By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer
Los Fresnos senior Jose Casanova woke up Monday morning planning to celebrate with his teammates as they signed to play soccer at the next level. Little did he know he’d be achieving that goal, too.
Angel Mancillas, Obed Sepulveda, Humberto “Tito” Trinidad and the late addition Casanova all signed scholarships to play at Jarvis Christian College under coach Demetrio Hernandez next year.
The four boys join Falcons girls soccer players Kassidi Arellano and Alondra Lopez to make Los Fresnos the first high school from which Hernandez has signed six athletes since 2010.
“I think it says we have a lot of untouched talent here that nobody knows about. It’s pretty special,” Trinidad said. “I’m just really happy and thankful to be going with my teammates because I don’t think I would go by myself, it’s a little far.”
After the girls signed Tuesday, girls soccer coach Diego Luna introduced Hernandez to boys coach Michael Miller. Hernandez asked Miller for three boys, and he immediately thought of Mancillas, Sepulveda and Trinidad. He didn’t think Casanova would want to go all the way to Hawkins because his family is very close-knit. But the morning of the signing ceremony, Casanova took a shot.
He asked Miller if Jarvis had a spot for him because he wanted to play at the next level. Hernandez told Miller if the GPA was high enough he could take Casanova, and since he and his teammates are all above a 3.6, Casanova received an offer and accepted on the spot.
“I was surprised, they just told me right now … I didn’t expect it,” Casanova said, with a big smile on his face he’d been wearing since he joined his teammates at the table. “I thought it was just going to be three and that’s it, but then they added me and I got super happy. At first, I found out they were going and I was like, ‘Damn, I want to go, too’ and now that we’re all going together I’m super excited and just waiting for that day to come.”
The Falcons haven’t had the smoothest high school career and overcame a lot of adversity to reach this goal. The boys have played for three different head coaches in three years and missed the playoffs last year. Now, they’re two wins away from the first district championship in program history in Miller’s first year leading the Falcons.
“It’s really surreal, this is my first signing. I coached for four years in Minnesota but never had the type of athletes I have down here that will be going to the next level,” Miller said. “I’m so proud of them, they’ve worked hard. Their support systems at home to get those grades (is important), that’s not something that just happens, that’s hard work from the time you’re a freshman.”
Miller called the four Jarvis signees a big part of the success the Falcons are having. Sepulveda is a two-year captain, and Casanova is a captain this season as well. Miller counts on the boys to set the example for the underclassmen and said they laid the groundwork to make his transition from assistant to head coach smooth.
Playing at the next level and beyond is a dream all the boys have had for some time, as they’ve all been playing soccer from a young age. But they also recognize the opportunity to further their academic careers and will continue to work just as hard in the classroom as they do on the field.
“I feel excited to play at the next level and happy to continue my studies toward my future career,” Mancillas said. “College soccer caught my attention my sophomore year because I saw one of my friends signing, so that motivated me to do better and get this opportunity.”
Mancillas will be pursuing a career in criminal justice, Casanova wants to go into an engineering field and Trinidad has his sights set on a nursing. Sepulveda is undecided, but like his teammates he ultimately hopes a shot at a pro career is in the future.
“We’ve all had that soccer passion since we were little, and being able to go to the next level with friends who have become family is really good,” Sepulveda said. “I think of this as a good test for if I go pro, to be away from my family. It makes it way easier (going with teammates).”