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BY IVAN PALACIOS AND HENRY MILLER
MISSION — Gunnar Williams faced a potential life-altering decision when he finished eighth grade. His father, Farrell Williams, had just been hired as Brownsville Porter’s offensive coordinator, leaving the younger Williams to decide whether he’d join his father for his high school career or stay in Harlingen.
Williams chose the latter and ran with it, leaving his mark on the school as an athlete and in academics during his four years.
Williams dominated on the gridiron for the Cowboys this past season, earning District 15-5A DII’s Utility Player of the Year award and All-Metro All-Purpose Player of the Year honors. He also served as football team and basketball team captain.
In the classroom, Williams was equally successful, graduating as the valedictorian of his class with a 5.7396 GPA. He also was an AP scholar, a member of the National Honor Society, Engineering Club, Chess Club and student council.
His dominance in athletics and academics has garnered him numerous accolades. He added another Friday, as he was awarded the Tom Landry Award of Excellence during the 2023 All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet. The $1,500 scholarship is presented to a student-athlete who demonstrates outstanding achievements on and off the field.
Williams was just one of several RGV standout athletes, teams and coaches honored during Friday’s banquet. A total of 36 awards were handed out during the event, with the winners voted on by AIM Media’s three local newspapers — The Brownsville Herald, The Monitor and Valley Morning Star — and the Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame.
Edinburg North was one of the night’s biggest winners, racking up eight total awards, the most of any RGV program.
Track and field superstars San Juanita Leal and Keyshawn Garcia highlighted the Cougars’ big day, taking home the Class 6A female and male athlete of the year awards, respectively.
Leal also added girls cross country and track and field athlete of the year, and Garcia was named boys track and field athlete of the year.
Maya Chen and Dante Ramones added individual awards for Edinburg North, with Chen winning girls tennis player of the year and Ramones being named boys powerlifter of the year. Edinburg North’s powerlifting team also earned the 6A boys team of the year award.
McAllen Memorial and Sharyland High had big nights as well, each bringing in five awards during the ceremony.
The Mustangs’ Ayden Granados and Serenity De La Garza brought home the Sub-6A male and female athlete of the year awards. Granados was also named the boys cross country athlete of the year, and De La Garza received girls wrestler of the year honors.
The Rattlers took home arguably the biggest award of the evening, with Sharyland High being named program of the year following a dominant 2022-2023 school year that included nine district championships, five bi-district titles, three area and regional titles.
Sharyland High also had 19 individual area, 89 regional and eight state qualifiers, along with one silver and three bronze medalists at state events.
The Rattlers had four individuals earn recognition at the event. Boys soccer and cross country coach Jorge Guerra was named boys coach of the year after leading both teams to state.
Kenisha Martinez (volleyball), Alan Gonzalez (boys tennis) and Ximena Paz (girls golf) all earned the top honors in their respective sports as well.
Harvest Christian, Hidalgo, PSJA North and San Benito were the only four other programs to take home multiple awards, each nabbing two.
Harvest Christian’s girls basketball team was named Sub-6A team of the year after capturing the TAPPS 1A state title, with head coach Jaime Gonzalez named girls coach of the year.
The Pirates’ run to the Class 4A state title earned them the Sub-6A boys team of the year award, and state championship game MVP Rey Cantu was named the boys soccer player of the year.
PSJA North’s Jayden Ybarra took home the inaugural boys water polo player of the year award after leading the RGV in scoring with 94 goals in 14 games during the first water polo season. Quarterback Ale Aparicio was the second award winner for the Raiders after leading the team to the Region IV-5A final.
San Benito rounded out the list of multiple-award winners, with its softball team taking home 6A girls team of the year honors following its run to the Class 6A state semifinals. Emily Delgado’s impact on the team earned her the softball player of the year award.
For a full list of Friday’s award winners, visit RGVSports.com.
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