SAN BENITO — San Benito’s Mariano Garcia and DeAnthony Mireles stepped onto the gridiron together nearly every year of their football careers.
The duo started playing the sport together at age 4, competing on San Benito’s TYFA team, the Greyhounds.
The two turned into rivals for a pair of seasons during their middle school years, with Garcia attending Miller Jordan Middle School and Mireles playing at Berta Cabaza Middle School, before reuniting once again at San Benito High School as freshmen.
After terrorizing opposing offenses together the past four years, Garcia and Mireles are set to go their separate ways once again.
The San Benito duo signed with opposing conference rivals Tuesday, with Garcia joining Hardin-Simmons University and Mireles joining Texas Lutheran University during a joint ceremony at the San Benito Gym.
Hardin-Simmons and Texas Lutheran are both NCAA Division III programs that compete in the American Southwest Conference in football.
“It is something we dreamed about since we were little,” Mireles said. “Knowing Mariano since we were 4 years old, we just knew we’d have the chance to play at the next level. Now we get to sign together. It is exciting knowing we’re going to our respective schools and being able to play each other every year.”
“It is definitely exciting being able to play together with one of your friends pretty much throughout,” Garcia said. “Now, seeing each other realize our dream and to be able to go chase it, it is amazing. It is kind of ironic after our careers together. But it is something to look forward to. Seeing your friend on the other side at the college level, it is something out of a dream.”
Garcia joins the Cowboys after a stellar three-year career with the Greyhounds. He served as the heart and soul of the Greyhounds’ defense this past season, leading the teams in tackles (127) and tackles for loss (26).
The hard-hitting linebacker had a knack for the big play all year long as well, racking up 8.5 sacks and forcing five fumbles.
His dominant 2022 campaign earned him a spot on the first All-Valley Football team, and he also was named the 2022 Valley Morning Star All-Area Defensive Player of the Year.
“With Mariano, football is just something he does. He also excels academically,” San Benito defensive coordinator Johnny Garza said. “The kid does AP classes and (is) a scholar. Having that type of intelligence when he stepped on to the football field, it helped me tremendously because he was able to assist and guide players on the field when I’m not there. Then the way he watches film, he just knew what was going to happen before the play developed.”
Mireles joins the Bulldogs after spending two years as a starter on San Benito’s defense, doing a little of everything for the Greyhounds.
This past season, Mireles was one of the Valley’s top lockdown defenders, recording five pass deflections and three interceptions.
The Texas Lutheran signee also provided support against the run, ranking fourth on the team in tackles (87), adding four tackles for loss and one forced fumble. His senior season play earned him a spot on RGVSports.com’s inaugural All-Valley team.
“DeAnthony had big shoulder pads to fill since he comes from a football family,” Garza said. “His older brother played safety at San Benito years back, before our staff got here. He was tremendous himself, so DeAnthony knew he had big shoes to fill. He was a great football player. People see him and don’t think much about him, but when we start playing people know he’s a heck of a football player.”
With Garcia and Mireles on the field, San Benito fielded one of the Valley’s most terrorizing defenses the past two years.
The Greyhounds ranked No. 1 in District 32-6A in points and yards allowed per game the past two seasons. Their 12 points per game allowed this past season also ranked No. 3 among all Class 6A teams in the state.
For the first time since middle school, Garcia and Mireles will be trying to stop each other’s offenses next fall, when Hardin-Simmons hosts Texas Lutheran at 1 p.m. Oct. 14 at Shelton Stadium in Abilene.
When the game finishes, however, San Benito’s dynamic duo plans to meet on the field and celebrate, just like the players have all their lives.
“We’re probably going to hate each other while we’re playing,” Garcia said. “After the game, though, it’ll be just like always. It is always fun playing against your friend. It’ll be like being little kids again.”
