By ALBERT VILLEGAS
Special to the NEWS
A bevy of San Benito Greyhounds put their stamp on the All-District 32-6A team that played a role in picking up victories late in the season when it counted most, eventually earning a return trip to the playoffs.
This past season, San Benito finished third in the district with a 2-2 record.
Senior Luis Balli, who wore the No. 70 jersey, received the most prestigious individual honor, earning the district’s Offensive Lineman of the Year. He helped anchor the front line alongside senior center Alex Muñoz, who earned first-team honors.
“We are very proud of all our athletes,” San Benito Head Coach/Athletic Director Dan Gomez said. “We were fortunate enough to have some of them gain all district honors, with one of those honors being the 32-6A Offensive Lineman of the Year from his tackle position.”
They both helped players, including first-team senior wide receiver Kian Jones, play effectively on the gridiron and score on multiple occasions.
Among the athletes named to the second team were junior quarterback Albert Gonzalez, junior running back Axel Hernandez, and slot receiver Sonny Ratliff, a freshman.
A third lineman, senior guard Juan Abrego, was named to the second team.
Honorable Mention went to the following offensive players: senior guard Julian Sauceda, junior wide receiver Angel Garcia, junior tight end Isaac De Leon, sophomore running back Gabriel Garza, and senior fullback Victor Rodriguez.
When the San Benito Athletics Department released the football schedule, the ‘Hounds faced playoff-seasoned teams such as Pharr-San Juan-Alamo North, Weslaco, Carthage, and Austin Westlake. But it appeared that playing against top-notch talent helped them once the district began in October.
Coach Gomez said his peers in the district recognized that.
“It was a challenging schedule, and our athletes never took a step back; they showed resiliency and the Greyhound fight,” Coach Gomez said. “For that, some of our players were recognized by other head coaches in the district by being voted all-district players in their respective positions.”
The San Benito defense had four ‘Hounds named to the first team, including defensive end Victor Rodriguez, who led by example as the team captain.
He was complimented by the work of junior defensive tackle Ramon De La Rosa, cornerback Kian Jones, and junior safety Henry Quiroz, all of whom were all-district first-teamers.
The ‘Hounds’ second-team selections were senior defensive tackle Adrian Loa, senior inside linebacker Tony Garcia, junior outside linebacker Josh Castillo, and senior safety Michael Escobedo.
Honorable Mention defenders were senior end Eddie Cuevas, junior corner Peter Buenrostro, and junior outside linebacker Luke Gonzalez.
Kian Jones made his impact felt by making the first team as a special teams returner.
Junior Francisco Barrientos was named to the second team as a kicker and Honorable Mention as a punter.
The San Benito CISD recognized the ‘Hounds’ football efforts on social media, commenting the following: “We’re proud of all our Greyhounds for their hard work, dedication, and passion on and off the field.”