HIDALGO — Rey Cantu set out to accomplish two goals when he arrived at Hidalgo High School as a freshman: leave a state champion and sign to play collegiately.
The senior forward accomplished the first of his two goals in April, helping lead the Pirates to the Class 4A state title with a 3-0 victory over Palestine.
He fulfilled the last of his two goals Tuesday, committing to play collegiate soccer at Blinn College during a signing ceremony in front of coaches, friends, family and teammates at Hidalgo High School.
Blinn College is a National Junior College Athletic Association program based in Brenham. The Buccaneers compete in NJCAA’s Division I tier and are a part of Region XIV.
“I remember saying in an interview my sophomore year that I was going to be a state champ at Hidalgo and sign to play college soccer,” Cantu said. “I feel happy right now because it shows I’m a person who says he is going to do something and does it. Now it is time to go to Blinn with everything I have.”
Cantu’s dream of playing collegiate soccer was nearly shattered following a devastating knee injury during Hidalgo’s playoff run last year.
The injury kept Cantu off the field for the first part of his senior season, not returning until the Pirates kicked off district play late January. The long wait to return made Cantu question whether he’d be able to return to form and play at the next level.
Cantu looked better than ever when he returned to the pitch, netting a Valley-best 40 goals in 13 district contests.
He continued to shine as the competition got tougher during the postseason, scoring eight goals in seven playoff contests.
Cantu saved his best performance for the final game of his high school career, scoring twice just five minutes into the state championship game to help Hidalgo secure the 3-0 victory and the Class 4A state crown.
“After suffering my ACL injury, I felt like I was never going to play like I used to,” Cantu said. “I knew I was wrong the moment I stepped back onto the field. I kept getting better. Now, thanks to God, here I am signing to play at a really good college.”
Cantu, a four-year letterwinner, leaves Hidalgo with a decorated resumè in tow. He earned District 31-4A’s Newcomer of the Year award as a freshman in 2020. Cantu followed it up by winning the district’s offensive MVP honors the next year, while also being named The Monitor’s 2021 All-Area Offensive Player of the Year.
An injury-filled junior season kept him from earning any superlatives, but Cantu still managed to earn District 31-4A first-team honors.
This year, Cantu earned first-team honors for a second straight year. Cantu also is a candidate for The Monitor’s 2023 All-Area Player of the Year award and the inaugural RGVSports.com All-Valley soccer team.
With his high school career in the rearview mirror and after accomplishing what he set out to do as a freshman, Cantu has new goals in sight as he prepares for the next chapter of his soccer career.
“My goals are the same from when I came to Hidalgo as a freshman,” Cantu said. “There is no state championships at the college level. Now it is about national championships. The goal remains the same, though. Winning a championship with my team and bringing the same joy I brought to this community to the community over there.”
