Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week, Irving Islas: Eagles’ anchor leg

Barry Faulkner

NEWPORT BEACH - Estancia High boys soccer coach Steve Crenshaw

calls Irving Islas the heart of his team. But, for anyone who has seen

the center midfielder unload one of his cannonading blasts on net, the

quadriceps is more like it.

“I think I was born with my power,” said the rock-hard 5-foot-7,

145-pound senior, who held the CIF Southern Section Division IV champions

together this season while blowing up opposing defenders and goalkeepers

with his powerful right leg.

“He kept defenses honest,” Crenshaw said of the three-time All-Pacific

Coast League performer. “If teams wanted to suck everybody in close to

the goal, Irving would have at it from outside. And anyone standing in

front of his shot would have to suffer the consequences.”

Those consequences involved welts, bruises, even loss of consciousness,

according to the four-year varsity veteran.

“I’ve knocked out a few people,” said Islas, before sheepishly adding, “I

didn’t mean to, they were just in the way.”

Islas said he often detects fear in the eyes of opposing goaliesand

defenders, particularly those forming a wall in front of one of his

direct kicks.

“Nobody really wants to be in the wall against me,” he said. “When I see

them (flinching), I just want to kick it even harder. I’m proud of how

hard I can shoot. And I’ve learned how to place it.”

Crenshaw believes velocity isn’t the only aspect of Islas’ game of which

he should be proud.

“A lot of times Irving is overlooked, because Esaul (Mendoza) and Cesar

(Terrones, both senior forwards) have scored so many goals this year (80

combined),” Crenshaw said. “But Irving is our emotional leader out there

and he’s the strength of our midfield. He’s real important to our

offense, because he sets up most of the stuff we do. A lot of our offense

starts in the midfield.”

The Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week can finish, as well as initiate,

scoring chances. He had 14 goals to help the Eagles outscore foes,

122-14, en route to a 20-1-1 season which included wins in their last 17

games.

His leadership in Saturday’s 5-2 title-game triumph over top-seeded

Bishop Montgomery, helped stabilize the PCL champions, once the Knights

had pared a 3-0 lead to 3-2.

“He’s very intense and he keeps our guys focused,” Crenshaw said. “When

guys started to drop their heads after Bishop Montgomery closed the gap,

Irving was one of the first ones to urge his teammates to stay positive.

He has a lot of fire and he doesn’t like to lose. I never have to worry

about Irving not being ready to play. Sometimes I’ll see him on campus in

the morning the day of our game and he already has his game face on.”

Islas arrived at Estancia from Mexico as a freshman and soccer

immediately became his link to social acceptance.

“I had no friends when I came here and it was a little scary.” he said.

“I was here alone, staying with family friends. When I started playing

soccer, I met a lot of friends.”

Islas, who would like to become a computer technician, plans to continue

playing soccer in college. And the Eagles’ postseason success has

generated recruiting interest from a handful of schools, Crenshaw said.

“Irving is Division I caliber,” Crenshaw said. “Not only in his

understanding of the game, but in his mental and physical approach.”

Islas said the CIF title was a culmination of four years of hard work.

“We had some ups and downs, but winning it all was really exciting.”