ROY HESS | Staff Writer
It’s no mistake the Valley Morning Star’s 2019 All-STAR Girls Soccer Team is dominated by the Harlingen South Lady Hawks.
No area girls soccer team has made it to the UIL state quarterfinals during the past 15 years until the Lady Hawks did it this season at the Region IV-6A Tournament. Actually, the South girls were the last ones to reach that level of the playoffs in 2003, so it was a pretty special season for them in 2019.
Three important contributors for the Lady Hawks and winners of top honors on the All-STAR squad are Alise Garza (Offensive Player of the Year), Jackie Guillen (Defensive Player of the Year) and Reid Davis (Goalkeeper of the Year).
They are all seniors.
“I think this season was definitely one of our best seasons,” said Garza, who really stepped up scoring-wise during the playoffs and finished with a double-digit number of goals. “Of the four years that I’ve been here playing on the varsity for South, we worked harder, we fought harder and we definitely came out where we wanted to be (at the regional tournament).”
Garza also was chosen the offensive player of the year in District 32-6A.
“It means everything to me knowing that I worked hard enough to get an award,” she said. “To see where I am now, it’s awesome.”
Davis, whose best moments at goalkeeper this season likely came during the playoffs, is equally appreciative of her award.
“My sophomore year I was on the (All-STAR) team for the Star, and it was just nice,” said Davis, who plans to attend the University of Kentucky and pursue a pre-med degree. “I got injured my junior year, and coming back as a senior, I knew there were a lot of expectations for me to play well. I think the question was, ‘Is she going to come back and play like she did before?’
“It’s nice to be recognized again in the same fashion, particularly for myself in knowing I came back and played just as well as I did before,” Davis added. “It showed that my recovery process was a success, and it’s nice to know that everyone else recognized that, too.”
The standout goalkeeper said it was definitely a season to remember.
“I think we accomplished more than anyone thought we would,” she said. “Getting to the regional tournament was a totally different (level of) game (competition) than district. In district play I was challenged, but never to the point where I had to do much. I made a couple saves a game, and that was pretty much it. When we reached the regional tournament, we played those girls that can really attack and shoot, and that was when I had to really step up (and make a number of saves). The entire team had to really step up.
“So from district play to the regional quarterfinals, we had to make a complete shift in our game,” Davis added. “We knew we had to go out on the field and play the best game we could without exception. Coach Pedroza helped us a lot and told us we were capable of doing it. He told us, ‘You just have to go out and execute.’”
Guillen, likewise, was a key presence on the defensive end at sweeper for the Lady Hawks. She also was named defensive player of the year in 32-6A.
“Jackie was our best defender on a team that had 15 shutouts during the season,” Pedroza said. “She was in charge of the defense and made very good decisions defensively. She’s a fast, aggressive and smart player.”
