BY ANDREW CRUM, Staff Writer
Last year, the Porter baseball team had a senior-laden club which won the District 32-5A title with an astounding 13-1 record in district play.
This year, the goal remains the same, but the team is doing so without six starters from that squad. It’s been up to juniors like Andy Flores to step into different roles this season.
Flores was the Cowboys’ jack of all trades last season, playing second base, outfield, catcher and wherever else he was needed. Now, he’s settled in as the team’s starting catcher.
Flores replaced three-year starter Miguel De Leon, and like the senior before him, is a leader that the Cowboys need.
“I think he took it to heart,” Porter coach Oscar Cortez said of Flores’ enthusiasm to step in — or rather — squat down — behind the dish. “Miguel was a leader last year, they’re big shoes to fill, but (Flores) was up for the challenge.”
Flores had been the backup, but didn’t see much action behind the plate heading into 2016. The junior was content to help the team in any way he could. Now he happily accepts all the pressure and responsibility that comes with the position.
“(Last year) I just played my spot and gave it my all,” he said. “(This year) I just stepped up and wanted to do it. My confidence went up after the summer league.”
Flores played somewhere between 25-30 games during the summer months, and he caught every one. His coach said he was impressed with the work Flores put in.
“He wanted it bad, he wanted to get better,” Cortez said. “He wanted to be that guy to lead the team from back there.”
That leadership was needed as a pair of freshmen and a sophomore start for the Cowboys this season.
Cortez said that Flores is the one that keeps his younger teammates accountable and influences them on and off the field with the way he leads. Flores is quiet by nature and usually does it through his actions.
“He doesn’t talk a lot, but when he does, everybody listens,” Cortez said.
Flores agreed.
“It’s very rare for me to be talking in practice,” he said. “They know when I speak up, it’s serious, they have to get on the ball.”
With a completely different team this season, Flores’ leadership and love of the game have shined brightly on the young squad. Cortez said his catcher has a passion for the sport like nobody he’s seen before.
“He’s one of those kids that comes around every now and then,” Cortez said.
With only one senior on the team, Flores and his junior classmates have felt a sense of urgency to step up and help continue the success they experienced last season. They want to continue the tradition that was set last year.
“We are all trying to come together as a team,” he said. “It’s all about the team. When we come together we can play outstanding. We just need to have confidence in each other.”
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.