north kameron
02-26-2009, 10:05 AM
Border baseball
Spotlight falls on tourney
By NINO CARDENAS
LAREDO MORNING TIMES
Published: Thursday, February 26, 2009 8:06 AM CST
The 23rd annual Border Olympics Baseball tournament is welcoming some familiar old friends to the diamond.
The return of Austin Westlake and Corpus Christi Moody makes the Border Olympics tournament one of the elite in the state.
"Thirteen of the twenty teams in the tournament made the playoffs last season," tournament co-director Valdi Guzman said.
"This year looks pretty good as we got Westlake and Moody to come back.
"This is probably one of the best tourneys in Texas."
Butch Flores is the other director of the three-day tournament, which is taking place today at the SAC, Krueger, Freddie Benavides, Veterans and Ochoa Fields.
Westlake, Moody and the United Longhorns come into the tournament ranked in the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association preseason poll.
The Longhorns are sixth and Westlake is eighth in 5A, while Moody is eighth in 4A. From 3A, Falfurrias is looking to make some noise.
United lost in the state semifinals against eventual winner Plano West last season.
The Longhorns have won the last three District 29-5A titles.
Despite their obvious talent, they still need to contend with two-time defending tournament champion San Antonio Reagan.
United ousted Reagan in the regional quarterfinals last season after Reagan defeated Untied in the Border Olympic championship.
Reagan defeated Falfurrias the prior year for its first championship.
Along with all Laredo schools and previously mentioned ones, the tournament also welcomes both Eagle Pass schools, San Antonio John Jay, Austin Crockett, Del Rio, Corpus Christi Ray, Hebbronville, Corpus Christi King and Uvalde.
Team pools
Pool A: Moody, Eagle Pass, Alexander, South and John Jay.
Pool B: Crockett, Del Rio, Cigarroa, Ray and Reagan.
Pool C: United, Hebbronville, Winn, Falfurrias and Nixon.
Pool D: Westlake, King, LBJ, Martin and Uvalde.
Today's games
1 p.m. - Alexander at South (SAC). Del Rio at Cigarroa (FB). United at Hebbronville (V).
3:30 p.m. - John Jay at Moody (U). Reagan at Crockett (SAC). Nixon at Winn (O). Martin at King (V).
6 p.m. - South at Eagle Pass (SAC). Cigarroa at Ray (FB). United at Falfurrias (U). Uvalde at Austin Westlake (V).
8:30 p.m. - Alexander at Moody (U), Crockett at Del Rio (V), Hebbronville at Nixon (O). King at LBJ (SAC).
The tournament continues on Friday and Saturday.
The semi-finals are at 3 p.m. on Saturday with pool A playing at Veterans and pool B at the SAC and the championship is at 6 p.m. at Veterans.
Field Abbreviations: Freddie Benavides (FB); Ochoa Park (O); Student Activity Complex (SAC); United Field (U); Veterans Field (V).
Spotlight falls on tourney
By NINO CARDENAS
LAREDO MORNING TIMES
Published: Thursday, February 26, 2009 8:06 AM CST
The 23rd annual Border Olympics Baseball tournament is welcoming some familiar old friends to the diamond.
The return of Austin Westlake and Corpus Christi Moody makes the Border Olympics tournament one of the elite in the state.
"Thirteen of the twenty teams in the tournament made the playoffs last season," tournament co-director Valdi Guzman said.
"This year looks pretty good as we got Westlake and Moody to come back.
"This is probably one of the best tourneys in Texas."
Butch Flores is the other director of the three-day tournament, which is taking place today at the SAC, Krueger, Freddie Benavides, Veterans and Ochoa Fields.
Westlake, Moody and the United Longhorns come into the tournament ranked in the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association preseason poll.
The Longhorns are sixth and Westlake is eighth in 5A, while Moody is eighth in 4A. From 3A, Falfurrias is looking to make some noise.
United lost in the state semifinals against eventual winner Plano West last season.
The Longhorns have won the last three District 29-5A titles.
Despite their obvious talent, they still need to contend with two-time defending tournament champion San Antonio Reagan.
United ousted Reagan in the regional quarterfinals last season after Reagan defeated Untied in the Border Olympic championship.
Reagan defeated Falfurrias the prior year for its first championship.
Along with all Laredo schools and previously mentioned ones, the tournament also welcomes both Eagle Pass schools, San Antonio John Jay, Austin Crockett, Del Rio, Corpus Christi Ray, Hebbronville, Corpus Christi King and Uvalde.
Team pools
Pool A: Moody, Eagle Pass, Alexander, South and John Jay.
Pool B: Crockett, Del Rio, Cigarroa, Ray and Reagan.
Pool C: United, Hebbronville, Winn, Falfurrias and Nixon.
Pool D: Westlake, King, LBJ, Martin and Uvalde.
Today's games
1 p.m. - Alexander at South (SAC). Del Rio at Cigarroa (FB). United at Hebbronville (V).
3:30 p.m. - John Jay at Moody (U). Reagan at Crockett (SAC). Nixon at Winn (O). Martin at King (V).
6 p.m. - South at Eagle Pass (SAC). Cigarroa at Ray (FB). United at Falfurrias (U). Uvalde at Austin Westlake (V).
8:30 p.m. - Alexander at Moody (U), Crockett at Del Rio (V), Hebbronville at Nixon (O). King at LBJ (SAC).
The tournament continues on Friday and Saturday.
The semi-finals are at 3 p.m. on Saturday with pool A playing at Veterans and pool B at the SAC and the championship is at 6 p.m. at Veterans.
Field Abbreviations: Freddie Benavides (FB); Ochoa Park (O); Student Activity Complex (SAC); United Field (U); Veterans Field (V).