By ANDREW CRUM, Staff Writer
The Los Fresnos Falcons have run for more than 900 yards on the ground in four games this season, an average of 232 yards per game.
One of the biggest reasons is the hard work and dedication of senior fullback James Rangel.
“James doesn’t get the recognition sometimes, but he’s pretty important (to our offense),” Los Fresnos coach Clint Finley said. “He leads the way (for the running backs), but he’s run the ball well, too. He’s played out wide for us at split end at times. He does a very good job, a very unselfish kid.”
The journey to the varsity squad wasn’t easy for Rangel. As a sophomore, coaches asked him to trim up and get quicker. So Rangel went to every track practice and got himself in better shape. As a junior, Rangel started the year on the junior varsity, but he kept working. He credited his parents for the example to never give up.
“I was willing to do anything it took to play on varsity and help my brothers win,” he said.
And by the third game of the season, he had moved up to varsity. He scored a touchdown on his very first carry.
“He did everything we told him to and never had to be told twice,” Finley said. “He worked his tail off to get where he’s at.”
But Rangel doesn’t seek the glory, he prefers to light up a linebacker or blast a safety to get the tailback a few more yards on a given play.
“I just want to go out there and make them better as well,” Rangel said. “I do it for my teammates because I know they rely on me.”
Finley says that selflessness and dedication to the team have made him among a select few.
“Rangel has always got a great motor,” he said. “He’s probably one of my favorite kids that I’ve coached in my career. He’s one of those guys who’s going to get his job done, someone you can count on 100 percent. He’s a warrior.”
Rangel has carried the ball seven times for 46 yards — a 6.6-yard average — and scored two touchdowns. The senior doesn’t mind not being in the spotlight, though.
“I’m blocking for my brother, Eli (Cruz), knowing that he’s getting the glory,” he said. “It really doesn’t matter who gets the glory, as long as we get the W. I don’t mind if I carry the ball or not.”
Cruz has seven touchdowns on the season and has broken many long runs because of a great block or two from Rangel.
The Falcons and their rushing attack may be even better than last year, which is why they feel they can go even further into the postseason than they did last year.
“We’ve put in a lot of hard work, I feel like we’ve studied more this year, we’re more tough mentally compared to last year,” Rangel said.
Finley knows the pressure that is put on Rangel because of the Falcons run-heavy offense, but knows he can handle it. The success of the team relies on it, too.
“He’s a big part of our offense,” he said. “We ask a whole lot of our fullbacks, both mentally and physically. He’s the whole package.”
Andrew Crum covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6629 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @andrewmcrum.