Downtown Doral’s Eduardo Jerez is the Dade 4A-1A Boys’ Soccer Player of the Year

Eduardo Jerez was tired of all the close calls. When Downtown Doral made the final four again this year, Jerez made sure the Dolphins left no doubt.

After falling short in the state championship in 2024, Downtown Doral scored a pair of lopsided wins in the final four to bring the school’s first ever state championship back to Doral.

For his stellar season, and helping the Dolphins make history, Jerez is the Miami Herald’s Miami-Dade County Boys’ Soccer Player of the Year for Classes 4A-1A.

“We were left hungry, with the feeling to finish it,” Jerez said. “We were training all that time to just build up the chemistry with the team. It was just one day at a time, getting to know each other.”

The midfielder was a do-it-all presence in the middle of the field for the best team in Florida, scoring 10 goals and handing out nine assists. His 10 goals were second most on the team and his nine assists were tied for second most.

Most importantly, Jerez delivered assists in both of Downtown Doral’s games in the final four and the Dolphins won those two games by a combined score of 9-1, beating Somerset Academy - Canyons, 5-0, in the Class 2A championship

Downtown Doral was the No. 1 team in the state, according to MaxPreps, and lost just one game all season—and none after the calendar flipped to 2026. The Dolphins outscored opponents 22-2 in the Florida High School Athletic Association playoffs and didn’t win a single game by fewer than two goals.

A senior, Jerez was part of the process of building Downtown Doral into an unlikely state powerhouse and felt some urgency to finish high school on top after a loss in the state championship two years ago.

In the end, he is most thankful for his team. Jerez is the Player of the Year, but he owes plenty to a loaded, cohesive roster all around him.

“It’s the best thing that we have,” Jerez said. “I appreciate the team, I appreciate the opportunity, the moment.”