RAYMONDVILLE – At first sight the Raymondville Bearkats were suppose to be in a year of transition.
Four months ago the team graduated a talented squad that went 6-5 and represented the Rio Grande Valley well in the postseason.
Fast-forward to this season, with offensive stars like Christopher Trevino and Miguel Tristan gone, a new set of ‘Kats have risen to the challenge, and none more notable than sophomore quarterback Daniel Gutierrez.
After being catapulted into the limelight, after an unfortunate injury to teammate Jacob Perez, Gutierrez has given the Bearkat faithful a glimmer of hope.
Two games, two victories and combined 83 points against two teams not many people gave them a chance against.
Not bad for a team that started the season with only one returning offensive lineman.
At 5’11, Gutierrez isn’t an imposing figure. He doesn’t tower over the offensive line, nor is he the fastest player on the field. However beneath the transparent visor Gutierrez wears on his helmet, dwells the brain of a quarterback ready to find the open play. And the proof lies within the stats. 355 yards on 20 for 33 passing attempts (with 7 touchdowns) and 19 carries for 126 yards rushing, are hardly the numbers of a quarterback with no varsity experience.
“Our quarterback has been a pleasant surprise,” said Raymondville head coach Frank Canu. “Daniel has stepped up and has been really calm and made some real good decisions. His play is the big reason this team is 2-0 at this point.
“He’s adapted well to the system and we’re just really proud of the way he’s been playing.”
Gutierrez, however, has had significant help easing into the transition. With seniors David Marroquin and Bert Najara combining for over 350 yards rushing, opposing defenses have had to pay added attention to the running back situation.
However the humble QB is quick to thank the selfless work done by the offensive line, knowing that everything the team been able to accomplish this season has come from his O-line’s ability to handle the pressure placed on them.
“At first I was a little scared,” said senior offensive lineman Angel Soria. “But after the way they performed against St. Joe I was excited because they went out there to play and didn’t act like freshman. They went out there and played like they had been there for the past four years.”
This Friday offers another big test for the young Raymondville squad as the team travels five miles south on old business 77 to take on rivals Lyford in a game that has been played long before any of these players were born.
While the Bulldogs are still searching for their first win of the early season, Lyford head coach Jaime Infante and his boys would just as happy to hand the Bearkats their first loss of the season as well.