Rock-a-Chaws rout rival Bay High behind play of Mexico City native Ian Gael Gonzalez Rioz
It was an honest mistake that Ian Gael Gonzalez Rioz would gladly make again.
A very young Gonzalez Rioz walked into a camp with his brother in Mexico City expecting to play futbol, but quickly found that the ball wasn’t exactly round. He’d stumbled into an American football camp, and immediately fell in love.
More than a decade later, his coaching staff at St. Stanislaus finds itself grateful for the mistake, as they watched the now-senior quarterback tally five total touchdowns in a 51-21 win over rival Bay High on Friday to retain the Crab Trap trophy.
It was Gonzalez Rioz’s second-ever game in Mississippi.
“Ian is just unbelievable, he is such a great kid,” Rock-a-Chaws coach Tim Lala said about his quarterback. “To me, I’m so proud of who he is as a man. He’s got such a great attitude, such a great work ethic, he works his tail off. The kids have already been drawn to him.”
Gonzalez Rioz used a lively arm and his raw athleticism to score four touchdowns — two passing and two rushing — in just the first half against the Tigers.
His final score of the night came on a keeper that saw him jaunt 25 yards untouched to the end zone.
“It’s an incredible experience, it’s my dream come true,” Gonzalez Rioz said after the game. “I always wanted to come here to the United States and play some football. My second game was a rivalry game, we win the Crab Trap, it’s just amazing. I love it and I’m pretty happy to be a Rock-a-Chaw.”
Molding the playmaker
Gonzalez Rioz had played club level football in Mexico and was easily outrunning everyone else on the field.
His coaching staff at SSC expected the speed to catch up to him on the Coast, but so far defenders are still struggling to catch him.
He’s more than just the wheels on his feet, though. Offensive coordinator Tate Thigpen has built a run-pass-option heavy offense around him to take advantage of his speed, while also building a structure for Gonzalez Rioz to develop within.
Both Lala and Thigpen have lauded his innate ability to process information quickly, on-and-off the field.
“The tempo of the game is a little bit different here compared to where he was playing before, but he has adapted really well,” Lala said. “He’s such an incredible athlete, that when he does make mental errors he can make up for it. But he doesn’t make many mental errors.”
Gonzalez Rioz is up to nine total touchdowns through his first two games and is quickly drawing attention.
He scored four times in the season-opening 31-6 win over Forrest Agricultural High School and promptly secured his first scholarship offer from Pearl River Community College.
“It’s awesome, when I came here I saw a ton of guys getting offers,” Gonzalez Rioz said. “I said, ‘if I could have just one that would be awesome. I would appreciate it forever.’ I will put my 100 percent into wherever I go and I would give everything I got to that school.”
Support from home
Gonzalez Rioz didn’t know if he would make it to this moment. Shortly before arriving at SSC last winter, he nearly changed his mind about leaving his family.
But his parents reminded him of his dream.
“I cannot tell you how grateful I am of my parents,” Gonzalez Rioz said. “Ever since I had a memory I would tell them I wanted to come here... I was so sad in December, I told them ‘I don’t think I’m going to the U.S.A., I think my dream is over.’ And my parents told me ‘we’re going to keep fighting. This is your dream and we’re going to keep fighting for it.’”
Gonzalez Rioz is glad he’s here now. His siblings have been able to join him, as well.
In order to pay the tuition at SSC, he and a teammate helped cut lawns over the summer in between his visits to camps at TCU and SMU.
Now that he’s here, Gonzalez Rioz is ready to give the Rock-a-Chaws everything he’s got, one game at a time.
“First of all, win the next game,” he said of his team’s goals. “Right now, we will enjoy this win for 24 hours and then we’re on to the next game. But the goal is to go to the state championship and win it.”
Gonzalez Rioz and the Rock-a-Chaws return to action next week at Moss Point.
This story was originally published September 1, 2023 at 11:51 PM.
