Senior forward Eduardo Perez plays with a flair that freely mixes the bold with the unconventional for St. Laurence. And those signs are pretty much everywhere.
Let’s begin with this. After coming over from Mount Carmel, the player known to teammates as “Lalo” picked the unusual jersey No. 0, typically assigned in soccer to goalkeepers.
“Being a transfer student, the number zero always caught my attention,” Perez said about his choice. “I was new, and I wanted to be the player who did something to stand out here.”
That he has.
Perez felt bittersweet Friday night after the Vikings dropped a 2-0 decision to defending champion Peoria Notre Dame in a Class 2A state semifinal game at Hoffman Estates.
He scored 10 goals and added eight assists this season in helping the Vikings (14-8-2) win five straight games to reach state for the first team since the 2019 team finished fourth.
While St. Laurence will look to regroup at 9 a.m. Saturday against Rochester (19-6) in the third-place games, all eyes in the semifinals were on Perez, who had a goal and an assist in Tuesday’s 3-1 supersectional victory over DePaul Prep.
“We really wanted to make a run and go far, so it was very unfortunate to lose this game,” Perez said. “We were trying to win a state championship.”
The 6-foot-1 Perez did his part Friday. He played his first two high school seasons for Mount Carmel before transferring during the second semester of his sophomore year.
Change is never easy, but Perez confirmed his new teammates made it seamless.
“It felt like a new home right away,” Perez said. “It was definitely a new environment, going from an all-boys school. I knew some of the guys from club soccer.
“They showed me around and how things are done here.”
As a junior last season, Perez started for St. Laurence and was a crucial cog for a team that reached the sectional championship game.
His game grew by leaps and bounds this season.
“Coming early the way he did that spring helped him get his feet wet,” St. Laurence coach Jaime Alonso said. “He fit like a hand in glove and made an immediate impact.
“He played a big role last year, but wasn’t really getting the points. He got into double-figure goals this year. He looks like a player who is ready for some big-time soccer.”
At 6-foot-1, Perez combines excellent size with quickness, creativity and a superb touch on the ball, according to senior midfielder Johnny Esparza.
“He’s a very talented player who is crafty and tough with the ball,” Esparza said. “We did a great job connecting. I’d say it was amazing to see him grow as a player throughout the year.”
St. Laurence graduated starters from last year’s team, opening up an expanded role for Perez. Senior midfielder Edgar Perez, no relation to Lalo, saw the difference.
“Obviously, we really loved when he ended up coming here because it really fueled the fire,” Edgar said. “Lalo stepped up huge, and really became what I call a world-class player for us.
“He made practice harder, made summer camp harder, and that’s why it was special to play with him.”
The Vikings had a topsy-turvy regular season before finding their groove in the playoffs.
“We had a different mindset once the playoffs started,” Eduardo said.
The third-place game marks the conclusion.
“I love everything about the game,” Eduardo said. “My favorite part is having the chance at making the one-on-one plays against defenders or crossing that ball into the net.
“We still have a lot to play for. We have a chance to make history for our school.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
