Rick Peck
Special To McDonald County Press
The best things come in small packages; good things come in small packages; something big in a small package; big things come in small packages. However you want to say it, you might be talking about Daniel De Santiago.
At 5-5, 130 pounds, De Santiago not only led the 2015 McDonald County Mustangs football team in tackles, but he was the leading tackler in Class 4 in the state of Missouri and ranked in the top 20 in the nation.
The senior defensive back finished the season with an amazing total of 139 tackles in 10 games, including 81 solo tackles. He also had one interception, two caused fumbles and one fumble recovery. His biggest game came against the Seneca Indians when he had a combined solo and assist total of 25 tackles.
"For being as undersized as he is, he makes up for a lot of it with heart," said coach Corey Henry. "For the past few years he has been the heartbeat of the program. He brings a special type of intensity to the field. He has earned the right to be the number one tackler in the state and to be in the top 20 nationally."
De Santiago said he has been playing football since the fourth grade and loves the game. He said his size never kept him from making a tackle. With running backs outweighing him by maybe up to 100 pounds, De Santiago said there is a surefire way to bring the bigger man down.
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"You hit them right in the knee," he said. "You hit them in the knee, they will just trip right over you and fall right to the ground."
De Santiago finished second in the state last year in tackles and his goal this year was to improve on that. He said his coaches put him in the position where he was required to make a lot tackles.
"As a safety in our defense, you are able to see everything and make the read," De Santiago said. "You run to the alley and make the tackle."
Amazingly, De Santiago has not been injured in his high school career -- despite the size mismatch.
"Since I have been here, 'Hooter' has not missed a day of practice," Henry said. "He is kind of like an iron man. He keeps on clicking. He is the toughest kid I have ever coached. I have coached some kids I thought were very tough, but pound for pound, Hooter has got them by miles."
Henry said De Santiago has been called "Hooter" by his teammates ever since Henry became head coach two years ago.
"The story I got on his nickname was he came in as a freshman weighing about a hundred pounds soaking wet and four-foot nothing, Henry said. "He had a cut-off Hooters' T-shirt on and the boys kind of labeled him with it and it stuck all four years."
While his toughness and quickness are keys to being able to make that many tackles, Henry said De Santiago uses his knowledge of the game to put himself in the right position on every play.
"I can pull up time spent on film and Hooter is one who invests a lot of time on film," Henry said. "He picks up what you tell him in practice very quick. The thing about it is that you know if there is a pile, Hooter is coming in at some angle to get in on it. Obviously he is quick and that aids him a lot in getting to the play, but he is a country kid. He is willing to get down and get bruised up and he has the intelligence to get him there. There is no doubt in my mind if he is a bigger kid, he would be going on to play at the next level."
De Santiago was also asked to play some offense this season. He caught nine passes for 95 yards and one touchdown and had six carries for 14 yards.
De Santiago recently earned honorable mention all-conference honors from the big 8 Conference.
After taking a week off following the Mustangs' final football game of the season, De Santiago began practicing Monday for the 2015-2016 high school wrestling season where he is a two-time state qualifier.
Sports on 11/05/2015