WESLACO — Weslaco High head coach Roy Stroman Jr. had to contain himself when his son, Roy Stroman III, walked into the end zone for the team’s first touchdown during their Region IV-6A DII contest against Edinburg High on Friday.
The Panthers still trailed the Bobcats 10-7 at the time, with halftime less than a minute away. Inside, however, Stroman Jr. was overfilled with joy.
“You can’t get too excited,” Stroman Jr. said. “You can’t show too much on the outside, but on the inside of course I was happy for him. Seeing him score all these touchdowns, I have the best seat in the house. My wife is up in the stands, but I’ve got the best seat. Watching him score, sometimes it is tough to control your emotions because of the whole journey he’s gone through.”
Moments like that have extra meaning for the Stromans this season, with Stroman III amid his senior year at Weslaco High. The Panthers went on to win the game 16-10 in overtime, with the father-son duo celebrating after as their “final ride” was extended another week.
Getting to this moment hasn’t always been a smooth ride. Stroman III nearly walked away from the game in seventh grade after breaking his arm during his first game of the season.
The elder Stroman had to give his best motivational speech, he said, teaching his son early on how to deal with adversity.
“I told him this is a part of life,” Stroman Jr. said. “The question was, ‘What are you going to do when adversity is in front of you? Are you just going to quit and walk away, or are you going to find a way to get over it?’ He thought about it as a seventh-grader, but that was when I had my best motivational speech ever. We got through it and now we laugh about it.”
The younger Stroman demonstrated his mental toughness once again this season, battling back from a season-ending ACL and MCL tear as a junior to emerge as a key playmaker in the Panthers’ passing attack.
“Last year he took a good shot against Mission and it ended up being a knee injury and he was out for the year,” Stroman Jr. said. “I tell you what, though, he went in there and I have never seen anybody work as hard. He told me he was going to play his senior year. Speaking to the doctor, that knee was destroyed. He didn’t have surgery, just physical therapy. The work he put in, right now it is paying dividends.”
The senior wideout finished the regular season with 28 catches for 330 yards and four touchdowns. He seems to have saved his best performance for the postseason, hauling in five catches for 63 yards and a score during the bi-district round.
Stroman III credits his dad for his success on the field, thinking back to their conversation during seventh grade.
“After breaking my arm on the last play of my first game in seventh grade, it really bummed me out and I started asking myself if football was really for me,” Stroman III said. “My dad honestly kept me going. He motivated me to keep going, and five years later we’re here.”
The Panthers’ victory over Edinburg High secured a spot in the Region IV-6A DII area round. Waiting for them in the second round is San Antonio Harlan, which is an 18-point favorite according to Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine.
Still, Weslaco High is entering the contest with its “16 game” mentality, referring to the 16 games played by teams en route to the state championship game.
“We know they’re bigger and stronger,” Stroman III said. “It isn’t always about that, though. It’s about the game plan. We’re focusing on out-scheming them. I think if everyone just does their job, we have a good chance.”
Kickoff between the Panthers and Hawks is set for 7 p.m. at Buccaneer Stadium in Corpus Christi.
SOARING HIGH
The Harlingen High Cardinals continued to soar high during the Region IV-6A DII bi-district round, crushing PSJA High 45-0 on Friday at Boggus Stadium in Harlingen, improving to 11-0 and flying into the second round.
The Cardinals’ dominant Round 1 performance earned statewide recognition for their longtime head coach, with Manny Gomez named Dave Campbell’s Texas Football 6A Coach of the Week.
Gomez and the Cardinals continue their playoff journey at 7 p.m. Friday, taking on San Antonio Warren at the Dub Farris Athletic Complex in San Antonio.
RUNNING WILD
The San Benito Greyhounds have reeled off three straight victories since their Week 9 loss to Harlingen High, including a 49-14 win against La Joya High during a Region IV-6A DI bi-district clash Friday.
San Benito’s rushing attack has been pivotal during its three-game streak, rushing for more than 300 yards and at least four touchdowns during each win. They’ve outscored opponents 129-31 during that span.
Greyhounds running back Fabian Garcia has spearheaded San Benito’s rushing attack this season, tallying 1,878 yards and 25 touchdowns in 11 games.
San Benito puts its three-game streak on the line against San Antonio Taft during a Region IV-6A DI area-round contest at 7 p.m. tonight at Buccaneer Stadium in Corpus Christi.
PLAYMAKING FALCONS
Big-time players make big-time plays. During the Falcons’ 21-6 bi-district victory over Edinburg North, a bevy of playmakers stepped up to lead Los Fresnos to victory.
Sophomore wideout Josh Limon hauled in two of the Falcons’ three touchdowns during the contest, ending up with five catches for 79 yards and two scores.
Seniors Joshua Munoz and Frank Quintero led the Falcons’ defense, forcing five combined turnovers. Quintero came up with two forced fumbles, and Munoz snagged three interceptions.
The Falcons will look for their playmakers to step up again during the Region IV-6A DI area round, facing off against San Antonio Brennan at 6 p.m. tonight at Leo Aguilar Memorial Stadium in Los Fresnos.
