RGV Roundup: Former Donna star shines at meet
Donna graduate Juan Davila (5-foot-8), a senior at Northwood University in Cider Hill, Texas, captured his second consecutive Red River Athletic Conference men's cross country championship, winning the race in 25 minutes, 41 seconds. Northwood scored 16 points in winning the team title for the 16th time over the past 17 years. Davila's time was a personal best and earned him a spot on the RRAC XC All-Conference team.
Also running for the Knights was Sinai Lopez (5-10, junior), who attended Mission High. Lopez placed sixth in a time of 27:34. Carlos Hernandez (5-8, freshman) from Los Fresnos was also on the roster.
Two other former Valley runners also competed at Northwood this fall. Paula Cervantes (5-3, senior) from PSJA North and Diana Jaime (5-0, junior) from La Joya helped the Lady Knights capture the RRAC crown for the 18th consecutive year. Jaime placed third with a time of 19:57, while Cervantes finished fifth (20:26).
Los Fresnos alum Alice Ross (5-6), a freshman runner at Graceland University, placed 43rd in the Women's 5K Run at the Heart of America Athletics Conference meet held in St. Charles, Missouri.
Ross finished in 21:27.40 as Graceland placed fifth in the team standings.
BASKETBALL
Karina Uresti (6-2, junior) is a member of the Jarvis Christian College women's squad this season. The school is located in Hawkins, Texas and competes in the Red River Conference. Uresti played high school ball at Brownsville Rivera. The next game is at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 1 at home against Louisiana-Shreveport.
PSJA North's J.C. Herbia (6-6, junior), who is at Piedmont College in Georgia, scored 18 points during an 89-63 exhibition loss against Mercer, which is coached by former University of Texas-Pan American and RGV Vipers coach Bob Hoffman. Herebia, a transfer from Texas Lutheran, added six rebounds in 21 minutes.
FOOTBALL
Josh Saenz (5-11, 185), a McAllen High alum, was one of four Mary Hardin-Baylor players selected on the American Southwest Conference Honorable Mention All-Conference team. The Crusaders placed 24 players on the ASC team. Saenz, a quarterback, threw for 938 yards and 10 touchdowns during the regular season. He also had a team-leading 479 yards rushing and nine touchdowns on the ground.
At Texas A&M-Kingsville, Billy Garza (6-1, 235), a former star at Brownsville Porter, and former McHi standout Christian Brom (5-7, 150) were named to the Lone Star Conference South Division honorable mention team.
Garza ranked fourth overall in passing in the LSC, throwing for 2,787 yards and 23 touchdowns in 11 games. He completed 209-of-370 attempts for 12 touchdowns. Garza ranked fifth in passing efficiency (133.8 average).
Brom, who appeared in 10 games for the Javelinas, ranked fourth in the LSC in kick scoring with 61 points (37-of-38 PATs, 8-of-12 field goals) and was second in kicking percentage (97.4).
Gerardo Alegria (6-5, 320), a graduate of Brownsville Pace, played this season for Graceland. Alegria was listed as a sophomore lineman. Isaac Martinez (5-10, 195) from Los Fresnos, a junior, was listed as an inside linebacker for the NAIA Division I Graceland squad, located in Lamoni, Iowa
SWIMMING
Justine Merritt (5-3), a junior at Guilford College in Greensboro, N.C., was named the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Swimmer of the Week. It was the third time the McAllen Memorial alum's career she has earned the conference honor and is Guilford's first winner of the weekly award this year. Merritt won two individual events and swam on one winning relay squad in Guilford's win over Salem College.
Pikey Rodriguez is a longtime sportswriter in the Rio Grande Valley. His column runs every Tuesday. To share your college news, you can reach him at (956) 683-4450 or via e-mail at wbaker@themonitor.com.
