Panthers RB a standout on and off the field

Mario Ortiz has become a force on the Colleyville Heritage football team’s offense, and coach Joe Willis said his senior running back’s contributions go beyond the gridiron.

Ortiz has rushed for 460 yards and four touchdowns through his first four games, and Willis said that’s just part of what makes Ortiz a standout.

“Mario is a leader for our team, as well as CHHS as a whole,” Willis said. “He is the senior class president and a captain on our team. His actions demonstrate a great desire to lead and set a good example, and his words are respected by all because of that.”

Ortiz rushed for 154 yards and a touchdown on Friday against Fort Worth Dunbar and said that he believes the season has been good for the Panthers this point.

“So far, we’ve played with heart, but our ability to finish will be the most important aspect of the plan as we continue into the season,” Ortiz said. “We’ve taken some disappointing losses, but we learned from them and we’re better because of them. I’m excited for what this season has in store for us as we work towards Dec. 17th, the state championship.”

Ortiz said that he has some definite objectives for the season, but they are mostly related to the team as a whole.

“I don’t have many individual goals, just to get over 1,000 yards rushing yards and to show the younger running backs what a good work ethic and hard work gets them,” Ortiz said. “My hope is if I have a successful season, they’ll see that and follow suit when it’s their time.

“For the team, I want our senior class to pass on a legacy of hard work, grit and above all, finishing everything we start to the upcoming classes. Lastly, an obvious communal goal is to win a state championship.”

In order to have a successful district campaign, Ortiz said it will take a couple of things.

“We need everyone to buy into the plan our coaching staff has laid out for us,” Ortiz said. “They know what it takes to win championships, so as long as we put in 100-percent effort into their system, we can compete with any team in the state. We for sure need endurance to finish the season — we’re about to start a 13-week journey, and our ability to finish is of upmost importance.

“I have faith in the team and know with the chemistry we have, the amount of talent, and coaches, we’ll for sure do well.”

This story was originally published September 26, 2016 at 11:18 AM with the headline "Panthers RB a standout on and off the field."