Reyes Zepeda is 4th sibling to play sports at Mundelein. Starring for oldest brother is ‘a great inspiration.’

To say Reyes Zepeda is fully engaged with Mundelein football would be an understatement.

That Zepeda rarely leaves the field as a two-way lineman is only part of the story. The junior captain’s imprint is everywhere.

“Being named a captain is a big role, one that I’m proud to have and one I accept,” Zepeda said. “It all starts in practice. It’s part of my job as a leader to get guys ready in practice to be working consistently. That way, when we get to Friday night, we’ll execute.”

The Mustangs (3-1), who haven’t qualified for the playoffs since 2004, have executed much better this season after losing six of their first seven games and finishing 2-7 last year.

“That’s definitely been on our minds since camp started,” Zepeda said. “Last year, our start was not good. That’s why it was important to get off to a good start because it’s allowed us to gain confidence.”

The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Zepeda has had a big hand in that. He helps anchor the offensive line from his spot at right guard, and he has 11 tackles, including six for loss, for a defense that has allowed just 29 points in Mundelein’s three wins.

“I love playing both positions,” he said. “I don’t think I could choose one that I like more. I put all my focus into being the best I can be at both.”

Zepeda is more familiar with the offensive line, however, since that’s where he began his varsity tenure midway through last season. Four of the five starters in that unit are juniors who have played together for years. The fifth is sophomore Jackson Rivas, who got his feet wet at the varsity level last year.

“We’re blending in so well now because they’re almost all guys I’ve played with since middle school,” Zepeda said. “I try to make sure we get quality time outside of practice. We’ll go miniature golfing or go to breakfast together — any way we can invest in all of us.”

Zepeda, who is also the starting power forward for Mundelein’s boys basketball team, is a ringleader in all the right ways.

“He shows how athletic he is in a different way in basketball, where he’s pretty crafty and he slashes around,” Mundelein football coach John Cowhey said. “But he’s the consummate program kid. He always meets and exceeds every expectation you have. He acts like the son of a coach.”

Actually, Zepeda is the brother of a coach. His oldest brother, Lucas, is a 2017 Mundelein graduate who coaches the defensive line. Zepeda’s other brother, Nate, a 2021 Mundelein graduate, also played football, and his older sister, Sophia, is a 2025 Mundelein graduate who pitched for the softball team.

Joining Cowhey’s staff last year represented a full-circle moment for Lucas Zepeda, and his youngest sibling’s presence on the team makes the experience all the more fulfilling.

“Having played the sport and being from Mundelein, to see his commitment and all of his hard work coming together is really cool,” Lucas Zepeda said. “He’s the perfect kind of athlete to coach. He asks good questions and always wants to get better. He really pushes himself so he’s in good shape on Friday nights.

“To see him make a big play gives me pride as a coach and is even more meaningful as his brother.”

It also means a lot to Reyes Zepeda, who is 10 years younger.

“Having him as a coach is a great inspiration for me because I’ve always looked up to him,” Zepeda said. “Any time I’m confused about a stunt or have questions about anything, I can always talk to him about it.

“There’s a lot of quality time we get together, and the fact that he’s my brother makes it even better.”