BY MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
EDINBURG — Though Robert Guerra entered Edinburg Vela four years ago with plenty of speed, energy and excitement, offensive coordinator Patrick Shelby remembers seeing a gifted athlete who possessed all the tools but needed refinement on the freshmen squad.
“He was pretty fast, but I think over the years we actually had to teach him how to control a football game,” Shelby said. “You can’t run around and do stuff like your freshman year because you’re competing
against kids who are older, quicker, stronger (on varsity). So we had to tell him how to do things the right way and not play backyard football.
“You need to help your teammates. You have to set up blocks for yourself. And you have to continue to take care of yourself out there.”
Since earning a varsity promotion his sophomore year, Guerra has delivered on all those fronts for the SaberCats, who have combined for a 19-1 record while winning a district title and advancing to the regional quarterfinals in 2015.
In last week’s season opener, Guerra exploded for nine touchdowns — a single-game Valley record, and good for third all-time in Texas high school football history — in a double overtime win over Victoria East. Guerra, who was named the District 31-5A MVP in 2015, ran 33 times for 359 yards and seven TDs on the ground, and also picked up 70 yards on three catches for two more scores.
Through it all the past two seasons, Guerra has been one of the more consistent performers for the SaberCats, and he shoulders even more responsibility this year as the primary scoring option for a team moving away from its first four-year class.
“It’s just a matter of being a leader and helping out my team whenever they need me,” Guerra said. “(Friday night), it was something I didn’t even expect, but I couldn’t have done it without my team. I got those nine touchdowns for a reason; I didn’t get it by myself. I got it with my o-line and my receivers, and the defense making plays. It was a team effort.”
It wasn’t until 15-20 minutes after the game ended that Edinburg Vela’s players and coaching staff became aware of the historical significance behind Guerra’s performance, bits of which were later shown on ESPN’s SportsCenter.
“Believe it or not, in the moment you’re so focused on helping the team win that you really couldn’t tell that what he was doing out there was something special,” Shelby said. “We’re just thinking we have to take advantage of what the defense is giving. It really isn’t until after the game that you go, ‘Man, this kid really ran for nine touchdowns.’ It’s special what he did, what the team accomplished, bouncing back and collectively pulling it out together.”
Having come up through the ranks with the offensive line — three of whom are returning starters — has also helped guide Guerra this year. The senior running back is showing more comfort in the offense, and has improved his route running. He’s also delivering at receiver, hauling in two TDs in the first game. Last year, he finished the regular season with six receptions, none for scores.
His last receiving touchdown came in 2014.
Like last year, Guerra is also playing special teams, including returning punts and kicks. What’s impressed the coaching staff just as much is the manner in which he sees attacks openings, and his determination to break tackles.
“When you’re watching him on the field, you see him ready to hit a hole, you see him going 1-on-1 with a linebacker, and he can stick his foot in the ground and change directions on you. And his speed changes also as he changes direction,” Shelby said. “He’s really elusive; he really gets away from guys. He’s hard to read because you would think he could hit this thing and stop, but he’s going to do whatever he can to get those extra five yards, those extra positive yards.”
Since spring ball, the SaberCats have stressed the importance of team chemistry and continuity. And Monday they were on the same page in delivering the same message: “It was good that we won the last game, but now we’re getting ready for the next game,” Guerra said.
That game, at 7:30 tonight, is The Monitor’s Game of the Week in which Vela travels to take on Edcouch-Elsa. It marks the follow-up to Guerra’s record-setting performance, and the first meeting between the two thriving programs.
“To win one like we did (last week) from behind showed our team what we have an opportunity to become,” Edinburg Vela coach Michael Salinas said. “Robert, I think he understands the importance of his leadership role to our football team, and he’s worked extremely hard to get prepared for this.
“His work ethic, in my opinion, is unmatched. So I think that’s what’s helping him get to this point.”