RGV Volleyball All-Stars
MCALLEN - Volleyball fans have seen it hundreds of times over the course of the pass four years – it doesn’t get old.
Hernandez to Torres to Garcia. Point McAllen Memorial. Sometimes, it would be Garcia to Torres to Sosa.
Point Mustangs.
A majority of the points during the past four years at McAllen Memorial had something combination of the group that was labeled the Fab Foursome since their freshmen year.
Those in attendance were treated to seeing play together one more time on the court as part of the Class 5A West team during the 21st RGV Volleyball Tip of Texas Chapter All Star Game on Sunday at McAllen High School.
Eighty-eight players, all seniors, from 65 schools across the Rio Grande Valley competed in the three matches – Sub 5A, 5A and 6A and, while the West captured all three matches, there were individual displays of terrific talent and some eye-opening surprises.
Hernandez, a Texas A&M commit, was the highlight and joined by non-Memorial All-Stars including McAllen High’s Katherine Williamson, Roma’s Elaiza Martinez and Sharyland Pioneer’s Tera Schumacher as they overpowered the East, led by Andie Lozano-Lomeli, in four sets.
“I’m just so, so grateful for all of the opportunities and times we’ve had together getting to play together year, doing it one last time is bittersweet but it’s so awesome,” Hernandez said. “Everyone I got to meet, players and coaches, were terrific and winning (on McHi’s floor) was, finally, justice.
“I love playing against Andie and we played earlier in the playoffs. She’s amazing. This was everything I expected and more. Valley volleyball is so competitive and I’m been blessed and grateful to be able to do this.”
PSJA showed why they have been the class of 6A in the Valley the previous years as Mia Dominguez, Karina Lucio, Alexa Carranza and Victoria Gonzalez set the pace for the three-set sweep.
Overall, Dominguez once again stepped up her power game and played big at the net. It was clear that those four had played together and took advantage of their combined experience.
Jenna Rios and Shiloh Jones led the East, who were just overpowered the Bears, Edinburg High middle Emily Carranco and Edinburg North outside Etsel Ramirez.
But maybe the most impressive performance came from Deliany Cortinas, who exploded on the court, killing ball after ball, several being hammered well inside the 10-foot line. Despite her East squad falling in five sets, her play on the court not only had fans in awe, but also cheering every time she would go up for a kill. By the fourth set the rest of her team – and everyone else in attendance – knew that she was their best change to pull off the win.
The West’s depth, however, was too much and Kiana Villarreal off Zapata, Krisel Hernandez from Hidalgo, Layla Perez of IDEA Donna and Ashley Gonzalez of Harvest Christian Academy proved to be too many weapons for the East to contend with in what was clearly the most intense and exciting match of the day.
