The Monitor from McAllen, Texas • 19

Tuesday, August 10. 2004 THE MONITOR. McAllen. Texas 2 ALLSFORTS VOLLEYBALL continued from page 1C 'This season there will be a few good teams net going to the playoffs." Paula Gonzalez, Brownsville Pace volleyball coach 3 Tony GutierrezThe Associated Press Dallas Cowboys defensive ends coach Jim Jeffcoat, second from left, Instructs Marcellus Wiley (75) as Darrell Lee, left background, Kevin Emanuel, center background and Ryan Wlngrove (94) look on during a break from drills at training camp Wednesday In Oxnard, Calif. Dallas DE happy to be back with friend By Stephen Hawkins The Associated Press OXNARD.

Calif. When Marcellus Wiley ran into an old teammate after joining the Dallas Cowboys, the boisterous defensive end had to temper his reaction. Jim Jeffcoat is now his position coach, not his teammate like seven years ago in Buffalo. That's when Wiley was a rookie and Jeffcoat was wrapping up a 15-year playing career TRAINING spent primarily with the Cowboys. "It's different," Wiley said.

"At first, you've got to make sure you don't come at him like he's your homeboy because you did play with him." After taking his turn during team drills, Wiley often returns to a spot near Jeffcoat. The two interact, Wiley listening as Jeffcoat explains a technique or gives a critique, usually gesturing with his hands to get his point across. "He knows I'm demanding. I was demanding as a player, and I'm going to be demanding as a coach," Jeffcoat said. "He understands he has some things he has to do and I have things I have to do." Pat SullivanThe Associated Press Houston Texans linebackers Antonio Rodriguez (74) and Shantee Orr (53) run drills during training camp Monday In Houston.

The Cowboys hope Wiley can be the pass-rushing end that was missing last season from a defense that still finished as the NFL's best. Somewhat like Jeffcoat, who had 102 12 sacks all but eight of them in Dallas, where only Harvey Martin, Randy White and Ed "Too Tall" Jones have more. "I have tremendous respect for him," Wiley said. "Obviously, I can learn a lot from him. He knows how to talk to me, and he knows how I will respond well to the teaching." Rodriguez woAg to malic dream reality wear as part of throwback uniforms Thanksgiving Day.

The team wanted a chance to break the helmets. in- before wearing them in a game. Clowboys owner lurry Jones said Quincy Carter was sent a letter about his contract, but wouldn't say if the team was seeking to recover part of the bonus the quarterback received as Dallas' first pick in 2001. Jones wouldn't say if the team was trying to get back of that bonus, as ESPN.com reported Monday, citing unnamed sources. last summer was more marketing than football, his presence created a buzz.

Nighttime practices, which are open to the public, featured large cheering sections for Rodriguez that exploded every time he was involved in a play. "My goal this year is to show the coaches that I've improved and I want to stick around this time," said Rodriguez, who had surgery on his right foot last fall but recovered in time to play for Amsterdam in NFL Europe. "I'm working at linebacker of course, but I know special learns is more important." side Rivera with a 28-6 overall record (11-1 in district) and advanced to the regional semifinals where they lost to Austin Westlake, 25-16, 25-12, 25-11. Despite returning the 6-foot-1, 32-5A MVP Nicole Capistran, Pace has to be worried about seeing Harlingen South set up shop in its district. "(Harlingen South coach) Steve (Lunsford) is a great guy, and he's been in our district before, but that was a plus we never talked about last season with him being out of our district the last couple of years," Pace coach Paula Gonzalez said.

Pace opens its season Thursday in the Donna tournament, and Harlingen South gets started with a 7 p.m. match tonight at Edinburg North. The Lady Hawks went 32-4 (120) en route to a District 32-4A title in 2003 and made the school's first appearance in the state tournament. They were the final Valley team standing last year. "We took that as a responsibility," Lunsford said.

"We stressed to the kids all year long about representing your team and your school. But as we got further in the playoffs, we started realizing we were representing the Valley, and that is a special feeling." Harlingen South fell to Dallas Highland Park in the state semifinals, 25-17, 25-18, 25-16, but Lunsford said the experience is invaluable in the tady Hawks' bid for a return to the state playoffs. "We're trying to tell the kids that we're not going to get any points based on last year," Lunsford said. "Hopefully what we got out of that is realizing what it takes to get back the sacrifices we have to make and how much we have to prepare." The additions of Harlingen South and Los Fresnos give 32-5A five of eight teams that qualified for the postseason in 2003. With only three playoff seeds available, several talented teams could be cursing their realignment luck at the end of the regular season.

"This season there will be a few good teams not going to the playoffs," Gonzalez said. "I can honestly say that because there are so many good teams. "But it keeps you on your toes, and whoever does make it to the playoffs will be very prepared." DISTRICT 32-4A Mission High and Mission Veterans are sister. schools in the revamped District 32-4A, but that only begins to explain the intensity of this sibling rivalry. Lady Patriots coach Diana Lerma and Lady Eagles coach Lety Ibarra are sisters, and both of their squads will likely be battling for the district title.

"It's just a pride thing amopgst the kids and ourselves now with Veterans," Jbarra said. "I wish them, the Jiest of luck In all their hiatches except when they folay us. I knows she (Lerma) pels the same way." Mission opens its season at tonight at Rio Grande City. Last season, the Lady Eagles finished at 20-10 (8-4), good jjnough for second behind district champion Mission Veterans in 3 1-4A. ft Mission went on to a regional' quarterfinals appearance, the deepest the school has been in the playoffs since J991.

The Lady Eagles eventually fell to Harlingen South, 25-9, 5-18, 25-11. "We could have given them 0 better run, but they (Lady lawks) were an outstanding all club," Ibarra said. "The dds were sad that we lost out, )ut at the same time, we didn't ust go down to anybody." Mission Veterans advanced to the regional semifinals Jjefore falling to Boerne, 25-12, The Lady Patriots return as jhe favorites for District 32-4A Sfter coming off back-to-back istrict titles in the school's first two seasons. "The district is up for grabs basically, I feel," Ibarra said. "Veterans definitely looks good.

She (Lerma) has a couple of girls coming back. But everybody after that is even. There's one or two studmuffins on every team that we'll have to deal with when we meet up." With Harlingen South's move to Class 5A this season, the Lady Eagles are eyeing a trip of their own to state, especially if the triple senior threat of Sonya Richards, Melissa Gallegos and Stephanie Hernandez can get them past Mission Veterans. "The kids have made the district title their goal," Ibarra said. "And why not? We think we can do it." Ibarra said Roma, Lopez and Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Memorial High will also vie for the district title and playoff seeds.

But she knows the matches with Mission Veterans will be the key to the Lady Eagles' title hopes, and the first meeting between the two teams isn't until Sept. 28 at Mission Veterans. "We lost to them both times last year," Ibarra said. "We only beat them at the (non-district) Mission tournament, so that's a big challenge for us." DISTRICT 30-5A The setting and hitting tandem of senior Maria Jose de Alba and junior Ashley Doffing should keep McAllen Memorial in a district title hunt after its move from 31-5A. The Lady Mustangs' season opens at 7 tonight against Sharyland at home.

Jose de Alba, District 31 -5A's Outstanding Setter, and Doffing, the district's Outstanding Hitter, helped McAllen Memorial go 22-8 overall and 14-0 in district to claim the crown and advance to the regional quarterfinals last season, when they were knocked out by Pace. The two will have to contend with playoff-experienced McAllen High, also transplanted from 31-5A, and Sharyland if they hope to help the Lady Mustangs repeat as district champs. "We still have some tough teams in our district," McAllen Memorial coach Iris Molina said. "McAllen is always tough and Nikki Rowe is small, but they are always good defensively. It will be some good competition." The Lady Rattlers qualified as the third seed last season in District 3 1 -4A and went to the area round, and McAllen finished second in 31-5A before being knocked out by Hanna in the bi-district round in a close 25-19, 29-27, 25-19 defeat.

DISTRICT 31-SA McAllen Memorial's migration to District 30-5A puts Edinburg North in prime position to make a run at the 31-5A crown. Edinburg North finished as the third playoff seed behind the district champion Lady Mustangs last season, but the first and second place teams McAllen Memorial and McAllen High, respectively are both gone. With Edinburg North the only team left in the district from last year's playoff seeds, this is one district where some fresh faces are guaranteed in the postseason. Several coaches in 31-5A have said one of those could be Donna. The Bravettes were victims of the crowded 32-5A race last season, but with seniors Cassie Balli and Amanda Pequeno leading the way, realignment could make this fairly young team into a contender.

Jason McDaniel is a sports reporter for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4442. Ik EXTRA POINTS: l'arcells said one player was late returning Sunday. He didn't identify who it was, but WR Keyshawn Johnson confessed. Johnson said he was coming back from.

-Santa' Bar'-'-, bara, where his kids were at a basketball camp with Michael Jordan. Johnson, who expected to be fined about $7,500. CB Andrew Davison left the team, l'arcells said Davison, a third-year player who had played in only 10 games, left on his own. The Cowboys practiced Monday in the white helmets they will lead the team to two Mexican national titles. "(Hispanic publicity) might be a part of it, but still I don't think they'd just bring in anybody" The Texans have courted the area's His-p a i community since their inception, a TRAINING wise move considering latinos are the area's largest minority and will become the majority in the not-too-distance future.

Whether or not his signing 'More 'Reasons "That's here," he guys the way. I know Sura will fit in "1 also my something here," he Ward, then with San Gundy "He win a everyone By Mark Babineck The Associated Press HOUSTON Antonio Rodriguez wants more than a summer job. The Houston Texans inside linebacker knows he's a long shot to make the final cut, although he's working tirelessly to prove that he's more than just an NFL oddity as a Mexican-groomed player. "They are developing my skills," said Rodriguez, who was born and reared in Houston but played three seasons at Monterrey Tech and helped lira Mi piFiis into fell By Juan A. Lozano The Associated Press HOUSTON The Houston Rockets hope they have solved their point guard problems with the signings of free agents Charlie Ward and Bob Sura on Monday.

his career with the New York Knicks. He will be reunited with Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy, who led the Knicks from 1995 to 200 1. Sura, a nine-year veteran who can play either guard spot, started his career with Cleveland, before moving on to Golden State, Detroit and Atlanta. Terms of their contracts were not released by the team. "We're adding a lot of experience and a lot of know-how to our backcourt.

The experience and the talent will help us a great deal," said Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson. "Both these young men have been in the league quite awhile. They've both had success. They know what they are doing out there and I think they will help us to get to where we want to go." Ward said he could fill the Rockets' need for a ball distributor. what the Rockets need with (7-foot-G center) Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady said.

"I've played before with superstar give them the ball and get out of I'm a pretty good team defender and coach Van (iundy likes that." said he thinks his defensive skills well. think my competitive nature and toughness is really going to be an asset, that I feel is kind of needed said. who last season was traded to and released by Phoenix before signing Antonio, said he knows what Van will expect of him. likes the toughness, the competitiveness," Ward said. "This team can definitely championship.

It is just a matter of coming together." The two veterans will compete with recently acquired guard lyronn Lue. The Rockets are in need of a new point guard after Steve Francis was traded to the Orlando Magic in a seven-player deal that sent two-time league scoring champ Tracy McGrady to I louston. Starting shooting guard Cuttino Mobley was also dealt to the Magic, though McGrady will take over there. Ward, a 10-year NBA veteran, spent most of HAPPY HOUR 5pm-7pm MONDAY THRU FRIDAY Free Admission, Long Necks $1.50 Draft $2 50, Well 00. Wine 1 .00 BLUE MONDAYS Happy Hour Drink prices 5pm-1 Ipm TWO FOR TUESDAYS Happy Hour Drink price 5pm-1 Ipm Two for One Table Dances 5pm-1 1 pm to 1 T'fie VaCCevs 1 QentCemarvs Cfu6 I Bulle I Noon 2 p.m.

Wcd-Fii FREE COVER 1 1 AM 7 PM Mon I'ri 1 1 AM 2 AM. S.I Sun 7 I'M 2 AM entrepreneurs. They own four R.E.A.L Nutrition Distributors, the Garzas' line of workout supr plements. They are also opening a foot fitness center with a scheduled launch date of mid-September. By the time 24 Hour Training Mecca opens, their Muscle Fitness article and photo shoot will be out, and they'll be even better known than they are noV- "1 think the bottom line is this is what we love to do," Aaron Garza said.

Todd Mavreles is a sports reporter for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4451. COUPLE continued from page 1C at the same show, they realized, 'Wow, these people do compete, and they live together. They make it I think they found that as a really neat niche to write an article about." Jeanine Detz's profile of the Garzas chronicles their relationship that has blossomed from working out together while attending McAllen High to marriage. They're in their third year of marriage.

In addition to being fitness competitors, the Garzas are also FREE FRIDAYS Balloon Drop (win free uUmitiun. l-hin, luhlc (lumen) COUPLE NIGHT (Sat Sun) Happy Hour Drink prices 7pm-1 1 pm Free Cover Couples 2 1 over (Experience, Sty Ce 'Beauty with over 40 Entertainers 'DaiCxj 702-l'IAY Located at: Hwy 28 1 oil Nolana.