EDINBURG — The Edinburg Economedes Jaguars were ready to roll at 12:01 a.m. Monday, the earliest possible time Texas high school teams were allowed to begin practicing for the 2021 season.
“Midnight Madness” at Economedes marked a fresh start on the East side of Edinburg under first-year head coach Sean Van de Merghel.
“We had 65 kids on that first morning, which was exciting. I think we’re pushing 85 right now, so the numbers have been growing,” he said. “The excitement that it brought, the kids were fired up to be here with the lights on. We had barbecue going on in the parking lot, finished at about 3 in the morning, and just had a really good time and the kids had a blast.”
The former Edinburg Vela offensive coordinator made the move across town and is hoping to start a turnaround at Economedes, a program that has a record of 10-25 the past four years. The Jaguars’ last playoff appearance was in 2016, which ended with a 7-4 season.
The shortened 2020 campaign was rough for the Jaguars as they finished 0-5 overall. Economedes’ last win came Oct. 11, 2019, a 24-7 effort against Donna North.
Van de Merghel knows it’ll be a process, but the first step in the right direction begins with the way the Jaguars practice.
“It starts with us getting the kids wanting to be here and creating a positive environment that our kids want to be around,” he said. “We want to treat our kids well and let them know we care, and we’re here to win.”
Senior running back Jonathan Rubalcaba said the Jaguars have felt a boost in enthusiasm with the new season and new staff — including offensive coordinator Garrett Mason and defensive coordinator George Villarreal. He hopes the change can lead to wins.
“It’s exciting because I get to play with my brothers and we have a bunch of new coaches and new things to learn,” Rubalcaba said. “I feel like we need to work together and believe. I think believing is a big factor in winning, and you can’t win if you don’t believe.”
While the Jaguars have seven returning starters on offense, the quarterback position remains in the air. Economedes has two new faces with the chance to lead its offense in senior MJ Barrientos and freshman JuJu Eguia.
Barrientos, a four-year letterman in basketball, is returning to football after three years away from the game. Meanwhile, Eguia has a bright future, according to Van de Merghel, as he gets his first taste of high school football this season.
Economedes will rely heavily on the ground game, however, as Rubalcaba is set to run behind an offensive line with four returning starters.
“We’re going to establish the run, take our shots and control the clock the best we can, and try to score points,” Van de Merghel said.
Six returning starters lead the defense including Robert Garza and Tim Plata on the defensive line and Javier Medellin in the secondary.
The Jaguars will open the regular season against PSJA Southwest on Aug. 26 on the road. Economedes is scheduled to begin District 31-6A action against crosstown rival Edinburg North on Sept. 10 at Richard Flores Stadium in Edinburg.
