Much has been made this season about Monterey’s switch from the triple-option offense to the more popular spread option.

Little, however, has been mentioned about the Plainsmen’s switch of defensive schemes. New defensive coordinator Todd Ringo installed the 3-4 defense, and while some of the numbers haven’t shown it, it has benefitted Monterey in many ways.

Monterey Plainsmen, Jordan Vestal holds the Silver Spurs from 31-10 win over Lubbock High. (Zack Long / Avalanche-Journal)

Perhaps the person who has taken advantage of the new defense more than any has been senior safety Jordan Vestal. The 6-foot, 174-pound Vestal has been a thorn in opposing passing games all season, but this past Friday was particularly bothersome — and for good reason.

In 54th meeting between Monterey and Lubbock High — playing for the vaunted Silver Spurs, Vestal was seemingly everywhere on defense and special teams.

Vestal returned a punt 50 yards for a touchdown, and on defense, he had an interception that set up a field goal, broke up another pass and recorded six total tackles in helping the Plainsmen retain the Spurs with a 31-10 win over the Westerners.

It also makes him this week’s Avalanche-Journal City Player of the Week.

“We had to win,” Vestal said. “We’ve got two more games against Lubbock HIgh and Coronado, both city games. We hadn’t done a very good job in district so we just came out like there was nothing to lose. Not that we hadn’t played hard the whole season, but it was Lubbock High. The plays were there to be made and I just ended up making them.”

Vestal has been making them all season long for the Plainsmen. A preseason all-state selection by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, he’s been a steadying force in the secondary challenged by some of the best quarterbacks in the state, who reside in his very own district.

“I said all along that to have his experience from last year and his success from last year, it was good to have that for another year,” first-year head coach Todd Pearson said. “He helps give the young kids a little bit of leadership and someone they can follow next year.”

Pearson and Ringo had Vestal in several different spots on the field trying to put him in position to make plays. Defensively at times they played him closer to the line of scrimmage like a linebacker, which Pearson said is where Vestal made most of his tackles.

On the punt return, Vestal’s aggressiveness paid off. The play started with a bad snap that the Lubbock High punter recovered from and got off a kick. But the ball took a big bounce, and Vestal fielded it on the run at midfield near the sidelines and escaped for the touchdown.

That put the Plainsmen up 21-3 with just less than three minutes remaining in the first half, and his interception on the following Lubbock High drive set kicker Phillip Armendarez up for a 39-yard field goal with 48 seconds remaining to extend the lead to 24-3 going into the lockerroom at halftime.

“I love the defense we’re in now,” Vestal said. “They’ve put me in position to make plays and I really appreciate that. Our defense has improved a lot from last year and been better than I thought we would be.”

Now comes the regular season finale and yet another rivalry game, this time against Coronado on Friday at Lowrey Field. In many ways this game has become as much as or more of a rivalry than the Spurs simply because neither team has dominated the series recently.

“They get up to play us every time we play them,” Vestal said. “It’s a competitive game, and we’ve got to come out and play as well. We have to understand that after (Coronado lost to San Angelo Central on Friday) they’re going to be ready to play.”

Jordan Vestal
Position:
Defensive back
Team: Monterey
Height/weight: 6-0, 174
Classification: Senior
Last week: In the 54th annual battle for the Silver Spurs, Vestal’s play on defense and special teams helped the Monterey Plainsmen retain the coveted cowboy hardware for another year. He returned a punt 50 yards for a touchdown, and on defense picked off a pass that set up a field goal, broke up another pass and had eight total tackles in the 31-10 win over Lubbock High.