CUERO — Jace Gamez played with Sean Burks and Brandt Patek so he knows what’s expected from Cuero linebackers. Gamez is ready to make his mark during his senior season. “I’ve got big shoes to fill,” said Gamez, who was the Dave Campbell Texas Football District 15-4A, Division II preseason defensive player of the year.
“I’m going to get to work and try to fill them.” Gamez took his first steps during an intrasquad scrimmage on a hot Saturday morning at Gobbler Stadium. The varsity, junior varsity and freshman teams alternated running plays during the 90-minute controlled scrimmage.
“I just wanted to see us get out there and go full speed a little bit and get out of here healthy,” said Cuero head coach Jerod Fikac. “I wanted to see some of the new guys be able to execute some of the things we’ve been working on for the past week.” Gamez knows the Gobblers must replace some talented defensive players from a team that advanced to the regional semifinals.
“We lost a lot of good guys, but we have a lot of good guys who are going to step up,” Gamez said. “That’s what today was for.” Cuero must find replacements at a number of skill positions on offense, but returns three starters on the offensive line.
“We have some things to work on,” said center Cash Cooper. “We’re a little weak in sports. We have a lot of potential and we’re able to kind of work things out going ahead.
” Fikac expects the offense to be similar to the last two seasons. “I don’t think it’s going to look a ton different,” Fikac said. “We’ve got quite a few returners on the offensive line, which I think is going to help.
We’re trying to break in some new wide receivers, a new running back and a new quarterback. “We’re going to do what we do. These guys have been in the system now, most of them going on their third year.
We’ve got some wrinkles here and there but for the most part we’re going to do what we do.” Cuero starts the season against Columbus, ranked No. 2 in Class 3A, Division I.
The Gobblers also play one Class 6A, two Class 5A, Division II, and one Class 4A, Division I, and another Class 3A, Division I team before beginning district competition. “We’re going to keep our heads up,” Cooper said. “The games are going to be really tough.
We know we have tough competition ahead, but we’re just going to fight through it and show who we really are.”.
