Senior Luca Hernandez of Heritage Academy has been a lifelong soccer fan at Maricopan.

He took that passion and turned it into a winning recipe. This year, Hernandez scored more goals than anyone else in the state’s Canyon Athletics Association.

The 17-year-old striker has been playing since he was able to run. His Italian family had a major impact on his interest in the game.

“I’ve always watched Italian football with my uncle and grandparents,” Hernandez said. “They live and breathe football.”

When he was old enough to run, he was playing with his family.

“[My uncle] And I was passing by my backyard and he saw me using my left foot. I’m left-handed,” Hernandez said. “He said, ‘There’s a possibility for this kid.” So I started playing football there and I’ve loved it ever since. ”

In the eighth grade, Hernandez scored 29 goals in just 12 games. By the time he was in high school, he had scored 38 goals. Last year he scored six goals before a knee injury benched him for the rest of the season.

This year, after physical therapy, he returned and scored a whopping 49 goals. It’s a new record for the regional soccer league.

Hernandez plays the job of striker and praises him for practicing his success.

“Before my senior season, I tried to focus on my weaknesses and strengthen those weaknesses,” he said. “I didn’t get all the goals with my left foot. I always scored on the right and left, which did a lot of hard work from the field to get me where I needed to. ”

After graduating, Hernandez has been on a two-year mission trip for Latter-day Saints. He then wants to play Arizona State football. His goal is to play football as much as possible while studying physical therapy.

There are not necessarily trophies to score most goals. Hernandez says he hopes that the legacy of this moment will pay off for its patience.

“I put a lot of hard work on the field. I feel like I’m a team leader and a motivator. I have no talent without hard work.”