WESLACO —Weslaco High is no stranger to being overlooked. In a district that includes perennial powerhouses Harlingen High, San Benito and Los Fresnos, the Panthers have grown accustomed to being the underdogs.
The 2023 football campaign started no different, with the Cardinals, Greyhounds and Falcons all ranking ahead of the Panthers in the first RGVSports.com 5A/6A top 10 poll, while also being picked to finish fourth in District 32-6A behind the same three teams by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine.
“Bulletin board material. That’s all it is,” Weslaco High head coach Roy Stroman said. “As coaches, we use that to fuel and motivate these guys in the offseason. We knew we had some big shoes to fill, but these guys stepped up. They took it upon themselves to have a good offseason. This is a true brotherhood.”
Weslaco High, which opened at No. 9 in the first poll of the year, has embraced the underdog role.
That mindset has the Panthers proving the skeptics wrong, clawing their way from the bottom of the rankings to No. 3, with wins against two of the three district rivals ranked ahead of them along the way.
With just one week remaining in the regular season, Weslaco sits 9-0 overall, needing just one more win to secure an undefeated season and their first district title since 2015. Kickoff for the RGVSports.com Game of the Week between No. 2 San Benito and No. 3 Weslaco High is set for 7 p.m. today at Bobby Morrow Stadium in San Benito.
“One thing about Weslaco is we’ve always been the underdogs,” senior running back Eli Rodriguez Jr. said. “Next year, too, no matter how good we do this year, Weslaco will still be underdogs. Harlingen and San Benito have always been powerhouses. Los Fresnos is on the come up, so it’s understandable. We like this role. though.”
The Panthers’ rise to the top isn’t a fluke or luck. Weslaco fields one of the RGV’s most balanced offensive attacks, complemented by one of the top defensive units in South Texas.
Weslaco’s offense is led by a pair of seniors in the backfield in quarterback Andres Sepulveda and running back Rodriguez.
Sepulveda, a two-year starter for the Panthers, commands the pass attack, throwing for 1,012 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also has displayed his dual-threat capability, rushing for 295 yards and six touchdowns on 46 carries.
Added into the mix this season is Rodriguez, a first-year starter. The senior bell-cow has made the most of his season as the team’s lead back, ranking third in the RGV in rushing yards with 1,437 on 140 carries.
The Panthers’ duo has the offense clicking heading into the final game of the season, averaging 34.4 points and 342.1 total yards per game.
“It comes down to our offensive line,” Stroman said. “They’ve opened up some big holes and made Andy (Sepulveda) comfortable in the pocket. He’s got that poise now. Then for Eli, he has those big holes and guys he can count on. Before, he wanted to bounce everything to the outside, and now he’s running in between tackles. It is just about trust and faith, and a lot of it is a testament to our offensive line.”
Defensively, the Panthers are among the toughest in the RGV, allowing just 217.7 total yards and 11.7 points per game.
Weslaco defensive dominance begins in the trenches, with Stroman calling this year’s defensive line the deepest he’s had during his five years at the school.
The group has tallied 32 tackles for loss and 12 sacks this season, led by senior defensive end Matthew Garza’s six tackles for loss and four sacks. Senior Daryn Hanks and Deven Martinz have added four tackles for loss and one sack each.
“Every defensive coach will tell you that they want to stop the run and force teams to throw the football,” Stroman said. “I think that is the recipe for success on the defensive side. We have a senior-heavy defensive line, and that’s who we’re leaning on. They’ve done a tremendous job in applying pressure and controlling the line of scrimmage. That has been the reason we’ve had success on the defensive side.”
Despite a talented team on both sides of the ball, the Panthers are still underdogs heading into the final week of the regular season, with No. 2 San Benito (9-0, 4-0) standing in their way of a perfect season and their first district title since 2015.
The Greyhounds were the third team from District 32-6A ranked ahead of the Panthers during the initial rankings, holding steady at No. 2.
On paper, the teams are evenly matched. Both team’s offenses are led by dynamic rushers, with senior quarterbacks under center. Defensively, the two rank among the best in the RGV, each allowing less than 225 yards and 11 points per game.
Still, Dave Campbell’s Texas Football’s Matt Stepp picked the Greyhounds to win by a touchdown, and seven of RGVSports.com’s 10 football pick-it contributors chose San Benito.
Weslaco is used to it, however, ready to continue proving the doubters wrong.
“We love proving people wrong,” Sepulveda said. “That’s just what we do. We just can’t get too caught up in the media and stuff, though. We have to keep a level head, and continue to execute on the field and continue to play at a high level.”
