Tomcat Football success leads to bevy of individual awardsTomcat Football success leads to bevy of individual awards

When a school posts its best football season of the decade, century, the millennium even, as the East Aurora Tomcats did in their 2019 campaign, it logically follows that exceptional student athletes must have played a pivotal role in that success. It is particularly satisfying when the extraordinary performance of those athletes are recognized not just within the community of Tomcat Athletics, but also by the coaches and teams they competed against. And so it is that the Upstate Eight Conference recognized 5 Tomcat Varsity football players with the designation of “All Conference” status, identifying them as among the best players in what was a highly competitive season of conference play.  

Each year, at season’s end, there is a conference coaches’ meeting where a representative of each varsity football program presents their list of who they feel were their team’s best performers that season. It is then held for a vote, where the opposing coaches, who had spent all season game-planning and strategizing to hold those excellent players in check, determine which players deserve the “All Conference” designation.  Tomcats 2^nd year head coaching phenom, Nick Kukuc was easily able to make a case for five of his best players. Seniors Hilario Celis (S), Kimani Williams (WR/RB/S), Sebastian Renteria (WR/S), Jared Morales (G), and Orlando Garcia (QB) all received the necessary votes to earn All Conference status.

Orlando Garcia was additionally recognized as an All-Area First Team Offensive player by the Aurora Beacon-News, while Sebastian Renteria was identified as an Honorable Mention for the All-Area team. These five players, along with some other standouts who just missed the All-Conference cut are all carefully considering their college options and how football will be part of their path.

Of course individual accomplishment does not necessarily determine team success. Had these five players been motivated solely by their own numbers and highlights, surely the Tomcats as a team would not have had their best season in years. A culture shift, encouraged by the coaches but lead by the players, helped create the conditions by which both players and the team as a whole could maximize their potential. Says Kukuc, “We created a leadership counsel about two years ago. That is when our guys created their idea of “standards over feelings” and built a foundation of what they felt should be the standards of our program. This past season our leadership and character became strong because our guys began to hold one another accountable.” Defensive Coordinator Dave Williams adds, “A lot of people talk about changing a culture and winning, but not many are willing to sacrifice individual achievement and gain for the good of the team. This group as a whole was willing to set the precedent and sacrifice for each other, and as a result the individual awards followed. 

With this new attitude and culture instilled in the Tomcat Football program we are sure to see mounting victories, and individual player and coach recognition, for years to come.