By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
Los Fresnos and Brownsville Veterans Memorial enjoyed standout volleyball seasons in 2016, so it’s not surprising the top players on The Brownsville Herald’s All-Metro Team are from those two schools.
Both teams were district champions with 14-0 conference records — Los Fresnos in District 32-6A and Brownsville Veterans in District 32-5A. Each team advanced two rounds in the state playoffs.
For the Lady Falcons, outside hitter/all-around player Jackie Kingsbury, a 5-foot-11 senior, is the All-Metro most valuable player, while teammate Isis Delgado, a sophomore libero, is the defensive player of the year.
For the Lady Chargers, a pair of juniors are top honorees. They are middle blocker Bridget Himes as offensive player of the year and Cassandra Valdez as setter of the year.
Also, for their efforts in guiding their squads to success, Lisa Mares of Brownsville Veterans and Becky Woods of Los Fresnos are co-coaches of the year.
Rounding out the list of top honorees for this year’s All-Metro Team are Pace’s Ebony Casanova as libero of the year and Hanna’s Halle Penrod as newcomer of the year. Both are seniors.
Penrod overcame a serious knee injury that kept her sidelined for an extended time. Finally as a senior, after three years of waiting, Penrod gained medical clearance to play and made a strong contribution, particularly at the net, for the Lady Golden Eagles as they qualified for the playoffs.
“Halle became living proof to never give up,” Hanna coach Ansgar Hagemann said. “Most of us might have given up, but she was determined and worked hard on her comeback. She became an example for all varsity athletes. I truly admired that.”
Casanova has been a steady presence in the back row and at the service line for Pace since she was a freshman. She became a libero during her junior year. This season she led Pace with 886 digs and 62 service aces.
“Ebony has been the heart and soul of our defense,” Pace coach Gavin Rudder said. “Just having her back there and having her pick up (the serves and kill attempts of) any of the hardest hitters you throw at her has been amazing. Having her on the team is a joy. You don’t get blessed with a player like her for a four-year span very often. It’s been real nice.”
Himes missed the early part of the season due to an ankle injury, but she was available and shined for the Lady Chargers went it mattered most in district. Playing pretty much just half the season, the 5-10 Himes still led her team with 212 kills and 48 blocks.
“I worked really hard in the offseason because I wanted to show my team that we could go far,” Himes said. “With every kill I just wanted to end the rally, hoping that we could win. We’re very excited for next year and the new girls we have coming up. “It makes me feel very happy (to receive postseason honors) because I feel I’ve worked very hard to be where I am,” Himes added. “My parents have sacrificed a lot, so I’m glad it’s all paying off.”
As a setter, Vasquez has developed a productive relationship with Himes and the other hitters for the Lady Chargers.
Vasquez led the team with 507 assists this season and recorded 378 digs, which ranked second on the squad. Even though she’s a junior, Valdez already has committed to play softball for UT-San Antonio after graduating from Brownsville Veterans.
“It was an honor to play on this team,” Valdez said. “The seniors made it a great experience. They did their part, I did my part and we played as a team. It was just an awesome season for us. Bridget and I were a duo. When we needed a kill, I knew I could set the ball for her (and she would come through). We have to give it up to our defenders, too, such as (libero) Paola (Villarreal). She gave her best and gave us great passes (to help set up kills).
“Getting honors like this one (on the All-Metro Team) means I did my job,” Valdez added. “All my hard work is paying off.”
Another underclassman who is a steady performer for her team is Los Fresnos’ Delgado, who was the All-Metro newcomer of the year in 2015 and now is the defensive player of the year as a sophomore libero.
This season Delgado recorded 732 digs with 712 service receptions. She also had 96 service points.
“Getting awards gives me a sense of happiness and it shows me that I’m working hard,” Delgado said. “I just think that every hit (that comes my way) is not impossible to pick up as long as I put my mind to it. I believe if I stay focused on the game that I can do a pretty good job.
“It’s a great honor to be part of this team and to be with girls who also try really hard to do well in the sport they love,” Delgado added. “Knowing that Coach Woods expects so much from us, it’s just really a great honor to be part of it. Coach Woods does get mad with us sometimes, but it’s because she wants the best from us and it makes us work harder every time.
“I’m motivated because I know I’ve still got two more years to play for this team and I know I can correct my mistakes and still do better and achieve more. I just thank everyone who is there supporting us when we play.”
Members of the All-Metro first team are Rivera’s Litzy Medina, Stephanie Garza and Kourtney Shears, Hanna’s Lauren Webb, Lopez’s Carla Lopez and Brownsville Veterans’ Paola Villarreal.
The All-Metro second-teamers are Los Fresnos’ Giselle Ibarra and Ashley Tumlinson, Hanna’s Ryan Wood, Port Isabel’s Simone Harry, Porter’s April Reyes and Lopez’s Anna Morales.
Los Fresnos’ Kingsbury takes top honor
All-Metro MVP Jackie Kingsbury is the perfect example of an all-around volleyball player.
The 5-foot-11 senior outside hitter for Los Fresnos can do it all — hit with power, record aces with her jump serves, dig the ball effectively from the back row and even be the setter if that’s what is required.
Actually, she’s pretty much been doing all those things throughout her high school career as a four-year starter and has helped the Lady Falcons capture district titles during each of the past four seasons, including the most recent one with a 14-0 record in District 32-6A.
At the net, Kingsbury has tremendous leaping ability and slams unstoppable kills into the opposing court. On the back row, she is just as productive with her digs. Regardless of her position on the court, Kingsbury excels. She has been recruited to play for UT-Rio Grande Valley at the NCAA Division I level.
Kingsbury is coming off a standout senior season in which she finished with 561 kills and 652 digs along with 204 service points.
“Jackie has always had talent, and she put it to good use for us this season,” said Los Fresnos coach Becky Woods, who is All-Metro co-coach of the year with Lisa Mares of Brownville Veterans Memorial. “Jackie took control and became our leader. The players looked up to her. Her sportsmanship is unparalleled. I think what made her so impressive on the court this season was she left it all out there. That’s what she needed to do (for us to be successful). It’s just incredible what she has done.
“Not only is her hitting impressive, but her serving as well,” Woods added. “Jackie has a beautiful jump serve. She can place the ball anywhere on the opposing court. She’s a great setter, too. I used her at the beginning of the season as our second setter.
“It’s unique to have a player that can hit with such power and elegance, but yet be a setter with beautiful hands and make such amazing jump serves. She can pass the ball as well. She’s just an amazing all-around player.”
Woods has coached the Lady Falcons for 33 seasons and only one of her players has ever topped 1,000 kills for her high school career. That player is Kingsbury.
“Our coach is a legend and it’s an honor to play for her and the program itself,” Kingsbury said. “It’s been great playing for Los Fresnos and I’m grateful for all four classes of teammates I’ve had.
“I’ve played with girls from McAllen and girls from other districts, and I know how hard they work,” she added. “To be considered an MVP in the same category as all the other girls out there, that’s quite an honor.”
Since first starting to play her chosen sport as a third-grader, Kingsbury has undertaken a journey in volleyball that now will continue beyond high school at UTRGV.
“When I was younger, I was that kid that did everything,” she said. “I played kickball, basketball and everything else until I went to a UT-Brownsville volleyball match and saw those girls hitting the ball down. I was like, ‘Wow, that’s interesting to me.’ My first (volleyball) camp was there at UTB. As I got older, I noticed that I was actually kind of good at it, so I’ve just kept practicing and trying to get better.”
Todd Lowery, the former UTB coach who is now at UTRGV, will be Kingsbury’s coach next fall. They’ve known each other quite some time. Kingsbury is eager to play for the Vaqueros.
“Coach Todd is building the (UTRGV) program back up to where it should be,” Kingsbury said. “I’m very grateful to get a chance to be a part of it.”
Woods is among those who believe Kingsbury will succeed at the college level.
“I’m excited to see how she does at UTRGV,” the Lady Falcons coach said. “I think she’ll be a good fit for them. She’s a positive person, and that’s what I like about her. Her parents (Willie and Marian Kingsbury) have done so much to keep her in tune with volleyball, and I think she’ll do well at the (NCAA) Division I level.”
Los Fresnos’ Woods, Brownsville Veterans’ Mares earn coaching honors
If ever there was a time to honor more than one coach on The Brownsville Herald’s All-Metro Volleyball Team, this is the year.
Choosing who deserved the coach of the year award between Lisa Mares of Brownsville Veterans Memorial and Becky Woods of Los Fresnos was practically an impossible task considering each coach’s team won a district with a 14-0 record and each squad wound up advancing two rounds in the state playoffs — Woods in District 32-6A and Mares in District 32-5A.
So why not let them share the award?
“That’s fair, and that’s the way it should be,” said Woods when informed there would be co-coaches of the year on the 2016 All-Metro Volleyball Team.
Woods just completed her 33rd season coaching the Lady Falcons and Mares has coached the Lady Chargers since 2010.
The two women are different yet alike in that both take a disciplined approach to coaching while having a heart for their players.
“Coach Mares has a lot of experience taking teams to playoffs and I think that helps us,” said Brownsville Veterans middle blocker Bridget Himes, the All-Metro offensive player of the year. “Coach Mares pushes us and we learn a lot. She’s very disciplined and it works. She puts scenarios out there and it happens in the match. That’s what helps us stay strong during each game.”
Mares was All-Metro coach of the year last season.
“Again, it’s a humbling experience and a blessing,” said Mares, who missed the playoffs because her third son was born Oct. 28. “I was pregnant pretty much the whole season, so I’m thankful for being at this school and having the assistant coaches that I have. They really stepped up and helped out a lot. I owe a lot to the girls, too, because they worked hard since the
summer.
“Our future looks bright because of the coaches and players we have in the program,” Mares added. “All four of our (varsity and sub-varsity) teams won district this year. It’s the first time that’s ever happened. It was exciting to see us win district at every level.”
Mares said volleyball officials this season asked her, “What? You’re pregnant again?”
“I told them, ‘Not every season, just every other season,’” the coach said.
Mares and her husband Abel now have three sons — Roger, 4, Abel Jr., 2, and Jaziel, 1 month.
Meanwhile, Woods has set the standard as a coach in the Rio Grande Valley. Last season she surpassed the 600-win plateau as Los Fresnos’ volleyball coach and was inducted into the RGV Sports Hall of Fame in June.
Now she’s adding another coach of the year award to her ample list of credentials.
“It’s just an awesome feeling to be honored,” said Woods, whose Lady Falcons have won four straight district titles and lost only two conference matches in four seasons. “I credit my entire coaching staff, my players and the fans at this school, who are just ridiculously amazing. I would never be in this position and receiving these types of awards without the help I’ve gotten from my coaches and players all the way to middle school. It’s a total effort, and the club coaches (for our girls) are great, too. The (school) administration has always been supportive.
“Our girls are amazing,” Woods added. “They bring in the community support. It’s unreal. I love playing our home matches.”
Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess
The Brownsville Herald’s 2016 All-Metro Volleyball Team
MVP — Jackie Kingsbury, Los Fresnos
Offensive Player of the Year — Bridget Himes, Brownsville Veterans
Defensive Player of the Year — Isis Delgado, Los Fresnos
Libero of the Year — Ebony Casanova, Pace
Setter of the Year — Cassandra Valdez, Brownsville Veterans
Newcomer of the Year — Halle Penrod, Hanna
Co-Coaches of the Year — Becky Woods, Los Fresnos; Lisa Mares, Brownsville Veterans
First Team
Paola Villarreal, Brownsville Veterans
Lauren Webb, Hanna
Stephanie Garza, Rivera
Litzy Medina, Rivera
Kourtney Shears, Rivera
Carla Lopez, Lopez
Second Team
Ryan Wood, Hanna
Ashley Tumlinson, Los Fresnos
Giselle Ibarra, Los Fresnos
Anna Morales, Lopez
April Reyes, Porter
Simone Harry, Port Isabel