Oswego coach Brian Cooney watched Mariano Velasco showcase his elusive athleticism in his team’s first game this season, cutting against the grain for a receiving touchdown at Naperville Central, and a thought came to his mind.

“I remember thinking it would be nice if he contributed something like that every once in a while,” Cooney said. “Not knowing he’d do it darn near every week.”

Velasco indeed became a highlight waiting to happen this fall.

When Oswego needed a big play, its senior defensive back/receiver had an uncanny ability to deliver. He caught nine touchdowns in his first varsity season on offense, and returned four of his six touchdowns for interceptions.

He helped lead Oswego on a memorable playoff run to the Class 8A championship game, and 11 wins.

“You were not out of any game if he was on the field,” Cooney said. “He had one of the most phenomenal seasons for a kid in our program.”

Velasco finished with 30 catches for 742 yards and nine touchdowns as a receiver, with the six interceptions, four returned for touchdowns. He had 49 tackles, five tackles for loss and five pass breakups.

All-conference in the Southwest Prairie West and Class 8A All-State, Mariano Velasco is the Record Newspapers Player of the Year.

Velasco’s signature performance came in Oswego’s quarterfinal upset of Maine South in Park Ridge. He caught two touchdown passes from Drew Kleinhans to help Oswego climb out of a 14-0 hole.

Then Velasco picked off Indiana commit Jameson Purcell and returned the interception 42 yards for a TD in the fourth quarter.

“The game was close, back and forth and I knew I had to make a play,” Velasco said. “As soon as the quarterback rolled out I saw his eyes. I broke without thinking about it. Whenever I get an interception I feel I have to take it back.”

Indeed, it doesn’t take long for Velasco to flip the switch from defense to offense.

“As soon as I get the ball in my hands, I see the field different,” Velasco said. “I turn into a receiver. I’m only focused on that end zone.”

Velasco always prided himself on being a playmaker growing up with good instincts. Ever since he was a young age, he felt he played with a high IQ and always been kind of “twitchy” as an athlete.

Just 5-foot-6 and 120 pounds when he started high school, Velasco still jumped out to Cooney as a competitor, a kid who would stick people.

And then a growth spurt happened. That same kid blossomed to 6-feet, 180 pounds.

“Going into his junior year, we had a need at that cornerback position,” Cooney said. “I remember first day of the summer camp, I saw him and asked, ‘Who is that kid?’ They told me it was Velasco and I thought alright, we’ll be OK. He was a natural competitor on the small side and grew darn near a foot.”

In his junior year as a role player, Velasco still made 46 tackles, fourth on the team, with 30 solo stops.

With Oswego graduating all but four starters, it was Velasco’s turn to lead. But even he wondered what this season would look like.

“Going back to July, I thought we would have a down year, but we kept working,” Velasco said. “Our coaches kept on believing. It really was a great experience, all the way to December.”

Velasco made it a goal to get an interception or touchdown in each game. It seemed like he did just that.

He had two interceptions in a win over Bolingbrook. In Oswego’s crosstown win Velasco turned a short pass into a 94-yard touchdown to give the Panthers the lead for good.

“Never seen so many big plays, not usually our style, but we’ll take it,” Cooney said. “He accounted for a big chunk of them. Plainfield South week, had another pick six or something big and we said maybe this kid is going to do this all year.”

Cooney said they threw a lot at Velasco. He came to practice every single day ready to split time on offense and defense. Defensively, they opened up the playbook as the season progressed.

“He was always prepared,” Cooney said. “He is a kid that works.”

“I’ve been playing both ways since youth football; it felt great, just had to get my body right,” Velasco said. “I feel all the coaches believed in me, they counted on me to make plays. When I see the ball in the air, I need to make a play. All my life, I’ve been making plays to win football games.”

Velasco hopes to continue to do so collegiately.

He just picked up a scholarship offer from Air Force this week, and another from Butler. He’s also been talking to Northern Illinois and Western Illinois.

Cooney has nothing but praise for the player and person, whether it is college coaches or anyone else who asks.

“Anything I tell you about Mariano is going to be positive,” Cooney said. “He is one of those kids that if you have something negative to say about Mariano, you might be the problem.

“He’s team-oriented, even the days that he didn’t have that type of big game or touchdown he is right there with his boys happy. Never once did I see him pout or sulk. He always had a smile on his face. Easy to root for.”