HARLINGEN — The Harlingen High Lady Cardinals ran the table in District 32-6A to claim their first district championship in 10 years.
They’ve achieved several goals already this season, but they’re not satisfied. The undefeated Lady Cardinals are eyeing a long playoff run, and they’ll get the journey started at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Edinburg North.
“This is my fifth year here and every year we made the playoffs, but winning district has always been the goal. To finally get it, they were enthusiastic. The hard work finally paid off,” coach Debra Galvan said. “We didn’t even know if we’d have a season, so we played every game like it was our last. The girls have really adapted to (playing during the COVID-19 pandemic), and in a way it benefited us because the girls played with so much heart every game.”
That heart is a result of the commitment the Lady Cardinals have to the sport, their teammates and the program. Galvan praised the girls for setting goals and committing to achieving them, and by giving 100 percent at every practice and game, their hard work has come to fruition.
Commitment from each Lady Cardinals player to “doing their part in their position” has created a deep and dependable roster. That depth has been a key component to the stellar season. Galvan said the team isn’t built on individual talent, rather “this team grows together and they mesh really well, and our strength is playing as a team.”
Jacqueline Vargas, Lauren Powell and Rebeka Jimenez are Harlingen High’s captains and three standouts on the squad. Vargas said all the battles the Lady Cardinals have overcome this season showed them “that nothing’s going to come easy, but also, nothing is impossible.” As one of only four seniors on the roster, this season has been extra meaningful for Vargas.
“Before every season we set goals and it’s always, ‘Beat (Harlingen) South twice. Beat Los Fresnos twice. Win district,’” Vargas said. “Undefeated was never really there, so for us to make those dreams into reality and be undefeated, it’s everything. I’ve never been so proud in my entire life. It’s awesome.”
Powell said completing the sweep against South was a defining moment in the season. She said achieving that goal made the team realize its potential, and now that the players know what they’re capable of, the family oriented Lady Cardinals are ready to keep the season alive as long as possible.
“We’ve never beaten South twice, so for us to do that was a really big accomplishment,” Powell said. “Our coach sat down with us and told us, ‘We can go far if we just have the right mindset,’ and that’s when we knew we could. We’re super excited (about the playoffs). We have nerves, obviously, but we’re going to use it to our advantage. We’ve made it this far, so we want to keep going.”
Powell said the Lady Cardinals “are all best friends,” and sophomore midfielder/forward Rosa Zapata echoed that sentiment. They said the chemistry fosters trust and strong communication, and those qualities aid their success and have Harlingen High confident heading into the bi-district game.
“We know how to communicate with each other on and off the field, so if we’re having trouble with something, we fix it up,” Zapata said. “Our defense is really good. Sending through balls, those help because our forwards are really fast as well and have good vision on the field. … We haven’t seen (Edinburg North), but I feel pretty good that we’ll be able to win because this team’s pretty special.”
Senior forward Alexa Gonzalez has scored some big goals for Harlingen High this season, and while Galvan praised her abilities, Gonzalez quickly pointed the attention back to her teammates. Her selfless attitude epitomizes the bond that the Lady Cardinals believe make this team different, and the commitment they have to being their best for one another will be the backbone of their playoff journey.
“I have had really special goals this season, but at the same time, it wouldn’t have happened without the whole team,” Gonzalez said. “Getting to win together and celebrating together is so special. We’ve grown together a lot, and we’ve come a long way. I think we’re really deserving of (this season’s success). We’ve accomplished a lot of goals, so I’m really confident in how far we can go. We never want to be content, we want to go as far as we possibly can, Sweet 16 or even Elite 8 and more.”
