By Reynaldo Leal

The Wildcats had a chip on their shoulder the size of the Weslaco water tower. They had beaten top tier programs in McAllen and San Benito, but they were still the little school that had come up from 4A and was now trying to compete with the Panthers.

“We felt like we weren’t getting enough credit,” senior free safety Joshua Cordova said. “We definitely wanted to prove ourselves.”

East obviously expected to win in their first meeting against Weslaco High. According to head coach Armando Cuellar, it wouldn’t be Wildcat football if they didn’t. However, not even they could have predicted their 24-0 victory, and the total dismantling of the Panthers.

While the Wildcat offense amassed 338 total yards (299 rushing) and three touchdowns, the defense held the Panthers scoreless with just 83 total yards. Junior running back Saul Cuellar (20 carries) single handedly had more yards than the entire Weslaco offense with 124.

“We’ve been waiting for this game a long time,” offensive coordinator Mike Burget said after the game. “The kids work hard and I think they more than passed the eye-test tonight. This is the best win in my entire career.”

On paper East should be fighting for its district life every game; however, the transition to 5A has been a smooth one for the ‘Cats despite their size disadvantage. So how are these undersized underdogs beating some of the biggest schools in 31-5A?

“Heart,” quarterback Brandon Guzman said without blinking an eye. “Heart.”
As cliché as it might sound, Guzman has a point when he talks about “heart.” Cuellar and his staff have put together a team that plays every down. From the swarming defense – which kept Clay Jones to eight passing yards and Chip Cruz to zero yards rushing – to the running game, the Wildcats depend on their determination as much as their speed.

In fact, if Weslaco East could be personified by a player it would be the Wildcats’ OLB Juan Anguiano. The 130 pound, 5-foot-7 junior played like a giant against the Panthers. His two key sacks were only part of his overall contribution to the shutout. It seemed like he was everywhere at once, and his team fed off his energy.

“My coach told me we have to play hard,” Anguiano said. “I just gave it everything I had.”

Now there’s a philosophy to live by, and one that East’s coaching staff will continue to drill into their players.
“You look out on the field and we don’t have the numbers other 5As have,” Burget said, “but our offseason is very demanding. We live and die by the weight room. I guarantee that these kids will all be at practice tomorrow running and lifting weights. These kids just work hard.”

The ‘Cats are now 4-1 (5-2 overall) and tied for first place with McHi. They have a difficult road ahead with McAllen Memorial, PSJA Memorial and Rowe all standing in the way of what most would consider a surprise district-title run. Their last three opponents might be down in the win column, but they are all more than capable of upsetting the Wildcats’ transition into 31-5A.

But Cuellar is not there yet. His only concern is preparing for Bill Littleton’s squad next week.

“We did a heck of a job this week and we’ll celebrate later,” Cuellar said. “Tomorrow we start getting ready for the next game.”