Bee boys soccer Player of the Year, away last season, showed why he was missed
Central High boys soccer coach Eli Gallegos knows how much Alan Gutierrez means to his program.
Gutierrez was away during his junior season when he played for the Sac Republic FC Academy in 2020 after helping the Grizzlies win two Central Section Division I championships.
After the Grizzlies finished last season in third place in the Tri-River Athletic Conference, Gutierrez returned for his senior season and helped his team to a co-Tri-River Athletic Conference championship with Clovis East. Top-seeded Central lost to eventual Central Section Division I champion Reedley in the playoffs.
Gutierrez finished the season with 21 goals and 12 assists to help the Grizzlies to an 18-4-2 overall record this season. He is The Bee’s Player of the Year.
He will continue chasiing his pro dream with the Fresno Fuego Academy team.
“Throughout this season, one of my many goals was to contribute positively in any way possible for my team,” Gutierrez said. “I believe that the biggest takeaway from my game that helped my team the most was my soccer IQ throughout the match. Especially with the offensive technical and tactical part of the game. ... I tried to lead a great group of teammates, which was not hard to do.”
Gutierrez continued to train with the Grizzlies during his junior year. Gallegos welcomed him back to the roster for his senior year.
“It provided a lot of stability for us. ... Last year, this team was missing his leadership and definitely missing his creativity. The other thing that I noticed this year is his defensive effort and his ability to work on both ends of the pitch was pretty lights out.”
During his first two seasons at Central, Gutierrez helped the Grizzlies to a combined overall record of 45-13-4.
Gutierrez announced his return early with two goals and an assist in a penalty kick win over Santa Ana at the Gatorade Showcase.
“I realized our team was able to compete after winning a huge tournament versus big teams in it,” he said. “It allowed us to show a big statement as a team. I believe I grew a lot as a player this season. I got to play with a lot of new players, since I didn’t play last year. You have to grow and adapt to the new environment. I believe my game IQ grows all the time both on and off the field. I grew as a leader, by motivating and pushing my teammates to become better. Keeping their heads up and leading by example.”
