BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER
PHARR — Coaches say it all the time.
Next man up.
For the Weslaco East Wildcats, the phrase has been their mantra from the get-go this season. After returning just one full-time starter from last year’s regional-qualifying team, coach Mike Burget has relied on a rotating crew of players.
But during a 50-12 blowout win over PSJA Memorial on Thursday at PSJA Stadium, senior Ciro Rojas didn’t just step up, he dominated. By the time the Wildcats notched their second victory in District 31-6A, Rojas accounted for more than 275 yards of total offense, and scored four of East’s seven touchdowns.
“We just came here to play East football,” Rojas said. “That’s smashmouth football.”
Rojas filled in for teammate Emilio Tamez, who went down in the first quarter with a right ankle injury and did not return. Tamez entered the game as the district’s leading rusher with 634 yards. Though Tamez notched just two carries, he finished with 59 yards and his 11th touchdown of the season to give the Wildcats an early 7-0 lead.
But while Tamez iced his ankle on the sideline, Rojas went to work, tearing off one big play after another. First came a 62-yard touchdown run to put the Wildcats up 28-6 with 2:30 left in the first half. Less than two minutes later, he returned a kickoff 74 yards into the end zone. It was 34-12, East.
“He can score in so many ways,” Burget said. “He’s had rushing touchdowns, receiving touchdowns, kickoff returns. He could play every play of every game if he could. But we don’t need him to.”
Rojas’ final score came on a 64-yard burst at the beginning of the fourth quarter to make it 47-12. Rojas finished the game with 201 yards and three rushing touchdowns on 12 carries.
“There were a lot of (running) holes,” Rojas said. “My offensive line played lights out. I wanna give credit to them.”
But Rojas and Tamez weren’t the only ones to see the end zone. JJ Garza got a turn, as did Chris Cardenas. Even kicker Orlando Ramirez made a 21-yard chip shot late in the fourth quarter. Of East’s nine possessions, they failed to score just once. Time and again, they eviscerated a Memorial defense that missed a plethora of tackles.
The win showed a Weslaco East team (3-1, 2-0) settling in for another push to the playoffs, but Burget still sees work to do.
“We’re not playing East football yet,” he said. “I thought we gave up too many yards in the passing game. I like that we shut (PSJA Memorial) out in the second half, though.It’s a work in progress.”
SOPHOMORE STANDOUT
Wildcats sophomore JC Vargas collected the only turnover of the game, intercepting Memorial’s Mike Gonzalez with 2:36 left in the first quarter. Vargas returned the ball 55 yards for a score before an illegal block in the back negated the touchdown.
Vargas pulled double duty near the game’s end, rushing twice for 63 yards. A multi-positional athlete, he looks up to Rojas as role model.
“I see what he does, and I just want to be like him,” Vargas said. “He’s able to contribute in so many ways, that’s something I want to do, too.”
CAN’T FINISH
Though PSJA Memorial (2-3, 0-1) moved the ball throughout Thursday’s game, gaining a total of 419 yards, East’s defense grew more stout as the field shortened. The Wolverines had six drives consisting of five or more plays, but score on just two of those possessions.
“We’ve got to finish,” PSJA Memorial coach Mike Uribe said. “And we’ve got to come out with energy in the first quarter. We had a lot of drops, a lot of missed assignments, couldn’t convert on third down, and we gave up a big play early. I know we can play better than this. This isn’t the type of team we are.”
WHAT’S NEXT
Weslaco East plays Edinburg Economedes (3,-2, 1-0) on Oct. 9 at Cats Stadium. PSJA Memorial squares off against PSJA North (1-4, 0-1) at PSJA Stadium on the same date.