San Benito Greyhound football players Andre Evans (left) and Tommy Herrera (right) are shown during practice for the upcoming East vs. West All Star Football game. (Photo by Justin Tijerina)
By CHRISTY CORTEZ
Special to the NEWS
High school football season may be over for these standouts, but they aren’t over high school football just yet.
Seniors Andre Evans and Tommy Herrera have been selected to represent the San Benito Greyhound football team in the annual East vs. West All Star Football Game, to be played Saturday, May 21, 2011 at Bobby Lackey Stadium in Weslaco.
Herrera, who was out during pre season with an injury, came back strong for district play and ended the season with first team All-District honors. Herrera says that being selected to represent the Greyhounds before graduation is a “privilege and honor.” Herrera had been accepted to Texas State University in San Marcos where he plans to attend and major in Physical Therapy. Herrera says he will not pursue football in college due to his plans to focus on his academics. Herrera is also ranked in the top five percent of the San Benito High School graduating class of 2011.
Andre, who was a four-year varsity letterman transferred to San Benito from Valley View, where he started as running back after his father David Evans accepted the Greyhounds Defensive Coordinator and Girls and Boys Athletic Director position. Not only did Andre have to transition into being at a new school, he also had to transition into another position on the field. In order to start for the Greyhounds Andre made the leap from offense to defense as a defensive end. Andre called the switch difficult but made it through successfully with the help of the Greyhound coaching staff. “It was a change of mentality. You had to try and get the ball into the endzone on offense instead of keeping it out of the end zone on defense,” said Andre, who said he was “born into a locker room” and also had the help from brothers Mark and Mike Evans who both were football standouts as well and have been correlating their success from playing football into coaching for the Greyhounds. Mark is the offensive coordinator and Mike is the secondary coach for the Greyhounds.
For Andre, being selected to the All-Star team is the “cherry on top” of his senior year. Andre also says that even before he had been selected he told his father David before he graduated he wanted to make the All-Star Team. He will be attending the University of Incarnate Word in San Antonio where he will be walking on for a shot at playing football there. Andre feels the experience in the All-Star game will help him excel at the collegiate level. “Being around people with so much talent makes me want to be better,” he said.
Andre will be majoring in Sports Medicine and hopes that a career in that field will land him his dream job of being a trainer for his favorite team, the St. Louis Rams.
To see this story, pick up a copy of the May 15 edition of the San Benito News. Or view our E-Edition by clicking here.
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