You may not be familiar with Real Salt Lake-Arizona academy prospect Aaron Herrera (unless you watched our coverage of last year's Generation adidas Cup, when he scored the game-winning penalty kick to beat Stoke City in the group stage), but he's got a SportsCenter Top 10 credit to his name now.
In Real Salt Lake's 9-0 drubbing of Norco, California-based Arsenal on Saturday, the 17-year-old Herrera notched a hat trick that included a spectacular bicycle kick at the back post from a long-range cross:
Not bad, huh?
SportsCenter liked the play so much, it wound up as No. 3 on the Top 10 plays for Sunday, March 8. We're partial to soccer, but we think maybe it could've been a little higher.
Herrera helped Real Salt Lake to the championship game of last year's Generation adidas Cup, where they fell in a shootout to English club Stoke City, while starting at right back. He also helped Real Salt Lake's U-16s reach the US Soccer Development Academy Finals Week last summer, where they were eliminated by rivals LA Galaxy.
From Las Cruces, New Mexico, Herrera has committed to play at the University of New Mexico, starting this fall. He's now got at least one good story for those freshmen icebreakers.
