footballgal
07-04-2005, 12:01 AM
Port Isabel’s Lando Ochoa makes most of his senior season
By DAVE FAVILA
davidf@valleystar.com
956-430-6214
When Robert Holland thinks about star athlete Lando Ochoa, he gets a little sad.
It’s not that the veteran Port Isabel head baseball coach dislikes Ochoa or has an overabundance of emotion for the young man. No, it’s just that Holland realizes that when the 2006 baseball season begins, Ochoa won’t be there.
"You almost hate that he had to graduate," said Holland of Ochoa.
But while Ochoa will no longer be part of the Tarpons’ future, the mark he left is remarkable.
A starter since his freshman year, Ochoa helped an already solid baseball program become even better. And he made sure that his senior season was a special one as he helped lead the 2005 Tarps to an impressive 22-6 overall record, a share of the District 32-3A championship and a trip to the regional quarterfinals of the state playoffs.
Early in the season, coach Holland said that Ochoa was injured and not playing up to par.
"And early on the whole team was not playing up to par either. As Lando went, so did the team," he said.
With that said, it seems elementary that Ochoa be named the Valley Morning Star’s 2005 All-Valley baseball team’s Most Valuable Player.
Ochoa put up some solid numbers this past season. At the plate he hit .527 with five home runs, 37 runs scored, 12 stolen bases and 37 RBIs.
But it was his versatility that impressed Holland the most.
A natural outfielder thanks to his speed, Ochoa excelled in the centerfield position during his four years on the team.
"But early in the year we put him at shortstop and he was able to fit into the position perfectly," Holland said. "He’s one of those special athletes that can play any position with ease."
Including the mound.
As a pitcher this season, he went 8-1 with 48 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.75 through 33 innings of work.
"This season was really the first time we had ever used him on the mound," Holland said. "Early on he was a bit wild, but he learned quickly and got better and better as the year went on."
Ochoa, who was also named to the All-State team this season, will continue his athletic career at Texas State University in San Marcos where he’ll play football and baseball.:clap:
"This program will miss him greatly," Holland said. "He was a great leader and an outstanding young man."
Ochoa was not the only Tarpon to make a splash this baseball season.
Joining Ochoa on the All-Valley team are teammates Frankie Herrera, who was named first-team catcher, and junior Esteban Delgadillo, who was named the first-team second baseman.
After missing all of his junior year in 2004 with a shoulder injury, Herrera returned this season and made waves.
"Early in the season he was a bit rusty, but he came back strong and had a great year," said Holland.
On the season he batted .517 with one home run and 37 stolen bases.
"He was also practically impossible to steal on," Holland added. "Even when his arm was still tentative after surgery, he was still a force to be reckoned with."
Delgadillo was also injured earlier this season but made a fine return to form as the season progressed.
"When you first see him he doesn’t look like a second baseman," Holland said of Delgadillo. "But, man, can he play the position. This season he hit .507 and is still getting better. I’m looking forward to getting him back next season."
Port Isabel wasn’t the only school to have multiple players named to the All-Valley list.
The Harlingen Cardinals, who had an outstanding 2005 season, winning the outright District 32-5A title, had three players make the team.
Eddie Gaytan was named the first-team shortstop thanks to his brilliant glove, while Matt Miller was the top designated hitter.
Miller, who was a star pitcher last season, was forced to DH because of a shoulder injury. Despite his absence on the mound, he helped the Cards with his bat by hitting nearly .500 during the regular season.
The third Card to make the team was left-handed senior ace Cody Graham, who went 10-4 on the season. He was joined on the All-Valley mound by right-handed junior pitcher Jason Parker of Brownsville Pace, who went 10-3 with a 0.67 ERA, allowing just 49 hits in 84 innings of work.
The accolades for the Cardinals did not end with the players, however, as Ron Kretz, in his second season as Harlingen’s coach, was tabbed the Coach of the Year.
While several coaches were considered for this award, including Port Isabel’s Robert Holland, Valley View’s Rene Soza and Hidalgo’s Albert Guerra, Kretz earned the award because of the adjustments he had to make after losing Matt Miller as a pitcher. While losing such a key team element might have hurt some teams, Kretz managed to keep his Cards focused long enough to win a district title in a very tough league.
The Hidalgo Pirates also had multiple players named to the list with third baseman Frank Torres and outfielder Ivan Inzunza making the cut.
Joining Inzunza in the outfield is La Feria’s Jarred Mullins and Mercedes’ A.C. Chapa, a sophomore who was a unanimous all-district selection.
Rounding out the list, Tony Ochoa of Valley View, which finished the season with just five losses (23-5), was the first-team first baseman and McAllen Memorial’s Abraham Garcia was named the Utility Player of the Year.
Finally, Harlingen South’s Danny Gidora was named the Newcomer of the Year.
Gidora, who was just a sophomore, helped the Hawks amass an impressive turnaround season going 10-4 on the hill. And while the Hawks missed the playoffs, with Gidora coming back in 2006, the Hawks’ future looks bright.
Posted by: Robert Gonzalez on Jun 19, 05 | 4:01 am | Profile
http://www.valleystar.com/sports_more.php?id=58303_0_12_0_M
By DAVE FAVILA
davidf@valleystar.com
956-430-6214
When Robert Holland thinks about star athlete Lando Ochoa, he gets a little sad.
It’s not that the veteran Port Isabel head baseball coach dislikes Ochoa or has an overabundance of emotion for the young man. No, it’s just that Holland realizes that when the 2006 baseball season begins, Ochoa won’t be there.
"You almost hate that he had to graduate," said Holland of Ochoa.
But while Ochoa will no longer be part of the Tarpons’ future, the mark he left is remarkable.
A starter since his freshman year, Ochoa helped an already solid baseball program become even better. And he made sure that his senior season was a special one as he helped lead the 2005 Tarps to an impressive 22-6 overall record, a share of the District 32-3A championship and a trip to the regional quarterfinals of the state playoffs.
Early in the season, coach Holland said that Ochoa was injured and not playing up to par.
"And early on the whole team was not playing up to par either. As Lando went, so did the team," he said.
With that said, it seems elementary that Ochoa be named the Valley Morning Star’s 2005 All-Valley baseball team’s Most Valuable Player.
Ochoa put up some solid numbers this past season. At the plate he hit .527 with five home runs, 37 runs scored, 12 stolen bases and 37 RBIs.
But it was his versatility that impressed Holland the most.
A natural outfielder thanks to his speed, Ochoa excelled in the centerfield position during his four years on the team.
"But early in the year we put him at shortstop and he was able to fit into the position perfectly," Holland said. "He’s one of those special athletes that can play any position with ease."
Including the mound.
As a pitcher this season, he went 8-1 with 48 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.75 through 33 innings of work.
"This season was really the first time we had ever used him on the mound," Holland said. "Early on he was a bit wild, but he learned quickly and got better and better as the year went on."
Ochoa, who was also named to the All-State team this season, will continue his athletic career at Texas State University in San Marcos where he’ll play football and baseball.:clap:
"This program will miss him greatly," Holland said. "He was a great leader and an outstanding young man."
Ochoa was not the only Tarpon to make a splash this baseball season.
Joining Ochoa on the All-Valley team are teammates Frankie Herrera, who was named first-team catcher, and junior Esteban Delgadillo, who was named the first-team second baseman.
After missing all of his junior year in 2004 with a shoulder injury, Herrera returned this season and made waves.
"Early in the season he was a bit rusty, but he came back strong and had a great year," said Holland.
On the season he batted .517 with one home run and 37 stolen bases.
"He was also practically impossible to steal on," Holland added. "Even when his arm was still tentative after surgery, he was still a force to be reckoned with."
Delgadillo was also injured earlier this season but made a fine return to form as the season progressed.
"When you first see him he doesn’t look like a second baseman," Holland said of Delgadillo. "But, man, can he play the position. This season he hit .507 and is still getting better. I’m looking forward to getting him back next season."
Port Isabel wasn’t the only school to have multiple players named to the All-Valley list.
The Harlingen Cardinals, who had an outstanding 2005 season, winning the outright District 32-5A title, had three players make the team.
Eddie Gaytan was named the first-team shortstop thanks to his brilliant glove, while Matt Miller was the top designated hitter.
Miller, who was a star pitcher last season, was forced to DH because of a shoulder injury. Despite his absence on the mound, he helped the Cards with his bat by hitting nearly .500 during the regular season.
The third Card to make the team was left-handed senior ace Cody Graham, who went 10-4 on the season. He was joined on the All-Valley mound by right-handed junior pitcher Jason Parker of Brownsville Pace, who went 10-3 with a 0.67 ERA, allowing just 49 hits in 84 innings of work.
The accolades for the Cardinals did not end with the players, however, as Ron Kretz, in his second season as Harlingen’s coach, was tabbed the Coach of the Year.
While several coaches were considered for this award, including Port Isabel’s Robert Holland, Valley View’s Rene Soza and Hidalgo’s Albert Guerra, Kretz earned the award because of the adjustments he had to make after losing Matt Miller as a pitcher. While losing such a key team element might have hurt some teams, Kretz managed to keep his Cards focused long enough to win a district title in a very tough league.
The Hidalgo Pirates also had multiple players named to the list with third baseman Frank Torres and outfielder Ivan Inzunza making the cut.
Joining Inzunza in the outfield is La Feria’s Jarred Mullins and Mercedes’ A.C. Chapa, a sophomore who was a unanimous all-district selection.
Rounding out the list, Tony Ochoa of Valley View, which finished the season with just five losses (23-5), was the first-team first baseman and McAllen Memorial’s Abraham Garcia was named the Utility Player of the Year.
Finally, Harlingen South’s Danny Gidora was named the Newcomer of the Year.
Gidora, who was just a sophomore, helped the Hawks amass an impressive turnaround season going 10-4 on the hill. And while the Hawks missed the playoffs, with Gidora coming back in 2006, the Hawks’ future looks bright.
Posted by: Robert Gonzalez on Jun 19, 05 | 4:01 am | Profile
http://www.valleystar.com/sports_more.php?id=58303_0_12_0_M