BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | THE MONITOR
EDINBURG — Edinburg North junior running back Cristian Flores doesn’t mind hearing some of the questions being asked about him.
“It motivates me,” Flores said. “Because people are going to talk: ‘It was the line.’ ‘It was the team.’ Yes, we had some weapons (last year at Edinburg Vela), but I put in hard work, and I earned those yards. I deserve the accolades that have come my way.”
Flores picked up several awards in 2016, his sophomore season with Edinburg Vela, including The Monitor’s All-Area Second Team honors and the District 31-6A Offensive Newcomer of the Year award.
In nine games with Vela, Flores carried the ball 129 times for 984 yards and 11 touchdowns.
After that impressive year, Flores transferred to Edinburg North.
“I live closer to North,” Flores said. “It was a lot of trouble going all the way to Vela. It took 10, 15 minutes. It’s a lot of gas. It was a trip every time.”
Flores was initially a transfer to Vela, which is why he couldn’t play varsity football his freshman year. Now, he is back at his home school of Edinburg North, and he feels very comfortable with the Cougars.
“We are a team,” Flores said. “We are connected, and we have chemistry. Every practice, we come out here and get better and click more.”
That chemistry is already starting to show on the practice field. The lone returning starter on the Cougars defense, senior Joseph Munoz, has been getting reps against the offense this preseason, and he likes what he sees.
“This is going to be a new offense for us,” Munoz said. “It’s a lot faster. Cristian Flores coming over makes us a lot more explosive. They have a lot more experience, now, on the offensive side.”
That offense is set to debut at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Richard Flores Stadium, as the Cougars host the Brownsville Veterans Chargers in a non-district matchup.
“Anytime we can play good quality teams before we get into district, we will take it,” North coach Rene Saenz said. “Brownsville Veterans is right up there in that category. Their coaching staff always does a great job. We know they are going to bring some size, and they are going to have some skill kids.”
Flores is ready to show that his skill can shine in any system. He has an extra sense of confidence because of who he will be lining up next to.
“The one person I depend on the most is Frankie, my quarterback,” Flores said. “If I don’t know some plays, I ask him what’s going on. He helps me a lot.”
Zuniga likes what he has seen from Flores so far this preseason.
“He is running with a lot of speed, a lot of toughness,” Zuniga said. “He runs north and south. He doesn’t run sideways. That is what I like about him. He can make a move, and just that one move can break him for a touchdown.”
Flores and Zuniga have been friends since sixth grade. They were always close, even when they went to separate schools. Zuniga said their bond is strong, and playing together comes naturally.
That connection will show on the field, as Flores will gradually get more involved in the passing game. Last year, he had 12 catches for 105 yards and two touchdowns.
The Cougars also have senior Ethan Vela, who played running back last year. Vela will be used as a slot receiver as well as a running back this season because of his pass-catching ability.
Having Flores and Vela coming out of the backfield makes Zuniga’s life a lot easier.
“It feels good to have those guys, because if there is nobody open down the field, I know I can trust my running backs on check downs,” Zuniga said. “I know even if it’s just a bubble route, they can easily get 20 yards out of it.”
Flores credits his ability to catch passes to the hours of practice put in on the field. Flores’ work ethic is something that even the coaches weren’t expecting.
“He carried the ball a few times (in our scrimmage against Harlingen High), probably a couple more than I really wanted him to,” Saenz said. “I guess he was getting lathered up, and he wanted to stay in the game.”
Flores isn’t the only exciting part of the Cougars offense. They have talented weapons across the board, including Vela, Zuniga and sophomore wide receiver Izaiah Rangel. The players believe the offense, which was fourth in district last year with 319.1 yards per game, could be one of the best in the Valley this season.
“I believe we can keep up with the No. 1 team in the Valley,” Zuniga said. “We only lost by one point to Harlingen, which is supposedly the top team in the Valley, in our scrimmage. That was just by little mistakes. We just need to fix those mistakes, and we will be up there.”
Flores will be a big part of that turnaround.
Flores believes he will shine in any system, because his work ethic and talent transcend play-calling and schemes. He will have a chance to prove that Friday against the Chargers, but he’s glad he has this group of players around him this season.
“We are explosive,” he said. “We are quick. We have some receivers that can make plays. We have a quarterback that can make plays. We have linemen coming back. We are going to be a good team this year.”