Devi Dixit
There was a chill in the air as the Hawks faced the West Valley Vikings in game two of the playoffs. Spirits were high on both teams as they were competing to stay alive in the playoffs.
On Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2017, the Las Positas mens soccer team played in their second round of playoffs.
As the ball shot into play, it soon became clear to many in the audience that the Hawks were more out of it than usual. The players on the field were clearly in different patterns, with all the red and black of LPC clumped together in columns or tight groups while the white shirts of The Vikings dotted the field. The result was a team of Hawks who had to work harder just to defend against the well coordinated attacks of West Valley.
Thirty eight minutes into the game West Valley scored, surprising both teams.
Goalie Brannon Dwyer had little opportunity to block the goal since it happened so fast from a corner position. It was so unusual, that some members of the audience even called out to the referee to disqualify the goal on the basis that it shouldn’t have been a legal play.
While it could be said their competitive spirits rose, after the first goal the energy was more negative. The environment and actions on the field were not sincere, and the game started to sour even further for the Hawks
Despite some chances to score, they just couldn’t make it to the net.
“They had plenty of opportunities to score, they just didn’t” said the men’s coach, Andrew Cumbo.
The game went by slowly. The crowds were supportive and loud, rooting for another chance in the playoffs. However, this was not going to happen for Las Positas, and the Vikings scored yet again, bringing despair to audience and players alike looking for the Hawks to soar into a win.
The game finally ended with the score being 2-0, the West Valley Vikings taking the W to the next game in the CCCAA NorCal Championships.