Field generals

Mike Sciacca

Their head coach calls them the “spine” of the team.

Now in their fourth year of playing varsity boys’ soccer at Laguna

Beach High, Taylor King and Pablo Hernandez each have paid their dues

to earn that honor.

“They are the spine of this year’s team with an excellent

supporting cast,” Coach Andy Thomas said of the duo.

King and Hernandez, both of whom have played soccer since they

were youngsters -- King, through local club play and Hernandez, as a

youngster growing up in Veracruz, Mexico -- came into the Laguna

program at the same time.

Now seniors, the two know what it takes to have success at the

high school level which, both will tell you, leaves them wanting more

-- especially since this is their final year in the program.

“Both Taylor and I have been on a few successful teams here at

Laguna and we have been around long enough to know what it takes to

be successful at the varsity level,” said Hernandez, an offensive

midfielder and forward, who turns 18 on Tuesday .

“We both like being role models for the younger guys on team and

we hope to set a good example.”

Hernandez had one of his biggest games in a Laguna uniform in the

2001 CIF Southern Section Division V championship match.

He scored one goal in a 2-1 victory that gave the school a

Southern Section title.

King also was a member of that squad.

In the current season, King, a sweeper, serves as team captain

with Hernandez being dubbed by Thomas as, the “vice” captain.

“To me, the greatest compliment any player can receive is from the

opposition coach,” Thomas said. “After we played Aliso Niguel earlier

in the season, their coach was raving about what a great player our

sweeper was. That sweeper, was Taylor King.

“After we played Orange Lutheran, their coach just talked about

the amazing footwork skills of No. 9, and No. 9 is Pablo.”

Both King and Hernandez have reached the scoring column this

season and both, Thomas said, are playing at a level that will,

“without doubt,” attract Division 1 schools.

King, for one, has applied to Carnegie Mellon University and may

make a visit to the Pittsburgh campus, he said, after the start of

the new year.

“They are both more than capable of playing at that level,” Thomas

said. “They are leaders on and off the field and great students, as

well.”

King’s position at sweeper seems a natural fit for the role of

leader.

“I like playing the position because it allows me to see the whole

field and control the flow of play,” said the 17-year-old King. “It’s

a position of leadership, you can say. I enjoy that role.”

King said he’s just happy to be playing soccer again.

On the opening day of Pacific Coast League play last year, King

suffered a dislocated left knee and torn meniscus on a muddy field in

a match against rival Corona del Mar.

He recalls his foot getting stuck in the mud, then being “taken

out” by a Corona del Mar player.

“That was painful,” said King, who has fully recovered from the

injury. “I kind of felt my knee bend sideway, and I thought I had

broken it. It was really tough to sit out the rest of the season.

Now, my knee feels great.”

Thomas calls King one of the “best headers” he has ever seen.

He has a knack for putting the ball where he wants to place it on

the field.

“He has a great ability to read the game and time his challenges

to break down opponents’ attacks,” Thomas said.

Hernandez, meanwhile, has been known to dazzle an opponent with

his fancy footwork.

“Pablo has got an amazing repertoire of footwork moves and tricks

that opponents find bewildering,” Thomas said. “He is also a very

fine passer of the ball, which creates scoring opportunities.

“Both he and Taylor are especially dangerous from set plays, with

Pablo scoring from direct free kicks, and Taylor pushing forward for

corners and throw-ins, in order to use his heading ability. With

continued hard work, key players staying healthy, and eradicating

individual mistakes, our goal is to make the playoffs this season.”

That, too, is a primary goal of King and Hernandez.

“I played in CIF as a freshman, played on a team that won CIF as a

sophomore, but had to sit out CIF last year because of my injury, so

I definitely want to do whatever it takes to help get our team back

to the playoffs,” King said. “I know Pablo and the rest of my

teammates have that same goal.

“We’ve improved as a team as the season has gone on and I really

think finishing in the top two in league is a very possible goal. We

just need to keep playing well as a team.”

Laguna played in the Canyon Tournament Jan. 1-3, then opens league

play Jan. 9 by hosting Corona del Mar.