San Benito Lady Greyhound seniors Amanda Garza, Kassandra Contreras, and Yesenia Penablanca are shown outside the team’s dugout. (Staff photo by Michael Rodriguez)
By CHRISTY CORTEZ
Special to the NEWS
Senioritis is a term that most high school seniors use to describe their laziness during their last year of high school. For three seniors on the San Benito Lady Greyhound softball team, there is no such thing.
On top of classes, college applications, and acquiring graduation requirements, Amanda Garza, Yesenia Penablanca, and Kassandra Contreras are more than doing their part in creating a new history for a team that’s known for its winning tradition. There’s been no Senior Skip Day or Spring Break for these girls; while their friends and classmates indulged in such festivities they have been hard at work helping the Lady ’Hounds create a new tradition and contributed to the success of the undefeated team this season.
The Lady ’Hounds jumped up two spots on the Texas Coaches’ Association 5A poll to number 15 after Tuesday’s victory against the Brownsville Pace Viqueens. Garza, Penablanca, and Contreras are a big factor in helping create their 9-0 district and 23-2 overall record. As their high school days dwindle down to the end of their reign as Lady ’Hounds, these three seniors are enjoying every second of being a part of a state-ranked softball club.
Garza came into this softball season after having an amazing year in basketball, where she earned All-District honors. She was a major contributor to helping the Lady ’Hounds basketball team acquire its first district championship in the school’s history. Garza carried her success onto the softball field, where she’s been a force as shortstop since her freshmen year. Garza is a fierce player who delivers for her team time after time. As a four year starter, Garza has watched many great players graduate and has been a part of two Sweet 16 teams, not to mention earning various accolades, but this year she isn’t settling for Sweet 16, she’s setting her expectations high and aiming for the final four.
“My main goal for us is to get to the final four. We can get there if we just keep working,” said a determined Garza. When her time as a Lady ’Hound ends, Garza plans on continuing sports outside of high school but only if there is a school that can allow her to play the two favorite sports, “with God’s blessing,” she said.
Penablanca, who plays leftfield, is a four-year letterman who first started off pinch running for the Lady ’Hounds her freshman year. Her speed has helped the Lady ’Hounds keep eight opponents in district from scoring this season and pick up extra bases on offense. She constantly dominates every at bat, whether it is an RBI or scoring a run. Despite her love of softball, Yesenia, or “Yesy” as she’s referred to by her team, wouldn’t mind playing softball in college but only if classes won’t keep her from the field. “If time permits, I’ll play softball. My education comes first,” said Penablanca, who is a Hi-Five honoree in her senior class.
Contreras, meanwhile, came into this season not expecting anything out of the norm for the Lady ’Hounds, this being her second year on the team and her first year starting, she knew it would be a good year. After the Lady ’Hounds ended the pre-season with only two losses and conquered their opponents in tournaments, Contreras knew this season wouldn’t just be good … it would be great. “I thought it was going to be like every other year, but this year it’s unbelievable,” elaborates Contreras. A knee injury she suffered at the end of March has sidelined her from playing since March 25, when the Lady ’Hounds defeated Brownsville Porter.
Kassandra is determined to recover before the end of the season, but if it isn’t possible don’t expect any bitterness from her. She proudly supports her teammates as well as Sophomore Jackie Elizondo, who’s helping fill the third base slot as Contreras focuses on being strong enough to help her teammate continue their victorious season. “My main goal is to get better, and I still believe in my teammates, and I know without me there we can still be great,” Contreras said confidently.
On the Lady ’Hounds field, the words “Protect the Tradition” and “Fear the Tradition” are boldly visible for everyone to see and for no one to forget. The many years of hard work that has been put in by so many great athletes has created a standard for Lady ’Hounds softball. Although they’re taught to protect such tradition, this team’s goal is to break it by surpassing San Benito’s previous outings and landing a trip to the final four.
Garza, Contreras, and Penablanca all believe the reason they’ll be able to do this is because of the bond they’ve created among their teammates. A bond that no team can break, they said. “We all have the same goals for the team. We all get along. We’re a family,” Contreras said.
To see this story in print, pick up a copy of the April 10 edition of the San Benito News. Or view our E-Edition by clicking here.
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