MISSION — The Valley’s best athletes were on full display Saturday night at the 2017 All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet as 33 awards were handed out to individuals, teams and programs.
Former NBA star Robert Horry served as the event’s keynote speaker.
“This isn’t my first trip here to the Valley and I’m excited to be back,” said Horry. “It’s an honor to be selected as the keynote speaker and I’ve met plenty of great athletes here, and I’m excited to be able to share some of my knowledge and experiences with these young athletes.”
It was a great night for Santa Rosa Warriors fans as star player Leo Lara was named Boys Basketball Player of the Year and his coach Johnny Cipriano won the Boys Coach of the Year award.
“I’m at a loss for words because there were plenty of great coaches on the list,” said Cipriano. “I’m honored to have won this award. Every year we try to be the last team standing. That is just something I try and instill in our program, to go out and be the best we can be. For Santa Rosa to win is really something special, and to have the team here means a lot to me and the community.”
Santa Rosa went 29-3 this past season and earned a trip to the UIL Class 3A state semifinals. The Warriors were also nominated for the Sub-6A Boys Team of the Year award, but fell to Brownsville Lopez soccer.
Lara was also nominated for Sub-6A Male Athlete of the Year honor, but Mission Veterans’ Diego Hernandez took home the award.
Lara wrapped up a stellar career at Santa Rosa, winning a district title in each of his four years. Prior to the ceremony, Lara got to meet Horry and sought out some advice from the former NBA star.
“He (Horry) was in the NBA and one day I want to be there,” said Lara. “Any tips or advice I can get, I’ll take. I put myself in his shoes and think if he can do it, I can do it.”
Horry was so intrigued by his conversation with Lara that he used it as an example during his keynote address.
“I had the pleasure of speaking to a young gentleman earlier and he (Lara) asked for my advice. I told him when that you think you’re working hard you’re not. You have to keep working harder and harder. That is one thing I wish people had told me when I was younger, to keep pushing yourself until you can’t go any more,” Horry said.
La Feria’s Tina Sierra was nominated for Girls Cross Country Athlete of the Year, Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year and Sub-6A Female Athlete of the Year. Unfortunately, she came up short in all categories losing to Brianna Robles of La Joya Palmview, Valery Tobias of Edinburg IDEA Quest and Jordan Rudd of Brownsville Veterans, respectively.
The Lions also had Isabel Prado receive a nomination for Girls Golfer of the Year but Julie Lucio of Brownsville Veterans won.
La Feria, meanwhile, was nominated for Sub-6A Program of the Year but, once again, Brownsville Veterans walked away the winner.
Raymondville’s James Alfaro was nominated for Boys Golfer of the Year but Jun Min Lee of Sharyland won instead.
Lyford tennis star Nick Martinez was nominated for Boys Tennis Player of the Year but fell to Jack Wang of McAllen Memorial.
Meanwhile, Harlingen South’s Grace Bell and Valeria Montero received nominations for Girls Tennis Player of the Year, however, Chantel Lozano of Roma walked away the winner.
WINNERS:
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
— Daniel De La Cruz, Donna North
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
— Brianna Robles, La Joya Palmview
VOLLEYBALL PLAYER
— Jackie Kingsburry, Los Fresnos
FOOTBALL PLAYER
— Diego Hernandez, Mission Veterans
GIRLS BASKETBALL PLAYER
— Jordan Rudd, Brownsville Veterans
BOYS BASKETBALL PLAYER
— Leo Lara, Santa Rosa
BOYS SOCCER PLAYER
— Jose Echavarria, Brownsvile Lopez
GIRLS SOCCER PLAYER
— Tanya Prazelini, Los Fresnos
BOYS TENNIS PLAYER
— Jack Wang, McAllen Memorial
GIRLS TENNIS PLAYER
— Chantel Lozano, Roma
BOYS GOLFER
— Jun Min Lee, Sharyland
GIRLS GOLFER
— Julie Lucio, Brownsville Veterans
BOYS SWIMMER
— Shaine Casas, McAllen
GIRLS SWIMMER
— Maya Athena Imperial, Brownsville Hanna
BOYS TRACK & FIELD
— Sydney Mock, Port Isabel
GIRLS TRACK & FIELD
— Valery Tobias, Edinburg IDEA Quest
BOYS WRESTLER
— Guadalupe Rodriguez, Mission
GIRLS WRESTLER
— Amanda Alvarado, McAllen Memorial
SOFTBALL PLAYER
— Audrey Escamilla, Weslaco
BASEBALL PLAYER
— Noel Vela, Mission Veterans
6A FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
— Tanya Prazelini, Los Fresnos
6A MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
— Trey Guajrado, PSJA
SUB-6A FEMALE ATHLETE
— Jordan Rudd, Brownsville Veterans
SUB-6A MALE ATHLETE
— Diego Hernandez, Mission Veterans
6A GIRLS TEAM OF THE YEAR
— Los Fresnos soccer
6A BOYS TEAM OF THE YEAR
— La Joya Juarez-Lincoln soccer
SUB-6A GIRLS TEAM OF THE YEAR
— Brownsville Veterans golf
SUB-6A BOYS TEAM OF THE YEAR
— Brownsville Lopez soccer
BOYS COACH OF THE YEAR
— Johnny Cipriano, Santa Rosa basketball
GIRLS COACH OF THE YEAR
— Peter A. Rodriguez, Rivera soccer
6A PROGRAM OF THE YEAR
— Weslaco High
SUB-6A PROGRAM OF THE YEAR
— Brownsville Veterans
