Victoria East Season Preview

Senior duo leading defense, guiding young players

BY PETER L. SCAMARDO II

PSCAMARDO@VICAD.COM

When Trent Zappe and Zakary Mendieta first connected, they were 10-years old playing in the Crossroads Youth Football League.

The linebacker, defensive tackle duo quickly learned to work off each other, finding creative ways to attack opposing offenses.

Zappe and Mendieta worked to improve their games throughout middle school and into high school at Victoria East.

Now seniors, they stand out as leaders of a small senior class that the Titans will look to for success in 2021.

“We’re always working trying to get better,” Mendieta said. “Lifting, running, trying to help all our teammates get better. Just be a team player.”

“We just have a really good bond and playing all that time with each other,” Zappe said. “We can trust each other, we know that he’s gonna do his job, and I’m gonna do mine. And it helps the defense out a lot.”

As juniors, Mendieta succeeded at disrupting offensive linemen and creating holes for Zappe to break through.

Zappe collected 106 tackles, 15 tackles for a loss, three sacks, two interceptions and caused two fumbles on his way to an all-state honorable mention.

Mendieta added 35 tackles, two sacks, two caused fumbles and a blocked punt.

“We just try to do our best,” Zappe said. “That’s all we got. We work hard and do our best, we just go 110% and when he does, he dominates. And when he dominates it makes me look good as well. He takes two tackles, two guards, and that helps me out a lot. And when I do it it helps him a lot, helps the defense.”

Doug Kent joined East as the defensive coordinator last year and quickly identified Zappe and Mendieta’s raw ability and raw talent.

Their individual success came about through the defensive working together as a unit.

“The defensive line worked well together, getting into their gaps and keeping guys off the linebackers and make it available for those guys to make a lot of plays and a lot of tackles,” Kent said.

East lost 26-23 at Weslaco East in the Class 5A, Division I bi-district round, giving the returning players motivation heading into the new season.

The defense will have to replace free safety Marquise Kuykendall — who had 91 tackles as a senior — but will be senior heavy upfront with Xzaebrin Jones and Gabriel Milosovljevic returning.

With a number of young players stepping up on both sides of the ball, Zappe and Mendieta are embracing the leadership roles as they prepare for their final seasons.

“We’ve just got to get on everyone,” Mendieta said. “Always got to be on your game. You can’t mess around. You’ve got to set an example.”

“We just got to show these younger kids that it doesn’t matter how big they are,” Zappe said. “It doesn’t matter if some kid is two times their size. If you work hard enough you can beat that person.”

East’s defense will also need to perform in order to give quarterback Jadon Williams and running back Jacarrien Giles time to fully adjust to their starting positions.

With district foes, Victoria West, Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial and Gregory-Portland all reloading from last year, East knows it will get no favors as it fights for a consecutive playoff spot in District 15-5A, Division I.

“We’ve just gotta play hard every game and treat every team like they’re the greatest team in the country,” Zappe said. “It doesn’t matter what their record was last year, only matters about this year.”

East opens the season Friday at West Columbia on Aug. 27.

EMREE WEAVER/EWEAVER@VICAD.COM

Zak Mendieta gets ready for an offensive line drill during Victoria East’s first football practice of the 2021 season.

KENDALL WARNER/KWARNER@VICAD.COM

Victoria East linebacker Trent Zappe takes down a Corpus Christi Moody player during a District 15-5A, Division I game at Memorial Stadium.

DEFENSIVE DUO

2020 defensive statistics for Victoria East linebacker Trent Zappe and defensive tackle Zakary Mendieta.

Trent Zappe

■ 106 tackles, 15 TFL, 3 sacks, 9 hurries, 3 INT, 2 caused fumbles, 3 passes defended.

Zakary Mendieta

■ 35 tackles, 2 sacks, 10 hurries, 2 caused fumbles, 1 blocked punt