His mother cried, his father smiled; Joshua Borja illuminated.

It was the most penetrating goal that Borja had ever produced. It traveled more than 5,000 miles and tied together three generations.

On the island of Guam, the birthplace of his grandfather and the genesis of his bloodline, Borja fell in line with footballers after his own heart and likeness. And when he scored that first goal with the Guam National Team, the 18-year-old felt something he could never have experienced in Southern California.

His parents felt it, too.

“I can’t even explain it,” he said. “I felt a part of the island, and my culture. To be able to represent the island and play was amazing. And then to score a goal …”

Borja, who plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy of the US Soccer Development Academy, received the opportunity of a lifetime when he suited up for Guam in the East Asian Football Championship played March 11-15.  

Scoring two goals during matches against Mongolia, Macau-China and Northern Mariana Island, Borja helped Guam advance to the semifinals of the championships where it’ll compete against Chinese Taipai, Hong Kong and North Korea come August in Taiwan.

It was a most special achievement for the small island of Guam, and an eye-opening one for Borja, who was making his first trip to the land of his ancestors.

“It was a special place. I got there two weeks before we started playing so that I could train with the team, and on off days I went moped riding and water skiing – very cool,” he said. “The fields were very professional and well kept, and we had maybe 600 people the first two games. By the third game, word had spread through the island that we were doing well and maybe 1,500 people came out. It was a good scene and the crowd gave us a boost.”

National coach Norio Tsukitate first spotted Borja while he played at the San Diego Surf Cup last season.

When it was learned that Borja had an ancestral link to the island, he was given a tryout and eventually he and his family packed their bags and made the trip.  

Despite playing on the backline for the Galaxy, where he joins teammates Dersu Abolfathi, Tristan Bowen, James Rochlitz, Eric Shannon and James Stroud, Borja shined at midfielder for Guam. The position change was far from the biggest obstacle he had to encounter.

“The biggest thing was mentally, I had to get over the excitement of playing internationally against other national teams,” Borja said. “I’ve played forward and midfield in the past, and the team did a really good job of bringing me along. They played similarly to the way my Galaxy team does, with a lot of passing and movement.”

Borja, who will attend Chico State next season, has returned to the Galaxy a renewed player and person.

“This is just the start of what, hopefully is a very glamorous international career,” said Galaxy coach Warren Barton. “It’s a great asset for anyone who has the opportunity to play for a country; this will give him a lot of inner strength. Josh is a very good athlete with a good soccer brain, but he’s also calm and very level-headed and he won’t let this go to his head.

“You have to enjoy it while you can, but also keep working, because it’s only the beginning.”

Borja seems to sense as much.

“I feel like I’ve matured a lot in the past few weeks,” he said. “I’ve stepped it up to another level.”

A level known as Cloud Nine.