2022 Times Boys Soccer Player of the Year: Serena’s Tanner Faivre nets 46 goals, 25 assists in record-breaking season

Most high school athletes find inspiration for their sport in watching a counterpart at the college or professional level.

For Serena junior soccer player Tanner Faivre, that person not only comes from a different sport, but a different era.

“My dad was a big Chicago Bulls fan when he was younger, and I am as well,” Faivre said. “I’ve watched a lot of videos of Michael Jordan’s games and highlights, and I’m just amazed at what he was able to do on the basketball court.

“He is my favorite all-time player. ... His mentality and work ethic were amazing to me.”

The 2022 Times Boys Soccer Player of the Year, Faivre registered an area-best 46 goals and 25 assists in helping lead the Huskers to school records in wins (21), goals (122) and assists (90).

“I know there were some really good soccer players in the area and in our conference, so to get this award is a huge honor to me,” Faivre said. “I know and play with and against a lot of the guys that were probably in consideration for this, so to be selected for this is really special.

“This may be a personal award, but I wouldn’t have been able to have the season I had without my teammates. To be honest, there may not have been a teammate that at some point during the season didn’t make a pass that put me in a good position to score. Hopefully I did the same.”

Faivre had a six-goal game against Hinckley-Big Rock, scored four times in a match against Sandwich and passed for four assists against Yorkville Christian. Faivre was unanimous All-Little Ten Conference for the second consecutive season and was a Times All-Area second-team selection as a sophomore.

“My first goal before the season started was for the team to get back into a regional championship game,” Faivre said. “Then, personally, first I wanted to get around 20 assists and then over 33 goals, which I had my sophomore year. I really just wanted to improve in both of those areas, and I figured if I could do that, it would more than likely mean the team did well.”

The Huskers began the season winning a school-record 15 consecutive games, but Faivre said because seven soccer players also participated in golf, he wasn’t sure how the season would go. He said there were only a couple of weeks that the full team hit the practice field.

“I was actually trying to convince some of them to not go out for golf,” Faivre said with a laugh. “I just knew how good of a team we could be, and I wasn’t sure with them doing both sports how well we’d play on game days. There were times during the season where I felt like we needed to work on something specific in practice, but also knew they weren’t going to be there because of golf.

“But now looking back, it really didn’t affect us too much. We just seemed to be able to play games well together despite not being able to practice together.”

Serena followed a solid regular season by winning a Class 1A regional title on its home pitch against rival Earlville before falling to eventual state champion Quincy Notre Dame in the sectional semifinals.

“I’d love to relive our regional championship game, especially after losing to Mendota the year before,” Faivre said when asked if there was game he could go back and play in again. “It was probably one of the best feelings I’ve ever had.

“I think most of us felt that even though we’d had the season we had and broke all the records we broke, if it ended without a regional championship, it would have been kind of a failure. We felt like winning a regional title was the most important goal that we needed to reach.”

Faivre, now with 79 career goals, is well within striking distance of breaking the program record of 98. He also is third all-time with 44 assists.

“Tanner is a great kid and a great athlete,” Serena coach Dean DeRango said. “He practices as hard as he plays, and that is one reason I feel he had the season he did for us. His stats speak for themselves, but he does so many other things on the field that makes our team better. He is, without a doubt, the ultimate team player and willing to do whatever is needed for his team to win.

“I really can’t wait to see what he does his senior year.”