Falcons’ memorable season ends in loss to Mt. SAC
Cerritos’s Ernesto Vergara (14) reacts after their loss to Mt. San Antonio College in their Southern California Regional Playoffs (4th Round) soccer game at Cerritos College on Saturday. Mt. SAC defeated Cerritos 1-0 in overtime. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)
NORWALK – The third time wasn’t the charm for the Cerritos College Men’s Soccer team Saturday (November 26) in the California Community College Athletic Association Southern California (CCCAA) Regional Finals.
With a CCCAA State Championship Semifinal berth on the line, the Falcons saw their magical season come to an end in overtime to the defending state champion Mounties, 1-0.
Cerritos, which finished the season with a 21-1-2 record, had previously beaten Mt. SAC (16-6-2) in a regular season game (2-1) and the South Coast Conference Championship (3-2).
“The unfortunate part of this game sometimes is, we finished the season undefeated (one loss) and yet we’re done,” Cerritos College Men’s Soccer coach Benny Artiaga said. “In playoffs, unfortunately, someone has to be sent home and (Saturday) it was us.
“We were clearly the better team (Saturday). It’s unfortunate man. In soccer, it’s not the best team that wins all the time.”
Cerritos finished the 2017 season undefeated, when they were 17-0-7. The Falcons finished that year as the nation’s top-ranked team, but tied Taft, 1-1, in the state semifinals in double overtime. The Cougars moved on to the title game after they outlasted Cerritos, 4-1, in penalty kicks.
They were the second team to finish a season unbeaten and not come away with a state title.
Mt. SAC was 22-0-2 and lost to Taft in the state semifinals also on PKs.
“The whole team stepped up,” Artiaga added. “We played a very good game, but just couldn’t put one away. We needed to put one away and we didn’t and (Mt. SAC) did and that’s the difference between wins and losses.”
The Falcons, with four previous state titles, were held to only three shots on goal in the game.
“It was a lot of pressure (Saturday),” said sophomore forward Enrique Penate, who scored the first goal in the 2-1 win over Santa Monica in Round 3. “It was competitive, as you saw, and everybody fought to their last breath. We just didn’t get to (score) a goal obviously. We all tried and we’re sad that we didn’t get to go to state.
Cerritos midfielder Gabriel Oropeza (10) takes a shot on goal as they play Mt. San Antonio College in their Southern California Regional Playoffs (4th Round) soccer game at Cerritos College on Saturday. Mt. SAC defeated Cerritos 1-0 in overtime. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)
“It was a very physical game, and they came with everything. Obviously, it was the third game. We expected this and we just couldn’t finish.”
Penate spoke of teammate and captain Tony Negrete on his value to the team.
“He’s our captain, first of all, and he showed leadership on and off the field and he kept motivating us when we were down and up,” Penate said. “He’s just a player that we all look up to as a captain, defensive and offensive.” Negrete tied with freshman midfielder Kobe Chavez with 11 goals this season.
In the 79th minute for the Falcons, freshman forward Julian Vazquez came the closest to scoring a goal for Cerritos, as he hit the crossbar.
After the 90-minute regulation ended in a 0-0 tie, something that was all too familiar to the Falcons – overtime – would give Cerritos a chance in the two 15-minute periods to advance with a win.
With just 1:41 elapsed in the first OT period, Mt. SAC’s Edward Castro gave them a quick 1-0 lead.
Castro played the ball to sophomore forward Alex Mendez, who beat the first defender then scored.
“It was great to get the win,” Mt. SAC coach Juan Sanchez said. “We got the one that matters.”
Having another steller game was Cerritos freshman goalie Steven Ruiz, who has won 14 games this season and just the one setback. Ruiz has eight shutouts this season and was second in the state with 0.52 goals against average.
“It was a back-and-forth battle between two teams with quality players on both sides,” Ruiz said. “Unfortunately, we had a lot of chances, and we just didn’t put them away. It came down to execution and one of the few chances they had, they were able to put it away. That was really the big difference for the game.
“To us, this was the final. Whoever wins this game, was probably going to be the (State) champion. We came out to the game to be like a final, but unfortunately, they got the lucky side of the coin (Saturday).”
Cerritos players block a free kick from Mt. San Antonio College in their Southern California Regional Playoffs (4th Round) soccer game at Cerritos College on Saturday. Mt. SAC defeated Cerritos 1-0 in overtime. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)
“(The game) was very physical (6 yellow cards handed out). It was the third time that we played against each other. Every game has been a war and I wasn’t really surprised by that. It was a back-and-forth battle and unfortunately, they came out on top (Saturday).”
Highlighting the season, especially for the 18 seniors on the 29-man roster, 19 of the 26 field players scored at least one goal, which was led by Negrete and Chavez.
Vazquez added nine goals, along with eight from sophomore forward Pablo Caparelli and seven from sophomore midfielder Gabriel Oropeza.
In addition, freshman goalie Juan Pablo Camacho had a perfect 6-0 record for the Falcons.
“The only thing we need to do, is exactually what we keep doing,” Atiaga added. “I mean, we had an undefeated (one loss) season. Put that into perspective. What can we do different.
“In 2017 we went undefeated and lost in PKs and didn’t have a ring with it. At the end of the day, you have a bad taste in your mouth. We’re Cerritos man, and we’ll keep grinding and we’ll keep getting better.
“For us not having a ring, as is ultimately expected, is not what we expected (Saturday). We’re heartbroken obviously for our sophomores. It is what it is. We’ll keep working and we’ll keep grinding.”
In addition to coach Benny Artiaga, is assistant coach and brother, George Artiaga, Jose Esparza, Chris Lekavich, Jesse Erazo, Eduardo Barba, Ramon Rivas, Alejandro Diaz and Strength and Conditioning coach Arna Kilicarslan.
