The Hawks’ bench jumped to their feet, charging onto the pitch. They leapt into the chaotic moshpit being formed along the sideline. Their yells of triumph reverberated through the night sky. They all came together, embracing, dancing, and celebrating.
This scene commemorated their win in front of their home fans, punching their ticket to the second round of the playoffs. Except, the job wasn’t finished.
“Get off the field” – a yell pierced their celebrations, stemming from one of their assistant coaches, Carlos Moreno.
It was the middle of the first half. There was still an hour of soccer left to be played.
The celebrations came from their opening goal from freshman defender Alexis Gutierrez. The energy from the celebration matched the vigor they would defend with the rest of the game.
The scene illustrated the product they produced on the field. United. Loud. The spirit they knew would be required to keep their season alive.
Las Positas advanced to round two of the 3C2A playoffs with a gritty 1–0 win over No. 18 Butte on Nov. 19. The match was defined by physicality, playoff-intense chatter and a Hawks team that finally played with the communication they’d been chasing all season.
Even as the higher-seeded team, the Hawks came into the game plagued with internal wounds. In the four games leading up to the contest, they had lost two and tied two, matching their longest streak without a win on the year.
Lapses in morale, tense conversations and a tendency to go quiet when pressure rises were at the heart of their struggles. Butte brought a physical style of play that would normally rattle the Hawks, causing them to fall back into their issues.
But with the season on the line, these Hawks responded. They stayed organized and played for each other in a way they hadn’t shown prior. The performance reflected the version of this team that can make a real playoff run. One defined by unity rather than frustration.
“Thought the whole team did great,” head coach Andrew Cumbo said. “Everybody stepped up really well … there wasn’t just one key player. It was a great team effort.”
There were stretches this season where you could feel the air drain out of Las Positas. One mistake, one bad pass, one moment of pressure, and suddenly the talking stopped. Guys would hold the ball too long, the next run wouldn’t get called out, and everything would go quiet in all the ways a team can’t afford.
The vocal leadership brought by captains Sahib Sandhu or Arteen Arianmanesh couldn’t always pull the team out of it. Against aggressive and loud teams like Evergreen Valley, who beat the Hawks 2-0, the frustration piled up fast. Possessions broke down, players threw their hands up after missed cues, and the whole group played not to lose instead of trying to win. It wasn’t the talent holding them back. It was the silence.
When Butte came into the Nest for a battle to keep the season alive, they knew they couldn’t go out quietly. The bench started talking. The captains got louder. Sandhu commanded the back line, Arianmanesh managed the midfield, and the entire team sounded like a unit.
That shift was everything. The Hawks stayed compact, tight and organized, holding their first shutout since a 2-0 win over Chabot on Oct. 21.
“Our defensive organization was really good,” Cumbo said. “We kept the lines tight and fogged up their passing lanes.”
Gutierrez provided all the offense required.
He made a strong rush to the box. Arianmanesh had found freshman midfielder Dayton Dillman on a cross. Before you could even blink, Dillman slipped through Gutierrez, who provided a smooth finish past the goalkeeper.
“Dayton (Dillman) sent me the ball,” Gutierrez said. “I turned around. It was a surprise to me, but I definitely had to step up to the plate as a nine and get the points for our team.”
The performance encapsulated what the team can be. They have been one of the most balanced teams in Northern California all season with 54 goals in 21 games, less than one goal allowed per match, and nearly unbeatable at home. Their touch, their patience and their ability to keep the ball have always been there. What wasn’t there was the trust and cohesion required for a deep run. One that will be crucial in the team’s pursuit of revenge.
For the Hawks to continue on their push, they must beat No. 2 Hartnell in Salinas. A season ago, the team found a way to beat then No.1 Evergreen Valley. To muster that same magic, these Hawks must play a complete game. They have to be led by unity.
In their penultimate regular-season game, Hartnell showed the Hawks the levels required. At the Nest, they beat them 3-0, their largest loss of the year. It forced the Hawks to see all their flaws, highlighting their lack of trust in each other, particularly in the back line.
Against Butte, that trust was there. They played for each other. They defended as a collective.
To flip the outcome, to create another chance at a fairytale run, the Hawks must emulate it. Hartnell won’t let them breathe. They average 2.57 goals a game, with four of their top five goal scorers being sophomores. They have the experience, the depth, the finishing ability and the defensive cohesion worthy of a top-two seed.
The Hawks have to match the cohesion. The past 3-0 loss didn’t come from being outplayed; it came from disconnect. The Hawks now get their chance to rewrite that. Everything they’ve learned, everything they’ve fixed, everything they have proved they can be against Butte, all leads to this rematch. If they go quiet again, Hartnell will make them pay for it.
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TOP PHOTO: Las Positas men’s soccer home playoff win; 1-0 against Butte Nov. 19. Alexis Gutierrez No.4 — lone goal scorer — attempts to pull away from the Butte defenders grip on his jersey. (Photo by Ian Kapsalis/The Express)
