WRITER’S NOTE: This story is part of a series highlighting The Monitor’s boys soccer all-area award winners. The Monitor’s coverage area ranges from Mercedes to Roma. Check back throughout the week as we reveal the Upper Valley’s other superlative winners and be sure to pick up a copy of Saturday’s newspaper for a complete list of the all-area winners.
Getting past Edinburg North’s back line proved a difficult task all season long. If opponents did manage to get past the Cougars’ defenders, they were met by a brick wall in goalkeeper Adrian Alvarez.
The Edinburg North senior made it near impossible to score against the Cougars this year, allowing more than one goal just twice during district play.
After recording six clean sheets in 10 district contests and helping Edinburg North reach the Region IV-6A championship for the first time since 2017, Alvarez is The Monitor’s All-Area Boys Soccer Goalkeeper of the Year.
“I’ve always put God first,” Alvarez said. “There is a lot of good goalkeeper in my area. I’m here representing a group called GK RGV. I carry them on my back. After I told them about my achievement, they were all happy. That’s who I do it for. For them and my family.”
Alvarez, who has been playing the position for nearly 13 years, thrived under the pressure inside the goal, almost always winning 1-on-1 situations against opposing attackers.
His combination of size, athleticism and mental fortitude allowed him erase shot attempts with relative ease.
“My mentality is they have a dream of scoring and I’m here to kill that dream,” Alvarez said. “You have your good days, and you have your bad days. You come in and you mess up sometimes. I learned that after like my 10th year of playing the position. You just got to move on and get the next one. That was the key this year.”
Alvarez’s play inside the net helped Edinburg North capture its third district title under head coach Elias Moran, finishing league play with a 8-2-0 mark.
Edinburg North also returned to the regional tournament for the first time since 2017, outscoring their first four opponents 13-3 en route to a Region IV-6A championship berth.
Alvarez continued to shine in the postseason, allowing just three goals during the four-game span, including another clean sheet performance during the Region IV-6A semifinals against San Antonio Jay.
The Cougars road came to an end in the Region IV-6A finals to Class 6A state semifinalist Austin Vandergrift, tying the deepest playoff run in Edinburg North history.
“I’m happy that we’ve put this team back on the map,” Alvarez said. “It had been a long seven years. We’re so happy to get back there. Going into that game, most of us were happy we made it, but we still wanted more. It didn’t end the way we wanted, but we’re happy and thank God for that opportunity to be among the top eight teams in the state.”
