To gauge the importance of Raul Sepulveda to the Lawrence High boys soccer team, one only need to look at the box scores of the Cardinals’ first five games this season.
Lawrence started at 4-1 and in its three one-goal victories, Sepulveda had the game-winning goal in a 2-1 win over Nottingham; an assist on the game’s lone goal in a 1-0 triumph over Haddonfield, and a goal and an assist in a 2-1 decision over Steinert.
“He’s just so important to us in so many ways,” coach Jeff Molinelli said after the Nottingham game. “When we need a big play he will come up with it.”
It’s not a surprise, considering Sepulveda estimates he has been playing the game “for the last seventeen years.” That places the senior midfielder’s starting point at 1-year-old but that would stand to reason considering his DNA.
Sepulveda’s grandfather and father were both professionals in the soccer-crazed nation of Chile… although over there it’s known as a football-crazed nation.
“It’s big-time stuff over there,” Sepulveda said. “My dad didn’t force it on me but I always saw he loved soccer so I just followed him. I always loved soccer; I grew up with it. I was always watching games. “
But not to slight one parent, he quickly added, “my mom was always helping out too, taking me to soccer games; driving me to all my different things.”
Sepulveda was born in North Bergen and his family moved to Lawrence when he was in fourth grade. He joined the PSA travel program before moving to PDA to play with his friends.
After starting as a center midfielder for his first team, he was moved to left back at PDA. Upon arriving at Lawrence, Molinelli put him at outside fullback as well.
“Our eighth-grade coach was telling me all about him and as a freshman, the first day in tryouts we saw how special he would be,” the coach said. “His natural position is center mid but freshman year I wanted to just get him on the field. I knew how good he was gonna be then, and it’s paying off.”
Sepulveda was OK with playing outside back and did a good job, but always felt he was better suited to be in the middle of the field. He approached the coaches halfway through that first season.
‘I didn’t mind playing outside back because I had experience from my club soccer; I had a feel for it,” he said. “But I felt like I had more control of the game at center mid. I told (Molinelli) I played best at the midfield position. He trusted me on that and ever since he’s been playing me at that position and I’ve shown what I could do.”
Showing his prowess as a playmaker, Sepulveda had a goal and seven assists – which were second on the team – as a sophomore. Last year he collected seven goals, which was third on the team, and eight assists, which again placed him second.
He became a team leader during that time, but was officially named captain this season.
“He took to that leadership role last year,” Molinelli said. “We had other seniors who were big parts of our team that were captains but he’s been a leader for us for a while. Now he has the title and he’s doing his thing.”
Sepulveda has thrived as a captain. As of Sept. 18, he led the Cards in both goals and assists with three apiece.
“He’s pretty much our playmaker,” Molinelli said. “He gets the ball on his feet and he either gets assists or tries to find his teammates. He sprays balls for us in a good way trying to get the ball forward. I’m also hoping he scores a bunch of goals for us this year.”
That’s only half his job, of course.
“He also has to run back on defense,” Molinelli said. “That’s the life of a center-mid.”
Sepulveda enjoys the role of facilitator, saying, “I like to set the tone a lot. And if I have a chance to drive and score I’m gonna do it.”
He has a hard shot, as witnessed by the 25-yarder he rocketed off the crossbar and into the goal against Nottingham. And when it comes to distributing, Molinelli feels he is playing the right position.
“He has great vision,” the coach said. “Any time he gets the ball on his feet he does something good with it. He wins a ton of tackles in the middle of the field. He’s really tough in there. He’s always around the ball. He’s just very dangerous.”
He’s also very intelligent, as witnessed by a 3.9 grade-point average and membership in the National Honor Society.
“Since I was little my dad and mom always put me into my studies,” Sepulveda said. “For them education is important.”
Outside the classroom, Sepulveda is a student of the game.
Whenever watching soccer on TV, he’s not just lying on the couch and enjoying down time. He is taking mental notes.
“Seeing professional people play just gives you an idea to try something when you’re playing,” he said. “It gives you a good aspect of the game.”
And that aspect has given Sepulveda a sharp soccer IQ.
“For the last seventeen years I’ve played it so I sort of grew into the game and know how to manage it,” he said. “The midfield is the hardest position to play, you’re the brain on the team, you gotta be good at it.”
Adding to that firm grasp of the game is the experience he picked up playing in the back.
“That does help me out,” Sepulveda said. “It gives me a view of how things are done around the entire field and how different positions work. In the midfield you’re supposed to see the whole game and control it.”
He does so despite standing just 5-8, but as Sepulveda noted “being smaller sometimes helps, but really, in this game height and size don’t matter.”
Endurance does, however, which is why Sepulveda will work out and run three times a week, so he is able to cover both ends of the field. When he’s not doing that, he has a ball at his feet.
“I usually go out with my friends, we come to Lawrence and play, or go play pick up ball,” Sepulveda said. “I’m always busy with soccer.”
He hopes to remain busy with the sport in college, and has been in touch with Arcadia University and Lehigh University so far. Molinelli feels he will make it at the next level.
“He’s been a great player for us for four years and I think this is gonna be a breakout year for him,” the coach said. “I’m honored to coach him. He’s an unbelievable center-mid, one of the better ones in our conference, and I think he can play in college.”
Once Raul leaves, the Sepulveda well does not run dry. Like his big brother, freshman Luis is starting at outside back for the Cardinals this year.
“My little brother will be a great player,” Raul said. “He’s smart in school. He’s looking up to me so I need to be that role model. He’s an outside back but he usually plays up top. He wants to go pro and he has time to develop. He’s like me but even better.”
Which cannot be comforting news to Lawrence’s future opponents.
