By MARK MOLINA | STAFF WRITER
Over his junior and senior campaigns, running back Cesar Mancias led the Golden Eagles to the playoffs and an undefeated District 32-6A title by being a punishing runner with enough finesse to make a quick cut or leap over defenders.
Now, after making a name for himself as the Hanna workhorse, Mancias puts all that in his rearview mirror and will move forward in his playing career after signing on to play college football at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth during a ceremony Wednesday afternoon in Brownsville.
For the senior back, his signing meant realizing a dream he had since he discovered football at a young age.
“ It’s a dream come true,” Mancias said. “I’ve been working for this since I was in the fourth grade when I fell in love (with football). It’s great knowing my hard work paid off.”
As big as the signing was for Mancias, Hanna head football coach Mark Guess said the signing was special for him, too.
“ I feel like my own son did this,” the Hanna coach said. “We have such a special relationship and we’ve gotten really close over the last three years. Everything he’s put into it, he’s gotten out of it. He was a great player, did great things on the field, led by example and he did what he’s supposed to do. He’s got a great work ethic and the sky is the limit for this kid. His dream is to one day play in the NFL and he’s not going to let anybody stop him.”
As a senior, Mancias played unstoppable and helped lead the Golden Eagles to a undefeated District 32-6A title and the program’s first regional semifinal appearance.
He would finish the year with 1,547 yards rushing and 203 receiving to go along with 20 total touchdowns, earning him All-District 32-6A, All-Metro Most Valuable player and an honorable mention on the Texas Sports Writers Association’s All-State team.
In total, Mancias finished his career with 454 carries for 3,006 yards, 34 receptions for 276 yards and scored 30 total touchdowns (27 rushing, 3 receiving).
Looking back on it all just motivates Mancias to continue to get better.
“ It’s great,” he said. “Looking at what I left behind, I can always get better. It’s good knowing that my name will be attached to school history.”
Mancias will join the Texas Wesleyan Rams, are coming off a 2-8 season in 2018, in the NAIA Sooner Athletic Conference.
After a long recruiting process, the Hanna senior said he couldn’t have asked for a better fit.
“ The process was very hard; it’s not an easy journey,” Mancias said. “I had a couple of other looks, but when I went to go visit, I fell in love with the campus. The atmosphere is great and players that I got to meet just want to better each other. The coaches welcomed me and talked to me as if I was already a part of the team. It was great to know that I was wanted where I’m going.”
The Rams’ recorded 1,464 yards on the ground in 2018 (70 yards per game), so Mancias will fit the Rams’ needs right away, though Guess said the senior will have to adapt to the game speed as a freshman.
“ I think their coaches are expecting him to be able to touch the ball in his freshman year,” Guess said. “Of course, the speed of the game is faster and the guys are bigger and faster, too. I think all that will catch up to him a little bit, but I think as he keeps moving on and preparing himself, he’ll get himself ready for that. I don’t think there’s going to be any doubt that he can do it.”
Mancias has set high goals for himself heading into his future at Wesleyan, noting that he hopes to be an all-conference running back or slot receiver.
Doing so requires starting form the bottom, but it’s a role he has thrived in before, earning all-district first-team honors as a sophomore as a full back blocking for predecessor Jaime Gonzalez.
As a freshman, I just want to contribute as much as I can,” Mancias said. “I’m not going to have my starting spot like I do here. Having my sophomore where I earned first-team all district blocking for the main guy humbled me. It helped me understand it’s not always about shining; it’s about going through your hard work and you’ll get what you deserve. So I’m just going to work towards it and hop for the best.”