By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
Del Rio’s sophomore signal caller took one of the top honors when the District 30-6A awards were announced this weekend.
The loss by Laredo United South to Lake Travis in the regional semifinals meant all four of the district’s teams were eliminated from competition at this year’s all-district honors could be revealed.
Leading the way for Del Rio was sophomore quarterback Zack Taylor, who was named the district’s Newcomer of the Year after a season in which he guided the Rams back to the playoffs for a second consecutive year.
Though this was Taylor’s first year at quarterback fulltime for the Rams, the youngster improved with each game. He was one of 10 players in the state to have a run of 98 yards or more, and but he was the only one to achieve that feat more than once this season.
Taylor had three runs of 98 yards or more during the district schedule including twice against Laredo Nixon. In that game he accounted for 458 yards of total offense and was nominated for Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine’s Player of the Week.
Also earning honors on the offensive side of the ball were freshman wide receiver Zane Hughes, guard Anthony Huizar and senior Diego Garcia.
Hughes was named to the all-district second team as a slot receiver. The speedy freshman, who hadn’t played football since his seventh grade year in 2019 due to COVID-19 protocols, burst onto the scene in Del Rio’s first district game, scoring his first district touchdown on a 65-yard pass from Taylor. Hughes had two receiving touchdowns in district.
A senior, Huizar was named to the all-district second team. The strongest player on the team, Huizar’s size and strength coupled with decent speed made him the wrecking ball that cleared the way for the Rams’ offense. He was also a second team selection as a junior.
Garcia, who is also a senior, was named as an all-district honorable mention at center. Like Huizar, Garcia’s size helped open big holes for the Rams, who rushed for 12 touchdowns in district play. He was a second team selection last season.
Del Rio’s defense recorded nine all-district selections.
Senior Jesus De Luna was a unanimous first team selection at linebacker whole junior Lonnie Green Jr. was a first team selection at defensive end.
De Luna, who was also a unanimous first team selection as a junior, was the captain of the defense and one of the players that made the Rams go. He was at the top of the Rams’ leader board in terms of tackles, but his impact was even greater as he made teams have to adjust their playbooks around him.
Green combined speed and strength in his second year on varsity. He blocked two kicks against Eagle Pass. Part of a rotating defensive line, Green was able to carve out his own place on the defense and should be one of its leaders next season.
Second team honors went to senior Diego Piña, senior Luis Lee, senior Oscar Duran, senior Nathan Mayes and junior Juan Peralta.
Piña, an inside linebacker, was the perfect complement to De Luna. A solid tackler with a nose for the ball, Piña’s size made him more than capable of defending both the run and the pass. He was a second team selection as a junior as well.
Lee, an outside linebacker, may not have been as big as his fellow linebackers but his drive and his ability to be around the ball nearly every play made up his lack of height. Lee was unafraid to mix it up with anyone who wandered into his part of the field and was as steady and as reliable a player as a coach could ask for.
Duran, an interior defensive lineman, was big and strong and capable of filling gaps against any blocking scheme. Duran was a playmaker upfront and was often Del Rio’s first line of defense.
Mayes, a defensive end, used his height to his advantage, forcing quarterbacks to have to try and find ways around his 6’ 3” frame and his massive wingspan. Mayes’ talent grew in his two years with the Rams and it’s safe to say he hasn’t reached his full potential yet.
Peralta, a cornerback, came on strong near the end of the season. His experience at defensive back will be key next season as the team should return all four of the starters from that group. If Peralta continues to improve, he should contend for the team lead in interceptions next season.
Junior Braden Ludemann and senior Nathan Reyes were honorable mentions on defense.
Ludemann, a safety, was tied for the team lead in interceptions during district with two. He also had a crucial stop on fourth and goal at the one-yard line against Laredo Nixon.
Reyes, also a safety, saw his playing time increase as injuries hit the Rams’ secondary hard. He stepped up in his role both on defense and special teams and even registered a tackle for loss during the district schedule.
Sophomore Alan Dobbins was named to the all-district first team as a specialist. Dobbins, who played wide receiver for the Rams and who had a receiving score for Del Rio, was Del Rio’s primary return specialist. Dobbins’ kick returns helped set up several Rams scores and he became such a weapon that often times opposing kickers would do whatever they could to avoid kicking the ball to him.
In addition to the players honored for their work on the field, nine Rams were named to the all-district all-academic team. They were seniors Diego Piña, Anthony Huizar and Julian Rivera, juniors Julio Gamez, John Chaney, Braden Ludemann, Ricky Torres and Jovahn West, and sophomore Mitch Melton.
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Contact the author at drnhsports@gmail.com
