Dynamic Duo: Austin’s Top Soccer Players Learn to Deal with Pressure

Sept. 2 — Austin’s seniors, Juju Thwang and Leo Hernandez, are nearly unstoppable when they go head-to-head in the open field.

Unfortunately for the Packers’ explosive duo, they haven’t had many of those opportunities over the past two seasons as teams have focused on them. Thwang, a two-time All-State selection, and Hernandez, a two-time All-State honorable mention selection, have learned that they need to rely on their teammates if the Packers are to have the success they desire this season.

“They field two players, so we try to field other players,” Thwang said. “I want to go to the state tournament every season. The college coaches are there, and that’s how we get our names out there by playing in a great tournament.”

Hernandez said the attention makes things difficult, but he has no intention of giving up.

“It’s a little tough,” Hernandez said. “When we played against Byron, the team knew both of us and we always had a target on our backs. They’re always working on us.”

Thwang started playing on the varsity football team as an eighth-grader, and Hernandez has been on the varsity team since he was a freshman. Both players also have younger brothers on the team, so they, too, are invested in the future of the Austin football program.

“I’ve learned a lot of different leadership skills from a lot of different captains,” Thwang said. “This year, my focus is on leading the younger players. They have a lot of talent and we need to push them to get to where they need to be.”

Austin coach Jens Levisen said he remembers Hernandez scoring a big 25-yard field goal against Mankato West as a freshman, which helped him stand out. He always knew Thwang would be a strong player for the team.

“Those guys are just great leaders,” Austin head coach Jens Levisen said of the senior duo. “Sometimes you get a captain just because he’s got talent, but not necessarily because of his leadership. Those guys have the skills and they motivate the players in the offseason and keep them on track so they’re not late.”

When Thwang burst onto the college scene as an eighth-grader, the Packers had one of the best teams in all of Class A in 2020. Austin finished that season undefeated, but there was no state tournament because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Packers won their fourth consecutive Big Nine championship in 2020, and Austin lost just one Big Nine game during that span. Austin also won four section titles during that span.

Since that season, Thwang has played in just one state tournament, when he and Hernandez led the Packers to a state tournament berth in 2022.

The Packers’ biggest goal this season is to return to the state tournament, and Hernandez and Thwang are willing to do whatever it takes to get there.

“It would be the perfect ending to this wonderful journey,” Hernandez said. “That’s the only goal. The Austin name was at the top, and in recent years it has lost the respect it should have. Our goal is to get it back to where it should be.”

The Packers (0 — 2-1 overall) will play at Albert Lea at 7 p.m. Tuesday.