BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | THE MONITOR
EDINBURG — Once again, the Edinburg Vela SaberCats’ defense got the job done when the team needed it most last week.
Coming into the area round, Vela’s opponent, Eagle Pass, was averaging 32.7 points per game. The SaberCats held the Eagles to 10.
“We had practiced a lot to stop what they were coming out with, and that’s a strong run game,” junior middle linebacker Luis Gutierrez said. “We were able to succeed in that, succeed in what we had practiced. After that, putting the pressure on the quarterback, it got to him. And that’s what we hoped to do.”
Vela held Eagle Pass to 76 rushing yards and 153 passing yards.
A big part of that success was senior defensive lineman Timothy Ellington. Ellington came up with two sacks in the area round.
“It was really fun,” Ellington said. “To me, I really don’t put much attention on it, but I know that my teammates get really hyped on the field. It’s a really big motivator to our offense that we can still be in this.”
Ellington is one of a handful of seniors on the defense, and he has been a major factor for the SaberCats this year. In other years, fans often pointed to the Vela defense as a weak link, but that has changed this season.
“I can 100 percent say this is the best defense Vela has had,” Gutierrez said. “It’s not that we have better players this year. It’s that the work we have put in from last year is something crazy, and the scheme is helping us a lot. We have been working our tails off this year.”
“I agree,” Ellington added. “It’s not that we have better athletes or anything. It’s just that we know what’s going on and how to execute it. And we are doing our jobs.”
When Vela coach John Campbell took the job in the spring, the changes to the offense were very subtle. The changes to the defense, however, were more pronounced.
”For me, it was kind of a big adjustment,” Ellington said. “Because for the past three years, I have been used to playing defensive end, because we had a four-man front. But this year, he has been switching us around, playing outside shade five, or jumping into a three, or just moving around the whole D-line. So, I mean, it’s been a good experience this year, with this new defensive end coach here.”
Jody Cantu is the defensive line coach for Vela. Like many other assistants on the staff, Cantu benefited from using spring ball to get his unit comfortable.
“Last year, we were debating having spring ball,” Gutierrez said. “It really paid off to have it. We were able to catch on from there. Jumping into this year, we have a bond with our coaches that has been going on for a long time. We are comfortable with it now.”
Ellington’s work with Cantu has allowed him to flourish this year. He and junior Sergio Carrizalez have been the anchors on the D-line.
“Sergio, he is one of my really good friends,” Ellington said. “He’s a really funny guy. And he is a good football player, and a really good kid.”
“They keep us protected, and we keep them protected,” Gutierrez said. “We have each other’s backs. It’s always good to have a good front line. Knowing that you have strong people behind you and in front of you is a luxury that we have.”
Ellington is known for his pass rushing, but he is also a key in Vela’s run defense. Despite his skill and success this year, his best attributes may not be shown on the gridiron.
“Timothy is solid,” Campbell said. “The thing that is hard is we can’t convey how good a young man he is. Not only is he a great football player, but when you are in the stands, you just see a jersey and a helmet, but he is one of those guys that can be the foundation of your program. He does it all. He’s a great student. He’s very active in his community, very active in his school. Obviously, as you can see on Friday nights, he’s an outstanding football player, as well.”
Ellington and the rest of the defense have a tough task in front of them this week. Vela faces Austin Westlake in the Class 6A Division II Region IV semifinals.
“It’s a school and a community that prides themselves on excellence,” Campbell said. “Our work is cut out for us. They do a lot of exotic things on defense, a lot of things that you will see on a college Saturday. They have a very polished offense, an outstanding offensive line. Their running back is a Wisconsin commit. He’s very impressive. On top of that, they are very well coached in the kicking phases, too. So, they are a very good football team.”
The SaberCats say they are excited to be in the third round. Ellington started playing football when he was in third grade. He was the first in his family to go to Vela, and he has heard about it from the rest of his family ever since he was a freshman. So, being in the third round as a senior is something for Ellington to be excited about.
“It feels amazing,” Ellington said. “We haven’t been here since my sophomore year, so it feels good.”
The trick for Vela is acknowledging that the third round is an accomplishment, while also remaining focused on advancing.
“It’s something that is new to me, coming into the Valley,” Campbell said. “The reality is that there are enough quality football teams down here, that the third round doesn’t need to be the destination. We should be able to do something bigger and better. With that being said, at this time in the playoffs, there are teams like Lake Travis, Westlake and Steele that present formidable challenges not just from a regional standpoint, but at a statewide level. But that’s a big thing. This is another game. Yes, we are excited to be in the third round. And yes, we do acknowledge that this is a very big challenge, but by no means is the third round our goal.”