LMMS SPECIAL NEEDS WATER BOY SCORES SPECIAL TOUCHDOWN

Javier Sias-Martinez always dreamed of playing football.

He got his chance Saturday, and made the most of it.

The Liberty Memorial Middle School eighth-grader, who has Down’s Syndrome, has worked as the football team water boy since last year.
His coaches Lonnie Lopez and Ramon Escareno had explained the requirements of playing football. The two came up with an idea of coming up with a special play for him to play in one game.

The “Martinez Toss” play was designed where Martinez would take a pitch to the left and run with blockers in front of him.

Of course, the opposing team would have to participate to allow Javier to have a moment he would not forget.

When Liberty Memorial was scheduled to play fellow Los Fresnos CISD middle school Los Cuates on Saturday, Oct. 18, the plan was set. The play would happen in the second half of the game.

The two teams played the first half in light rain that day, and in the third quarter, the heavens opened. A sudden thunderstorm and downpour of rain ended the game prematurely, and Javier’s moment would have to wait.

Los Cuates athletic coordinator Rolando Gomez had his team autograph a football for Javier. The Los Cuates team presented it to Javier during a makeshift presentation at the LMMS gymnasium while the heavy rain was still falling outside.

With an opportunity to play fellow Los Fresnos CISD middle school Resaca Saturday, Oct. 25, Lopez and Escareno planned the Martinez toss again.
Resaca coaches were easily convinced.

This time, the play was designed at the start of the game, and the skies were sunny. Javier was wearing jersey number 80.

From near midfield, Javier took a short pitch from the quarterback, and followed a wall of blockers down the left side. He trotted in the end zone and realized what he had accomplished.

Javier was all smiles under his helmet. He gave his parents a double thumbs-up. He gave an interview to KRGV-TV Channel 5.
His dream had come true.

For a photo gallery of the touchdown run, please visit the Los Fresnos CISD Flickr page.