MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
DONNA — Justine Cavazos saw the window of opportunity closing Saturday.
Last year, she battled through elbow surgery as Weslaco High came up empty once again. Now as a senior, Cavazos understood a play-in match was her final shot at getting the Lady Panthers into the postseason, her last chance at snapping a five-year drought.
“In the end, I didn’t want any regrets,” Cavazos said. “So I came on this court and gave it my all.”
Cavazos poured in 20 kills, including a forceful spike into the back row to seal a 19-25, 25-22, 27-25, 25-22 victory over PSJA Memorial at Donna North.
By winning Saturday, Weslaco (16-21) clinched its first postseason berth since 2009. They earned the fourth seed in District 31-6A, setting up a bi-district battle against Los Fresnos, which beat Brownsville Veterans to claim the top spot in District 32-6A.
“It doesn’t matter who we’re playing or what they’re known for, we’re going to come out and play our own game,” Cavazos said.
While most of the Valley was gearing up for the playoffs — with a couple other seeding matches taking place — Weslaco needed an additional match to get in.
It didn’t devalue the accomplishment for the Lady Panthers, who rallied in the second half of the season and, again, fittingly, Saturday to get into playoffs in coach Anissa Garcia’s first year at the helm.
“There are no words,” Garcia said. “They did it. I got at them, but they did. They were relentless. This is the year we needed a change. This is the year we change Weslaco volleyball.
“I wanted to get it in my first year. I told them, it doesn’t matter that I’m a new coach, we have a great team. I believed in them. It was them, it was all them.”
Weslaco rallied from a 2-4 record through the first round of district to go 3-3 in the final stretch, including an upset of sorts in a 24-26, 25-16, 25-14, 25-14 victory over playoff-bound Weslaco East on Tuesday.
That drew a two-way tie for fourth place in district with PSJA Memorial, which sat out the final day of the regular season earlier in the week.
“I have to say, it’s pretty unreal because we’ve been in this situation for three years in a row,” Cavazos said. “I totally feel for the other team because I know how horrible it feels to come so close and lose it. So to finally have made it through and persevered and made it to where we are now, the feeling is almost indescribable.”
The Lady Panthers escaped a seesaw battle in Game 3 on Saturday to win a little more comfortably in the fourth set.
Up 24-21, Cavazos hit the net on the feed. The next time down, she took a similar setup and buried it, as both teams were overcome with emotion — one team’s season drawing to close, another’s extended by at least one match.
“I kept reminding them what’s at stake. Everything we’ve done this year, everything that they did at practice and at every single game. I reminded them what got us here,” Garcia said. “We have the momentum (going into the playoffs). Everything’s on our side. We’ve just got to keep pushing. Don’t let up.”
Brooke Bloomquist led the Lady Panthers with 22 kills and two aces. Amy Garcia posted five aces and 17 digs. Lindell Galvan chipped in with 40 digs and Maddie Ybarra had 25.
Emily Rivera carried PSJA Memorial with 14 kills. Kristi Gomez added nine and seven digs. Amanda Aguilera (16 assists) and Yessica De Leon (12) shared the distribution load. And Deserey Gomez had three kills and 11 digs and Rachelle Galindo added six digs.
“We went from a two-win season (a year ago) to a playoff season and it was extremely close,” Memorial coach Angie Gonzales said. “And it doesn’t come down to the lsat game. It’s all the heart and all the sweat, all the tears we put in throughout the season. We’ve come a long way.
“Before, it was, ‘Oh, it’s an easy win (against Memorial).’ And now it’s not. Now people have to work for it. So we’re going to continue to work. It’s my second year with these girls and I think the third year might be the charm.”