NATHANIEL MATA | STAFF WRITER
The 2018 season has already been full of honors, accolades and milestones for the Mission Veterans Patriots. On Tuesday night in Mission, they had one final task to put a bow on the regular season…perfection.
With a 25-6, 25-4, 25-14 sweep of Roma, Vets completed its fourth straight undefeated district season. That’s four straight clean district campaigns for Makenzie Gerlach and Jackie Howell, who have played on varsity all four years of high school.
“It doesn’t really set in until it actually happened,” Howell said. “Now that it’s our last district game and you realized ‘Wow, we didn’t know what it was like to lose a district game.’ People have gotten close before, but to go undefeated all the way through it’s an honor.”
The Patriots finished 14-0 in 31-5A play. Howell had 13 kills and 10 digs while her fellow senior and four-year letterman teammate Gerlach had 14 kills and eight digs.
“The journey has been amazing, period,” Gerlach sad. “It’s awesome to have so many girls that you care about and they care about you. It’s not just on the court, it’s off the court also. I really appreciate my family, this is my family.”
The Patriots’ 60-0 record in district play over the last four seasons meant Vets never took their foot off the gas.
“Sometimes you would think we’re used to winning so we kind of don’t take things seriously but this team, coach (Diana) Lerma, makes sure we’re focused every practice, every game,” Howell said. “Starting from freshman year you don’t realize how much numbers have added up. Every year, the season went by faster and faster. You almost feel like school should end with the season ends.”
Senior setter Valerie de la Fuente recorded 29 assists and five digs. Junior Kassy Lerma had 11 kills, six digs and six aces against the Gladiators.
Lerma has coached a group at the high school that had a single loss through four seasons. When that group of Patriots was in high school Howell and Gerlach were young girls who lingered around Veterans’ gym.
“They’re very goal-oriented and very competitive,” Lerma said. “I’m going to be sad to see them leave. I used to want to cry but it’s like we planted the seed that blossomed to the fullest. This accomplishment is going to be something that’s going to be set for others to follow.”
The Patriots only suffered one set loss in district this year, on Oct. 16 against Sharyland in a 3-1 away win.
Veterans will start its postseason journey next week when against 32-5A’s fourth-seeded team. Before that they’ll face McAllen Memorial Saturday morning at 10 a.m. for a second time to tune-up for playoffs.
“I have learned how it is to have a little sister, I know I’ve never had one, but these girls are my little sisters,” Gerlach said. “I’m just so excited for playoffs and to go through with them, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime group.”