KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star
On Sept. 22 during last year’s football season, Rio Hondo hosted rival Port Isabel. The Bobcats rolled to a 59-0 win, but it came at a cost when junior running back Adrian Torres went down with a season-ending knee injury.
Just a little over eight months later, Torres is back on the football field and is playing with the Bobcats on their 7 on 7 team.
“I’ve played football my entire life and that night when I got hurt it broke my heart,” Torres said. “I broke down in tears. I had to wait a week for the MRI and it was a long recovery process to get back to where I am now.”
In May, Torres was cleared to get back onto the field and he quickly jumped at the chance to play 7 on 7.
“Once I got cleared, I was ready to get back on the field,” he said. “I was given a brace and they told me to get back to athletic activity. There was a lot of work I put into my leg to get it back to where I wanted it to be. I thank God for allowing me to play the game I love.”
Last summer Rio Hondo qualified for the state 7 on 7 tournament in College Station for the first time in program history. Torres was able to get a taste of the action, but had to work over the summer. This summer, however, he is ready to fully participate.
“It was special being able to get back on the field this week,” Torres said. “The guys have talked about the state tournament and it’s something I want to be a part of. We all know our roles and I’m doing my best to help my team get there.”
Along with the recovery process, Torres is also working to transition from running back to linebacker and will look to anchor the Bobcats’ defense in the fall.
“I won’t let this injury faze me,” Torres said. “I’m ready to help my team in any way, and I’m picking up on what we are doing with 7 on 7 and I’m at peace now with everything and I’m just glad to be back.”