Bloom’s Jonathan Magana is used to being the leader of the pack.
That said, the senior forward sometimes relishes the role as the comeback kid.
“It’s kind of strangely refreshing in a way,” Magana confirmed. “I always feel like I play better with that kind of challenge. I have always felt like a complete player.
“Coming from behind never bothers me. If anything, it always takes me or the team a bit to wake up. When I do, we always seem to start scoring.”
Magana took care of the scoring Tuesday with a goal and an assist as the Blazing Trojans rallied for a 2-1 victory over Solorio in the Windy City Ram Classic semifinals.
Junior forward Omar Ortiz scored the game-winning goal on a shot off a rebound for Bloom (4-0), which will play host Reavis (4-0) in Thursday’s championship game in Burbank.
While Reavis defeated Lincoln-Way West 2-1 in the other semifinal, one of the most explosive scorers in the state impacted the game in multiple ways for Bloom.
The 5-foot-7 Magana used his jet burst and electric dribbling to offset his size.
In the end, everything tends to work out.
“My game is a mix of aggressiveness,” Magana said. “I’m not the tallest player or the strongest, but I am the smartest.”
Magana, who has six goals and three assists this season, is a cool, poised talent. He exhibits a natural grace under pressure.
“In this scenario, I have gotten used to what I have to do,” he said. “I know what I need to work on and what to do out there. I do the work outside practice. I study the game.
“I make the runs or do whatever is necessary.”
Scoring, however, is his calling card. Last season as a junior, he scored 35 goals and added 10 assists. In that regard, his ability to create and finish separates him from the rest.
Scoring is an art, and Magana is the master of his trade.
“I do draw and I paint, and I feel like I am pretty good at it,” he said. “Just like the paint or the canvas, I like the creativity.”
He’s the primary reason Bloom scored 105 goals last season.
“He just has that ability to score,” Bloom coach Zack Radtke said of Magana. “Teams talk all the time about the thing they are missing sometimes is that goal scorer.
“Jonathan just knows he is a goal scorer, and he can do it any time. It’s just a matter of keeping that confidence up.”
A three-year varsity player, Magana revealed new dimensions to his game after a promising sophomore season. He established a special, innate connection with Ortiz.
In the process, Ortiz accumulated 32 assists last season, helping put a spotlight on Magana.
“He’s an amazing goal scorer,” Ortiz said. “Watching him play, it is easier for him to score a hard goal than an easy one. He’s weird that way, but that is his style.
“We have a mutual relationship that way where we both feel like we help each other. I take a shot when I can, but I always make a point to look for him.”
Magana, who grew up playing soccer recreationally in Chicago Heights, has drawn recruiting interest from Northern Illinois and IUPUI.
For now, each game is a chance to showcase the different aspects of his game — the quickness, ability to make shots, poise and toughness.
He knows his time is here.
“When I was younger, I think I was a little bit scared to play against older people,” he said. “At that point, I wasn’t much of a developed striker or forward.
“I am a quiet, serious guy, and I don’t say much on the field. I like to just talk to myself and study.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.