GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

ALAMO — When PSJA Memorial quarterback Michael Gonzalez was 12, he watched from the stands as his brother, Louie, manned the position and led the Wolverines to the playoffs.

Michael saw Louie carry the team to a 9-3 record and earn all-District 31-5A MVP honors by throwing for 1,850 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Fast forward four years, and Michael is the one under center for the Wolverines, trying to bring PSJA Memorial something it hasn’t had since Louie left: a winning season. A junior entering his second year as the starter, Michael has guided Memorial to a 2-1 start.

“This year, he’s really evolved,” PSJA Memorial coach Gus Cavazos said.

After being thrust into the starting role unexpectedly as a 15-year-old sophomore last year, Michael completed 67 of 148 passes for 732 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions.

Through only three games this year, Michael is 30-of-48 passing for 418 yards and three touchdowns against two interceptions.

“I feel like I’ve matured,” Michael said. “We’ve been clicking.”

Louie has played a major role in Michael’s development.

As a product of watching film with Louie in his free time, Michael has been able to improve his footwork from last season.

“He’s been teaching me a lot,” Michael said. “He works with me when I get home. We go over our three-step drops. We watch film together. He helps me out on things.”

The two have even studied old film of Louie, looking for anything they can use to make Michael a better player. Some of the big takeaways have been getting rid of the ball quicker, and throwing it away when nobody is open.

If Michael needs any extra coaching at home he can turn to his father, Luis, who played quarterback for PSJA High and now coaches at Alamo Middle School. Growing up with a father and brother who played and understand the position has given Michael a mental edge.

“He’s always been mentally strong, even for a young kid,” said Cavazos, who added that Michael rarely shows any nerves. “If he has them, he does a great job of not showing it. When he gets in the huddle, the kids see that in him. They don’t see any fear in him. They don’t see any nervousness in him. And so because of that, he’s a great leader. Even though he’s the youngest kid on this team probably, he’s probably the one that everybody looks up to the most.”

Those leadership qualities were on display over the summer, when Michael rallied his backs and receivers to get together and work on their routes. The players would tell the coaches to open up the field, and the players would meet three to four times per week. As the group continued to grow, they even ran some 7 on 7.

As a result, Michael feels he makes his reads better and faster, and he’s learned to put touch on his passes rather than firing everything at full speed. Cavazos said Michael’s ability to throttle back the pace has led to fewer drops by Memorial’s receivers.

“He’s been a tremendous quarterback,” receiver John Anthony Saenz said. “He got a lot better since last year. He puts touch on the ball now. He’s doing a lot better.”

Players also ran through drills during those summer sessions, working with a rope ladder to increase speed and agility. Michael’s 40-yard dash time has dropped from 5.4 seconds last year to 5.1 seconds this year. While still a modest time, that speed increase makes Michael a formidable running threat given his thick build.

In three games, he’s rushed for 73 yards on 16 carries.

With a running game added to his strong arm and newfound touch, Gonzalez has eliminated the only real concerns Cavazos had about his ability man the position. On an experience team with playoff aspirations, perhaps Michael can lead the Wolverines back to heights they haven’t seen since Louie was under center.

“We were just concerned with him being physically able to elude tackles, and he’s done a good job,” Cavazos said. “And he just keeps getting better.”

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The following are the RGVCCCA cross country top 10 polls. The rankings were determined by an online survey sent to all coaches for their vote.

RGVCCCA XC Boys Top 10
1. Mission Veterans
2. Mercedes
3. Edinburg Vela
4. Brownsville Rivera
5. Edinburg North
6. La Joya Palmview
7. Weslaco East
8. PSJA Memorial
9. La Juarez-Lincoln
10. Sharyland High

RGVCCCA XC Girls Top 10
1. Edinburg High
2. Edinburg Economedes
3. Edinburg North
4. La Joya Palmview
5. Sharyland Pioneer
6. Sharyland High
7. Edcouch-Elsa
8. PSJA Memorial
9. Edinburg Vela
10. Brownsville Hanna

GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

Last season, Edinburg North’s formula for success was very simple: run the ball and play defense.

Coach Rene Saenz wouldn’t mind seeing more of the same, but last week the Cougars proved they win via the passing game if necessary.

In Friday’s 24-21 win against Brownsville Rivera, Edinburg North ran for just 42 yards while quarterback Martin Rodriguez threw for 259. This from a team that gained 897 yards passing against 3,250 rushing in 2013.

“We don’t want to throw the ball that much,” Saenz said. “We want to carry the ball a little bit more than we actually have to throw it. But we know if we have to, Martin has got a decent enough arm and a knowledge of the game. And his vision is pretty decent, also, that he can carry us through.”

Rivera loaded up the box against North, something Saenz expects a lot of teams to try to do this season. The defensive alignment created one-on-one matchups for receiver Michael Cantu, who exploded for 234 yards and a touchdown on eight catches.

“He’s a fast kid,” Saenz said. “He’s little, but he’s an athlete. When you get him in space, especially if he’s matched up one-on-one, I like his chances.”

Cantu, a senior, ranked second on the Cougars with 302 receiving yards last year. He posted a team-best 21 receptions and scored five touchdowns.

With Matt Ramirez — Edinburg North’s leading receiver in 2013 — gone to graduation, Saenz expected Cantu to be even more involved this season. Saenz initially planned to use Cantu in the slot, but North has been moving him around to create the best possible matchups.

“We’ve got to get him in space and let him make a move after he catches the ball,” Saenz said.

UP AND DOWN

In a Week 1 win against Edcouch Elsa, McAllen Rowe quarterback Hector Bosquez looked like one of the Valley’s best. He completed 10 of 13 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran the ball 15 times for 196 yards and a pair of scores.

In a Week 2 loss against Mercedes, Bosquez looked lost. He completed two of four passes for 3 yards and an interception. He ran the ball four times for 3 yards before coach Paul Reyes benched him after two series.

“I had never seen a lack of focus in him,” Reyes said. “I had never seen that, ever. So when I saw it early those first couple of series, I said, ‘This wasn’t going to be it. This wasn’t his time.’”

Bosquez may not have looked ready on Friday, but Reyes has no intention of changing starters. Bosquez will take the first snap against PSJA Memorial on Friday.

“I don’t carry things over,” Reyes said. “He’s still our starter, and we go from there.”

Reyes added that Bosquez has looked good in practice and returned with a new focus, perhaps because “he understands now that his position is not guaranteed.”

His replacement last week, quarterback John Perez, completed 16 of 28 passes for 208 yards.

“He stepped up and did some things,” Reyes said. “I was happy to see that he came in, he competed well, and he did a good job for us.”

TOUGH TEST

La Joya High has statistically the best defense in District 30-6A through two games, but that unit is about to be tested like no other in the Valley.

The Coyotes face Edinburg Vela, Weslaco East, McAllen Memorial and McAllen High the next four weeks. All four schools are ranked in the latest RGVSports.com poll.

“We’re in the meat grinder right now,” La Joya coach George Espinoza said. “The next four weeks are going to be pretty tough for us.”

La Joya is off to a 1-1 start, falling to Roma in Week 1 before bouncing back to defeat Donna North. The defense, led by linebacker Yonny Villarreal, defensive lineman Tony Cerda and safety Jorge Munoz, has allowed just 215 yards per game.

“Those three guys are kind of the nucleus of the defense,” Espinoza said.

Offensively, the Coyotes have found balance. Quarterback Julio Garcia has gotten better at making reads, and Overlin Montes has become an all-around weapon.

Montes leads the team with 110 rushing yards and ranks second with 79 yards receiving.

“He’s our overall athlete,” Espinoza said. “We utilize him just about everywhere.”

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GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

MISSION — When La Joya Palmview coach Mage Requenez was meeting with offensive coordinator Gary Lauer for the first time, he asked if Lauer had an offense they could run under center. Palmview had traditionally run a spread, and Lauer had employed the spread in his time at Mission and as head coach at Rowe. But that wasn’t what the Lobos needed.

“Can you do something with the size?” Requenez asked. “We sat down and evaluated the team, and the kids, and he said, ‘Coach, I can do that.’”

With two powerful backs running behind a massive line, an offense that was one of the Valley’s worst in 2013 has been among its most productive units through two games of 2014.

In a District 30-6A with powerhouses McAllen High and McAllen Memorial, Palmview is the only remaining unbeaten.

“We’ve been showing something,” fullback Jose Bernal said. “Not like last year, when we went 1-9.”

Palmview scored 101 points and ran for 1,168 yards last season. This year, in wins against PSJA Southwest and Brownsville Lopez, Palmview has racked up 81 points and run for 1,020 yards.

Instead of being pass happy and running only three formations — doubles, trips or empty — the Lobos have added a wide variety of packages and become run heavy out of all of them.

Requenez said the change has made Palmview significantly harder to scout.

“It’s better than the spread offense,” running back Freddy Villarreal said. “This offense is made for us.”

The offensive line has been a major factor in the turnaround. Anchored by tackle Jonathan Garcia and guards Arturo Gutierrez and Michael Rodriguez, the line has an average height greater than 6 feet. They range in weight from 225 to 275, and they’re only getting stronger. Requenez says the linemen are still in the weight room three days per week.

Under new offensive line coach Ernesto Lerma — a loud, old-school disciplinarian — the line has learned to take advantage of that size. Lerma ironed out a number of flaws in the unit and taught the players how to use a four-point stance, making them more potent downhill blockers.

“It felt awkward in the beginning, but once you get used to it, it just becomes natural,” Garcia said.

The line has created plenty of running room for backs Villarreal and Jose Bernal. Both are power runners — when one is lined up at halfback, the other plays fullback.

“We’re pushing people around,” Requenez said. “We’re running the ball from any formation we want right now.”

Villarreal has 50 carries for 443 yards and six touchdowns in two games, while Bernal has 28 for 312 and four scores. After playing defense for much of his sophomore and junior seasons, Villarreal is still transitioning to the position. Requenez said he needs to learn how to cut back, juke and find holes in the line.

“Right now he’s just running over and stiff-arming people left and right,” Requenez said. “I have a pretty good idea that he’s probably going to be one of the top backs in our district this year.”

In a 35-28 win against PSJA Southwest on Saturday, Villarreal carried the ball 39 times. He wasn’t supposed to get the ball that much, but the coaches kept calling “First group,” and Villarreal kept lining up.

“Coach Lauer thought Bernal was carrying some of the load, because they were supposed to be alternating at tailback,” Requenez said. “It just so happened that Freddy took charge and was always in there. We didn’t know he carried the ball that much. It won’t happen again.”

The question is whether Palmview can have similar production against some of the Valley’s best teams. Right now, they’re only focused on their next opponent: Rio Grande City. In the locker room, Requenez has a clock counting down to game time next to a picture of whoever is next on the schedule.

That won’t change, even against the district forces from McAllen.

“I’ve seen all three schools. I’ve seen what they can do,” Requenez said. “They’re very powerful offenses. But as long as we have the ball, the offense can’t get on the field.”

Villarreal knows it’ll be a challenge. But he and his teammates are confident Palmview has what it takes to reach the postseason for the first time in school history.

“Defenses like McAllen Memorial, they’re going to be really tough, but we’re going to give them a run for their money,” Villarreal said. “We’re going to do the best we can.”

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GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

EDINBURG — As teammates and competitors were gasping for air, collapsed on the ground or hunched forward with their hands on their knees, Mission Veterans’ GJ Reyna calmly paced the finish-line area.

Reyna looked comfortable at the RGV Cross Country Classic, winning the 5K boys elite race on Saturday at Monte Cristo Golf Course in Edinburg.

“I felt really good. It was a nice race,” Reyna said. “I’m in a good spot at practice, and everything is going well with training. That’s the hard part. Coming to the meets is where it shows.”

Reyna held only a narrow lead when the race hit the 2-mile mark, but from there he kicked into another gear. He finished with a time of 16 minutes, 17.9 seconds — substantially ahead of second-place Isaac Arevalo of Edinburg Vela, who posted a 16:32.7.

“I wanted to stay up there with the front pack until it kind of settled down, and once it did, I just kind of planned to go around the 2-mile mark,” Reyna said. “When I hit there, I was feeling good, so I went for it. Separation happened, and I was good from there on.”

The win was the second in a row for Reyna, who last week won the 3-mile Rowe Tune Up race in 15:39. Mission Veterans also won as a team for the second consecutive week.

For both Reyna and the team, the goal is to keep building towards state. Last year, Reyna finished 18^th at the state meet with a time of 16:32.92, while Mission Veterans finished sixth.

“We plan to go back to state and hopefully make the podium as a team,” Reyna said.

Reyna is personally targeting a top-five finish at state. Of the 17 competitors who beat him last year, nine were seniors. He thinks a time under 16 minutes would get it done.

“I’m feeling good with that,” Reyna said. “I think I can do that.”

Edinburg High’s Alex Cruz also has her eyes on state, hoping to return and best last year’s 25^th-place finish.

She’s off to a good start so far, following up a dominant performance at last week’s Rowe Tune Up with another stellar showing on Saturday.

Cruz finished the girls 5K in 17:59.1, almost 50 seconds better than the 18:48.2 posted by second-place Beth Ramos from Edinburg North.

“I felt I went out really strong and finished really strong,” Cruz said. “Right now hitting (into the 17:00 range) is amazing, because this is far better than what I was at the beginning of the season last year.”

Cruz finished fifth at regionals last year with a season-best 17:32, and she hopes she can crack 17 minutes by state this time around. Paige Hofstad of New Braunfels won last year’s state meet with a time of 17:36.45, while Cruz finished 25^th with a 19:08.39.

“I’m trying to break that 17 and get into the 16s so I could possibly stay within top five at state,” Cruz said. “That’s my main goal.”

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Sept. 6 RGV Cross Country Classic Results

Girls Team results — 1, Edinburg High, 61; 2, Edinburg Economedes, 65; 3, Edinburg North, 66; 4, Sharyland Pioneer, 111; 5, Valley View, 112; 6, Weslaco, 120; 7, McAllen High, 124; 8, PSJA High, 161.

Individual results — 1, Alex Cruz, Edinburg High, 17:59.1; 2, Beth Ramos, Edinburg North, 18:48.2; Krysta Martinez, Edcouch Elsa, 18:49.5; 3, Emily Suarez, Edinburg Economedes, 19:20.0; Briana Robles, La Joya Palmview, 20:10.5; 4, Lizette Chapa, Sharyland Pioneer, 20:11.8; 5, Ana Ochoa, Edinburg Economedes, 20:19.5; 6, Isabel Mendoza, Sharyland Pioneer, 20:22.1; Natali Gonzalez, La Joya Palmview, 20:32.0; Michelle Flores, Mission High, 20:44.3; Naila Flores, La Joya Palmview, 20:54.5; 7, Vianney Sanchez, Edinburg High, 21:02.7; 8, Yvette Yracheta, Edinburg North, 21:13.7; 9, Allison Marroquin, Edinburg Economedes, 21:18.1; 10, Angela Nuno, Edinburg North, 21:20.9; 11, Anna Sanchez, PSJA High, 21:22.9; 12, Gloria Martinez, Weslaco, 21:25.6; 13, Alexis Medina, Edinburg High, 21:33.2; Samantha Perez, McAllen Memorial, 21:33.5; 14, Alexandria Canchola, McAllen High, 21:34.3; 15, Alyssa Deleon, Weslaco, 21:36.4; 16, Lynnda Lozano, Edinburg North, 21:37.1; Samantha Rivera, PSJA North, 21:38.2; 17, Natalia Del Angel, Valley View, 21:40.7; 18, Monica Yanez, Valley View, 21:41.2; 19, Maygan Marroquin, Edinburg High, 21:41.8; 20, Stephanie Sauceda, Weslaco, 21:42.6.

Boys Team results — 1, Mission Veterans, 56; 2, Edinburg Vela, 60; 3, Edinburg North, 65; 4, La Joya Palmview, 77; 5, Weslaco East, 105; 6, PSJA High, 135; 7, Valley View, 160; 8, PSJA North, 162.

Individual results — 1, GJ Reyna, Mission Veterans, 16:17.9; 2, Isaac Arevalo, Edinburg Vela, 16:32.7; 3, Jose Quintanilla, Edinburg North, 16:39.8; Moises Campos, Hidalgo, 16:42.3; 4, Adam Herrera, Edinburg Vela, 16:48.4; 5, Eliseo Rodriguez, La Joya Palmview, 16:49.5; 6, Victor Bocanegra, La Joya Palmview, 16:49.8; 7, Jesus Mata, Mission Veterans, 16:51.5; 8, Tristan Pena, Edinburg North, 16:52.9; 9, Fabian Garcia, Mission Veterans, 16:55.8; 10, Jayven Cordova, Weslaco East, 17:02.8; 11, Martin Garcia, Mission Veterans, 17:07.8; 12, Diego Monjaras, Valley View, 17:10.7; 13, Aldo Nava, Edinburg North, 17:12.9; 14, Marcus Guajardo, Edinburg Vela, 17:13.4; 15, Leonel Rivas, Edinburg North, 17:13.6; 16, Angel Montanez, PSJA High, 17:22.9; 17, Albert Herrera, La Joya Palmview, 17:28.5; 18, Jacinto Garza, Edinburg Vela, 17:30.6; 19, Tristen Robles, La Joya Palmview, 17:36.3; 20, Samuel Ortiz, La Joya Palmview, 17:43.5.

GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — As McAllen Memorial running back Adam Grace was sprinting down the sideline for a 70-yard rushing touchdown in a game that had long been iced away, running back Trevor Speights was sprinting right along with him on the opposite sideline.

He knows that feeling pretty well. More often than not, he was the one sprinting into the end zone on Friday.

Speights finished with 285 yards and four touchdowns on 24 carries as McAllen Memorial rolled to a 69-38 win against Edinburg Economedes on Friday at McAllen Memorial Stadium.

“We still have a long way to go to reach our potential,” Speights said. “We’re getting there. But this right here, is just to show the Valley we can put up points.”

McAllen Memorial was completely unstoppable on offense in the first half, gaining 390 yards on 39 plays and scoring on all six possessions. The Mustangs were methodical, picking up 18 first downs and holding the ball for 15 minutes and 15 seconds.

Speights, the reigning All-Valley player of the year, scored the first two touchdowns, racking up 204 yards on 18 carries in the first half alone.

“Trevor is the key. He is the No. 1 player on this year,” quarterback Fabian Pedraza said. “I believe he is the best player in the Valley. Having him in my backfield is awesome.”

Speights is no stranger to big games, and this ranks up there with the best of them. He finished just 9 yards shy of his career high — a 294-yard game against McAllen Rowe on Oct. 12, 2012.

“He had an outstanding ball game,” coach Bill Littleton said. “He made a lot of big runs.”

Jonathan Sanchez added a pair of 1-yard touchdowns on quarterback sneaks, amassing 89 yards on11 carries overall.

Pedraza also had a hand in three touchdowns, scoring on a 2-yard keeper and finding Alvaro Rocha for strikes of 47 and 28 yards.

“We got it going a little bit,” Littleton said of the passing game. “We still have to get better at it, but we saw some signs tonight that we can throw the football when we need to.”

After completing only 1 of 6 passes for 10 yards in a loss to Sharyland last week, Pedraza was 8 for 9 passing for 140 yards and the two touchdowns.

“It was very important to jump back on track,” Pedraza said. “We were off track for a while. … It felt like we recovered real well from our loss last week.”

The Jaguars struggled to move the ball consistently on offense in the first half. Their only success came from taking advantage of play-action when Memorial loaded up the box. Rolando Resendez caught a pass for 51 yards, Alan Garcia caught a 34-yard pass, and Austin Reyna made an outstanding diving catch for 31 yards.

But, aside from those three big plays, Economedes gained just 31 yards on 16 plays.

The group played much better over the final 24 minutes, reaching the end zone on four of their first five possessions. The slot-T offense finally appeared to create confusion for Memorial’s defense, as Economedes ran for 189 yards after halftime. Doroteo Arreola finished the game with 11 carries for 90 yards and three touchdowns. Cris Izaguirre also scored twice, on runs of 4 and 17 yards.

But even as Economedes rallied, Memorial’s offense kept scoring. The Mustangs punted twice to start the half but then scored touchdowns on their final four possessions.

“Overall, I thought the kids played extremely well tonight,” Littleton said.

GETTING ONE BACK

McAllen Memorial had lost to Edinburg Economedes each of the past two years. The Jaguars defeated the Mustangs 24-21 in 2012 and 28-21 in 2013.

THE TRENCHES

Speights and Pedraza both credited their success to the offensive line.

“My offensive line is off the charts,” Speights said. “I have the best offensive line, I think, in the country. I’m blessed.”

UP NEXT

McAllen Memorial travels to Bobby Morrow stadium to face San Benito next Friday.

Economedes is also in action next Friday, playing host to PSJA High.

GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

WESLACO — Weslaco East entered Thursday’s game expecting to be a more dangerous offensive team because of the players they were bringing back.

Returning running back Alexis Cervantes proved why with a 50-yard touchdown on the Wildcats’ second play from scrimmage, and East never looked back in a 42-14 win against San Benito at Bobby Lackey Stadium.

“I don’t want to make excuses, but we were a little banged up,” Weslaco East coach Mike Burget said. “I sat people out, and people panicked a little bit. ‘Why is he sitting starters out?’ I think people can see why. … When they’re all in there fighting together, we’re going to be a good team.”

Weslaco East dominated the game on the ground, racking up 427 rushing yards. Darren Rivas, Lupe Moron, Angel Flores and Cervantes all ran for at least 77 yards.

For the season, East has run for 830 yards without gaining a single yard through the air.

“That’s just East football,” Rivas said. “That’s what we do. Smash-mouth football and run the ball down hill.”

Cervantes finished with 91 yards on seven carries in his first game back after suffering a knee injury in East’s first scrimmage.

He made the most of his first carry, breaking through a hole on the right side of the line and sprinting 50 yards for the score.

“It feels good scoring for the first time coming back from a long break,” Cervantes said.

Cervantes’ effort complimented another huge game from La Villa transfer Moron. After racking up 260 yards and four touchdowns in his Class 6A debut against Brownsville Rivera last week, Moron ran for 157 and a score on 23 carries. Moron showed great speed and a devastating stiff arm that made him a threat to take it the distance on every run.

“That kid is excited, he fits in well with East,” Burget said. “He’s starting to be a great team player. If he stays healthy, he’s going to have a great year. He is a great specimen.”

Rivas, who didn’t attempt a rush while nursing injury last week, proved he was back to 100 percent on Thursday.

He didn’t throw a pass — he didn’t need to — but he ran for 77 yards on eight carries, including touchdown runs of 31 and 4 yards to put the game out of reach in the second half.

“I felt pretty good,” Rivas said. “I think I’m back.”

Even wide receiver/defensive back JR Villarreal looked back to full strength after playing through a groin injury in Week 1.

Villarreal gave up a touchdown pass against Brownsville Rivera, but on Thursday he pulled down an interception in the end zone and recovered a fumble at the 1-yard line, killing two San Benito scoring chances.

“That was a great momentum changer,” Villarreal said. “We felt like they were going to put more points up, and our backs were against the wall, and we tried to fight them back.”

SAN BENITO STANDOUTS

Greyhounds quarterback Cristian Sierra completed 17 of 23 passes for 156 yards and an interception. He also ran the ball 17 times for 119 yards and two scores.

Running back Gabriel Vasquez racked up 100 yards on 18 carries.

FRESHMAN TOUCHDOWN

Freshman free safety J.C. Vargas scored East’s second touchdown on a fumble return. Sierra fumbled as he was going down on a run, and the ball popped into Vargas’ hands at the 25-yard line. He ran mostly uncontested for the score to put East ahead 14-0.

“The guy is averaging over 10 tackles per game. He comes up and just nails people,” Burget said. “I’m excited about that young man.”

ICING ON THE CAKE

With the game already out of reach, East’s Angel Flores scored a 78-yard touchdown with 2:14 remaining. The play was the second long touchdown of the season for Flores, who ran for a 76-yard score in Week 1.

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GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

When McAllen Rowe running back Jose Chavez was a sophomore last year, coach Paul Reyes saw him as the power half of a tandem with the quicker Ino Rios.

But after Chavez ran for a 35-yard score and added an 81-yard touchdown catch in last week’s 48-28 win against Edcouch-Elsa, that perception has changed slightly.

“The only thing that did surprise me was his speed,” Reyes said. “We knew he was pretty fast, but this year he seems a little bit faster.”

When combined with his power — he’s about 5-foot-10 and 205 pounds — that speed makes Chavez a dangerous weapon for the Warriors.

He showed the full range of his abilities in the win against the Yellowjackets, rushing 7 times for 71 yards, catching 5 passes for 132 yards and scoring three total touchdowns.

“Obviously, he’s a threat,” Reyes said. “He’s somebody that we always try to get in open space and take advantage of his abilities.”

Reyes said Chavez’s size and speed create mismatches not just out of the backfield, but as a receiver.

Chavez has the hands to succeed as a wideout and the toughness to withstand hits between the tackles.

“We always expected big things from him,” Reyes said. “Even last year, we knew he was a player.”

Chavez ran for 190 yards and caught 13 passes for 187 yards in 2013, and he’s only improved through both independent training and participation in Rowe’s offseason strength and conditioning program.

“Through his hard work, he’s really added some quickness to his game,” Reyes said. “He has high goals for himself. He’s always focused on trying to improve and trying to get better.”

NEW QUARTERBACK

With starting quarterback Jesus Cuellar out with a sprained ACL, Mission High is looking for junior William Arias to step up.

Arias struggled upon being thrust into the starting role when Cuellar was injured just before halftime last week against Mission Veterans.

Cuellar had completed 9 of 12 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown before leaving. Arias finished just 3-of-8 passing for 26 yards and an interception. The Eagles gained only 9 yards in the second half of a 14-7 loss.

“He knows that we’re depending on him offensively, and he’s got to step up to the challenge,” Mission coach Mario Peña said. “That’s basically what we’re telling him: ‘We need for you to command our offense right now.’”

Arias, a junior, was carried on the varsity team last season but got very little experience. Peña said Arias has good speed, a strong arm and good size at 6 feet tall. The biggest hurdle he’s facing is the mental side of the game.

“What I’ve told him, very honestly, is we just need to work a lot more on decision-making on the field,” Peña said. “More than anything else, a lot of mental training and confidence building. He’s got to feel that he can command the offense. It’s more mental training than anything else right now.”

Mission faces Brownsville Hanna, which is coming off a 35-13 loss to Edinburg Economedes, at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Tom Landry Stadium.

Peña opted not to elaborate on how long Cuellar will be out, saying only that the injury is not believed to be season-ending.

MAN DOWN, MAN UP

Eric Medellin, PSJA Memorial’s versatile offensive playmaker, will be out for an extended period with an upper leg injury, coach Gus Cavazos said.

“Any time you lose a kid like that, it’s going to be a blow,” Cavazos said.

The good news for Memorial is that junior John Anthony Saenz shares many of Medellin’s strengths. Both offer speed and quickness at receiver, and both have taken snaps as a potential run-first option at quarterback.

“He does a lot of the same things for us, so it’s not going to be to where it’s going to cause major changes in our planning,” Cavazos said.

Saenz was on track to be a major factor in the offense last year, rushing five times for 37 yards and catching 8 passes for 87 in just three games before going down to a season-ending injury.

“He was one of our top players as a sophomore,” Cavazos said. “He was just starting to come into his own when he suffered an injury.”

Cavazos said Saenz has been 100 percent for a while, and he looked the part in Week 1, catching three passes for 59 yards and a touchdown in a 33-0 win against La Joya Juarez-Lincoln.

“He had a great offseason that allowed him to get bigger and stronger,” Cavazos said. “He’s got his speed back now. He’s done a great job.”

GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

WESLACO — Last spring, when Lupe Moron made the decision to transfer from La Villa to Weslaco East, he thought he might not be able to play football his senior year.

Moron was a dominant force at La Villa in 2013, racking up 1,340 yards and 22 touchdowns. But when it came time to return for the spring semester, La Villa remained closed for three days. The city had turned off the water supply as a result of a yearlong debate over how much money the district owed.

Worried about his academics, Moron chose to transfer to East, despite knowing full well that the UIL could view it as a transfer for athletic reasons and block him from participating in football.

“I was like, ‘I might not even be able to play my senior year, but I’ve got to focus on academics.’ … I didn’t want to miss any more school, so I came here,” Moron said. “It was a long process, but in the end, I think it was a good change for me. School wise, academically, everything. It was a great move.”

The move worked out great for East, too. Moron made an immediate impact in last week’s 41-28 win against Brownsville Rivera, rushing for 260 yards and four touchdowns.

Teams at the 6A level may be significantly bigger, faster and deeper, but Moron is proving he can succeed in a new district.

“He’s showing the Valley that he can play 6A,” East coach Mike Burget said. “The kid definitely can play. Coming from a small school, that has not affected him at all.”

When he first arrived at East, Moron wasn’t ready. He hadn’t done much to keep in shape as he went through relocation, and Burget saw the results in the weight room.

When Moron first lifted at East, he maxed out at 185.

“Lifting wise, he wasn’t a Wildcat,” Burget said. “I didn’t lie to him. We have girls at this school that bench 185.”

His teammates saw Moron lagging behind when East went through workouts during the spring athletic period.
“When he first got here, he was really out of shape,” East running back Emilio Tamez said. “He needed to get better.”

So Moron got back in the weight room, and he went out for track and baseball.

At East’s most recent weightlifting session, Moron maxed out at 270.

“He struggled getting in shape and our expectations of him, and right now he’s finally molded himself into an East player,” offensive coordinator Jesse Trevino said.

East entered 2014 expecting to spread the ball around on offense, and that may still be the case. But against Rivera, Moron received 16 of the 28 carries and amassed 260 of the team’s 403 yards. His teammates believe in his ability to shoulder the load on offense.

“I can trust him carrying the ball,” center Jerry Decanini said. “I know if the hole is there, he’s going to hit it. If the cutback lane is there, he’s going to hit it.”

Although Moron has good size at 6 feet tall and 190 pounds, his biggest strength is his speed. He’s always looking to get to the outside and break a long run.

Trevino said one of Moron’s best attributes is his vision.

“He’s a legit 4.5 (second 40-yard dash time) kid, and you don’t get too many of those down here in the Valley,” Trevino said. “When you do, you have to use them to the fullest of your ability.”

East has been doing just that, working Moron not just at halfback but also at fullback, receiver, quarterback and safety in practice.

Once Moron develops greater timing with his new teammates, Burget expects him to be even better.

“Nobody has seen the other stuff he can do yet,” Burget said. “Once he starts getting in better shape where he can carry the ball maybe 15, 20, 25 times per game, maybe that’ll be called for.”

Moron said he wants to go on to play in college. He thinks that with more people watching him play against better competition, he’ll have a shot at getting noticed. So far, he’s hardly been in contact with anyone. Burget doesn’t think that will last.

“If he wants to get noticed, he better have nine more games like that,” Burget said. “At the end of the year, there will be people knocking on the door.”

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