Grayslake Central senior midfielder Damian Sereno is often overshadowed by a member of his family.
His cousin Ivan Sereno, a senior forward who was named the Northern Lake County Conference player of the year, leads the Rams with 33 goals and 13 assists this season.
But Grayslake Central coach Keith Andersson said Damian Sereno shouldn’t be overlooked.
“Damian sits back and lets his cousin have the limelight, but Damian is also a strong player,” Andersson said. “If he was on any other team than his cousin’s, he would be the No. 1 player.”
Andersson said Damian Sereno’s versatility has been particularly important for the Rams.
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“Damian has played all over the place for us,” Andersson said. “He’s our Swiss Army knife. No matter where we put him, he’s consistent and solid.
“When you look at the two, Ivan scores all the goals, but there’s Damian, who does all the work and doesn’t get all the credit. Damian is a true box-to-box player.”
In fact, both Sereno cousins were freshmen on the 2022 team that won the Class 2A third-place game, the best finish in program history.
“It was an unforgettable experience,” Damian Sereno recalled.
On Monday, the Rams were trying to return to the state semifinals for the first time since then but lost 2-0 to host Streamwood in a Class 2A supersectional.
After the final buzzer, Damian Sereno put his hands on his hips at the 30-yard line as the Sabres celebrated. Ivan Sereno slowly walked over to him and patted him on the back.
“It was a very frustrating game,” Damian Sereno said. “We couldn’t keep the ball on the ground. We would try and connect one or two passes. It wouldn’t go anywhere.”
The Rams (15-6) fell short of the state semifinals against the Sabres (13-10), whom they beat during the regular season, but went undefeated in conference games and won their third sectional title.
“We had a good run this season,” Damian Sereno said. “It was obviously a little heartbreaking, but we have to move on.”
Damian Sereno, who transferred to Grayslake North for his sophomore year but returned to Grayslake Central for his final two years, said he has enjoyed playing with Ivan.
“Having a family member on the team — and right next to you — is special,” Damian Sereno said. “We’ve always played on the same team growing up. I think we challenge each other, which makes both of us better. At the end of the day, we both help each other and want the team to succeed, and that’s what happened.”
Ivan Sereno said Damian deserves credit for his role in that success.
“I feel like a lot of people, like our family, talk about me doing a good job because I have so many goals on the season,” Ivan Sereno said. “They don’t see Damian’s hard work, like getting the ball to the midfielder, winning it back, playing in space for a cross — and I’ll be the one finishing.
“His hard work in the midfield and attacking and making plays is more than 50% of my goals. He’s a very smart player.”
Damian Sereno’s soccer career may not be over yet. He said he intends to visit local colleges in the next few weeks.
“I really want to play in college,” he said. “I’ve tried to enjoy every moment of high school. I’ve had a good time.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.