Photos Courtesy of Charla Shults
Every Friday evening in the fall you will see a player wearing #32. This number is special in Pampa High School Football history as it is the jersey number worn by Pro Football Hall of Fame member, Zach Thomas. As a tribute to Zach, the Pampa High School football program will be retiring #32 from the jersey circulation. From this day forward, jersey #32 will be worn every Friday night by a different individual. That individual embodies that competitive spirit which Zach Thomas displayed every Friday night in the fall. The individual will be voted on by the coaching staff.
The ninth individual to be selected by his coaching staff for this 2025 season to have the honor of wearing #32 will be Boston Botello, Senior Linebacker. He normally bears #44 but for the final home game against Randall on Friday he will be wearing the Zach Thomas #32.
How does it feel for Botello to be the next one selected?
“I'm excited and blessed to be given the opportunity to wear number 32 this week,” Botello said. “To me, number 32 is valuable because of the people who wore it/gave their all before me. It reminds me to continue to work hard, and be somebody that my brothers can count on.”
Botello can also be found on the baseball diamond playing outfield for the Harvesters.
“Outside of football, you can catch me on the diamond. Baseball is my other half,” Botello said.
As of right now, Botello is unsure where he would like to attend college but he does have an idea for his major.
“I'm not positive where I want to attend after high school, but I do know I can't live without my family, so nowhere crazy far,” Botello said. “I want to major in Instrumentation and Electrical, (I&E). Then eventually fall toward the automation side of the oilfield.”
His favorite thing to do outside of school is hang out with his brother.
“Outside of school and football, I like to spend time with my brother bear. Most days he drives me crazy, but my brother is the only person I know will 100% have my back regardless,” Botello said.
His favorite subject is math because “there’s always something new to learn.”
Boston would like to thank a few special people for this chance to wear the number 32.
“I'm thankful to be given the opportunity to wear number 32, but I'm blessed with all the family around me. Without them and God, I am nothing,” Botello said.
As of the stats through the West Plains game, Boston has recorded 15 tackles total, assisting on six and having nine solo tackles. He also has forced a fumble and recorded two sacks.
Here is what Pampa’s Floyd White, who is his position coach, had to say about Boston:
“With Boston, not everything has gone his way. As we started the season, he was playing really well and being a very coachable guy. But, all the sudden, he got hurt in the Plainview game and it kind of derailed his senior year. He was out for almost five weeks. To watch what he’s done to help himself get better over the last couple of weeks has been tremendous. He’s always been out there and trying to help and be a great teammate. That’s what I love about Boston. He’s himself no matter good, bad, or indifferent. That’s what you are going to get from Boston,” White said. “I look forward to watching Boston as he progresses and gets ready to move on and graduate from the program. I wish we had more people who went out there and had his effort and tenacity. Once he knows where a ball is going or exactly what he is doing, or you give him something to do, he is lightning in a bottle. He moves a million miles an hour. That is one of the things about that young man I am really, truly going to miss. There’s not a person that has more tenacity when it comes to playing the game. That tenacity, when he moves on away from this program, is going to help him in every aspect of whatever it is he chooses to do. I’m excited for him to be #32 this week.”
