arce, defensive specialist Abbigail Rodriguez and outside hitter Kimberly Villarreal.
Saenz was a 32-5A All-District first-team selection last season.
“ This group is very receptive to new ideas and I love their dedication to the sport of volleyball,” McCumber said.
PORTER COWGIRLS
Tiffany Capistran is the new volleyball coach at Porter this season.
Two of the top players for the Cowgirls this year include setter Brigitte Ortiz and all-around player Ana Meza.
The Cowgirls showed plenty of fight in a number of their 32-5A matches last season and will hope to continue that trend in 2018 with the goal of making the playoffs.
“ This season, the team brings much competition on the court against our opponents and a focus on not giving up,” Capistran said. “They are working together as a team and have been making statements since Day 1 in scrimmages.
“ I look forward to the season this year as the girls have started strong in the first few days of play,” Capistran added.
BROWNSVILLE VETERANS MEMORIAL LADY CHARGERS
Almost everyone from the last two 32-5A championship teams for the Lady Chargers is gone, so it’s a rebuilding season this year. Brownsville Veterans went 28-0 over the past two seasons to win back-to-back district crowns.
Three players back with varsity experience for the Lady Chargers are utility player Frida Rangel, defensive specialist/right side hitter Pamela Sanchez and defensive specialist Sara Gomez.
Other players who could make an impact for the Lady Chargers are Mariana Tostado, Alexandra Parchmont, Aylinn De La Cruz, Daniela Espinoza, Hannah Edelstein, Valeria Sumaya, Arely Guzman and Dominique Mena.
The Lady Chargers are drawing upon players who won district titles at the freshman and junior varsity levels a season ago.
“ We will not have a couple of (individual) standouts this year (like before),” Lady Chargers coach Lisa Mares said. “It will be an overall team effort (for us to do well).
“ We’re under construction right now,” Mares added. “We hope to be a masterpiece at the end (of the season).”
PORT ISABEL LADY TARPONS
Getting back to the playoffs from an eight-team District 32-4A and advancing a good ways into the postseason sums up the goals for the Lady Tarpons this season under coach Julie Breedlove.
Port Isabel placed third in 32-4A last year and didn’t go beyond the bi-district round in the playoffs.
“ I’m expecting a good district run for these girls,” Breedlove said. “We are going to have a good balance with our veterans and newcomers.”
Veteran players for the Lady Tarpons in 2018 include middle blocker Rebecca Ramos, libero Estrella Vasquez, setter Marlissa Martinez, defensive specialist Gabriela Torres, and outside hitters McKenzie Young and Allison Gonzalez.
Younger players for the team are middle blocker Madison Ramos and setter Karina Martinez.
ST. JOSEPH ACADEMY LADY BLOODHOUNDS
Since its inception, the SJA volleyball program has been steadily growing in recent years under coach Dolores Olguin-Trevino. This season the Lady Bloodhounds will be participating in TAPPS district competition for the first time.
“ I hope to be competitive in our TAPPS district this year,” Olguin-Trevino said. “It’ll be a whole new experience for us in volleyball, and we’re excited and looking forward to it. Hopefully, playing three very competitive (Class) 6A schools and the tournaments we attend will help prepare us for district. Hopefully, we can get into the postseason.
“ This team is exciting to watch and coach,” she added. “I think with their work ethic, they will continue to improve and surprise people with their competitiveness. The girls have come a long way in four years.”
Four experienced players back are middle blocker Ally Stachowiak, outside hitter Victoria Gonzalez, setter/hitter Halima Dervisevic and setter Rebekah Rodriguez.
Newcomers to the team include Mildred Verlage, Natalia Montemayor and Elise Esparza along with varsity candidates Ale Vasquez and Ale Ortiz.
IDEA FRONTIER LADY CHARGERS
Jerry De La Garza has coached several sports at IDEA Frontier and now he is guiding the volleyball team. He coached the boys basketball team to the second round of the Class 3A playoffs last spring.
Two girls back with experience for the Lady Chargers are libero Kayla Sanchez and setter Stephanie Leal. A newcomer to the team is middle blocker Alma Medellin.
IDEA Frontier will be competing in District 32-3A, a nine-team conference.
JUBILEE BROWNSVILLE LADY TITANS
The Lady Titans compete in the Texas Charter School Academic & Athletic League. The team went 29-2 last season and advanced to the TCSAAL state semifinals.
The Lady Titans are coached by Lester Shears.
Among the top players this season are Valentina Tijerina, Fernanda Bannock and Elise Forte. In all, there are nine returning lettermen from last season’s 29-2 state semifinalist squad.
Tijerina is moving from setter to left side hitter and Bannock is moving from middle blocker to setter. Forte is expected to be an impact player for the team.