By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
Andderson Rocha played a variety of positions this season in helping the Los Fresnos Falcons capture their first district championship in boys soccer.
Rocha, a standout senior who played primarily in the midfield, is The Brownsville Herald’s 2020 All-Metro Boys Soccer Utility Player of the Year.
He also played some on defense and a little at forward, and even scored a few goals.
The Falcons won District 32-6A with an 8-2 record and 24 points. They finished with a 20-8-2 overall mark.
It felt pretty good to be a part of the Los Fresnos team capturing the school’s first district title in boys soccer.
“I’m just amazed with how everything turned out for us,” said Rocha, a first-year starter for the Falcons this season. “(It was) all the effort we put into it during the offseason and in the summer, working hard and hitting the weight room, and with my teammates always pushing me — all of that paid off.
“We were determined, and we had certain goals in mind for the season,” he added. “For example, at the beginning of the year we had it in mind that we wanted to win district. That was our first goal. No matter what, that’s what we wanted to do.
“This team had a lot of communication, and we felt like a family. (Actually) we are a family.”
Los Fresnos coach Michael Miller is grateful for Rocha’s ability to do well wherever he was asked to play.
“He’s really a midfielder, but he played defense some, too,” Miller said. “He goes and plays anywhere he is needed. He even scored four or five goals this season. He’s just that player you put in anywhere, and he’ll try his best to help you win the game. He has improved every year he’s been in our program.
“Andderson barely sat on the bench, this season,” Miller added. “I think in district he played every game, started every game, and maybe sat on the bench for a total of 10 minutes. He sold out (to doing his best for the team), even when there were formation changes.
“He knows exactly what to do (regardless of the position he’s playing). That’s why I consider him our utility player. He does whatever it takes to win. If we needed a goal, he’d score it. He was adaptable to wherever he was playing in helping us win. Andderson was our most disciplined player this season and our smartest player on the field as well.”
Rocha appreciates being recognized for his efforts.
“It’s just an honor to be named the utility player on the All-Metro team,” he said. “It was a challenge, for sure (to play different positions), because whenever they needed me at a certain position, I had to play well no matter what. I always tried to do my best. Yes, it was a challenge, because not everyone on the team could handle something like that.”
He said there are a number of people to thank for his and the team’s success.
“I thank my parents (Javier Rocha and Claudia Villeda), my coaches and my teammates for helping me get this award,” Rocha said. “Without them, it wouldn’t be possible to do well. I’ve always had my parents’ support and love, plus my overall family’s (backing). My parents always went to see my games and took me to practices on Saturdays and things like that.”
Rocha believes the 2020 Falcons won’t soon be forgotten, even though their season was cut short.
“With the circumstances of the coronavirus (halting the season just before the postseason was to begin in late March), I think our team could have gone far in the playoffs,” Rocha said. “We have an awesome, hard-working and dedicated team that stayed healthy (throughout the season). We made history at our school.”