By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
PORT ISABEL — Port Isabel’s offensive line is paving the way for running back/quarterback Omar Silva, an elusive senior ball carrier who is on the verge of recording a 2,000-yard rushing season.
Just like other successful running backs, Silva prefers to give credit to his linemen plus his fullbacks and receivers along with the quarterback, who helps out with a block here and there, too. Basically, blocking is everybody’s job on the Tarpon offense.
“Going through the season, my line has done an excellent job,” said Silva, who with 1,838 yards in eight games is 162 yards shy of reaching 2,000. “The linemen put in a lot of hard work during the summer and going into our season as well.
“It’s all about just playing football and having confidence in each other,” Silva added. “We (ball carriers) count on the line and they count on us to get the yards and score touchdowns. We count on them to make the holes. It’s a great thing (thanks to the contributions) from all of us.”
Port Isabel (9-1) goes against Sweeney (6-4) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Sinton in the bi-district round of the Class 4A Division II playoffs.
The linemen hope to see Silva break loose for some additional long gainers when the Tarpons return to action Friday. They vow to do their part.
“It’s pretty special to be a member of this line,” said Ryan Valdez, a junior left tackle. “Seeing Omar break one makes us feel that we can accomplish anything.”
Added teammate Isaiah Reyes, a junior left guard, “It’s just an amazing feeling when Omar gets loose and we see him down there scoring. I’m running down the field with my arms raised up (signaling touchdown).”
Besides Valdez and Reyes, the remainder of the line includes tight ends Jesus Saldivar and Erik Garza, right tackle Joseph Ian Torres, right guard Oscar del Abra and center Engel Silva, who is Omar’s younger brother.
“This is something that my brother and I have always wanted to do,” said Engel, a junior. “It’s great to see.”
Also, contributing to the blocking are tailbacks/fullbacks Carlos Orduna and Travis Camacho. In the offensive scheme, Omar sometimes plays QB, but it’s mostly sophomore Cesar Aguilera calling the signals.
Omar leads the Tarpons with 1,838 yards rushing. He averages 10.3 yards per carry and has rushed for 22 TDs plus he’s passed for a TD and made a reception for another score. Orduna has rushed for 674 yards and Camacho has gained 390.
“When Oscar breaks one, we all get excited and run downfield to see if we can pick up any (more) blocks,” del Abra said. “It’s the same when the other guys do it, too.”
Torres, del Abra and Saldivar were the ones who returned this season with the most experience playing on the line. The others were newcomers, but they’ve all come together rather quickly, and it’s meant success for the team. Port Isabel is known for having a potent rushing attack and the Tarpons have lived up to their reputation on the ground in 2016.
“We’ve come together very well,” said Torres, a senior. “We started off the season a little rough, but we grew together and became more of a family.
“To be a part of this offensive line is just great, and blocking for Omar makes it even greater,” Torres added. “I can’t say anything else. We’d love to see him break a long run against Sweeney.”
All together, the Tarpons have gained 3,483 yards on the ground this season. They’re averaging 348.3 yards rushing per game.
“Going into the season we were very young with only two seniors on the line,” said Al Senteno, Port Isabel’s offensive coordinator. “The offensive linemen have developed very well from week to week adjusting to different defenses. These guys are eager to learn, and besides Engel and Omar being brothers, they’re great friends who hang out together. It’s a tight-knit group, and that’s the way the whole team is. We played some good teams early, and these guys have grown up really quick.”
Coaching the Tarpons’ offensive line are Wen Moore and Joe Gonzales.
“There were a lot of question marks about this line at the start of the year, but these kids stepped it up and they’ve proved it by Omar rushing for so many yards,” Gonzales said. “They believe in what they’re doing, and that’s a big plus for us.”