GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
WESLACO — If he had his choice, Weslaco High’s Andrew Olguin would face a running team every week. A linebacker at heart after playing there as a sophomore last season, Olguin mostly enjoys going to work against the ground game.
But Friday, facing a spread team in Mercedes, Olguin slid into more of a slot cornerback role and produced perhaps the best game of his career. Olguin returned an interception for a touchdown and later forced a fumble, spearheading a dominant Weslaco High defense in a 21-6 win at Bobby Lackey Stadium.
“He played one hell of a game,” Diego Rodriguez, the Panthers’ safety and leading tackler, said of Olguin. “I wasn’t expecting that from Andrew, but big-time players step up with big-time games. And he certainly did there.”
Joining the varsity squad early last season, Olguin finished the year with 33 tackles and a pair of forced fumbles. Coach Tony Villarreal saw a lot of promise from Olguin, taking notice of his tough, physical play.
Coming back as a more seasoned player this year as a junior, Olguin opened the season with 23 tackles across Weslaco’s first two games, and Villarreal said he even caught the attention of the coaches at Richmond George Ranch in Week 1. Olguin looked comfortable playing against the pass, too, on Friday, jumping an out route on the first play of the second quarter and taking the interception 31 yards for the game’s opening score.
“I just saw the ball getting thrown up,” Olguin said. “I had a good press on. I just tried to fight him outside. It landed in his hands, and I ripped it out.”
Olguin’s score was nearly all the points Weslaco needed, as Mercedes didn’t find the scoreboard until only 1:10 remained in the game.
Mercedes finished the night with a respectable 278 yards of offense, but Weslaco came up with turnovers or fourth-down stops time after time.
In the third quarter, Olguin forced a fumble that was recovered by Weslaco’s Jacob Gracia. Late in the first half, Gracia recorded a strip and recovery of his own, ripping the ball away from Mercedes running back Fabian Ledesma. Mercedes also punted three times and turned the ball over on downs three times.
“It all starts with the d-line,” Rodriguez said. “It was all d-line. I thank the d-line and the linebackers for what they did today.”
Mercedes coach Roger Adame said he knew his team would have its hands full with Weslaco’s defensive front. Though able to move the ball at times, Mercedes struggled with penalties, racking up 15 for 134 yards. The Tigers were also the victim of injury, as quarterback Zach Gomez watched the second half from the sideline with his left arm in a sling.
His backup, Mark Ledesma, finished 8-of-16 passing for 66 yards and had 3 carries for 37 yards, including the Tigers’ lone score. Before leaving, Gomez had completed 6 of 12 passes for 59 yards with an interception while running 8 times for 33 yards.
“We held him out for precautionary reasons,” Adame said. “We put Mark in there, and he did a great job for us.”
For the game, Mercedes’ offense outgained Weslaco High 278-256.
The Panthers completed just one pass, as A.J. Gonzalez found Mark Lara for an 8-yard touchdown. Izaiah Ramos (84 yards) and Justin Coronado (78 yards) led the way on the ground, while Rodriguez scored the team’s lone rushing touchdown from 5 yards out.
Rodriguez played exclusively defense last season but has carved out a small role in the offense this year.
“I love it,” Rodriguez said. “It’s been a challenge, but I’m always up for it. You just have to get the work in and do whatever you can to help out the team.”
The win marked a significant milestone for Villarreal, who became one of the top 100 all-time winningest coaches in Texas high school football history. His career record stands 194-103-4.
Villarreal was presented a plaque in commemoration of the accomplishment, and the Weslaco players lifted him into the air after the final postgame huddle.
“It’s nice. It really is,” Villarreal said. “I couldn’t do it without the kids and the coaches and the parents, and obviously the school board and the superintendant.”