FREDDY GONZALEZ | Valley Morning Star
With the 2018 track and field season in the books, the Texas High School Coaches Association released its Academic All-State and All-State lists with a plethora of talent stemming from the RGV.
Twenty-four athletes and managers from 12 schools including Harlingen South, Weslaco, McAllen, Sharyland and Port Isabel made the distinguished list.
BOYS
Harlingen South’s Marcus Ramirez was named to the Academic All-State second team after having an impressive 2018 season. Ramirez qualified for the Class 6A state track and field meet and finished in fifth place with a vault of 16-00.00.
Weslaco High landed three on the Academic All-State list. Matthew De Santiago made the first team while Andrew Ledesma and Jon Jakob Zapata were named on honorable mentions.
Other notable names on the list were:
Pedro Segura, Edinburg Economedes, second team; Gunnar Henderson, McAllen, honorable mention; Paco Rodriguez, McAllen, honorable mention; manager Sydney Salinas, McAllen, second team; manager Ricardo Salinas, McAllen, honorable mention; Reynaldo Delgado, Sharyland, second team; Jimmy Esquivel, Sharyland, second team; Brandon Garcia Castaneda, Sharyland, first team; Alvaro Guzman, Sharyland, second team; Blake Klein, Sharyland, honorable mention; Brandon McCormick, Sharyland, first team; Diego Vela, Sharyland, honorable mention
GIRLS
One the girls’ side, La Feria’s Dariana Vasquez was named to the All-State team after an impressive season. The sophomore qualified for the Class 4A state track and field meet in Austin and walked away with a bronze medal for efforts. Vasquez finished the 3200-meter run with a time of 11:31.77.
Another 4A athlete to be named on the list was Port Isabel’s Natalie Garza. The senior was named to both the Academic All-State list (second team) and the All-State list. Teammate Susana Torres was also named on the list (honorable mention).
Other notable athletes on the list were:
Savannah Arguello, Edinburg North; Evana Ramos, Edinburg North; Priscilla Sanchez, Edinburg North; and Nyla Vela of Veterans Memorial, who was named to both the all-state and academic all-state list.