Intense competition for Girls Athlete of the Year
This year’s Girls Athlete of the Year nominees for the RGV All-Star Sports Awards includes one Best, two multi-sports stars and four who had state-level credentials.
The winner will be revealed on Tuesday night at Yeckel Auditorium in Harlingen.
The nominees include Los Fresnos senior Ashley Benavides, McAllen Rowe senior Brittanie Best, San Benito senior Amanda Garza, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln junior Emily Perez, Grulla senior Samantha Sepulveda, Edinburg High junior Jessica Tamen and Edinburg High senior Laura Torres.
Best is the only one from the group who was nominated for the same category last year. Best was named Valley Freedom Newspapers’ Player of the Year in volleyball for a second-straight season. The middle blocker, who signed with Texas-Pan American, recorded 638 kills, 229 blocks and 381 digs and helped lead the Lady Warriors to back-to-back appearances at the Region IV-5A tournament in San Antonio.
In addition, Best earned MVP honors in District 30-5A for a second straight season. She was also named the MVP for the Mission High tournament and made the all-tournament team at PSJA North.
Benavides stayed busy juggling volleyball and basketball duties for Los Fresnos. Benavides was one of two nominees to make All-Valley teams in two sports. Benavides was a first-team selection in basketball, the only athlete from District 32-5A to earn that distinction. Benavides averaged 15.2 points and 13.2 rebounds. She signed with Texas A&M-Kingsville in basketball. In volleyball, Benavides was a second-team All-Valley pick. She earned first-team all-district honors in both sports.
Garza stayed just as busy playing volleyball, basketball and softball for San Benito. Like Benavides, Garza made two All-Valley teams. She was a first-team pick in softball after helping the Lady Greyhounds get to regional final round, the deepest run ever by any Valley team.
Garza made the second team in basketball after helping the Lady Greyhounds earn their first district title in program history. In addition, Garza all-district MVP in basketball and co-MVP in softball. Garza made the all-district first team in volleyball.
Perez was one of three nominees that were qualified for state. Perez was a Class 4A state qualifier in both cross country and track. In track, Perez qualified for the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs. She was fourth in the 1,600 and eighth in the 3,200. In cross country, Perez finished in fifth place, 10 seconds behind the winner. Perez ran the second-fastest time in Valley history in the 1,600 (4 minutes, 58.89 seconds) at a regional qualifier meet at The Woodlands.
Sepulveda nearly made a perfect run competing for Grulla in wrestling. She qualified for the state meet and advanced to the final in the 119-pound division. Sepulveda was one of two Valley athletes to stay alive in the championship bracket on the second day of the state meet and the only one who advanced to a state championship match. Prior to competing for first-year Grulla, Sepulveda was a state-qualifier for Rio Grande City.
Tamen also made a repeat state appearance in golf. Tamen finished 12th in the Class 5A, shooting 153 for the two-day tournament. Tamen qualified for the state tournament by capturing the Region IV-5A individual championship by seven strokes on her home course, Los Lagos Golf Club in Edinburg. At the regional tournament, Tamen had a one-stroke lead heading into the final day before she pulled away for her first regional championship.
Torres also made an impact at the state level. The Lady Bobcats guard was the only Valley basketball player named to any of the all-state teams released by the Texas Girls Coaches Association. Torres was named VFN’s All-Valley Player of the Year in basketball after she averaged 21.0 points, 6.5 steals and 6.8 rebounds for the Lady Bobcats, who advanced to the regional tournament for the second-straight season. Torres was also named District 31-5A’s MVP.
David Hinojosa covers high school sports for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4442.
THE NOMINEES
GIRLS ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
>> Amanda Garza, Sr., San Benito
>> Ashley Benavides, Sr., Los Fresnos
>> Brittanie Best, Sr., McAllen Rowe
>> Emily Perez, Jr., La Joya Juarez-Lincoln
>> Jessica Tamen, Jr., Edinburg High
>> Laura Torres, Sr., Edinburg High
>> Samantha Sepulveda, Sr., Grulla
BOYS ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
>> Aaron Olvera, Sr., Edinburg High
>> Bobby Gonzalez, Sr., Weslaco East
>> Moises Gonzalez, Sr., Brownsville Lopez
>> Randy Bermea, Jr., Harlingen High
>> Ricky Mata, Sr., Sharyland
>> Skylore Janes, Sr., Raymondville
>> Tony Jaramillo, Sr., Rio Hondo
COACH OF THE YEAR
>> Clarisse Arredondo, San Benito Girls Basketball
>> David Gilpin, Mission Veterans Football
>> Eddie Serna, Weslaco High Baseball
>> Jose Espitia, Brownsville Porter Boys Soccer
>> Juan Hernandez, La Feria Tennis
>> Lorena Lopez, McAllen Memorial Volleyball
>> Manny Gomez, Harlingen High Football
GIRLS TEAM OF THE YEAR
>> Harlingen South Basketball
>> Hidalgo Basketball
>> McAllen High Soccer
>> McAllen Memorial Volleyball
>> McAllen Rowe Volleyball
>> Mission Veterans Track & Field
>> San Benito Softball
BOYS TEAM OF THE YEAR
>> Brownsville Porter Soccer
>> Edinburg High Basketball
>> Harlingen High Football
>> PSJA Memorial Track & Field
>> Sharyland Baseball
>> Sharyland Track & Field
>> Weslaco East Football
PROGRAM OF THE YEAR
>> Edinburg High
>> Harlingen High
>> McAllen High
>> Mission Veterans
>> Rio Hondo
>> Sharyland
>> Weslaco High
MOMENT OF THE YEAR
>> Bermea breaks 23-year Valley record in 110 hurdles and 24-year mark in 300 hurdles.
>> PSJA Memorial wins 65-58 offensive showdown against La Joya Palmview during Week 1.
>> La Villa’s Garza eclipses Detmer’s all-time Valley single game passing mark.
>> Porter beats Lopez in battle of Southmost at regional soccer final in Brownsville.
>> Casas’ buzzer beater at end of regulation keeps Edinburg High’s season alive.
>> Garza’s hit on Gonzalez makes statement in Mission Veterans’ win against Weslaco East.
>> Edinburg High scores 17 unanswered in final eight minutes to stun Sharyland in playoffs.
SPIRIT AWARD
>> Brownsville Porter
>> Edcouch-Elsa
>> Edinburg High
>> Harlingen High
>> Los Fresnos
>> San Benito
>> Weslaco High
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD RECIPIENT
>> Bobby Barker, Sr., Port Isabel
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENT
>> Joe Rodriguez, Brownsville ISD
