Adan Gutierrez, known by his middle name, Jett, among his St. Laurence teammates and coaches, takes pride in his distinctive name. The junior midfielder/forward’s performance on the soccer field reflects the dynamic nature suggested by his name. Gutierrez shared the story behind his name, explaining, “In the hospital, my dad wanted to name me Jett at the last minute, but my mom had some doubts about it because it’s a little unusual, so it’s my middle name. I hope I live up to the name.”
Gutierrez indeed lived up to his name on Thursday night by scoring two crucial goals late in the game. His efforts helped the Vikings secure a 3-2 win over host De La Salle in a Catholic League Blue matchup in Chicago, maintaining their undefeated record. Jesus Sanchez also contributed a goal for St. Laurence, which now boasts a record of 16-0-2 overall and 3-0-2 in league play. Assists came from Josue Garcia and Pauly Rzadkosz, while Noah Mendez made four saves. For the Meteors, Joshua Lawson and Kevin Gates found the net, with Kobe Ibarra making three saves.
The game was a compelling contest between reigning Class 2A state champions De La Salle and last year’s Class 3A runner-up St. Laurence, played under heavy rain. The Meteors led twice before Gutierrez’s efforts turned the tide. “We knew if we didn’t win this game, it didn’t look good for us in the CCL,” Gutierrez noted. “We needed that win, we needed two goals, and I stepped up. I found the balls near the net, a little bit like a poacher, and we got the win.”
It really can’t get any better than this,” Gutierrez said. “When you see all your teammates running toward you, sliding on the wet surface, it’s the best feeling.
Gutierrez displayed his prowess by scoring his seventh goal of the season. Sanchez highlights Gutierrez’s energizing impact on the team: “Adan plays a big role on our team, coming off the bench, starting in the second half. He’s just a dog. That’s kind of our motto around here, ‘You’ve got to have that dog in you.’ Adan has that. He’s always willing to find that first ball and compete out there, and he showed it with those two goals.”
After limited playing time as a sophomore, Gutierrez managed five goals last season. He focused on learning from senior teammates to elevate his game. “Playing with that incredible team, I had some great seniors and this whole big junior class who are seniors now,” Gutierrez said. “Learning from them as a sophomore helped me become the player I am now.”
Coach Jaime Alonso, with nine returning starters from the state runner-up team, recognized the need to integrate Gutierrez more strategically this season. “He’s taken tremendous strides,” Alonso commented. “With us having so many returning starters from last year, a good headache we’ve had is figuring out where to plug him in. He’s played different positions.”
Alonso elaborated on Gutierrez’s adaptability, “When we need to find a goal, we throw him up top. He has a nose for the goal. He puts himself in great positions and when he gets his chances, he buries them.” Reflecting on his role, Gutierrez expressed, “I like to think of myself as a super sub. I try to make as much of an impact as I can, whether it’s goals or assists, and just help my team when I get in there.”