LA JOYA — When Emilio Bocanegra made the move to defender as a freshman, he knew he was sacrificing the headlines and spotlight that came with scoring goals. That did not faze him, as he had big plans for the La Joya Juarez-Lincoln Huskies defense.
With the Huskies being best-known for their strikers and high-powered offenses, Bocanegra wanted to make a name for the defense and get both sides of the ball to an elite level.
For that to happen, Bocanegra said he and his teammates needed to play with a “no mercy” attitude.
“I know in this school it’s a lot about the strikers and more about the offense,” Bocanegra said. “I told the guys we needed to do something about defense, too. I started thinking and telling my teammates that we needed to pressure more and be more than an offense and be both at the same time.
“So, it’s no mercy. No mercy at all. Whoever you’re going through or whoever you’re going against, you go straight at them.”
This season, with their senior defender manning the back line, the Huskies allowed only five goals during district play while scoring 66 on their way to their fifth straight district title and third straight unbeaten season.
For his play as one of the top defenders in the Valley, Bocanegra is The Monitor’s 202 All-Area Boys Soccer Defender of the Year.
“Honestly, I didn’t expect it,” he said. “Hard dedication pays off. I want to thank all my coaches for everything they’ve done for me this year. It was very hard when I started my career here with soccer. I feel very emotional right now. This is what I’ve always been wanting to happen. Not for me, but for the team too. It all came from their help. It’s just an inspiration to get this defender of the year award.”
Bocanegra stepped in as a starter for the Huskies as a freshman, making his impact felt immediately while helping them to a 11-1 district record, outscoring opponents 54-8 on their way to an appearance in the Region IV-6A semifinals.
Since then, Bocanegra and the Huskies have yet to lose another district game, tallying an 41-0-2 record over the past three years while outscoring opponents 208-24.
He put it all together as a senior, earning the defender of the year award in District 31-6A after his relentless and swarming defense garnered the attention of the district’s coaches. He also added a pair of goals in his final year.
Bocanegra credits his coach’s conditioning program for his success during his senior season, thinking back to the early morning practices filled with laps around the stadium with a climb up a dirt ‘mountain’ at the end.
“It got to the point where we wouldn’t even say ‘good morning’ anymore,” he said. “We would come in and ask Coach, ‘Mountains or no mountains?’ But it was hard work every day. Hard work pays off every day. We started every practice with conditioning. Every day we put our mindsets on the level that we need and that’s about it.”
With Bocanegra manning the defense for the past four years, the Huskies have tallied a 52-1-2 district record while outscoring opponents 260-32.
In total, he has helped the Huskies to four district titles, three playoff appearances and a streak of 54 straight district games without a loss.
Bocanegra began playing soccer at age 9, gaining interest in the sport after watching teams like Cruz Azul, America and others compete in the Liga MX, Mexico’s top professional soccer division.
“I started by watching the Liga MX when I was 9 years old,” Bocanegra said. “Then I started playing and watching my sister play. I started looking for the game. Since then, I’ve been playing soccer almost every day.”
Even now, Bocanegra remains looking for ways to continue playing soccer, with hopes of taking his ‘No Mercy’ defense to the collegiate ranks.
“My plan right now is to look for a college to play my next years,” he said. “I don’t want to stop playing. I want to keep going with soccer and see what it brings to my future.”