NATHANIEL MATA | THE MONITOR
MISSION — La Joya Juarez-Lincoln Huskies quarterback Efren Martinez’s Twitter bio reads “BROTHERHOOD.” It’s common, if not standard, for a roster of football players to call their teammates brothers. The junior QB actually has the DNA to back it up.
Lining up in the backfield and at times out wide is his brother Albert Martinez. Through three games, the duo has combined for a large chunk of the team’s 101 points. Efren has tossed five TD passes and run for another. Albert, also a junior, has run for a score and been on the receiving end of two of his brother’s passes.
“I’ve been playing catch with him ever since I was a kid,” Efren said. “We’ve always had a dream of playing together on the varsity football team.”
Albert said he recalls always playing alongside his brother, and getting to the end zone is nothing new.
“We’ve been playing since we were little. We have that connection,” Albert said. “Scoring touchdowns for me is normal. I’ve been scoring touchdowns since I was little. I just do what I can to help the team out.”
Albert was the first brother to get a crack at varsity ball. Last year, as a sophomore, he was used in four games. He ran for 189 yards on just 23 carries, good for an 8.2 yards per rush average.
“Throughout the season, I’ve been learning at the quarterback position,” Efren said. “I’m still learning every day. I’m like a beginner, I guess you could say.”
Huskies coach Tommy Garcia seemed surprised by how quickly the young starter is taking charge. Both brothers are soft-spoken, even shy, according to Garcia. Efren has broken out of that shell maybe not by choice, but by necessity to lead an offense.
“For a kid that’s had three games under his belt as a varsity starter, he showed a lot of poise, a lot of composure,” Garcia said. “The kids have really taken to him as far as his leadership qualities.”
It took some work for Efren to come out of his shell and be vocal in the huddle with the offense, but it’s just another area of improvement that’s showing on the field.
The Huskies are 3-0 for the first time in program history. The quarterback said it’s “what I expected,” and few have the same perspective as the juniors on the team. Juarez may have been a doormat before 2015, but success is breeding success in the last few seasons.
Efren has watched Huskies football blossom before his eyes. In his first two years of high school, Juarez-Lincoln made consecutive trips to the playoffs. With a hot start and high expectations, there’s a special atmosphere on the field and around campus in year three.
“This should be the year, man. We have the numbers. We have everything,” Efren said. “Every single day of practice we see a kid or two trying to join. They like what we’ve been doing on the field. The program has been developing great.”
The Martinez brothers still have this season and next with the Huskies. Garcia will still be able to smile when they walk away, because there’s one more brother in the ranks.
Albert said he and Efren have supportive parents and a younger brother, also a running back, watching closely.
“They’re really proud,” Albert said. “We have a little brother coming up in seventh grade at J.D. Salinas. He plays running back, safety and sometimes wide receiver.”
Lucky for Huskies fans, they don’t have to wait for his varsity seasons, because things are looking bright now.
This year’s Huskies have proven an ability to make plays on both sides of the ball, and Elias Gutierrez is the team’s engine. He is a ball hawk at the safety position, already with a three-interception game from Week 1 on his resume.
In Week 2, the Huskies won a shootout against Rio Hondo, 36-33. Winning different types of games bodes well for a Huskies team that averages 300 yards of offense per game.
The Huskies are no doubt the quietest 3-0 in the RGV right now. What’s missing through three weeks is a signature win against elite competition. They’ll face exactly that Friday, when they visit Edcouch-Elsa in their non-district finale.
It’s no “must-win,” but it could serve as a loud statement.
“Edcouch is a good team,” Efren said. “We’re looking forward to playing them. It’s a big test for us. We’re there to show up, to represent Juarez-Lincoln. Represent it to the Valley.”
Regardless of the outcome, the team knows how far the game could go in terms of preparation for the District 30-6A season. But watching the team wrap up practice to coaches yelling, “4-0, let’s go,” gives a good indication that the Huskies aren’t just making the trip for experience. They want the win.