2nd RGV All-Star Sports Awards Nominees Named!

RGVSports.com has announced the nominees for the 2nd RGV All-Star Sports Awards to take place at 6 pm on Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at the Marine Military Academy Yeckel Auditorium in Harlingen.

Join us on June 16th to celebrate and recognize the achievments of this year's nominees and find out who will walk away with the honors. General Admission ticket pricing is $10 per person and can be purchase 24/7 through EZ-TIXX web site www.ez-tixx.com, through the seven (7) retail outlets across the Valley or by calling 1-877-993-8499. For more information, please call Joanna Quintana at 956-421-2400.

Nominees:

Male Athlete of the Year

Adrian Moya, Brownsville Porter

Stephen Saenz, Rio Grande City

Jesus Mireles, Hidalgo

Joseph Vela, Rio Hondo

Sam Mangum, McAllen High

Erik Nino, Edcouch-Elsa

Luis Charles, Los Fresnos

Female Athlete of the Year

Bianca Torre, Harlingen South

Marissa Shinsky, St. Joseph's Academy

Felicia Espericueta, Edinburg North

Tricia Terry, McAllen Memorial

Victoria Gonzalez, Hidalgo

Cinthia Adame, San Benito

Jennifer Garcia, Harlingen High

Team of the Year (Boys)

Hidalgo Soccer - Santa Rosa Basketball - Brownsville Hanna Baseball - La Feria Football - Los Fresnos Football - Brownsville Lopez Soccer - Sharyland Baseball

Team of the Year (Girls)

Hidalgo Basketball - San Benito Track & Field - Lyford Softball - Harlingen High Softball - Harlingen South Basketball - McAllen High Soccer - Harlingen South Soccer

Athletic Program of the Year

Los Fresnos - Sharyland - McAllen High - La Feria - Hidalgo - Harlingen South - Harlingen High

Coach of the Year

Monica Rodriguez, Hidalgo girls basketball

Johnny Cipriano, Santa Rosa boys basketball

Amadeo Escandon, Brownsville Lopez boys soccer

Zeke Morales, Hidalgo boys soccer

Roque Cortinas, Roma baseball

Bill Littleton, McAllen Memorial football

Lupe Perez, Santa Maria football

Moment of the Year

Olvera's Free Throw Sends Hidalgo to State Tournament - Hidalgo's Jessica Olvera makes one of two free throws with three seconds remaining to defeat No. 3 West Oso and advance to the state tournament, the first during the modern era for a girl basketball team from the Rio Grande Valley.

Garcia's Late 3-Pointer Lifts Santa Rosa to State Tournament - Santa Rosa's Jacob Garcia hits game-tying 3-pointer in Class 2A regional finals against UC Randolph to send the game into overtime, where the Warriors won to move on to the boys state basketball tournament in Austin.

McAllen High - Weslaco High Play Classid At Sold Out UTPA Field House - McAllen High and Weslaco High play for a trip to Sweet 16 in front of a capacity crowd at the UTPA Field House. McHi won in double overtime 54-53 after the game of his career by the Panther's clutch-shooting Eddie Cantu, who finished with a gameihigh 30 points.

Nino Finds Tanguma to Lift E-E Past Calallen - Erik Nino finds tightend Artie Tanguma for a 7-yard touchdown reception with 18 seconds left to lift Edcouch-Elsa to a 14-7 win over No. 7 Calallen, which hadn't lost to a RGV team since a 1990 defeat against Harlingen High.

La Feria Stuns Bandera at Alamodome - La Feria was a huge underdog against Bandera in the second round playoff game at the Alamodome. But the Lions, the third-place finisher from District 32-3A, kept their postseason run alive with a 31-14 victory over the favored Bulldogs.

Brownsville Pace's Sergio Rios Comes from Behind Twice at Track Regionals - Sergio Rios rallied in the 300-meter hurdles and the mile relay to qualify for the state meet. Rios clipped the first and third hurdles in the 300 to fall to seventh place with 150 meters to go, but finished second (originally fourth until video of the finish was reviewed). Rios then anchored the final leg of the mile relay for the Vikings, who were seventh when he took the batton but finished second place under his cluth performance and earned a spot at the state meet in Austin.

Brownsville Lopez Blows Lead, Then Responds in Shootout - Brownsville Lopez was up 4-1 against Spring Klein Oak at halftime in the state semifinals, but gave up three second-half goals to leave the score tied at 4 after regulation. After a scoreless overtime, the Lobos dramatically won in the shootout 2-0 with goals from Moises Gonzalez and Hugo Ballesteros. Lopez goalkeeper Mauricio Lugo blocked two Klein Oak shots to keep the Panthers scoreless.

Saenz Draws Crowd at Regional Meet, Breaks Old Record Five Times - RGC's Stephen Saenz broke his 2008 regional record five times during the 2009 meet in San Antonio. He threw over 70 feet, four times and literally threw the shot put as far as it goes at the field location at Alamo Stadium. The disply not only made changes to the record books, but it also drew a crowd at the regional meet in an event that normall draws few spectators.