Big 7 teams and individual athletes achieve excellence
As 2024 comes to a close, it’s time to recognize the year’s top sports achievements among the seven high schools from the Mission, Sharyland and La Joya school districts, the Big 7. Looking back over the past 12 months, we’ve come to realize that for the most part, Big 7 teams and individual athletes excelled in pretty much every sport they competed in. As a result, we cannot include each and every worthy achievement here. Instead, we’ve decided to narrow down the list to what we consider to be the Big 7’s top 10 sports achievements of the 2024 calendar year.
- Mission Veterans’ Kaitlin Ocanas and Deseray Rodriguez – THSWPA State Powerlifting championships; third consecutive championship for Rodriguez
As a high school athlete, winning a state championship is as good as it gets. Unless of course you are a two time state champion, or better yet a three time state champion. That’s what Lady Patriots’ powerlifter Deseray Rodriguez accomplished over the past three years and is why she is on the top of this list. In addition, Rodriguez and fellow state champion teammate Kaitlin Ocanas were instrumental in securing the Lady Patriots’ powerlifting team a third place finish at the THSWPA Girls Powerlifting State Championship. Congratulations to Deseray and her teammates for representing Mission Veterans High School and the Big 7 so well.
- Sharyland Rattlers’ Team Tennis – Undefeated District Champions, Regional Champions, Bronze medalists at the State Meet.
The Sharyland Rattlers Team Tennis team made history in 2024 by being the first SHS Team Tennis team to win the Region 4 championship and advance to the UIL 5A State Tournament. They preceded this by first claiming an undefeated District 31-5A championship, defeating Brownsville Pace 15-0 in the Bi-district round, defeating Corpus Christ Ray 10-0 in the Area round, defeating Harlingen South 10-2 in the Regional Quarterfinal round, defeating and defeating Boerne 10-5 in the Regional Semifinal round. The Rattlers then defeated San Antonio Alamo Heights in the Regional Final to advance to the UIL 5A Team Tennis State Tournament.
Members of Rattlers’ Team Tennis team were Ana Jimenez, Sofia Cantu, Selah Geddes, Shyrabelle Buquel, Isabela Berburg, Emilia De La Cruz, Maria Iniesta, Sarah Tamez, Stephany Vergara, Grace Shahin, Dasha De La Torre, Evelyn Sanchez, Santiago Aguirre, Gustavo Rico, Dario Fraga, Andres Garcia, Diego Sanchez, Victor Silva, Santiago Garcia, Eduardo Gonzalez, Fernando Jimeno, Mayron Landin and Koen Aggarago.
- La Joya Lady Coyotes’ softball team – Undefeated District champions, Bi-district and Area champions, Regional Quarterfinal qualifier
Led by All-State junior pitcher Arlette Hernandez (20-4 record, .048 ERA, 274 strikeouts), the La Joya Lady Coyotes softball team reached new heights in 2024 by advancing into the Regional Quarterfinals for the first time in school history. Hernandez’s most impressive outing was against San Antonio Harlan in the Area round where she chalked up 20 strikeouts against San Antonio Harlan in Game 1 of their best-of-three Area round series.
As a team, the Lady Coyotes went 10-0 in District 31-6A play (24-6 overall) and outscored their opponents by more than a 10-1 margin (101-9). They defeated the Los Fresnos Lady Falcons two games to none in the Bi-district round of the playoffs and San Antonio Harlan two games to none in the Area Round before being eliminated in the Regional Quarterfinal round two games to none by the eventual state champion Weslaco Lady Panthers.
- La Joya High’s Baseball Team – Bi-District champions, Area champions, Regional Quarterfinal champions, Regional Semifinalists
With an 8-2 District 31-6A record, the La Joya Coyotes’ baseball team did not win a district championship. However they did win Bi-district, Area and Regional Quarterfinal championships and advanced into the Regional Semifinals where they lost to San Antonio Johnson two games to none.
The Coyotes and the McAllen Memorial Mustangs were the last two Valley teams standing heading into the Regional Semifinal round. After defeating San Benito two games to none in the Bi-district round of the UIL state playoffs, the Coyotes lost the first game of their best-of-three series against San Antonio Brennan in the Area round and the Weslaco Panthers in the Regional Quarterfinal round before winning games two and three in both series to advance into the Regional Semifinal round.
- Sharyland Lady Rattlers and Pioneer Lady Diamondbacks’ volleyball teams – District (Lady Rattlers), Bi-district and Area champions, Regional Semifinal qualifiers
Having one team in a school district advance into the Regional Semifinal round of the UIL state playoffs is quite an accomplishment. Having two teams accomplish this feat is even more impressive. That’s why we have the Lady Rattlers’ and the Lady Diamondbacks’ volleyball teams sharing this spot in our Top 10 Sports Achievements of the Year list.
After finishing off their 2022/2023 District 31-5A schedule with a 17-1 record and their 2023/2024 schedule with a perfect 18-0 record, the Lady Rattlers won their third consecutive district championship this year with a 15-1 record. The Lady Rattlers then went on to earn a Bi-district championship by defeating Brownsville Lopez 3-0 and earn an Area championship by defeating Gregory Portland 3-1 before falling to Cedar Park 0-3 in the Regional Semifinal round.
As for the Lady Diamondbacks, their 11-5 District 31-5A record this season earned them a third place finish, but more importantly it punched their ticket into the UIL State playoffs where they made the best of the opportunity by defeating Brownsville Pace 3-0 to earn a Bi-district championship and by defeating the Mission Veterans Lady Patriots 3-0 to earn an Area championship. They then fell to Liberty Hill 1-3 in the Regional Semifinal round to bring their 2024/2025 season to an end.
- Sharyland Pioneer Diamondbacks Angel Rodriguez – Long jump District and Area champion, 400m Dash District, Area and Regional Champion, State qualifier in both events
It takes an exceptional athlete to qualify for the UIL Track and Field State Meet in one event. That’s because only the best-of-the-best in each event across the state accomplish this. Sharyland Pioneer’s Angel Rodriguez was one of those top tier athletes in the Long Jump. However, Rodriguez did not stop there. He was also one of those top tier athletes in the 400m Dash.
By winning District and Area championships in the Long Jump and District, Area and Regional championships in the 400m Dash, and by being a two event state qualifier, Angel Rodriguez accomplished what few ever do.
While his 6th place finish in the Long Jump, and his 8th place finish in the 400m Dash at the State Meet did not earn Rodriguez any medals, he did Sharyland Pioneer High School and the Big 7 proud by earning the right to compete in two events at the highest level of completion in the state.
- Juarez-Lincoln Huskies’ boys’ soccer – 8th consecutive District championship and Area champions, Regional Quarterfinal qualifiers
Winning district championships has become a habit for the Juarez-Lincoln Huskies boys’ soccer team. So much so that they’ve now won eight district championships in a row. If winning eight district titles in a row isn’t impressive enough for you, how about the fact that over that eight year period, the Huskies have a combined district record of 101-6-2?!?
In the 2023/2024 UIL State Playoffs, the Huskies defeated Victoria East 6-1 to earn a Bi-district championship and they defeated Donna North 3-0 to earn an Area championship. In the Regional Quarterfinal round however, the Huskies lost to Flour Bluff by a score of 1-2.
Huskies’ players that received individual honors were senior Omar Solis, District MVP, senior Edgar Hernandez, Utility Player of the Year and junior Jovany Martinez, Defensive Player of the Year.
- Mission Eagles’ quarterback Diego Salinas – 2,824 passing yards, 27 touchdowns
Thanks in part to the play of senior quarterback Diego Salinas, the Mission Eagles football team has qualified for the UIL State Playoffs two years in a row. Over his high school career, Salinas has passed for 6,344 yards with 60 touchdowns. He has also rushed for 1,259 yards and eight touchdowns. This year Salinas passed for 2,824 yards and 27 touchdowns while rushing for 331 yards and three touchdowns.
Salinas had one of his best games of the season against Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial in the Bi-district round of the playoffs. In that game he passed for 400 yards and four touchdowns. He carried the ball 15 times for 48 yards and another touchdown as well. Unfortunately for the Eagles’ faithful, they lost that game by a score of 35-45 to bring an end to the Eagles’ 2024/2025 season and to Salinas’ high school career.
- Sharyland Pioneer boys basketball team – Bi-district and Area champions, Regional Quarterfinal qualifiers
With an 11-7 District 31-5A record, the Pioneer Diamondbacks boys’ basketball team finished fourth in the standings and as a result, earned the district’s final playoff spot. As a general rule, fourth seeds do not fare well in the playoffs, partly due to the fact that their first round opponents are first place teams. The 2023/2024 Diamondbacks however were the exception to the rule.
The Diamondbacks proceeded to earn a Bi-district championship by defeating 17-1 (26-9 overall) Weslaco East by a score of 42-40, and an Area championship by defeating 8-1 (30-6 overall) Gregory Portland by a score of 60-55. Next up for the Diamondbacks was 18-0 (36-6 overall) Edinburg Vela in the Regional Quarterfinal round. Unfortunately, that was where the Diamondbacks’ Cinderella playoff run came to an end when they lost to the Sabercats by a score of 63-41. Even so, the Diamondbacks surprised a lot of people, including their first two playoff opponents, by advancing as far as they did in the UIL State Playoffs and earning two championships along the way.
- Palmview Lady Lobos softball team – District, Bi-district, Area champions, Regional Quarterfinal qualifiers
The Palmview Lady Lobos’ softball team won its first ever District 30-5A championship in 2024 by compiling a 13-1 (27-9 overall) record. They then went on to earn a Bi-district championship by defeating Gregory Portland two games to none and an Area championship by defeating the Pioneer Lady Diamondbacks two games to one. They then faced off against Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial in a one game, winner take all playoff. A game the Lady Lobos lost 0-1 when the Lady Eagles scored the only run of the game in the bottom of the seventh inning.
The Lady Lobos’ historic season included their first ever District, Bi-district and Area championships and their first ever appearance in the Regional Quarterfinal round of the UIL State Playoffs.
Honorable Mentions:
Sharyland Rattlers Aiden Baker and Nicholas Torres – 4th at the UIL State Wrestling Championships, Jorge Avila places 8th
There were no wrestling state championships among Big 7 schools in 2024. However, the Sharyland Rattlers boys’ wrestling program did have three wrestlers qualify for the UIL Wrestling State Tournament.
Aiden Baker advanced to the State Meet in the 113 lb. weight class by earning his second ever District and Regional championships in 2024. Nicholas Torres joined Baker at the State Meet in the 138 lb. weight class after earning his second ever District Championship and by qualifying at the Regional Tournament. Baker and Torres both placed 4th at the State Tournament in their respective weight classes. Fellow Rattlers’ wrestler Jorge Avila placed 8th in the 150 lb. weight class at the State Tournament.
Juarez-Lincoln Huskies’ football team – Break 34 game losing streak, Angel Raya scores touchdown
Under the leadership of first year head coach Daniel Cortez, the Juarez-Lincoln Huskies football team broke its 34 game losing streak in 2024 by defeating Donna North in Week 2 by a score of 28-21.
While that was the only win of the Huskies’ season, it was not the most memorable moment. That came during their game against the Palmview Lobos, when special needs student athlete Angel “Tanquecito” Raya’s dream came true. That’s because Raya was allowed to suit up with the varsity team and take the field for one play. He was handed the ball and he broke through the line and proceeded to run 80 yards for a touchdown, as fans from both teams cheered him on. Raya was then carried off the field by his Huskies’ teammates.