As West Aurora’s Mason Aguirre watched the clock wind down to a danger point Tuesday night, the senior forward realized the stark reality that he was beginning to face.
The end of his high school career was less than five minutes away.
“I was just thinking I needed to do something,” Aguirre said. “I’m a scorer and I’m the one in charge. My role is completely different now. I didn’t need to score last year.
“Being the striker, I told myself I need to be the one who does this.”
Aguirre ended up as the one for the host Blackhawks, scoring twice and converting the deciding penalty kick in the shootout for a 3-2 win over Oswego East in a Class 3A regional semifinal.
Sixth-seeded West Aurora (14-7-1) — which plays third-seeded Plainfield Central (17-6-1) at 10 a.m. Saturday in the regional final — won the shootout 4-2 after a 2-2 tie in regulation.
Sophomore midfielders Jacob McPhee and Isaac Ruiz scored goals for Oswego East (8-9-2). The Wolves beat the Blackhawks 1-0 in the season opener on Aug. 25.
Ruiz’s goal in the 71st minute appeared to set the stage for the upset before Aguirre scored on a diving deflection in the 76th minute. Senior goalkeeper Luis Garcia could see it coming,
“I had faith in him that he was going to do something to change the game,” Garcia said of Aguirre. “He’s a captain, a three-year player on varsity, and he has great dedication and leadership.
“He really wants it for the team.”
Senior midfielder Noe Del Rio also praised Aguirre, who now has a team-best 13 goals.
“He’s the main guy on our team and the one who’s hungriest to score goals,” Del Rio said. “He never backs down. He wants the ball a lot and he always pushes toward the goal.”
Aguirre stepped up to his penalty kick knowing the balance of the game was at his feet.
“I was a little nervous at first, but I also know at the end of the day, it’s just a game and this is my outlet,” he said. “I had full confidence in myself.”
His goals and the winning PK underscore his dedication to the craft and a relentless work ethic.
“Everything I do, I like to just put my full effort into it,” Aguirre said. “I don’t just go through the motions. This is something I’ve done my entire life.
“Whether I play in college or not, I wanted to end with a bang.”
Sophomore defender Gavin Aguirre, Mason’s younger brother, has watched that toughness and competitive intensity since they were kids playing in the backyard.
“I had all the faith in him because this is what he has always been about,” Gavin said. “We started playing on the same club team and I knew I could always count on him. He’s always there.”
At 6-foot-1, Mason has the size, power and presence on the ball to dictate the flow of the game.
He sees the game in a different light.
“I’m very academically oriented and I see the game like math,” he said. “I look at things in numbers. I look at the whole field. I know who’s best at what they do by goals and assists.
“On our team, we all have similar numbers, so I know I can trust anybody.”
Illinois is his preferred choice for college, which means club would be his future.
He relishes every moment to perform at a high level.
“I know what it’s like to get eliminated early in the playoffs from my sophomore year,” Aguirre said. “I just know this is an opportunity you don’t get many times in your life.
“This might be my last chance. It’s do or die, and I need to go into every game at 100%.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.