HARLINGEN — Nobody can ever question the toughness of Harlingen South’s Darren Perez.
After breaking his hand during the first defensive series in a 39-21 loss to the Los Fresnos Falcons on Oct. 9, the senior returned after a week and has continued to be one of the Hawks’ top playmakers.
Making the feat more impressive, is the fact that he returned after being told that he should pack it in for the season.
Perez, however, wasn’t having it.
“They said I should sit out the rest of the season,” he said. “I was only out for week, and I was able to go against Brownsville Hanna. I didn’t really focus on my injury for that game, I just wanted to come out and do my job for my team and the result was good.”
Good may be an understatement.
After missing the one game against Brownsville Rivera, Perez returned and picked off Hanna’s Andy Lopez twice in the first half, one of which he took back for a touchdown, leading the Hawks to a 27-9 win.
He did it all with a cast that fully encased his left hand.
If that wasn’t enough, he had another pick-six against San Benito last week, but it was negated due to a penalty.
Still, Perez didn’t forego sitting out for glory or even because of his senior year.
He felt it was what he had to do.
“We don’t have too many players,” Perez said. “A lot of us play both ways, so I wouldn’t have sat out (if it wasn’t my senior year). We need each other as a team, so I know how important it was to stay in and play.”
Perez is one of the seniors head football coach Lanny Wilson has known in his four years at the helm at Harlingen South. So, naturally, he knows the kind of person Perez is, which is a team-first person and someone he can model his team after.
“He’s been great for us all year long. He broke the hand, but he cut the timeline short and he’s out here playing,” Wilson said. “He’s a great athlete who also plays basketball and runs track; he can do anything. I’ve never had to deal with disciplinary issues, class issues or any off the field issues with him. He’s a role model for the other kids.
“I really can’t say enough good things about Darren.”
With that in mind, Perez takes his role in stride.
“I’ve tried to step up to show the young guys the ropes for the upcoming years,” he said. “I try to be a leader, but I try to let my actions do the talking.”