(This article was written by Roel Rodriguez and was featured in the April 2025 issue of Explore Harlingen Magazine.)
Although I'm not originally from Harlingen, Texas, I soon became aware of and appreciated the tradition, commitment, and love the Harlingen community has for its local youth, middle school, and high school sports. Obviously, the Harlingen Cardinals sports programs have the most tenured tradition and legacy in the community. Blessed with great teams, great players, and great coaches, they have "written" tons of great sports stories.
I recently came across the unfolding story involving the Huerta family, who is amid creating their own sports story and adding to the legacy, with sons Nathan and Noah Huerta. (The Huerta family also has a young daughter, but out of respect for her privacy, this article focuses on the two older brothers only.)
Noah will be a senior at Harlingen High School next academic year. He has already made quite a name for himself as a standout Cardinal football and track and field star. The 6'1" Cardinal running back has held his position since his sophomore year when he rushed for 942 yards and scored 19 touchdowns. Not bad for a rookie varsity player! Noah earned the 32-6A Newcomer of the Year award. During his junior year, he rushed for 1,203 yards and scored 12 touchdowns. No doubt Coach Manny Gomez and his staff are eager to see what Noah will achieve in his senior year.
Noah has also been a member of the mighty Harlingen Cardinal Track team since his freshman year. His specialty events are the 100- and 300-meter hurdles, winning the 32-6A Championship his sophomore year. He also won another District Championship, the Cardinal 4 x 400-meter relay, and qualified and competed at the 2024 Regional Track Meet. In the current track season, Noah is leading the district in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles.
So, what's next for Noah besides completing his junior year and preparing for his senior year? Is competing athletically at the next level “in the cards” for him? Noah's role model, as he looks at his opportunities to play football and run track in college, is his big brother, Nathan Huerta, a former Harlingen Cardinal football standout and track and field star.
Nathan was a defensive beast on the Cardinal football team. He could also throw the shot put and discus, earning him many accolades. His skills were so good, he earned a football spot at Southwestern University but chose to transfer to Texas State University, where he earned significant playing time and was touted as the type of "walk on" player Texas State Football was looking for.
It's one thing to lead by example on the field and life after high school, but it's what the Huerta family does together and for one another that joins them and brings their passion and determination to their athletic activities.
I asked proud momma, Stephanie Huerta, if Nathan mentors Noah. “They encourage each other on their work ethic,” she began. “All my children encourage each other. Year round, all three of them put in work for their sports. The three of them have connections you see in the movies. After every game, Noah will sit down and break down the football game with Nathan on the phone, on what Noah did great and what he could do better.”
Noah clearly has a great resource in his brother Nathan. Noah has the desire, will, and humility to improve his God-given talents through discipline, dedication, and determination.
Noah's strong faith is of utmost importance to him and his entire family. Noah, as his brother Nathan did, attends mass at 6:30 a.m. on game day at St. Theresa Church with Father Joe Villalon, who blesses him in preparation for the football game. Father Villalon, a huge Cardinal fan, is often at Noah’s games as part of the Huerta village.
Nathan is competing at a higher level and Noah is doing great in high school and looking ahead at future possibilities. It is most likely that the youngest Huerta will follow in the family’s footsteps as well. Focusing on one chapter at a time, the Huerta family will humbly continue to use their athletic gifts to the best of their ability as they continue to do what they love. Could the Huerta trio be the best sibling athletes to represent the mighty Harlingen Cardinal sports program? The Huerta family would likely respond, “Thy Will Be Done!”
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