DAVE FAVILA | Staff Writer
When the Port Isabel Lady Tarpons volleyball team and the Harlingen South Hawks football team needed some step-up athletes this past week, Kelcie Swink and Darren Perez were there in spades.
For their efforts, Swink and Perez were named the Valley Morning Star’s Athletes of the Week.
Swink had 17 kills to help rally the Lady Tarpons to a win over La Feria in the teams’ regular-season finale last Tuesday.
The 25-16, 18-25, 24-26, 25-22, 15-11 victory earned the Lady Tarpons a share of the District 32-4A title.
“It feels really good,” P.I. coach Julie Breedlove told the Brownsville Herald after the win. “We had two matches that didn’t come out our way (this season), and it feels good for these girls to be able to (share a district title) and I’m really proud of them for what they put into that.”
The Lady Tarpons now face Beeville in the opening round of the playoffs in a match set for 6:30 tonight at Monte Alto High School.
As for Perez, the sophomore running back did a little bit of everything to help the Hawks stun San Benito 21-20 on Friday.
Perez had 238 total yards in the game with one receiving touchdown, which proved to be the game-winner.
He also forced a fumble on a punt return, which was picked up and returned for a touchdown late in the second quarter.
Finally, while playing on defense, he had an interception in the game that proved to be key in the one-point victory.
“We caught a couple of breaks in this game. San Benito is a really good team and they’ll do well in the playoffs,” South head coach Lanny Wilson said after the game.
“We were down, but our kids won’t quit. I think we played harder tonight than we’ve played all year; our hats off to our kids. We aren’t playing for a playoff spot, but the kids are fighting for pride and I’m proud of them.”
The win gave the Hawks (3-6, 2-4) their second district win and handed the Greyhounds their first district loss of the season and forceed the ‘Hounds to beat the Brownsville Rivera Raiders in the season finale on Friday in order to claim an outright District 32-6A title.