Gilroy’s Javier Hernandez, Live Oak’s Cesar Serrano also
teammates on San Jose Fusion.
GILROY/MORGAN HILL – When the coaches of the Tri-County Athletic League had to decide on which player was worthy of its first-ever Most Valuable Player Award, two names stood out above the rest.
But which one was it going to be?
Gilroy High junior striker Javier Hernandez led the league in goals (9) and assists (10) – anchoring the lethal Mustang offense and helping his team to a second straight postseason appearance.
Live Oak High senior midfielder Cesar Serrano led his squad to an undefeated run in T-CAL – including a 2-1 road win over Gilroy – and the inaugural league championship.
When the votes were tallied, it was a deadlock between the two South County soccer sensations – who were then named co-MVPs.
“For me, it was the best of both worlds. I think by far in the T-CAL they were the two best players,” said Brian Hall, a GHS assistant who coaches both players on his San Jose Fusion select squad. “It was great because both players have a soft spot in my heart… I don’t have to go and tell one guy you’re not the best player and tell the other guy you are the best player when they both deserve something.”
But how would they respond to sharing?
Serrano, 18, of Morgan Hill, was informed the next morning by his head coach at Live Oak, Tony Gogal.
“My coach called me into his office and he’s like congratulations you got it, you and Javi. I was glad it was Javi, someone I knew. I liked it,” Serrano said. “It means a lot because I’ve worked hard and senior year it’s a good thing to have.”
Hernandez, 17, of Gilroy, received a surprise phone call from Coach Hall immediately after the league meeting.
“I didn’t think I had a chance for it. I didn’t play good the game before. I was definitely surprised,” said Hernandez, standing alongside Serrano on the Live Oak High athletic fields Thursday morning. “I was surprised I even won.”
The two MVPs from neighboring towns had been teammates for one year with Coach Hall’s San Jose Fusion 18U team – achieving a common respect of each other’s abilities on the field.
“I like playing with him because he shows me a lot of stuff (like) to show intensity, and he brings a lot of leadership,” said Hernandez, praising the older Serrano, “and that’s what I need to learn and he can teach me that.”
Serrano, glancing over at Hernandez, responded: “It feels great for him to say that because he’s a great player, too. I learn from him, too, as much as he learns from me.”
Although teammates on the Fusion, Serrano and Hernandez are arch rivals on their respective high school teams. But playing against each other is also something they respect.
“It makes it that much more intense. It adds a lot to the game,” said Serrano, whose squad won one and tied one against Gilroy this season. “If it was just Gilroy and you didn’t know any of the players, it would still be all right. But when you know most of them and you know their strengths, it’s a bigger challenge.”
Hernandez added: “I work harder because you get bragging rights.”
For Serrano, the MVP Award was a welcomed addition to his stellar senior campaign at Live Oak. Serrano – who started playing organized soccer in the Orchard Valley Youth Soccer League at age 10 before joining the Fusion at age 12 – is still riding high in his third and final varsity season.
“I really think that we’ve done well and all the hard work is paying off in the end,” said Serrano, of his league-champion Live Oak unit.
After not playing his freshman year of high school, Serrano joined the varsity team as a sophomore. That season the Acorns lost a double-overtime thriller to Watsonville in the first round of the playoffs. In his junior year, Serrano was left with disappointment as Live Oak finished fifth in league and failed to qualify for CCS.
“This year, after a whole year to work and then working here with our coach (Gogal), it paid off,” Serrano said. “We had a young team last year and that year of experience just gave a little maturity to the team.”
The No. 7 seeded Acorns (9-0-1 in T-CAL, 16-1-5 overall) topped Serra in their first round match-up, 3-2, and now head into the quarterfinals Saturday against Gunn in Salinas at 2 p.m.
“Cesar is a born leader. He has a passion for soccer like no other player I’ve ever coached. He’s a leader on the field and off the field. He has this ability to will his team to win,” said Coach Hall of Serrano. “He has this intensity that is, as a coach, you can’t teach that to players. On my team, he’s a captain and a leader because you can always count on him to bring that passion and that intensity to everything he does.”
For Hernandez, his season-long goal was to win the MVP Award and continue the upstart tradition of winning soccer at Gilroy High.
“My freshman year, we were a point shy of making the playoffs and I was pretty sad. After that I said to myself, I want to try to give Gilroy a name and get into the playoffs and see what it’s like,” Hernandez said. “That was my goal this year to get MVP… Next year, I want to get first place in league. That’s my goal.”
Hernandez – a one-time member of the U.S. national developmental team – began playing organized soccer in the West Valley League in San Jose at age five. His family then moved to Gilroy when he was 12 and Hernandez started playing in the Orchard Valley Youth Soccer League. He joined the Fusion last year.
“It’s really fast. Really, really fast,” said Hernandez of playing with the Fusion. “My finishing moves got better and my speed got better and I’m thinking quicker and playing more physical.”
On the Gilroy High varsity team, the deadly striker drew double-teams from every opponent’s defense – helping the Mustangs to an impressive 7-1-2 league mark.
“Javi’s ability is speed. He’s got speed like no one can catch him. He’s got those moves to take on anyone. He’s learning that willingness, that desire to win that Cesar has. He’s building that,” said Hall of Hernandez. “The beauty of Javi is he doesn’t care if he scores the winning goal or he sets his teammate up to score the winning goal. He’s a very unselfish player…. I think that endears him to his teammates and that endears him to the coaching staff.”
The Mustangs’ season was cut short Wednesday with a 3-2 road loss to Menlo-Atherton in the first round of the CCS Playoffs – but Hernandez still has one more year ahead of him.
“Since we’re done, I want to work out harder, get a little bit stronger and work on my speed,” Hernandez said. “We’ve just got to rebuild now. Our forwards and midfield are fine, but we’ve got to start building on our defense. Next year, we’re going to do some damage for sure.”
The dual MVPs – who both committed themselves entirely to soccer by not playing any other sports – join forces on the San Jose Fusion when the high school season ends. And Coach Hall loves having them both.
“It’s kind of funny because Cesar plays one outside midfield and Javi plays the other leftside midfield and they bring two different things,” Hall said. “Cesar brings his hustle and desire, and Javi brings his speed… Cesar lulls them to sleep and Javi’s speed gets everyone antsy and on their heals. From that standpoint, it’s good to have that kind of mixture on a team.”
The Fusion finished third in league last year with Hernandez and Serrano aboard. In addition, the tandem teamed up on a ‘Y’ League national select team and won the regional championship – allowing the to compete in the Nationals in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina.
This year, they are getting ready for a run at the state championship with the Fusion – which has upcoming tournament dates in the Santa Rosa College Showcase and the San Diego Nomads College Showcase.
“All of the big college coaches from around the country get to see them play. It’s a recruiting opportunity and exposure for them,” said Hall, believing that both players can make it at the college level. “A lot of times you give MVP to a kid, they don’t do anything with it. They don’t go to college or they don’t use it as a steppingstone. Both of these kids – because of their passion for the game and who they are as individuals – they are going to do something with this co-MVP.”
“That’s what I’m looking for,” Serrano said. “:We still have a lot of tournaments. I have a chance to be looked at, but if nothing happens, I’ll probably go to a JC around here and then try to transfer.”
Hernandez still has one more year to go.
The best of teammates and the best of rivals – Serrano and Hernandez demonstrated throughout the season why they both deserved T-CAL’s top honor.
