By MARK MOLINA | The Brownsville Herald
With senior year comes a bittersweet moment for football players as they strive to make it their best season while knowing it’ll be their last.
Lopez middle linebacker Carlos Arellano and offensive tackle Damian Zuniga are aware of that fact and are on a mission to leave it all on the field.
For Arellano, the possibility of never throwing on the pads again is a big motivating factor for his final year at Lopez.
“As I think about it, it’s kind of sad because I don’t know if I’m going to play this sport again,” the senior defenseman said. “It gets me motivated so that I can be the best that I can be and go to the next level.”
Zuniga is looking to jump in head first to get where he and his team want to be.
“It’s kind of crazy knowing it’s my last year, so I just want to go all out,” Zuniga said. “I personally want to get lineman of the year, but as a team I want a district championship and to go on to the playoffs.”
Both have made an impact during their time with the Lobos football program and are key contributors on their respective side of the ball.
Arellano broke his foot during his sophomore season, but bounced back his junior year to tally 90 tackles (20 for loss), five sacks and two interceptions. During Week 1, he recorded one of Lopez’s nine sacks during a defense-dominated win over McAllen High.
Though Arellano is a team captain and a seniorleader, he does not consider it an individual accolade as much as a duty to the team.
“I don’t consider myself a captain, but people do look to me,” he said. “I have to keep my calm in every game. I have to help everyone else in the box and I just have to keep cool. Everyone else can go crazy, but feel I need to be calm for everybody else.”
First-year Lobos head coach Armando Gutierrez said Arellano’s style of play and football IQ speaks volumes.
“I can describe Carlos in one word: Intensity,” he said. “His intensity is off the charts. He has this energy where he’ll go from sideline to sideline and will chase you down. He has an aggressive streak and he’s extremely smart in the classroom. He’s directing the defense, he’s moving around and will probably lead us in tackles. If he isn’t making the tackles, he’s around.”
On offense, Zuniga looks at his role as a senior captain of the offensive line as a way to grow as a player and bond with his teammates.
“(Being the captain) has been great because it helps me with leadership qualities,” he said. “I try my best for each of my teammates and that’s all that matters. All of us (on the line) are committed; we know the goal we have to reach and all of us are working hard.”
The offensive line is considered one of the strongest weapons for the Lobos with three returning starters.
With Zuniga as one of the focal points, the offense feels like it is in good hands this season and it showed with Friday’s performance that included a 100-yard, two-touchdown night from Christian Gamez and a solid 90-yard one-score showing from junior quarterback Jose Cruz.
“In the time I’ve been here, Damian has been one of our more outspoken captains,” Gutierrez said. “He is kind of like a field general. We have a couple of seniors on that line, but he stands out. He does extra film, he does extra conditioning and he takes the line with him. He takes the leadership role from the offensive perspective. Our quarterback (Cruz) being a junior is difficult, but he’ll even turn around and be inspiring and encouraging. I just like his work ethic and the way he goes about business is very blue collar.”