Knowlege is definitely power when it comes to playing center midfield for Morton, one of the top-ranked teams in the state.

Jose Montes has been entrenched in the learning process for the last six years. The Cicero native showcased his aptitude early in his career for the Mustangs and landed the starting center mid duties as a sophomore.

He said head coach Mike Caruso made the decision because Montes combines quality ball skills with good vision of the field.

Montes believes center midfielder is the most important position on the pitch because it is instrumental in helping anchor the defense while also facilitating the attack .

“It’s important to have skill, but I think it’s even more important to be intelligent,” Montes said. “You have to know when to be offensive-minded and when to be defensive-minded. But, the more the ball is moved side to side, the more opportunities you will have to score.”

Particularly for a midfielder, endurance plays a key role in the ability to play effectively for an entire match. Maintaining conditioning is crucial.

“The more energy you have, the more effective you can be as a contributor,” Montes said.

So far this season, Morton has played a quality schedule, which has included a first-place finish in Hinsdale Central’s Red Devil Cup and making it to the semifinals of the Pepsi Showdown, where it lost to eventual champion Neuqua Valley. However, the Mustangs have seen recent setbacks after being handed two losses recently by Downers Grove South last Thursday and Downers Grove North on Saturday.

Montes would like to play at the next level at Dominican University and tries to emulate Cuauhtemoc Blanco, a Mexican professional soccer player currently with Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire. He says he is always impressed with Blanco’s decision making with and without the ball, as well as his overall athleticism.

As far as Montes’ attitude towards the center midfield position, he says he continues to relish his role.

“I like creating opportunities for my teammates,” Montes said. “I almost feel like a coach on the field.”