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When you ask some of the top forwards in the East Valley like Brownsville Hanna’s Ana Barragan, Los Fresnos’ Ashley Esparza and Harlingen South’s Sarah Garza the name of the best defender they played against this year, you are met with a smile and “Lauren.”
Lauren Powell patrolled the Harlingen High defense, playing in the sweeper/last defender role for the District 32-6A champions. Powell is the Valley Morning Star’s 2021-2022 All-Star Girls Soccer Most Valuable Player.
“It is shocking,” Powell said. “I feel like there were a lot of girls in our district that was well deserving of it, so it is an honor and I am very thankful.”
Harlingen High also secured a bi-district playoff victory against Edinburg Economedes, 1-0.
“I wished we could have gone further in the playoffs, but anybody can say that,” she said. “I think we did what we could do, and I am happy with what we did.”
Defensively, no team matched the Cardinals in the Harlingen area. Only Los Fresnos bettered Harlingen High in District 32-6A.
Powell said because it was her senior year, she and fellow seniors approached every match like it could be their last. The Cardinals’ defense only allowed nine goals in district play this season and kept seven clean sheets.
“Defenders and goalies sometimes get looked over, the glory goes to the people who score the goals,” she said. “It is unfortunate, but I am happy a defender got it because it shows defenders that we do get recognized sometimes and hopefully it shows defenders that they can own that role and get credit.”
Powell was also a solid passer. When the Cardinals looked to build out of the back, the center backs at times were responsible to begin the buildup. Powell credited her club team, Classic Elite, for helping her develop the confidence required for those important moments.
The center back also thanked her coaches at Harlingen High and was appreciative of her time as a Cardinal.
“Defense and goalies make a mistake, and it is known to everybody,” Harlingen High coach Debra Galvan said. “I tell the team that we cannot win without a good defense. Lauren stepped in that sweeper position with a lot of talent, took on that position and did really well.”
Powell was named District 32-6A’s defensive player of the year.
Offensive Player of the Year
Sarah Garza, Harlingen South
It is back-to-back All-Star offensive player of the year honors for the St. Mary’s bound forward. Garza finished 24 times this season to help the Hawks to a bi-district playoff appearance.
“It is a real big honor to me,” she said. “Coming in as a freshman, I knew the competition I was playing against, and definitely throughout the years I realized the district that we play in is not an easy district. So to get an award, out of all the girls I play against, is an honor.”
Garza thanked her team and said she would not have received the award if not for her teammates.
Garza’s most meaningful goal this season came in the second Bird Bowl. After a heavy 5-1 defeat in their first meeting, the Hawks bounced back with a draw. Garza equalized to send the teams to penalties and deny the Cardinals the full points.
The 2021-2022 season was the last for Omar Pedroza as the Hawks’ head coach. He will still be an assistant on the team next season.
“I am incredibly thankful to (Pedroza) and his guidance the last four years,” Garza said. “Coming in as a freshman, I was scared and I felt like I could always go to him for advice. That and along with all of the coaching staff that have come in the last two years, I am very appreciative of them.”
Pedroza said Garza will be very hard to replace.
“If it was a tough game and we needed someone to score, (Garza) would usually do it,” Pedroza said. “Whenever she was unable to score, there were two people and it opened the game up for everyone else.”
Garza finished her South career with 93 goals.
Defensive Player of the Year
Aliyah Fonseca, Harlingen South
Fonseca, last year’s All-Star newcomer of the year, is this season’s defensive player of the year.
Fonseca, a cross country runner, stepped into the sweeper role for Lady Hawks, anchoring the third-best defensive team in District 32-6A. She received first-team all-district honors for her efforts.
“It is pretty cool to get the award,” Fonseca. “I am a sophomore, so I have not gotten used to the high school feeling yet, there is a lot of pressure.”
Pedroza’s teams play with a true stopper, and in his defense the stopper is in control. Pedroza said he put a lot of trust in the sophomore this year.
“She did incredible,” he said. “She can run for days, her sister, Alexis, also an outstanding player. The Fonsecas know what to do. We also have three of the four defenders coming back, so next year we are going to be pretty solid.”
The sophomore said the second Bird Bowl was the defense’s best performance. It also picked up an impressive 1-0 win against Donna North late in the season to propel the Hawks to their playoff appearance.
“We really put it out there,” Fonseca said about the Bird Bowl. “You can tell the last 10 minutes that we were all really tired, but everyone wanted it. We pushed through and did not let them score a second goal.”
Fonseca is excited for the next couple years as a Hawk.
Goalkeeper of the Year
Erianah Garza, Harlingen High
Garza was between the posts for the District 32-6A champions this season. Clutch penalty shootout victories for Garza and the Cardinals were pivotal during Harlingen High’s title-defending season.
“I feel very happy and honored because I never thought I could do it,” Garza said. “I barely played the position, so I did not have a lot of experience.”
Harlingen High won both of its shootouts this season against Harlingen South and Los Fresnos. The Cardinals lifted the title on the final match of the season, beating the Falcons by only two points.
“I hate going into penalties because all of the pressure is on you,” Garza said. “In my mind I think, all I need to do is just get one save. I feel really proud of myself when I do come through in those moments. I am grateful that I get to show my teammates all of the potential that I have.”
Garza’s saves secured an extra point in each of those matches.
“Thank God we have never struggled for goalies. When we do need a goalie someone always steps in, and Erianah was one of them,” Galvan said. “We had a goalie, and we needed a new one. Erianah said she can play, and she stepped up huge for us.”
Garza was happy about her time as a Cardinal, and said learning a new position made the time a lot more memorable and valuable.
Newcomer of the Year
Damaris Solis, Harlingen South
Solis hit the varsity level in stride this season, scoring 12 goals for the Hawks. to earn the All-Star newcomer honor.
“I am very happy that I received the award,” Solis said. “I always try my best to improve.”
Solis felt she had a good season, considering she was a freshman. The first-team all-district forward based how well her season was on if she played most of the game.
Solis said she was used to the speed because she played with older girls and has played with her club team, Classic Elite, for the past three years.
Pedroza said Solis will be taking Sarah Garza’s spot as the main forward next year.
“Unless someone else comes along, she will be the one scoring most of the goals for us,” he said. “She stepped up and played some huge games for us, and took the pressure off of Sarah for us. Great dribbler. She is going to be a good player for us the next three years.”
Another cross country athlete, Pedroza said Solis can play in any forward position and also drop into the midfield. Solis will be a player to watch when Harlingen South drops to 5A next season.
“I want to thank my coaches and my teammates for helping me,” Solis said. “I am going to try and continue to improve.”
Coach of the Year
Debra Galvan, Harlingen High
Galvan will return to her alma mater, Harlingen South, next season. This season, Galvan coached the Cardinals to a District 32-6A crown, successfully defending the title.
Galvan is the Valley Morning Star’s Coach of the Year.
“It is nice, we work really hard,” Galvan said. “I have always loved playing soccer. It is my passion, and I always wanted to build a program. Seeing the hard work at least get acknowledged, it means a lot and says a lot.”
Galvan said that before heading to Harlingen High she never thought she could wear red, black and white. Now that is all she has in her closet.
“I have learned that so much tradition was here, that I never knew before,” she said. “Being in this program for a total of nine years, you get to really grow and learn about those traditions, the players, students and the campus. It is really nice to say that I became a part of this.”
Galvan said saying things like, ‘The Harlingen High’ and, ‘Cardinal Spirit Never Dies’ was different at first, but then became natural.
“I came in with a goal, and that was to build this program and get these girls to be able to succeed in life,” she said. “It is bittersweet. I am going to miss this program, and not just the girls but the parents as well.”
