Meet the RGVSports.com Athletes of the Week. Athletes are voted on by the RGVSports.com sports staff with input from coaches and organizations in each respective sport. RGVSports coverage ranges from Brownsville to Roma. Please send your nominees to [email protected] by 2 p.m. Monday for consideration.
FOOTBALL
QB Julian Valdez, senior, Sharyland Pioneer: Valdez got it done through the air and on the ground Friday night, throwing for 344 yards and six touchdowns, and adding 100 yards and one score on the ground to earn him Week 5’s RGVSports.com Player of the Week award. Valdez’s dominant effort helped lead the Diamondbacks to a 46-40 overtime victory over Laredo Alexander, moving Sharyland Pioneer to 5-0 on the year. The dual-threat quarterback has been one of the best in the RGV his year, throwing for 1,517 yards and 19 touchdowns, also rushing for 335 yards and six scores.
VOLLEYBALL
Miley Zieske, freshman, La Joya Palmview: Zieske came up big for La Joya Palmview last week as the Lobos took sole possession of first place in District 30-5A with huge wins over Mission Veterans and previously undefeated district foe Roma. Zieske, a 5-foot-10 pin-hitter, averaged 16 kills per match, garnering 17 against Mission Veterans in a five-set win, and 15 during a four-set victory over Roma. She also tallied five aces, 24 digs and four blocks in the two matches. Palmview improved to 5-0 in district and 18-12 overall.
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
Roehl Rodriguez, junior, McAllen Memorial: Rodriguez earned his first career varsity win Saturday, coming in first during the Edcouch-Elsa La Maquina 3rd Annual Invitation. The junior distance runner beat out Edcouch-Elsa’s Juan Aguinaga Jr. by 18 seconds for the win. Rodriguez clocked in at 16 minutes, 12.7 seconds. Rodriguez is now set to compete in this weekend’s RGVCCCA’s Meet of Champions.
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
Maddison Surita, senior, Edinburg Economedes: Surita took her talents to Round Rock this weekend and delivered a dominant performance, taking homethe gold in the Class 6A 5,000-meter run during the McNeil Hoka Invitational. The senior distance runner clocked in at 18:49.3, nearly one minute faster than the second-place finisher. Surita’s victory marked her first of her senior year, after having come in the top three during each of her other three races.
