Q&A with the Ball Hawk: Chavez a three-year starter
Manteca High School senior Chris Chavez is a three-year varsity starter in the secondary for the football team. He is one of the leaders for a unit that has played well for the Buffaloes, now 5-0 in league. (Tyler Watkins/The Tower)
By MATEO ESPARZA & OWEN GULLY
The Tower
Chris Chavez is at home on an island.
Each week, the Manteca High senior defensive back lines up against a skyscraper of a receiver in the slot. When the ball is snapped, Chavez reads the receiver’s hips like a hawk, at the same time tracking the ball through the black night’s sky. Game on. Chavez leaps into the air, snatching the ball at its highest point, winning this battle with the receiver.
Chavez is now playing in his third year as a varsity starter. He starts both ways as a safety on defense and receiver on offense. Chavez is an important piece of Manteca’s defense. His coaches and peers say he is a well-rounded athlete and a manager on the field.
His defensive back coach Paul Camara, a former defensive back at Manteca High, recognizes his role as a leader.
“He’s been in our defense for three years,”Camara said. “He is a leader, and he knows where everyone needs to be and makes sure they do what need to be done.”
On Friday, Patterson’s “Spread ‘em and Shread ‘em” offensive scheme challenged Chavez and a secondary that includes cornerbacks Eddie Anthony and Nevada-Reno recruit Quinn Martinez, two year starting safety Carson Sablan, and rising junior Mateo Esparza. Manteca pulled away late, 39-27, improving to 8-1 overall and 5-0 in Valley Oak League play.
Patterson featured its own package of talent. Max Medina, a three-year starting junior entered the game with the most passing yards in the Valley Oak League with 2,429 yards and 25 touchdowns. He averaged 274 yards per game.
His main target is Noah Cozart, who leads the VOL with 795 receiving yards. He also throws to Jace Johnson and Romeo Manu. The Patterson Tigers were the favorites to win the VOL at the start of the season, but entered the game at 3-2 in league play.
Head Coach for Manteca Mark Varnum likes the matchup in the secondary.
“Our DBs have been playing well and we have an experienced secondary,” Varnum said. “We are going to play smart, play fast, and play hard and everyone must do their jobs.”
The Tower sat down with Chavez and asked him questions about himself and the challenge with Patterson’s offensive scheme.
The Tower: How difficult has it been playing three years of varsity football at Manteca High School?
Chris Chavez: It's been extremely difficult. I think just holding your own weight in the position you must be in is very crucial and it's really been a challenge, but I think with my energy and my work ethic makes it easier.
TT: Where did you find that work ethic and that passion to play football?
CC: I feel like it has always been in me since I was a kid. Me and my dad always wanting to play at the next level or watching Oregon on the weekends, that’s what inspired me to play football.
TT: Playing under the Friday night lights in Manteca, a high school known for its football, how do you not let the pressure get to you?
CC: You just have to block it out. It’s more like adrenaline, to be honest. When you are out there on the field, you don’t really care about anything else but what you got going on … like your assignments and what you have to do to help your team win. You can't be scared to mess up, because if you are scared to mess up then that’s when you will mess up.
TT: What goals did you have before this season?
CC: The goals I had before the season were just to really help my team to get wins and just be better defensively in my position, and I’m hoping for that first team all-league and just come out the season healthy for baseball.
TT: What would it mean to you to finish your senior season with a VOL championship?
CC: It would mean a lot. It hasn’t been done in a while and I think we are definitely the team to do it. As long as we keep our heads down and we just grind and stick to our assignments and stick to what we must do, it definitely will be special.
TT: What motivates you to keep playing football, and get through every practice?
CC: What motivates me is definitely my parents. Just seeing how hard they work and knowing that I have talent, and I (believe) I can be something. I try to go to practice every day and just work hard. (My parents) motivate me because they work hard every single day and that’s what leads me to work hard.
TT: Does the pressure of being VOL champs have an impact on how you play?
CC: Most definitely, it definitely pushes me to play harder. It pushes me to play harder than before so I can help make that happen.
TT: What do you think will be your biggest challenge this Friday night?
CC: Blocking out the outside noise. I know (Patterson is) a really good spread team but I believe in my guys the most. You know those guys are good over there, but I don’t think they’ve seen a team like us. We got some hardworking guys that deserve some spotlight, and I think were going to make it known this Friday.