BROWNSVILLE — The 2023 football season was filled with numerous trials and tribulations for the Brownsville St. Joseph Bloodhounds.
No trial was bigger than the death of senior Anuar Jobi just one week into the season, with the tragedy rocking the community to its core.
The Bloodhounds persevered through the rough season despite everything thrown their way, finishing with a 5-6 overall record and bowing out in the first round of the postseason.
More than one year has passed since last year’s tragedy, and the Bloodhounds look like a completely different team. Brownsville St. Joseph has moved on but not forgotten last year’s heartbreak en route to one of its best seasons in recent memory, finishing the regular season with a 9-1 regular overall record and as TAPPS DII District 3 champions.
“We had a real rough year last year,” Brownsville St. Joseph head coach Tino Villarreal said after the team’s playoff win last week. “Everybody knows we had tragedy that struck our community. To see our community have something to hang their hat on and see these boys be successful and play in the memory of Anuar Jobi, and just come out here and play great football to give people something to cheer about, it’s real special. We’re really happy for that opportunity.”
Though a year has passed since Jobi’s death, his presence can still be felt and seen among the Bloodhounds.
His locker remains a memorial to his life, with the space occupied by flowers and other pieces to remember Jobi.
On the field, the Bloodhounds have played with a different swagger and joy than last year, with senior Diego De La Cruz describing it as a “pure happiness.”
“He’s still there with us,” De La Cruz said. “Anuar is still here with us. It’s just a happiness. Just pure happiness we get to enjoy. Last year we were getting prepared and then tragedy happened, so it was a setback. This year has just been pure joy. Just pure energy and pure happiness. We keep going now. We remember him and we get happy. It’s proudness that he’s still here with us.”
That energy has exuded on the field for the Bloodhounds this year, with the team turning it into a near perfect season on the field. Their 9-1 record becomes even more impressive when diving deeper into the details.
Nine of Brownsville St. Joseph’s 10 opponents qualified for the postseason this season, including three which finished the year as district champs. The program, which fields roughly over 20 players each night, also went 6-0 against UIL programs this season, including a 2-0 mark against Class 6A teams.
Their one loss this year came against an Austin Regents squad that finished 9-1 overall during the regular season and very well could be playing in the state title game in two weeks.
The Bloodhounds continued to play with the same energy during the first round of the TAPPS DII playoffs, routing Houston Lutheran South 40-14 during the area round to punch its ticket to the regional round.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Villarreal said. “These guys have been working hard all offseason and all summer. We had a real tough schedule that we knew would prepare us for this moment.”
Players like UTEP commit De La Cruz and senior Swiss Army Knife Claudio Torres are a big reason for the team’s resurgence, both taking leadership roles on and off the field.
De La Cruz, who measures in at 6-foot-4, 315 pounds according to his Hudl profile, is a one-man wrecking crew in the trenches. Meanwhile, Torres is an explosive playmaker on both sides of the ball, racking up 2,828 total yards, 39 total touchdowns, 68 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss and five interceptions this year.
Add in dual-threat junior Gavin Cisneros (1,626 passing yards, 14 touchdowns; 777 rushing yards, nine touchdowns) and hard-nosed linebacker Alejandro Garcia (110 total tackles, five TFL) and the Bloodhounds are loaded with playmakers across the board.
With their talented roster and a revitalized spirit, the Bloodhounds are far from done this season. Up next is a tilt against Houston Second Baptist, the team that ended their season a year ago. Brownsville St. Joseph lost that game 38-8.
These aren’t the same Bloodhounds from a year ago, however, with the group focused and hungrier than ever.
“I think we made a statement,” Torres said after the team’s win over Houston Lutheran South. “We’re ready for whatever is next.”
“We were focused on today,” De La Cruz said after defeating the Pioneers on Friday. “We just wanted to go 1-0. My message to the guys now is going to be we’re going for revenge. They got us last year. We were banged up and we weren’t the same team we are right now. We can put up with big dogs like them. They’re a pretty good team, a really good-coached team. It is going to be a hard game and a tough opponent, but we can do it. I think we can be in a fight with them, and we can win.”
Kickoff between the Bloodhounds and Eagles is set for 7 p.m. today at Edgewood Veterans Stadium in San Antonio.
The winner punches its ticket to a TAPPS DII state semifinal, where it will take on the winner between The Woodlands Christian and Fort Bend Christian.
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