By ADAM KUJAWSKI, Staff Writer
It was unclear how effective the Los Fresnos Falcons would be at the quarterback position heading into this season.
It didn’t take long, though, for first-year starter Pierce Ruiz to establish himself as one of the most dominant players in District 32-6A. His impressive play earned him The Herald’s 2014 All-Metro Football Offensive Player of the Year award.
Because he spent the 2013 season as a backup on the varsity level, Ruiz was tasked with taking over at quarterback after having not played a significant amount of time the year prior.
“It had been a long time since he played, but he really developed into a leader for us,” Los Fresnos coach Clint Finley said. “He led our football team and set us up to be successful all year long.”
Ruiz compiled 1,224 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and just seven interceptions to complement 1,070 yards and 12 scores on the ground during a span of 13 games. The Falcons proceeded to win a co-district championship and advance to the regional round of the playoffs, vanquishing any prior concerns.
“I put a lot of hard work in during the offseason,” Ruiz said. “And I had great teammates who helped me do everything that I accomplished. We do everything as a team. I just did the best that I could.”
Ruiz spent the offseason focusing on weight and speed training to improve his running game. He, along with his teammates, also participated in a boot camp-style program dubbed the “House of Pain,” which was designed by the Los Fresnos coaching staff to build mental and physical toughness.
The outcome was a poised, dual-threat quarterback whose style caught his coach by surprise.
“He was our hardest runner,” Finley said. “He’s a downhill guy, he hit hard. That’s not what I was expecting. I was a little worried about that going into the season, and he ended up being heck on wheels.”
But Ruiz is more than just an athlete. His impact extends beyond the Xs and Os.
“He’s a quiet leader,” Finley said. “He does everything right all the time, he does all the things that you ask him to do, he’s a hard worker, he spends extra time preparing … all those things make him who he is.”
How do you replace a player like that?
“It’s not easy,” Finley said, “but we have to. We’ve got the House of Pain scheduled, and we’re going to go to work and try to develop people to be just like he was.”
Adam Kujawski covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6663 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @adamkujo1.