By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
Whenever the Lopez Lobos need someone to step up and make a play, Jose “Chevy” Echevarria can be counted upon to do it.
He’s that type of player, and not just in soccer.
An all-around athlete, “Chevy” makes plays in the fall, too, as a wide receiver, punter and kicker on the Lobos’ football squad. He has been a standout in other sports as well.
The talented attacking midfielder/forward, a junior, is the MVP of The Brownsville Herald’s 2017 All-Metro Soccer Team.
Echevarria led the 17-5-6 Lobos to the UIL state tournament for a Rio Grande Valley-record fifth time in 2017 by scoring 27 goals with 10 assists. He also was voted the overall MVP in District 32-5A.
He was the one to step up and score the lone goal of the match in the Region IV-5A final on April 8 in Corpus Christi as the Lobos qualified for state for the second straight year with a 1-0 victory against Brownsville Veterans Memorial.
Perhaps more than any other game in 2017, that regional final was a prime example of Echevarria’s ability to lead his team by his determination to score in a pressure situation.
“‘Chevy’ is the typical Lopez player that we hate to lose when he graduates, and thank goodness he’ll be back for his senior season,” said Lobos coach Amadeo Escandon. the All-Metro coach of the year for 2017. “He’s the type of player who gives everything on the field and he’s got the No. 1 skill that no one can teach, which is speed.
“‘Chevy’ has the skills, the speed and the heart — that’s a great combination,” Escandon added. “We put a lot of pressure on him and he responds the way we want him to. He scored 27 goals, which is something not a lot of people do, especially in a tough district like the one we play in. But again, he bought into our system, he puts the team on his shoulders and he delivers.
“Without a doubt, the way he played and the way he carries himself on and off the field, I don’t think anyone else deserves being named MVP more than ‘Chevy.’”
Just like his Lopez teammates, Echevarria measures success by seeing the Lobos qualify for state.
“It was something amazing to be able to go back to state and try to win it all for the second time (after we went in 2016),” said Echevarria, who was the All-Metro newcomer of the year as a freshman in 2015 and an All-Metro first-teamer as a sophomore in 2016. “Not many teams can do that. We had commitment on this team, which meant coming to practice every day, even when it was raining or it was super hot. We were there giving it all we had, which in the end gave us the results.”
Echevarria felt he had to make a difference for his team in the regional final against the Chargers, who were the 32-5A champions. Lopez was the 32-5A third-place team.
“I knew it was going to be a close game,” he said. “I didn’t think there were going to be a lot of goals scored. I felt the first team to score was going to be the team to win, and it was us. I think scoring those types of goals (in situations like that) has been my role for this team since I got here (as a freshman).”
Having advanced to state three times in the last four seasons, it’s not too difficult to envision what the Lobos’ ultimate objective will be for 2018. They’ll make another run for state with their MVP once again leading the charge.
“Getting an MVP award is a big accomplishment for me,” Echevarria said. “Not many people win it until their senior year, and to win it as a junior is something that means a lot. I thank my family, my friends, my coaches and everyone who has supported me.
“Since the day we start practice again (in late November), going back to state is going to be the goal,” he added. “Game by game, that’s the goal we’re going to focus on.”
Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess