RENO, Nev. – My oh my.

One free agency signing has already poured gasoline onto the best rivalry in the State of Nevada already.

Soccer fans across the Silver State are already eager for the Silver State Cup.

And the 2019 schedule isn’t even out yet.

Last week Reno 1868 FC signed midfielder Raul Mendiola, arguably the best player on rival Las Vegas Lights FC’s roster in 2018.

Mendiola scored 10 goals in just 22 appearances for the Southern Nevada club, including two against Reno which spoiled a Silver State Cup win on Sept. 22.

The fact is this: Mendiola was already a high-profile player prior to his time with the Lights.

Any club would be thrilled to have a dynamic player like him on their roster.

And here is why:

He’s a Chance Creator

Head coach Ian Russell’s team is built around offense, although last year you could argue that the defense played the biggest factor in a repeat playoff appearance. After all, the club allowed just 39 goals during the year to go along with 12 shutouts.

The attack has what has helped Reno make its mark in its two short years in the USL Championship. Reno’s attack is predicated on its ability to create chances and Mendiola fits right into a lineup already set-up with goal scorers.

His 23 assists are sixth in the league’s modern era, ranking as one of the best set-up guys in the entire USL Championship. Last year, Mendiola created 26 chances and notched four assists in just four matches.

He Can Score Too

Despite his vision being his strongest trait, Mendiola has showed he can finish too.

Mendiola finished 2018 as the Lights’ leading scorer with 10 goals. Over half of Mendiola’s shots on target found the back of the net.

Since 2014, Mendiola has scored 19 goals and has proved to be a handful inside the box.

Reno head coach Ian Russell’s reputation to produce goal-scorers precedes him. Over the past two years, Reno has produced two Top 10 goal-scorers including 2017 USL Golden Boot and MVP Dane Kelly, who scored a club-record 18 goals in the inaugural season.

After a breakout season in 2018 in terms of finishing, Mendiola could be primed for a career year.

He’s Not a Defensive Liability

If you are going to play in the fast-paced Reno attack, you’ve got to be able to defend too.

Mendiola brings that defensive grittiness to the midfield making adding to his versatility. Over the past two seasons, Mendiola has posted a 78 percent tackle success rate.

That should bode well for a team that has seen defensive-minded midfielders like Luis Felipe and Kevin Partida make the leap to Reno’s MLS affiliate, the San Jose Earthquakes.

Fact is Mendiola should keep Reno’s ever-shifting midfield secure in 2019.