Panthers, Wildcats fine athletic year in 2008-09

WESLACO - During the 2008-09 school year, Weslaco High and Weslaco East were very successful in sports.

For the most part, we know that next year both high schools should repeat their performance once again. This year Weslaco High was crowned District 32-5A champions in boys and girls basketball. East was crowned District 63-4A champions in boys soccer. Weslaco High made the playoffs in football, boys and girls basketball and baseball. In football, the Panthers season came to a shocking end against Harlingen High, 63-14, in a bi-district match up back in November at Boggus Stadium.

In boys and girls basketball, both teams successfully made it to the regional quarterfinals before each losing to McAllen High Bulldogs. The boys basketball team gave McHi all they had and more that night before losing in a double-overtime thriller, 54-53, at the UTPA Fieldhouse in Edinburg. The girls basketball team came up short, falling to the Lady Bulldogs, 42-32.

In baseball, local sports fans were shocked to see the Panthers come back after dropping Game 1 to the heavily favored PSJA High in the best-of-three series before capturing Games 2 and 3 to advance to the area round. Weslaco High lost in the area round 8-0 against Eagle Pass in a one-game playoff.

Weslaco East made the playoffs in football, girls basketball, and boys and girls soccer.

Under the Friday Night Lights, the Wildcats had an incredible season with 2,000 rusher Andrew Alvarado. He and the rest of the team faced Corpus Christi Flour Bluff Hornets at home on Nov. 14 and for the second-straight season, fell just short of getting the programs first-ever playoff win as they lost in a nail bitter, 28-26.

In girls basketball, the Lady Wildcats were able to clinch a playoff spot as a fourth seed.

The bi-district round was where the season ended as they faced a strong Alice Lady Coyotes team and lost 55-36.

In boys soccer, the Wildcats lost in a close battle with eventual Class 4A state champion Hidalgo in the area round. In girls soccer, the Lady Wildcats lost on the same night to Valley View, 2-1.

For the second consecutive year Weslaco East was crowned state champions in powerlifting. A key lifter through the journey to state was Eric Torres, who won the 118-pound division. Torres captured two state records-the dead lift (465-pounds) and in points total (1125). Heading into his senior year, Torres looks forward to another banner year at East where it will aim for a three-peat.

"It feels good," said Torres about his performance at the state meet. "I could have probably done better. It says we're something. Hopefully it's now a tradition or something. In the Valley, not really anybody wins a state championship twice."

In golf, Weslaco High senior Elizabeth Hovda came in ninth at the regional meet held in San Antonio in May. Hovda is an excellent golf player who is on a personal mission.

"I plan on being a professional golf player," Hovda said. "After college if I have the opportunity, I'm going to take that."

From East, sophomore golfer Angela Luna looks to make the state meet in her junior year. In 2009 at regionals, she scored 78 in round one and 81 in round two with a combined total of 159.

Luna said her ambition is to continue playing golf after her high school career is over.

"Of course, I plan to do that," said Luna. "It's a big plan for my life. I hopefully want to make it to the LPGA."