The Soccer State Semifinals Begin Today; Watch LIVE
The Soccer State Championships Will Be Broadcast LIVE Friday & Sunday; Links to each game can be found on the schedules/results pages
State Championship Brackets [Men][Women]
Men's Soccer Semifinals (Friday, December 4)
#1S Oxnard (17-4-3) vs. #2N Lake Tahoe (18-4-2) – 10:00 a.m.
#1N Evergreen Valley (17-3-3) vs. #2S Mt. San Antonio (16-5-3) – 1:30 p.m.
Women's Soccer Semifinals (Friday, December 4)
#1N Fresno City (19-1-4) vs. #2S Cerritos (21-0-3) – 10:00 a.m.
#1S Rio Hondo (16-1-4) vs. #2N Modesto (18-4-2) – 1:30 p.m.
The men's state championship tournament will have only one team who has won a previous CCCAA title - Mt San Antonio – who won four consecutive (2009-12) and has played in the last eight championship games. Both Evergreen Valley and Lake Tahoe have advanced both their men's and women's team to the Final Four. They are also the only sports each school offers. Lake Tahoe has had a quick rise to the top with their men's program, as they are only in their second year of existence and have qualified for the playoffs both seasons.
South #1 Seed – Oxnard (1st Place Western State 17-4-3) – The Condors got off to an 0-1-2 start on the year before going 8-0-1 in their next nine games. They dropped two conference games in a row before winning their last six games leading up to the Final Four. They avenged one of those setbacks with their 1-0 win over conference rival LA Mission College to advance to the state tournament. As the #6-seed, they benefitted from a pair of upsets, which allowed them to play their last two games at home. Oxnard has been led this season by Gustavo Navarro, who has 12 goals and four assists in just 17 games, while Joseph Hernandez has contributed 10 goals. In goal, Eduardo Garcia has started all but one game and has posted a 1.13 goals against average with 11 shutouts. He recorded seven shutouts in a row during the team's nine-game unbeaten streak.
South #2 Seed – Mt. San Antonio (2nd Place South Coast 15-5-4; 4 State Championships; 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012) – With appearances in the last eight CCCAA State Championship games, the Mounties come in with the most post-season experience. Mt. SAC became the first men's program to win four straight titles and trail only Foothill and Santa Ana, who have five career championships. The team won their last two playoff games on the road, including a victory in penalty kicks over #1-seeded Chaffey College. The only team in the state tournament that has lost two games in a row twice during the season, the Mounties have relied on the duo of Jhonata Bautista and Michael Flores, who have each scored 12 goals on the year. They have also relied on the play of Manuel Medina, who has six goals and seven assists, with Rolando Munoz leading the team with eight assists. In goal, Andy Gutierrez has started all 24 games and has recorded 10 shutouts and has allowed just one goal in his last four games.
North #1 Seed – Evergreen Valley (2nd Place Coast Conference South Division 17-3-3) - The Hawks of Evergreen Valley will be making the quick trip across the Silicon Valley to Cupertino to play in the state semifinal. They rank third in the state in goals scored, thanks in part to the play of Salifu Jatta, who is tied for fourth in the state with 16 goals, which includes a five-goal game against Skyline College. Feeding Jatta the ball has been Joe Kay, who leads the state with 27 assists, which is 11 more than the second most in state. When Jatta isn't scoring, the trio of Louis Bellido (8), James Dawes (7) and Fernando Menera (7) have been weapons the Hawks have turned to for offense. Ian Valdivia has assumed the sole position of goalkeeper and has won eight of his last nine starts with three shutouts.
Regional Championship Brackets
Men [Northern CA][Southern CA]
Women [Northern CA][Southern CA]
Round 3 Recaps, Stats, Results [Men][Women]
Round 2 Recaps, Stats, Results [Men][Women]
Round 1 Recaps, Stats, Results [Men][Women]
photo by Cliff Robinson
