After 21 years, football returns to Lasara

LASARA — To most community members, it’s a mystery why the school district’s football program ended 21 years ago. Some say it was because of a shortage of funding, others believe it was because there weren’t enough students. But one thing is for sure: football is back in Lasara.

Lasara Junior High played a game against La Villa Junior High Thursday afternoon, after a 21-year hiatus from playing at home.

Principal Sulema Osuna said a football program for the junior high students was created last year. But since the district didn’t have a stadium to host games, the team had to schedule games at the opposing school for the entire season.

This year bleachers were brought in and set up near the campus gym.

“We have a field, we have bleachers and goal posts,” Osuna said with a laugh. “We have a stadium.”

Fans were wearing blue and gold T-shirts while parents sold hotdogs and soda at the concession stands.

While people drank soda from personal coolers and held umbrellas to shield themselves from the September sun, a group of young boys started their own game, throwing around a plastic blue football in a grassy area behind the bleachers.

“It’s always been about seeing the kids do well,” Susan Muñoz, mother of football player Mario Muñoz, said. “Parents have always been involved — everyone is just so excited.”

Superintendent Rolando Peña said he had been superintendent in Rio Hondo when that district decided to build a new stadium in town.

“Really, we’re trying to bring the same thing to Lasara,” Peña said. “Just become a community is small doesn’t mean they can’t have the events that larger schools have, on a smaller scale of course, but these activities build character.”

Peña said the community wants to see the youth participate in extracurricular activities, and that the entire community was excited about the first home game in 21 years.

“Any sport will get people excited,” Oscar Villarreal, a former Lasara football player said. “I used to play football, now, I’m here barbecuing, instead.”

Tessie Kiefer said she was at the game to support her daughter, Tamara, who was cheering with the junior high squad. Kiefer said she herself was a cheerleader right before the program ended.

“It’s a small town but look at this,” Kiefer said, pointing to the crowd. “Everyone has come out, and on a Thursday afternoon. People want to support the kids and be part of one community. That’s why I want to raise my children here.”

“Practically all of Lasara is here,” Pauline Gomez, cheerleading sponsor, added.

Brittany Ruiz, a junior high student, showed her school spirit by donning team numbers in blue paint on her arms, and described the game as “awesome.”

“It’s cool because it’s the first time,” Brittany said. “You don’t have to go all the way over to other schools. And everyone has fun at football games.”

But Peña said the main reason football was brought back to town was because a high school will return to the city.

Until this school year, the district served students from kindergarten to eighth grade. Once students reached the high school level, they previously would be bussed to Raymondville High School or Lyford High School.

This year the district has a ninth-grade academy, which will eventually expand into a four-year high school.

“This is the first group that will mark the start of the high school,” Peña said about the ninth graders. “The community felt the kids were losing themselves in the larger districts when they left Lasara.”

Peña said with the start of a new high school, there will now be more activities to plan for the youth.

“We’re going to think big here,” Peña said.

The crowd remained buzzing as the two junior high teams ran off the field for the first halftime at Lasara.

But, as 6 p.m. approached, the crowd knew they had to leave once the game ended, because the newly created field still doesn’t have stadium lights, just yet.