Mendota boys soccer coach Nick Myers said senior Mauricio Salinas is one of the four forwards that people don’t know about or think about coming into games.

Salinas has shown that to be a mistake this postseason.

The senior has scored in three of Mendota’s five postseason games as he’s helped the Trojans earn a return trip to the Class 1A State Tournament in Hoffman Estates.

Mendota (24-4) will play Coal City (23-3) in a semifinal at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Hoffman Estates after the first semifinal between Columbia (22-5-3) and Chicago Academy (17-4-3).

The Trojans placed third last year after beating Columbia on penalty kicks. Mendota lost 1-0 to eventual state champion Normal U-High in the semifinals last year.

“He’s saved his best moments for the most important times,” Myers said. “I’m hoping he keeps that going at state.”

Salinas scored one goal in the regular season, but he scored Mendota’s first goal in a 2-0 win over Genoa-Kingston in the Indian Creek Sectional semifinal, the Trojans’ first goal in their 6-0 win over Harvest Westminster Christian in the sectional final and the team’s first goal in Monday’s 2-1 win over Quincy Notre Dame in the Mendota Supersectional.

“I’ve been focusing,” Salinas said. “Now that I’m playing up top, I’m taking all my chances and I’m trying to score in the games that really matter.”

Salinas said he’s capitalized on opponents focusing their defensive attention on Johan Cortez (38 goals this season), Cesar Casas (36 goals) and Isaac Diaz (35 goals).

“I feel like it’s a little bit of an advantage for me because they don’t really focus on me, they focus on my teammates with 30 goals,” Salinas said. “They’re the ones they’re afraid of, but when they realize that I can do it too, it scares them.”

Salinas has been enjoying his postseason success as his high school career comes to a close.

“It means a lot because you only get four years to do it in high school,” Salinas said. “After high school, you don’t know if you get to keep playing, so it feels really good.”