Coronado High junior forward Gavin Flickinger noticed opposing teams starting to game plan to stop him.
Some games, he'd have a defender -- or two -- following him around the field. And in other games, he sensed a more inspired and physical effort in his direction.
Those efforts usually didn't matter.
Flickinger set a Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association record for goals in a season with 60 in leading the Cougars to the Class 5A state championship. He's our A's Player of the Month.
"You really don't think about the stats -- they just happen," Flickinger said. "It's a team sport, not an individual one, so you have to be humble about it."
Flickinger also had a state-record 36 assists in Coronado's undefeated season for 156 points. He ranked fifth nationally in points, according to MaxPreps. Players get two points for a goal and one for an assist.
He also carries a 4.7 weighted grade point average, helping Coronado win the academic state championship.
Flickinger scored four goals against Bishop Gorman, Cimarron-Memorial, Green Valley and Sunrise Mountain. Coronado outscored opponents 169-10 and won many games by the mercy rule, meaning Flickinger could have easily had more goal-scoring chances had the games not been shortened. Games are called after 60 minutes if a team is leading by at least eight goals.
Flickinger scored in every game except one -- a 1-0 victory over Palo Verde. Dylan Flores, who finished with 38 goals and 34 assists, had the game winner.
Flickinger isn't the type of player to race into the corner for a celebration after he scores. But when he scored the game-winning goal in a 3-0 win over Hug in the state championship game, it was different.
Hug packed its defense in the back to create a new challenge for Coronado, but they finally broke through. Flickinger raced over to teammates on the bench for a team celebration.
"It's never about one person," said Dustin Barton, Coronado's longtime coach. "It starts with the players on this team and the environment they create."
The record-breaking season also included goalie Logan Pierce establishing a state mark for shutouts with 20. Coronado finished 28-0, won a second consecutive state title and was ranked 20th nationally by MaxPreps.
Flickinger's many goals, he said, were the product of teammates setting him up to score. Five Coronado players had double-digit assists, including Aiden Sena (20), Liam Bringhurst (14) and Austin Kiernan (14).
"We have a lot of weapons," Flickinger said. "Without them feeding me balls, I wouldn't have scored."
Most of Coronado's players are juniors, meaning they'll be the favorite to three-peat next season. They play year-round in the competitive Elite Clubs National League, where Flickinger is also an accomplished goal scorer.