LOS FRESNOS — The PSJA High Lady Bears’ Kailey Vera grabbed the first goal in the Rio Grande Valley’s inaugural UIL water polo match.
Vera scored early and often against the Los Fresnos Lady Falcons, four times during the opening period and eight in total to give the Lady Bears a 15-2 win to open the non-district portion of the season.
Vera was all smiles after the match.
“It feels really good,” Vera said. “I have been playing the sport since the sixth grade. This year we finally became UIL. It feels really good scoring the first goal and making history.”
The prolific goal scorer has participated in swimming most of her young life and fell in love with the game after being introduced to it in middle school.
“I love the intensity, the passion of my teammates and building all the friendships, even with the opponents,” she said.
Vera scored her first goal a little more than two minutes into the match, easily beating the Lady Falcons’ keeper. PSJA High struck again 30 seconds later with Laura Renteria. Vera scored the next three goals to end the period.
The Lady Bears went into the half up 8-0.
“We are very excited for water polo to be a UIL sport,” PSJA High coach Pedro Saavedra said. “We have been waiting for this moment the past five years. A victory is always positive, especially this early in the season and against a team with so much swimming and water polo history like Los Fresnos.”
PSJA High rotated its squad often in the second half and provided valuable playing time to younger players experiencing the sport for the first time. The boys and girls from PSJA High have had their greatest turnout for a water polo season Saavedra said.
Three years ago, the Bears did not have the players for a team.
Los Fresnos goals came from Abby Balboa and Fatima Cavazos. The Lady Falcons came up short at home but it was a good learning experience, Los Fresnos water polo coach Brent Burkott said.
“Today I learned six new things I had to do before the match,” he said. “I got them done, but it was putting some stress on me. I think the kids are excited, but they might be a little discouraged today.”
Burkott explained that the team has had only one practice, but he said the team has shown drastic improvement as its becomes more acquainted with the sport.
Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, the Falcons had to forfeit the boys match because the team did not have the allotted number of players needed to begin the match.
PSJA High lent some players to the Falcons, and the teams scrimmaged.
“Any practice, scrimmage and non-district game, we want to take it as a learning experience for the district games,” Saavedra said. “We are going to have our hands full with Harlingen High and Harlingen South.”