DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER
Hidalgo is welcoming its third coach in four years. Weslaco East is attempting to reload while sustaining its recent run of success. Edcouch-Elsa is dealing with tragedy.
Those were just some of the storylines as high school football practices started Monday morning for teams that did not go through spring ball. Energy was high, fundamentals were at a premium and every team had something to overcome.
ANOTHER NEW FACE
David Duty joins Taihi Jones and Scott Ford as leaders of Hidalgo football the last four years.
Duty, former offensive coordinator at PSJA North and an offensive line coach for Hidalgo during the late ‘90s, is challenged with reviving a program that has lost 32 of 52 games since 2010.
His first job is to establish an identity, specifically as a good defensive team with a hard-nosed running game.
“When you get hired at a place, the first thing you have to realize is why you’re there,” Duty said. “You’re not there for no reason. What I’ve found is football here is not doing as well as other sports, and kids want to gravitate around a winning program. We’re not going to change everything in a day, but we’ve got to win. These seniors have made a commitment to winning, and that’s the first step.”
One of those seniors is quarterback Peter Quiroz, who said Duty’s personality and knowledge of the game has made the transition to yet another new head coach relatively easy.
“We’re all just trying to get used to it,” said Quiroz, who was part of Hidalgo’s district championship 2012 season that also was the program’s last winning season. “As a leader, I know I have to speak up and make sure I’m on the same page with Coach so that everybody else feels comfortable in the environment we’re trying to work with.”
Duty said the Pirates had 10 more kids attend the first day of practice than last season, and he expects more Friday. Some players are attending summer college classes that won’t end until Thursday.
“I’m not just a white boy from up north,” Duty said. “I was born in downtown McAllen. I’m a Valley boy, been here all my life. I’ve been a coach here in Hidalgo before and I know what it’s like here. I picked up some kids on my way to work and brought them to offseason (workouts) this summer. The athletes I had in Hidalgo my first year here were district champs and that was the most athletic team I’ve ever coached, at any level.
“I know what Hidalgo is capable of.”
WILDCATS RELOAD
Weslaco East has won 17 combined games the last two seasons and is coming off a regional semifinal appearance last season. But with only one starter returning on offense, this season’s version of the Wildcats got off to a rough start Monday.
“Normally, I can call out 20 formations a day,” Weslaco East coach Mike Burget said. “Today, I’m calling out three. Some of it has to do with just being behind. Whether it’s lack of concentration or whatever, we’ve got our work cut out for us.”
The Wildcats’ offense is simple. It has few plays, but is based out of a lot of formations. The emphasis is on alignment. If even one player is out of place, it can throw the whole offense off.
“We know we’ve got to work with whatever we have, and we’re going to find ways to win,” said Ciro Rojas, who played safety last season but is now in the lead for the quarterback spot. “This system is about learning positions and that’s what we’ve got to focus on. The main thing is working on doing things right.”
Weslaco East lost about 3,700 rushing yards with the graduation of key playmakers, including signal-caller Darren Rivas and running back Lupe Moron. Now Rojas and Emilio Tamez will anchor the backfield, surrounded by a stout defense that returns eight starters.
“It’s got a classroom feel,” Tamez said of practice. “There are kids ahead and kids behind. But we’ll get there. Every year we go through the same thing, teaching players a bunch of new information, and every year we do fine.”
Burget, too, is not concerned. Yes, he lost some running attack, but he also has capable backs in Tamez, Fabian Castro and Chris Cardenas. And yes, only one starter on offense is back, but six linemen each started at least three games last year. Experience is there.
“We’re going to be OK,” Burget said. “We’ve got to put it all together. It’s never where you want it to be on the first day. We’ve just got to keep pushing.”
AN AID IN THE GAME
Edcouch-Elsa senior running back/receiver/quarterback Andrew Segura returned to the field Monday with a heavy heart.
Early last month, the Segura family lost middle son Anthony, who would have been an incoming freshman, during a car accident in Gonzalez, just outside of San Antonio. Segura’s mother, father and younger brother were also involved in the accident. His mother and younger brother are OK, and his father recently was removed from ICU in San Antonio but is still in a dire situation.
Being back on the field was a welcomed sight for Segura, one of the Yellowjackets’ top playmakers.
“Football gives me a chance to not worry about anything at home and I can come back to my friends and laugh and play a game I love,” Segura said. “It makes me feel better. Football makes you feel like you’re your own person out there, like you can do anything.”
During the last few weeks, Segura’s primary focus was being a rock of strength for his family. Coach Joe Marichalar texted often every day, asking about his player’s well-being. Teammates communicated consistently with stories about workouts.
“We’re here for each other,” senior running back Tey Valdez said. “It’s a community on this field. We’re all brothers, all a part of this team. We have to be positive for him, we have to be here for him. We’re not going to let him down.”
Segura was quiet in going about his work during practice. He took some snaps at quarterback and exhibited a determined, if not solemn, focus. Marichalar said there will be constant one-on-one talks with Segura to gauge his mindset as practices go on.
“I haven’t been put in a situation like this before, but one thing for sure is we’re going to be there for Andrew,” Marichalar said. “The game can be a good therapy and we’re going to help him out.
“For his sake, he’s probably going to be a bit more inspired. His brother was a part of this game too, and playing for him is probably the biggest thing Andrew can do.”