Rio Grande City running back Marc Perez has displayed a knack for making highlight-reel plays this season as the workhorse in the Rattlers’ offense.
Perez kept the big plays coming this past week as the senior ball carrier led the Rattlers to a thrilling 35-31 victory over Laredo Cigarroa on Friday night to keep RGC’s playoff hopes alive. For his outstanding play, Perez has been named The Monitor’s Player of the Week for the week of Nov. 9-15.
Against the Cigarroa Toros, Perez accounted for 264 all-purpose yards with 13 carries for 145 yards, five receptions for 69 yards, three touchdowns and a 50-yard punt return during the fourth quarter that eventually led to RGC’s game-winning touchdown.
After scoring his first touchdown on a 9-yard swing pass out of the RGC backfield, Perez ripped off his second score of the night on a draw up the middle. Perez side-stepped one Cigarroa defender at the line of scrimmage, shook off another would-be tackler at the second level, then turned on the jets as he zoomed past four more Toros for a 40-yard touchdown run.
Perez’s third touchdown of the game was an untouched run around the left side of the Cigarroa defense from 39 yards out.
On the year, Perez has run for 654 yards and eight touchdowns on 72 carries, and also leads the Rattlers in receiving with 19 catches for 269 yards and two touchdown catches.
Perez and the Rio Grande City Rattlers (1-4, 1-2) are back in action with another District 14-5A Division I matchup against Laredo Martin (0-3, 0-3) at 7 p.m. Thursday in Laredo.