Notebook: Looking back at a busy week
Aside from the various state tournaments, the golf and tennis season has come to a close. With that, let’s take a look at where things stand and where things ended up.
GIRLS 5A GOLF
District champions: Sharyland, Harlingen South, Hanna
Individual champion: Jessica Tamen (Edinburg High)
At the regional tournament, Tamen continued her stellar play and took the individual title. She shot a 150 during the two-day event, seven strokes better than second place Allison Howarth of San Antonio MacArthur.
Tamen, for the second consecutive year, advances to the state tournament. This year, it will be on May 12 and 13 at the Jimmy Clay Golf Course in Austin.
BOYS 5A GOLF
District champions: Sharyland, Harlingen South, Weslaco High
Individual champion: Garrison Lackey (Weslaco High)
Despite McAllen High’s superb Day 1, no Valley team qualified for state. However, McAllen Memorial’s Papito Gonzalez bested South’s Roman Robledo in a three-hole playoff to take the second individual qualifier spot out of the region. They both shot a 152, which was fourth overall.
GIRLS 4A GOLF
District champion: Edcouch-Elsa
Individual champion: Ashley Garcia (Edcouch-Elsa)
The Lady Yellowjackets finished in fifth place in the regional tournament, capping off a solid season for coach Jorge Benavides’ squad.
They return four of the six players that went to the regional tournament, setting up what could be another solid season in 2011-12.
BOYS 4A GOLF
District champion: Mission Veterans Memorial
Individual champion: Blair Hensley (Edcouch-Elsa)
The Patriots finished toward the back of the pack in the regional tournament and are losing just one player from their No. 1 team.
5A TENNIS
District titles were won by:
Harlingen South — Tomas Stillman (boys singles), Kate Holder and Ashley Winters (girls doubles), Shane Kyral and Dillon Eizember (boys doubles), Bennett Holder and Danielle Stillman (mixed doubles).
Hanna — Sofia Montemayor (girls singles), Carolina Guerra and Marithe Guerra (girls doubles), Andy Garcia and Claudio Sosa (boys doubles).
Sharyland — Andres Tajonar (boys singles), Camila Anguiano and Ashtyn Egger (girls doubles), Kevin Gonzalez and Amber Cisneros (mixed doubles).
McAllen High — Diana Gonzalez (girls singles), Manuel Brown and Gustavo Ramos (boys doubles).
Rivera — Luis Castillo (boys singles).
Weslaco High — Flo Camacho and Mandy Calderon (mixed doubles).
PSJA North — Elaine Barron (girls singles).
Stillman was the lone state qualifier out of 5A, picking up a true second-place finish at the regional tournament.
He lost in the state finals last year and was the No. 1 seed at the regional tournament this year, but lost to No. 2 seed Tanner Brown of New Braunfels in the final before beating Dennis Garcia of Corpus Christi Carroll to claim second-place.
Stillman advances to the state tournament on May 9 and 10 at the Penick-Allison Tennis Center in Austin.
4A TENNIS
District titles were won by:
Roma — Julia Perez (girls singles), Adrian Garcia (boys singles), Eduardo Marquez Jr. and Alberto Martinez (boys doubles), Hector Hinojosa and Mira Escobar (mixed doubles).
Edcouch-Elsa — Jannessa Esquierdo and Genavieve Ramirez (girls doubles).
Despite Roma’s near sweep of the district, it failed to advance anyone past the quarterfinals of the regional tournament.
However, the young Gladiators team will return many of their players to next year’s squad.
3A TENNIS
District titles were won by:
La Feria — Bianca Chavez (girls singles), Juan Rodriguez (boys singles) Jackie Marquez and Karilu Hernandez (girls doubles), Roy Randall and Onorio Ramos (boys doubles), Jeremy Rodriguez and Alecxia Ceballos (mixed doubles).
The three district-winning doubles teams all claimed second-place at the regional tournament, plus Eli Ramos and Erica Gilbert took the mixed doubles crown to send eight Lions to the 3A state tournament May 12 and 13 at the World of Tennis in Lakeway.
Todd Orodenker covers golf and tennis for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 982-6663 or via e-mail at torodenker@brownsvilleherald.com.
