It's easy to understand why defender Omar Gonzalez gets much of the praise from fans and members of the media watching the Terrapin men's soccer team.
Last year's ACC Defensive Player of the Year and a current MAC Hermann Award Trophy semifinalist for college player of the year, Gonzalez naturally draws attention with his 6-foot-5 frame and dazzling array of offensive skills that are rare from a typical center back.
But for all of his undeniable talent, it's arguable whether Gonzalez has been the best defender for the No. 2-seeded Terps this season.
That's because of the consistently great defensive performance the Terps have received from senior captain A.J. Delagarza, who, at 5-foot-8, has been both figuratively and literally overshadowed by Gonzalez all year.
"I just think A.J. doesn't have some of the qualities that stand out," coach Sasho Cirovski said. "He's like the glue of our backline. He's such a great competitor and A.J. loves playing in humility. His game doesn't speak loud. He's a competitor, he's a winner, he puts his body in harm's way and he does a lot of the little things that you want in a player."
Delagarza, the Bryans Road native who was a critical part of the 2005 Terps' national title team, already had the reputation as a pesky player with a high energy level. But he said this season he has taken his game to another level with a smarter style of play.
"I'm playing to my capabilities," Delagarza said. "I'm not playing balls that I know I shouldn't be playing, or making stupid decisions that I may have done in the past."
That doesn't mean he has completely lost the edge necessary to get under an opponent's skin. In a September game against Duke, Delagarza did something - what it was remains unclear - to make Blue Devil star forward Mike Grella headbutt him in the chest while setting up to receive a free kick in the box.
It earned Grella a red card, he was ejected from the game and the Terps went on to win 1-0. After the game Delagarza declined to elaborate on what caused the episode, but he said it wasn't any sort of trash-talking.
It wasn't the only time Delagarza drew a red card this year. In the Terps' Oct. 31 win against Virginia, he drew two red cards from Cavaliers - one after he was knocked to the ground from behind in mid-air after clearing a ball.
Goalkeeper Will Swaim said Delagarza can aggravate forwards because he is just "a wee little man," yet is still physical enough to shut them down.
Whatever the methods, Delagarza has helped the Terp backline become one of the most respected in the country, with a goals-against average of 0.78 per game.
Whether it's deftly anticipating where balls are going and simply out-positioning faster attackers, as he did in that win against Virginia, or frustrating some of the country's best strikers, such as the incident with Grella, Delagarza has been effective in a variety of ways.
He's cleanly stolen possession away from streaking forwards and, in some situations, even bailed out other defenders.
"He has made me better as a player, so I don't really think he gets overlooked," Gonzalez said. "At our home games I hear people talking about A.J., yelling his name, chanting for him. So I know that people look at A.J. because he's a great player, and I respect him to the fullest."
While longtime fans at Ludwig Field certainly understand Delagarza's importance, it's safe to say people largely unfamiliar with the team have sometimes forgotten his value.
Delagarza was named to the All-ACC Second Team player after the regular season, but it's been other Terps who have garnered most of the other honors. Gonzalez was one of only two defenders on the All-ACC first team.
Midfielder Jeremy Hall, forward Casey Townsend and goalkeeper Zac MacMath all were chosen to be on the All ACC Tournament team, while Delagarza was not named despite being key in helping the Terps shut out all three of their opponents on their way to the tournament championship.
"Maybe in the media, that's how it is," midfielder Matt Kassel said. "As a team, we all know how important A.J. is as a player. Omar and A.J. work very well together - Omar is a big guy and A.J. is a little scrappy guy, so they have a great combination with each other. They both deserve multiple honors and I'm sure they'll receive that at the end of the day."
Just as Cirovski suggested, Delagarza said the attention, or sometimes the lack of it, doesn't bother him. He doesn't think Gonzalez steals his spotlight, and even if he does, Delagarza is glad to share it with him.
"As long as our team is winning we all get the same amount of credit I think," Delagarza said. "So I'm happy for him that he's a semifinalist for the Hermann Trophy. I wish him the best in that and we work together obviously. I think it'd be a great accomplishment if he got it- for both of us."
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