Senior Mario Leon Portillo made school history without even knowing.
In an intense match against College Park on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024, he scored his 100th career goal. At the time, he felt like that goal was just like any other.
“I was just so focused on winning the game against College Park,” Leon said. “For me, it mattered more to the team than me scoring.”
Leon started his soccer career at five years old with casual street play.
“It was the only thing I would do for fun — every afternoon with my friends on the street or whatever,” Leon said. “Anywhere, we just go out and play.”
He joined his first league at 12, after finding inspiration from following professional soccer athletes. It was ultimately his little brother who supported him the most.
When Leon entered ninth grade, he started as a forward on the varsity team. He still remembers the first goal he ever made on the team.
“Jesse (teammate) just played the ball through and I tapped it in from the corner,” Leon said. “It was an amazing feeling, I was a freshman on varsity, it was my first game playing with the varsity team and I just scored, so it was unexpected, you know, nobody expected me to score.”
Now, Leon has found many ways to compose himself before and during matches.
“On the bus I just listen to calm music, then during warmups I start getting hype,” Leon said. “I stay focused by trying to read the game. I see a play developing from the backline, then I start seeing and analyzing before it even happens. If the ball moves, then I have to overlap or make some type of run and then go based on that.”
Leon first broke the school record of 82 goals during his junior year on varsity. Now, he has made school history by making 100 goals and hoping to score more in the next couple of games.
Head Soccer Coach Andrew McGregor has never seen a player score as many goals as Leon.
“He is the only one that I have known for the past 11 years (to reach 100 goals),” McGregor said.
Leon believes that whenever work is put into something results show.
“There’s so many athletes in the school that do that too, put the work in and then the results show,” Leon said. “Just put in the work and stick to the system.”
He’s learned from the sport and has developed a passion for it throughout the years. Leon said whenever he’s on that field, he’s “free”.
“I have the freedom to do whatever I want,” Leon said. “If I want to go and drop back, defend, or whatever I need to do, I just do it — whatever I think is best for the team.”
Every player on the field is different from one another and has unique play styles, his skillset is what makes the difference between him and his teammates according to Leon.
“I will say my play style has always been strong with the ball, rolling out the ball, turning and shooting,” Leon said. “That’s my play style, and that’s what I think makes me different.”
Regardless of making school history, Leon says he was a leader that day.
“I wasn’t just the goalscorer, I was a leader on the field,” Leon said.
