GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

WESLACO — Weslaco East’s Fabian Castro aims to pick up 5 yards on every carry.

A former fullback, Castro doesn’t fit the profile of a dynamic playmaker. He stands 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds, with a 40-yard dash time that wasn’t worth committing to his memory. So while breaking a big play would be nice, Castro simply wants to keep the chains moving with 5 yards on first down and another 5 on second down.

In his first game as the varsity starter at running back last week, Castro executed his game plan, rushing 30 times for 198 yards and a score as Weslaco East beat Sharyland High.

As East gets set for what figures to be another grueling, ground-and-pound game against McAllen Memorial at 7:30 p.m. Friday at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium, Castro again will be leaned on as part of a three-pronged attack in the Wildcats backfield.

“He’s shown me that for three years,” Weslaco East coach Mike Burget said. “He’s a tough runner, and we knew that.”

Castro showed the first glimpses of what he would be capable of as the feature back during last year’s area round playoff game against Del Rio. He ran the ball a career-high 14 times for 64 yards, averaging 4.6 yards per carry, in East’s 33-21 loss.

Playing fullback at that time, Castro said he almost felt out of place because of his size. Now at running back, he is more comfortable using his speed and implementing the cutbacks he learned from last year’s starter, Emilio Tamez.

“It feels great just helping the team and trying to get yards for us,” Castro said. “If I see the hole clogged up, I just look with my vision on the other side and try to cut it back.”

Burget entered the season with designs of Weslaco East becoming a more balanced offense, but in Week 1 the matchups dictated another run-heavy approach. The Wildcats attempted 57 runs against just two passes — the type of disparity that enabled Tamez to rush for 1,500 yards last season and opened up Lupe Moron to gain more than 2,200 on the ground in 2014.

Though Castro in Week 1 looked like the next in line to put up those monster numbers, Burget said running back Freddy Gonzales or fullback Roy Pedraza could easily be the players pushing 200 yards on a given night.

Gonzales ran 6 times for 26 yards in the opener, and Burget sees immense potential from the junior who ran for 2,000 yards on the freshman team.

Pedraza, the senior fullback and starting linebacker, is still learning where and how to exploit running lanes, Burget said. In the opener, he carried 12 times for 35 yards.

“He’s one of the best running backs I’ve ever had here at Weslaco East,” Burget said. “That kid can run the ball. Stat-wise, he didn’t show it the first game. But he’s going to come around.”

Paving the way for that group is an offensive line that is still coming together.

Center David Decanini and left tackle Armando Saenz both started games last season. Joining them are 6-foot-1, 300-pound left guard Andres Garcia, converted defensive tackle Ricky Cardoza at right guard, and varsity newcomer Albert Vasquez at right tackle.

Burget hesitated to say the unit was as strong as previous groups, citing penalties and missed blocks in the opener.

“A lot of time we were all clicking as a unit. But for the most part, we were really just making a lot of mistakes,” Decanini said. “We try to work on staying lower, taking proper steps and knowing the blocking assignments correct.”

Quarterback Richard LeFevre noticed a few inexperienced mistakes from the group in front of him, part of the reason he felt the offense as a whole didn’t play up to it’s potential.

Burget has called LeFevre possibly the most talented quarterback to ever play for Weslaco East, but that doesn’t mean the Wildcats will try to throw if running lanes are open. So far, LeFevre is OK with that, encouraging Burget to pound the ball up the middle to exploit the weaknesses he noticed in Sharyland High. The junior signalcaller said he isn’t concerned that he attempted just two passes in the opener. His primary focus is on making sure the senior class wins enough to have a memorable season.

“I’m not trying to think about it at all. We just have one goal, and that’s to out-hit people,” LeFevre said. “Whatever comes with it, that’s what comes.”

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GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — Within 48 hours of McAllen High’s season opener against Harlingen South last week, Bulldogs coach Kevin Brewer decided to go with his gut. Ruben Rodriguez would be McHi’s starting quarterback.

The returning varsity backup, Rodriguez for months had been embroiled in a battle with varsity newcomer JR Cortez. All the way through the team’s preseason scrimmage at San Benito, the Bulldogs hadn’t settled on a starter.

The competition is ongoing, but Rodriguez acquitted himself well through one start. Though McAllen High suffered a 21-14 loss to Harlingen South, Rodriguez completed 10 of 13 passes for 80 yards and a score.

“The coaches saw that I’ve been doing good at practice and just being a leader,” Rodriguez said. “I’ve wanted to play, bad, since last year. So I’m hungry for my position this year.”

With Mark Martinez and Roy Gutierrez also showing positive signs at running back, the Bulldogs are starting to find answers at the skill positions that were major questions entering the year.

The next test for the entire unit comes at 7 tonight, when McAllen High travels to face PSJA Memorial at PSJA Stadium.

“We still need more,” Brewer said. “We threw and caught the ball better. We ran the ball better, but we’re still not running it as well as we need to, production wise.”

Rodriguez is again in line to get tonight’s starting nod after Brewer said he showed composure and playmaking ability in Week 1.

McAllen High always looks for a dual threat at quarterback, and Rodriguez proved to fit the bill against Harlingen South. He tied for the team lead in rushing yardage and posted the best average yards per carry, toting the ball nine times for 45 yards.

The passing game was mostly dink and dunk, as Rodriguez averaged 8 yards per completion. But he also flashed the ability to throw the deep ball, finding tight end Sandon Yarto over the top of the defense for a 29-yard touchdown after the Hawks safety bit on a fake reverse.

“He took what they were giving, and that’s all we asked him to do,” Brewer said. “He did exactly what we wanted him to do and did a good job.”

With 2015 All-Area Offensive Player of the Year Josh McGowen graduating after one of the most prolific seasons in program history, varsity returner Martinez is taking an increased role in 2016.

In Week 1, he posted a team-high 15 carries, picking up 45 yards and a score. He said it was tough getting just 16 carries all of last season but added that he used the year to improve his speed and quickness while developing a greater understanding of the offense.

He said he relies on his speed and cutting ability, but Brewer points first and foremost to Martinez’s physicality and straightforward running style. Though listed on McHi’s roster at just 5-foot-6 and 165 pounds, Martinez never hesitates to bring the hit to defenders.

“Even if I’m hurt, I’m still willing to run the ball,” Martinez said. “Whenever I get on the field, I always lower my shoulder and go to work.”

When Martinez is off the field, the Bulldogs turn to another downhill runner in Gutierrez. Getting his first taste of varsity action after playing only sparingly on JV in 2015 due to a preseason ankle injury, Gutierrez ran four times for 10 yards.

He said his inability to get on the field last year fueled a more intense offseason, filled with 5 a.m. runs and two-a-days at Gold’s Gym.

“I don’t like to make too many jukes or any cuts and stuff,” Gutierrez said. “I just stick it in the hole and do what coaches tell me to do. I’m not too fast or anything.

I lower my shoulder a lot and bring it to the defender.”

The Week 1 production was far from stellar, but the Bulldogs see progress. Brewer noted that McHi outscored South 14-7 outside of a sluggish first quarter.

Even the modest numbers represented significant progress from the preseason scrimmage, after which Brewer said McHi’s turnover at the skill positions was evident and that the group had plenty to clean up.

“I feel like we’re going to come a long way from that,” Martinez said. “Not everybody was on the right page. Now that we’re coming to our second game, I feel like we’re more or less on the same page.”

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RGVSports.com writers Mario Aguirre and Dennis Silva II join host Greg Luca to preview the second week of the Rio Grande Valley high school football season. After breaking down the latest RGVSports.com Top 10, the guys look forward to the week’s games and dissect The Monitor’s Game of the Week between Edcouch-Elsa and Edinburg Vela. The show closes with its newest weekly feature: The Dennis Silva II Hypothetical of the Week.

The podcast is now available on iTunes. Follow this link to subscribe.

RGVSports.com writers Mario Aguirre and Dennis Silva II join host Greg Luca to break down the first week of the Rio Grande Valley high school football season. The guys review a record-setting performance from Edinburg Vela‘s Robert Guerra, the debut of freshman Campbell Speights at McAllen Memorial and the rest of the action from a busy Week 1.

The podcast is now available on iTunes. Follow this link to subscribe.

BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

WESLACO — For one half, Weslaco High stood toe-to-toe and slugged it out with 2015 state champion Richmond George Ranch.

Though the Panthers trailed 10-0 after 24 minutes, their defense had mostly kept the Longhorns in check. George Ranch had found the end zone only on a fumble return.

Then, after halftime, George Ranch began an offensive onslaught. The Longhorns scored four touchdowns in six minutes, turning Friday’s season opener at Bobby Lackey Stadium into a 38-0 runaway.

“At least we know we can hang with teams up North,” linebacker Jordan Nichols said. “There’s no more of this, ‘Valley teams can’t play with teams up North.’ We showed it in the first half. The score says otherwise, but being here and watching the game, we see that Valley teams can hang.”

At halftime, Weslaco High had limited George Ranch, last season’s undefeated Class 5A Division I state title winner, to 115 yards and 3 offensive points.

Nichols and a defensive line highlighted by tackle Sam Posadas were consistently able to penetrate and stifle the George Ranch run game, holding the Longhorns to five negative rushes in the first quarter and a 3.4 yards per carry average at halftime.

“We got them out of their comfort zone, running the ball, which tells us we were going a pretty good job on defense,” Nichols said. “Until they started launching it.”

In the third quarter, George Ranch picked up the tempo on offense and connected on touchdown passes of 85 and 42 yards. The Longhorns also started to find more on the ground in the second half, rushing 20 times for 153 yards after the break.

“They surprised us with that no huddle,” safety Diego Rodriguez said. “We had to adjust, and I’m so proud of my guys. I told them, ‘No matter the score, as long as you played with your heart and give it all you got, that’s all I want from you.’”

Weslaco’s offense was never able to get any kind of traction. The Panthers gave seven different players a chance to run the ball but amassed just 57 yards on 32 carries, an average of 1.8 yards per rush.

The passing game was equally ineffective, as Weslaco completed only 3 of 8 passes for 26 yards.

“They were really, really fast. They stunted really well. They did everything well,” quarterback A.J. Gonzalez said. “I don’t think we’ve ever played a team like that. It’s a good learning curve. Because I don’t think anyone in the Valley will be as fast as that.”

Weslaco players said they entered the game confident they could play with George Ranch regardless of the perception the reigning champs would roll. Despite the setback, the Panthers took solace in keeping the game close for a time.

Weslaco High will travel to play San Antonio Marshall next week, host Mercedes on Sept. 9 and then begin a grueling District 32-6A slate.

“It hurts that the score was like this, but we’ll get over it,” Rodriguez said. “We’ll regroup as a team and play lights out next week with a chip on our shoulder because losing sucks, man. We have a bitter taste in our mouth, and we have to spit it out.”

NOTE: Justice Free was not listed on Weslaco High’s roster and was not with the team for Friday’s game.
Free and one of his friends are accused of breaking into another student-athlete’s home and stealing almost $15,000 worth of possessions.

A projected returning starter at defensive end, Free had 37 tackles and tied for the team lead with four sacks last season.

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GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

WESLACO — Senior Diego Rodriguez starts his typical practice day at 4 a.m. After a stop at McDonald’s for oatmeal, he arrives at Weslaco High around 5:30 a.m., just after coach Tony Villarreal and well before many of his teammates wake up for the Panthers’ 8 a.m. practice.

“I just zone in for practice, put on music and prepare my mind for the upcoming day,” Rodriguez said.

As the season draws closer, he starts to use that time for film and scouting reports. This week, he’s been digesting Richmond George Ranch, a squad that went undefeated in 2015 en route to a Class 5A Division I state championship.

For Rodriguez, a player with all-state potential and hopes of playing at the college level, the Panthers’ season opener at 7 Friday night at Bobby Lackey Stadium in The Monitor’s Game of the Week will be a proving ground.

“I would say you have to play well, and not only play well, but I think you have to win,” Villarreal said. “The place is going to be packed, and I think we have to execute. They’re looking for the glue that keeps the group together, and Diego is that.”

Rodriguez has been a starter in the defensive backfield since midway through his sophomore year. Villarreal said Rodriguez played a critical role in the 2014 defense notching a shutout win against Harlingen High in the playoffs, and he continued to step forward last season.

As a junior, Rodriguez made 117 tackles with 4 forced fumbles and 2 interceptions.

“He’s a real athletic and explosive player,” senior teammate Jordan Nichols said. “He’s an all-around good player. I don’t see any flaws with him.”

Villarreal praises Rodriguez’s mentality and approach above anything he brings physically. He describes Rodriguez as a humble, driven student of the game — the son of a former middle school coach in the Weslaco system.

He also praises Rodriguez for his intensity and passion, saying “his heart is through the roof.”

“We’re never going to have another Diego,” Villarreal said. “You get them just once in a lifetime.”

While Weslaco boasts a wealth of defensive returners in the front seven, the secondary is filled mostly with new pieces. But Villarreal says Rodriguez mitigates any concerns about inexperience, given his diligent film study and ability to keep his teammates properly aligned.

Working with the newcomers throughout two-a-days, Rodriguez encouraged them to stay loose and find a comfortable stance. He describes himself as a motivating leader, trying to lift his teammates up rather than being overly critical.

“We’re not bad in the secondary, because Diego is directing traffic,” Villarreal said. “When you have a guy like Diego who is in the weight room, and you were probably a No. 2 guy last year, and he takes you and he says, ‘Hey lets go work out’ … he’ll make them.”

In preparing to chase his season goals of 120 tackles and 10 interceptions, Rodriguez put in two-a-day workouts on his own over the summer, trying to improve his strength, speed and conditioning.

He originally figured on Sunday as a rest day, but his plans quickly changed.

“That was tough,” Rodriguez said. “Sitting down and just thinking there’s somebody out there working harder than me. I had to just get up and work out again. It was rare to have a rest day.”

Rodriguez aims to play in college, and he’s been in contact with Texas A&M-Kingsville and UTSA, among others, although an official offer has yet to come his way.

At 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds with a 4.6-second 40-yard dash, Rodriguez has the physical tools to play at the next level. He regularly works to bring the mental side of his game along, as well, staying up until 1 or 2 a.m. watching Hudl highlights from bed.

When he found out Weslaco was facing George Ranch in Week 1, he quickly started looking on Twitter to learn more about the Longhorns. One of the profiles he went through was quarterback Antonio Jackson, who coincidentally ended up on the same flight as Rodriguez to Cancun for vacation.

“We went to Mexico and we got off, and we were right next to each other,” Rodriguez said. “I was like, ‘Hey, you’re from George Ranch, right?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah.’ And I said, ‘I’m from Weslaco. We got ya’ll Week 1.’ And he’s like, ‘Oh, yeah?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, man. Be safe, so I can see you Week 1.’”

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GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — Campbell Speights said he was nervous on his first career carry Thursday night, very nearly fumbling after a 2-yard gain. He had watched his older brother, Trevor, dominate at McAllen Memorial for four years, but he didn’t know what to expect upon being thrust into the varsity starting lineup.

That one carry was all he needed to shake any jitters.

Speights took his second career rush for a 67-yard touchdown and finished his debut game with 17 carries for 150 yards and 3 scores as McAllen Memorial took down Sharyland Pioneer 40-27 in both teams’ season opener at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium.

“That was great,” Speights said. “It was a dream come true. Seeing your brother do it for four years, it’s just amazing to finally get the opportunity.”

Speights was one half of a dominant Memorial rushing game, as fullback Emilio Mendez came on strong in the second half to finish with 24 carries, 202 yards and 3 touchdowns.

In total, McAllen Memorial picked up 348 yards on the ground and did not attempt a pass in the second half.

“This is Mustang football,” coach Bill Littleton said. “You know what we’re about. The kids rose to the occasion, and both of those running backs did a heck of a job tonight.”

Stepping into the starting running back vacancy left after Trevor graduated the Valley’s all-time leading rusher, Campbell showed quick feet, impressive moves and breakaway speed. On his opening score, he took a toss right, made a defender miss with a juke and scampered 67 yards.

He found the end zone again in the second quarter, breaking two tackles and spinning around a third defender for a 30-yard score. He completed the hat trick from 1 yard out early in the fourth quarter.

“He’s a talented young man and the sky is the limit for him,” Littleton said. “We just have to get him bigger and get him stronger, and he’ll be something special.”

Campbell said he wants to avoid the inevitable comparisons to Trevor, who opened his historic career as a freshman with a very similar stat line: 11 carries, 157 yards and 2 touchdowns against Edinburg High on Sept. 1, 2012.

Campbell said he received a text from Trevor before Thursday’s game reminding him: “Run low. Stay behind your pads. Don’t run high.”

“He coaches me up a lot,” Campbell said. “I just listen to what he says, and everything he tells me just works. It’s amazing.”

Campbell amassed most of his production in the first half, gaining 113 yards. Mendez took over down the stretch, racking up 168 yards after the halftime break. Even at 215 pounds, Mendez showed off his 4.56-second 40-yard dash speed, outrunning a defensive back on his career-long 55-yard touchdown.

The outburst was far and away a new career high for Mendez, who finished last season with 584 yards and 7 touchdowns as a block-first player.

“I was really surprised,” Mendez said. “I expected to block more for Campbell, because I was used to more blocking for his brother. … It was really fun, just seeing the open space and going for it.”

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GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

Tonight, McAllen Memorial football begins a new era after the graduation of Trevor Speights, the Valley’s all-time leading rusher.

Speights set the standard of Valley football for four years, racking up 9,868 rushing yards and 120 total touchdowns. His historic 3,195-yard, 50-touchdown 2015 campaign propelled Memorial to an average of 518.8 yards and 60 points per game during the regular season.

Now, Memorial has to figure out how to generate offense without him. The first test is at 7 tonight in McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium against Sharyland Pioneer in the season opener for both teams.

“Everyone is good enough to show that we can still do the same thing as last year, even though one great player has gone,” Memorial fullback Emilio Mendez said.

With Speights getting ready to begin his freshman season at Stanford University, Memorial coach Bill Littleton is turning the reins over to his younger brother, freshman Campbell Speights.

Despite his youth, Campbell is already making waves with college recruiters. He played for the United States under-15 select team in the International Bowl and was a part of the Football University Top Gun Showcase, being named to the All Top Gun team for the Class of 2020 after his showing in Rock Hill, South Carolina. He also attended camps at Rice and UT Austin this summer.

He enters with a quick and elusive running style, plus the ability to catch the ball after playing a major role in Memorial’s trip to the state 7-on-7 tournament during the summer.

“He has a lot of upside to him,” Littleton said. “He’s a young man who is going to be an outstanding athlete before it’s all said and done.”

With returning back JoJo Williams sitting out tonight due to injury, Campbell Speights is the clear leader atop the depth chart. Mendez, a physical runner, will still get some carries at fullback, and Emiliano Cruz will alternate between fullback and tailback, Littleton said.

The Mustangs are optimistic the new weapons will help continue a streak of six consecutive playoff appearances, and Sharyland Pioneer coach Jason Wheeler is not taking Memorial lightly.

“I wanted the kids to look forward to something over the summer for their first game,” Wheeler said. “Like, ‘Hey, you can’t take summer off. We’re playing a good 6A program.’ I think we’ll match up fine, and it will be a good challenge for us. I want to see where we are earlier in the year, because district starts so soon.”

Playing in the new-look, nine-team District 31-5A, Pioneer will play just two non-district games before opening at Laredo Cigarroa on Sept. 8.

In their third varsity season, the Diamondbacks are looking to continue stepping forward after going 3-7 in 2014 and 6-4 in 2015. The Mustangs will give them an early gauge on how far they’ve progressed. “Memorial is a great test, and I’m looking forward to it,” Pioneer senior offensive lineman Fernie Perez said. “They have tradition. We’re playing at their place, and it’s a chance to see immediately where we’re at. These are the games we want to win to take that next step forward.”

Littleton said Pioneer boasts a diverse group of talented skill players and is capable of spreading the field effectively. He hopes Memorial’s defense, which has impressed with its speed and quickness going all the way back to the spring, will play with more physicality against Pioneer than it did in the team’s scrimmage last week.

“They’re a good football team. They’ll definitely test us,” Littleton said. “We’ll have our work cut out to win. They’re a fine football team. They’re a program that’s going to go somewhere this year. They know that, and we know that.”

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RGVSports.com writers Mario Aguirre and Dennis Silva II join host Greg Luca to break down the start of the Rio Grande Valley High School football season. The guys break down the Preseason RGVSports.com Top 10, the frontrunners for The Monitor’s All-Area Player of the Year and the races to win each of the Valley’s five Class 6A and 5A districts.

The podcast is now available on iTunes. Follow this link to subscribe.

GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

Progreso coach Tom Salazar enters the 2016 season facing an all-too-familiar problem: low roster numbers.

When Progreso travels to face Lyford on Friday, Salazar anticipates the team taking at most 21 players. But Salazar reminded the Red Ants of 2014, when the team brought a similarly small roster to Brownsville Porter and pulled out a 7-0 win.

“I told them, ‘We can do it,’” Salazar said. “’It’s going to take a lot of hard work on your part, but it is possible. It’s not a thing where we don’t stand a chance. We just have to be positive and do what we can with what we’ve got.’”

Though Progreso is coming off a 1-8 season and has made the playoffs just once in its 30-year history, Salazar said the players have consistently come to practice with a strong effort and positive attitude.

Salazar said Progreso was clearly overmatched and outgunned in Friday’s scrimmage against powerhouse Brownsville St. Joseph, but that his team continued to persevere, scoring on its final possession.

“They beat us like a drum, but we kept fighting back and fighting back and we kept going,” Salazar said. “They could have given up, but they didn’t. I’m grateful to them for having the heart, and that’s the way it’s going to be.”

Salazar is hoping to get his roster up to 28 players once classes begin and students return from summer jobs. As it stands now, many of the skill players are in camp, but the Red Ants are limited in the trenches.

Salazar entered the year wanting to be able to focus more players on just one side of the ball, but the turnout has forced him to continue using about a dozen players on both offense and defense. He said he doesn’t remember any other group responding to the demands with a better attitude.

“These kids, they never complain,” Salazar said. “I’ve been running the heck out of them, because they have to be in shape to play the whole game, and they don’t complain. They just do it. Period.”

The goal for 2016 is simple: win some games, Salazar said. The task will not be an easy one, as Progreso has the smallest enrollment and by far the lowest roster numbers in District 16-4A Division II. Last season, the Red Ants lost their five district games by an average margin of 37 points.

“My goal is to try to pull one or two district games,” Salazar said, “and I think we can.”

SPREADING IT OUT

Progreso switched to a spread offense last season, a change Salazar said the players enjoyed because it was reminiscent of playing sandlot football.

Steven Alaniz projects as the team’s primary running back, while Cristian Trevino moved to quarterback from wide receiver and won a four-way battle for the starting job.

“He’s very gutsy,” Salazar said. “If he sees an opening to run, he’s going to take it.”

On the line, center Miguel Quintana and Jesus Torres are the returning starters.

ATTACKING DEFENSE

On defense, Progreso’s plan is to attack out of a 3-4 alignment and use stunts to generate pressure on quarterbacks despite a lack of size.

The Red Ants have a strong linebacker core in Octavio Alvarez, Hector De Los Santos, Estevan Silva and Manuel Flores, plus reliable defensive back pieces in corner Dagoberto Treviño and safties Anthony Solis and Joshua San Roman, a freshman.

“I think our pursuit, being aggressive and trying to get to the ball is going to be one of our strengths when we get that developed,” Salazar said. “We’re getting there. We still have a ways to go, but I think we’ll be able to have some success with it.”

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PROGRESO

With low roster numbers and a demand on many players to work both sides of the ball, Progreso could be in store for another difficult season.

Projected 2016 record: 2-7

TENURE

Coach: Tom Salazar

Year at School: Fourth

Record at Progreso: 5-24