By ANDREW CRUM, Staff Writer
Before Lopez found success this season, it dealt with some lean times. The Lobos won just one game during the two prior seasons.
It started with a new defensive coordinator and a renewed belief in their team. Lopez coach Jason Starkey promoted Hugo Ramirez to defensive coordinator after Raul Gomez left for the same position at Porter during the offseason, and that faith was rewarded.
The Lobos had the best defense in District 32-5A and turned the tables this season, winning seven games and staying in the hunt for a district title late in the season before earning a long-awaited postseason berth.
The accolades for a turnaround year continue for Lopez, as senior linebacker Jesse Luna has earned The Brownsville Herald’s 2016 All-Metro Defensive Player of the Year honor and Starkey receives the All-Metro Coach of the Year award.
Starkey won more games this season than he had total during the previous three at Lopez, and he earned his first trip to the postseason.
“I want to make it clear, this is a ‘we’ award, it isn’t a ‘me’ award,” Starkey said. “I receive this for the coaching staff. I believe I’m just a representative of that group, and on behalf of them … we’re humbled and honored to receive this award after a special year. God gets the glory for a transformation that occurred in the time as a result of a lot of prayer and faith.
“The credit goes to the kids, they’re the ones that suit up and play.”
Starkey also thanked his wife, Lark, for her support.
“She’s the coach of my home,” he said. “Behind every great man is a great woman. I want to honor her and all of the Lopez football coaching wives, it’s their sacrifices that allow us to live out our dream.”
Luna was the top player on the Lobos’ defense with 116 tackles, including seven for a loss; nine quarterback hits, 14 quarterback hurries, 9 1/2 sacks, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery for a defense that allowed just 234 yards and 15 points per game.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Luna said about his honor. “It’s a big accomplishment for me and my family.”
Luna flourished in Ramirez’s ‘Seek and destroy’ defense, a more aggressive, more active defense that featured a variety of blitzes.
“His defense was more aggressive, and it’s more fun for everyone,” Luna said. “Everyone is flying to the ball. We welcomed the change. We felt we we’re playing to our strengths, it’s a better fit for us.”
Ramirez said Luna and every member of the defense was excited every week about the game plan. It piqued their interest in what they were going to do next.
“They loved the aggressive approach,” Ramirez said. “Before it was read and react, this was just we need to get to the quarterback, it was more simple. Jesse Luna was an awesome kid; I was blessed to have him for four years. He got better year in and year out … this year he was on fire.”
Starkey said that Luna was diagnosed with a blood disease at the age of 4 and wasn’t expected to live beyond his infant years. But he overcame that at a young age and thrived, much like he has done as a student-athlete.
“Jesse embodies the perseverance, the work ethic, the commitment, the leadership qualities, that is one of the reasons our defense was so successful,” Starkey said. “He was a coach on the field for us. I’m proud of Luna and the season that he got to enjoy with his seniors.
“We’re excited about the foundation that they laid and moving forward the opportunity we now have to build on that.”
The Lobos’ coach said it’s up to the underclassmen to continue that.
“Be better than we were yesterday,” Starkey said. “That’s our battle cry now. We’re not going to catch anyone by surprise. We’ve embraced that, but we’d better be better than we were yesterday if we want to continue down this path of success.”
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.