GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
WESLACO — Last season, first-team All-District 30-5A linebacker Michael Torres felt like he was flying all over the field, making play after play. When asked about his play this season, he hesitates.
Coach Tony Villarreal will tell you Torres is playing as well as ever, and that the senior is one of the best linebackers he’s coached in his 24 years. But, with so many players stepping up this year, Weslaco High doesn’t need Torres to be Superman.
“They know what they’re doing now, so I don’t have to cover as much space,” Torres said. “It’s kind of weird for me, coming from someone who is just always aware, to having people take care of the job and just be like, ‘Oh, OK.’”
As Torres has continued his top-notch play and an experienced group has developed around him, Weslaco High has transformed into one of the best defenses in the Valley. A unit that gave up 308.5 yards per game last season to rank in the middle of the pack now sits atop District 31-6A, allowing just 227.9 yards per game.
“Everybody is on the same page now, so the defense is doing great,” Torres said.
Torres has been as key as ever. During the summer, he bulked up from 180 pounds to 210. The change has allowed him to manage blockers and mangle rushers.
Villarreal gave him additional freedom by making him the team’s bandit linebacker this season, a position that allows Torres to be wherever the ball is.
“He’s too good of an athlete to just be sitting there taking care of one gap,” Villarreal said. “He hit a couple of good running backs at the line, and those kids have bounced back. That’s how hard he hits.”
Torres wants to be a physical education teacher some day, and he puts those talents to work each week. He said he’s always quarterbacking the defense on the field, and simply asking his teammates how they’re doing off it.
“When we’re kind of getting out of hand, I’ll tell them, ‘Let’s get focused. Let’s get serious,’” Torres said. “We know what’s at stake.”
Much of Torres’ success can be attributed to the defensive line in front of him, a group that is both talented and deep.
Defensive end Rene Perez stands out with his physicality. He said his favorite move is the classic push and pull — “nothing fancy.”
The linemen free up space not just for Torres, but for Jordan Nichols, a sophomore who Villarreal said “is as good as (Torres) was as a sophomore.”
Behind them is the secondary — a group that Villarreal was mildly concerned with coming into the season. But, with safety Undrae Galindo returning after missing most of last season due to a torn labrum and Ethan De Luna emerging as a shutdown corner, the group has held its own.
All that defensive talent has helped Weslaco go from 1-4 to 4-4, including 3-1 in district. It’s also led to a fresher, healthier, unburdened Torres.
“At this time of the year, I was pretty tired, and I was kind of fatigued mentally and physically,” Torres said. “But I feel great this time around. I feel I can help my team a lot more, especially with the playoffs coming up. It’s going to be great. So we’ll see what happens.”