Carlos Perez is known for his skills on the soccer field.

Perez, 16, moved to Mansfield about three years ago from Mexico with his family and is described as smart and competitive by his friends.

"Everybody knew him because he was in the soccer team," Zahrai Aguilera said. "And he was also one of the brightest in his class."

Aguilera, 15, has known Perez since they were in middle school.

Perez, No. 19 on the soccer field, went missing Friday in the Gulf of Mexico near Bob Hall Pier.

"We are hopeful that when his family comes back they'll bring a trace of him," Aguilar said. "We will keep praying for him and I am still very hopeful."

Perez, a freshman at Lake Ridge High School, was on a school trip for a SkillsUSA competition. He was swimming with classmates when he got separated from the group. The beach outing was a planned stop during the school trip, officials said.

About 11 a.m. Friday, Corpus Christi police, firefighters and Coast Guard responded to beach marker 234.

Senior Officer Kirk Stowers said Perez was not an experienced swimmer.

He was last seen wearing black and red shorts, no shirt and was not wearing a life vest, Coast Guard spokeswoman Lt. Shelly Brown said.

The Coast Guard called off its search about 5 p.m. Saturday after about 10 collective hours searching.

According to the National Weather Service Corpus Christi, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday wave heights were 4-6 ft. tall from Malaquite Beach to Port Aransas.

Meteorologist Douglas Vogelsang said a small craft advisory was issued Friday, which means winds reached more than 12 mph.

Texas EquuSearch director of search operations Frank Black said Mansfield ISD officials requested a search crew Sunday and Coast Guard allowed the search. About five volunteers will help search for Perez starting before dawn Monday. Black said they would search "as long as it takes."

This is the second time in less than a month Texas EquuSearch has assisted with finding people lost in waters near Corpus Christi. In early March the team helped find Odry Lilieth León, 13, and Mario Alberto León Rangel, 36.

The two were visiting from Saltillo, Mexico, and were on an 18-foot leisure boat with six others when it capsized March 6 about a mile off shore from Swantner Park.

Odry and her father, Mario, were found hours apart March 11 near an oil rig in the bay.

Henri Garcia helped search for Odry and her father, and plans to join the Dickinson-based, Texas EquuSearch at 6 a.m. Monday at Bob Hall Pier to look for Perez.

"I have children and I know that if it was me, I'd want someone out there looking for me, too," Garcia said.

The team will begin the search with a sonar equipped boat, Black said.

"At this point we ask volunteers who will join in the morning to just keep their eyes open along the shoreline," Black said.

Anyone seeking information can call Coast Guard at 361-939-6393 or EquuSearch at 281-309-9500.

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