The Nikki Rowe Warriors are taking the field Thursday without one of their own.

Adan De La Cruz died on Aug. 21, days after he was injured at a McAllen pool party.

“He wanted us to be the best. He wanted to be district champs, deep into playoffs,” Nikki Rowe defensive end Alejandro Bosada said.

De La Cruz’s teammates shared memories of him prior to their first game of the season against the Harlingen South Hawks.

The game will begin with a moment of silence for De La Cruz and Kevin Uriel Martinez, a 15-year-old student who was part of the Nikki Rowe Warriors’ junior varsity team who died in July. 

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“He was a leader, he was the best man out there,” Nikki Rowe middle linebacker Nicholas Hartman said. “He was very loud, very, very strong man."

Hartman said he’d never imagine losing his friend, a brutal reality for the team this season. 

“It's the hardest thing to ever think about. I’ve been best friends with him since I was around 4 or 5 years old,” Hartman said. “We would always be together, and I will never ever forget those memories that I had with him."

De La Cruz’s teammates and coaches say he was going to be one of the top returning starters for the Warriors this fall.

“I think he was going to be one of the best players the Valley's ever seen this upcoming season, and I just wish I could've shared it with him,” Bosada said. 

Last season, De La Cruz led the team with 82 total tackles, along with five tackles for a loss, as a junior.

“He was a captain… He had a lot of energy, he was always upbeat,” Nikki Rowe High School Head Football Coach Robert Flores said.

The team now faces the challenge of an entire football season without De La Cruz.

“It's hard, but we've gotta unify, that's all there is to it," Bosada said. "Some teams may fold, but for us, we gotta keep on going strong."

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