LA JOYA — The game’s biggest names make plays when it matters most. That’s no different for La Joya Juarez-Lincoln’s Fernando Ortuño.
Following a 5-3 loss to Edinburg High, the Huskies’ second district loss of the year, the door was opened for Juarez-Lincoln to be dethroned as district champs for the first time since 2016.
Ortuño, however, had different plans. Over the Huskies’ final seven games, the senior forward netted 13 goals to lead his team to seven straight victories, shutting the door on the district’s title hopefuls and securing Juarez-Lincoln’s sixth straight district crown.
For his game-changing ability, Ortuño is The Monitor’s 2022 All-Area Player of the Year.
“I remember our coach told us that one loss wasn’t going to define us,” Ortuño said “I just focused more, and we started pushing ourselves more in practices. It ended up being a great turnout.
“It feels great. I have to thank all my coaches and teammates. They helped me all throughout this season. It just feels amazing to experience this.”
Ortuño, a three-year letter winner, didn’t get many starts during his sophomore and junior campaigns, spending most of his time as a rotational player for the Huskies.
This year, he was thrust into the spotlight, serving as his team’s top scoring option. During District 31-6A play, Ortuño notched 20 goals, leading the district and ranking second in the Valley.
Ortuño’s 20 goals accounted for nearly one-third of the Huskies’ scores, with Juarez-Lincoln netting 62 during district play.
“I would describe my style as an aggressive player, a playmaker,” Ortuño said. “I try to pass the ball. I try to keep moving and find different ways to score. I just made sure to keep running and get open for my teammates to get me the ball to score.”
Ortuño’s top performance came during the Huskies’ second-to-last game of the season, netting five goals during a 7-0 victory over La Joya High. The game secured the Huskies the District 31-6A title while also earning Ortuño the district’s scoring crown.
He closed out his career during the Region IV-6A area round, with the Huskies falling 4-2 to Laredo Alexander. During the Huskies’ pair of postseason games, Ortuño netted a goal in each.
“He’s one of those players who sacrifices a lot,” La Joya Juarez-Lincoln head coach Victor Ramos said. “He runs up and down the field. He’s strong. On top of that, he was our top goal scorer. He’s just a complete player.”
Ortuño credits a newfound focus for his success this season, taking his role more serious after becoming a starter. He hopes to carry the same success into his collegiate career, signing to play at Wiley College recently.
“I was just more consistent with my practice,” he said. “I would go all out and try my best for my teammates. But it comes from my dad. He coached my teams. He’s the one who started coaching me. He taught me a lot and always pushed me to be better. Now my goal is to train hard and be great, and do great things in college.”
