BY NATHANIEL MATA | STAFF WRITER
SAN JUAN — Life without Trey Guajardo as quarterback and dynamic leader for the Bears has begun at PSJA High school, when they put their pads back on for spring practice.
A senior, Guajardo hasn’t gone anywhere. In fact, he made a huge impact on the PSJA baseball team that took another district title during its first year in District 30-6A this season.
But once fall swings back around, Guajardo will be sporting the orange of UTRGV baseball, and the Bears football team will move forward in the huddle.
Rising senior Justin Morales has been tabbed the starting quarterback and his time under Lupe Rodriguez’s wing started when PSJA High had its spring ball, which ended last week.
“As a little kid growing up, I always wanted to be quarterback here at PSJA High,” Morales said. “Like Coach said, he doesn’t want me to be better than anybody else. He wants me to be the best Justin Morales can be. That’s what I’m trying to do: come out here everyday and be the best player that I can be.”
Rodriguez has faith in his quarterback, especially with his key targets back for senior campaigns.
“It’s been a little different this year,” PSJA High coach Lupe Rodriguez said. “We graduated some key players this past year with Trey obviously on the offense. Justin’s taking over and I have no doubt that he’s able to take over where Trey left off. He has a good core of receivers coming back, with Marco (Guajardo) Miguel Flores, Ethan Castillo.”
That trio of receivers combined for 2,602 yards and 27 touchdowns receiving.
From the slot, Morales had 44 receptions and four touchdowns. He accounted for 414 reception yards in Guajardo’s senior season in which he threw for 3,371 yards.
“Even back in my (Mission) Veterans days, our backup quarterback was always a starting receiver,” Rodriguez said. “Landry (Gilpin) was one. Nothing different here with Justin, the fact that he got a lot of playing time as one of our slot receivers. He knows the offense, learned it by any means necessary with all the other receivers.”
Replacing the 3,371 yards Guajardo passed for won’t be easy, but the defense is up to the task of making sure the Bears outpace and outscore the opposition.
“We know that our offense will score this year and we need to give them the ball as soon as possible,” senior Jacob Sanchez said. “We need to get hyped and go hard every practice.”
It won’t be difficult to get these Bears motivated for the 2019 season. They have a gold ball to defend for winning district and seven teams set on wrestling it away.
“It was a great experience because the last time we won district champs was more than 10 years ago,” Sanchez said. “We know other school schools don’t really like us winning, so that will make a big target on our back.”
On the last day of spring ball, the bench boss was in good spirits about the prospect of another successful season.
“Overall, I feel the confidence is still there from this past year’s district championship,” Rodriguez said. “And I told the guys it’s a next-man-up concept. I expect you guys to fill in the holes and we’re looking forward to another great season this year.”