The pitch at Las Positas was filled with supportive fans. Not just those coming to root for the Hawks but also for visiting West Valley. Most in the crowd wore hoodies and beanies, protecting themselves from the constantly chilly breeze whipping across the field. The lights shined bright across the green misty grass. The evening cold signaled the coming winter and the maturation of the soccer season. The energy from the crowd packing the seats.
It all added to the must-win feel of the match.
The Hawks didn’t need such an ambiance to understand the importance of this Oct. 18 showdown. It was a crucial test with postseason ramifications attached.
They failed. Again.
The Hawks stumbled, suffering a closely contested 3-1 loss to West Valley. It pushed their losing streak to three games. After starting the season 6-0, the Hawks won just one of their next seven matches, losing five and tying the other.
The Coast Conference-South schedule has been relentless for the young Hawks. Las Positas, 7-5-2 overall, drops to 1-4-1 in conference play, which is good for fifth place.
The Hawks’ hot start to the season has kept their playoff ambitions in reach. But with only eight games remaining, they are running out of time to turn around their conference fortunes, which is necessary to solidify their postseason position.
If a silver lining exists from the loss to West Valley, it’s the battle the Hawks showed even with the adversity of several unfavorable calls from the referees.
Just a few minutes into the match, the Hawks saw one of their shots saved by an outstretched hand. The issue: it wasn’t the hand of the goalkeeper. If a defender’s hand touches the ball in the box, that’s an automatic penalty kick for the offense. But Las Positas didn’t get the call.
“They had blocked a shot on goal,” Andrew Cumbo said. “It appeared to be a handball that the referee didn’t see.”
It set a precedent for the match, with multiple more referee decisions met with outrage from the Hawks’ sideline. One of those altercations ended in a yellow card for Las Positas. When playing uphill, working against the momentum of a losing streak and trying to establish yourself as a worthy team, the bad breaks can be especially killer.
“Unfortunately, it didn’t go our way,” Cumbo said. “West Valley is a great team, and I wouldn’t mind seeing them again.”
West Valley controlled the first half of the match, keeping the Hawks off the scoresheet. In the second half, the Hawks responded quickly to insert themselves back into the game.
In the 46th minute, freshman Saul Tecle, the state leader in goals, managed to find an opening for the Hawks, slotting the ball past the keeper to tie the game, 1-1. Tecle has been the backbone of the Hawks’ offense as the team’s playstyle revolves around creating openings for him to have clear shots on goal.
“They kind of depend on me to score goals,” Tecle said, “and that kind of gives me that energy and that motivation to keep on striving. Not only do I do it for me, but also for my team, so we can get wins and eventually have a good seat in playoffs.”
But the Hawks couldn’t hold onto the deadlock for long. Just two minutes after Tecle evened out the score, West Valley responded with another goal, quickly regaining their lead and momentum against the Hawks.
The game’s momentum proceeded to swing back and forth between the two, with both teams creating chances to score the fourth goal of the match. During these tense minutes, the refs and Hawks continued in their disagreements with each call the Hawks perceived to be against them increasing the intensity and frustration among players, coaches and fans.
Ultimately, it was West Valley who was able to strike, scoring their third goal with 22 minutes left in the game. That all but ended the host’s hopes for victory.
Hawks sophomore forward Lenni Hertwig believes their team performed well, despite the crushing loss.
“I thought we did good,” Hertwig explained. “It’s just hard when you score and then get scored on right away. You’re there one second, the next you’re just back down again so it’s tough. We fought to the end so that’s just all we can ask for.”
Moving forward into the season, the Hawks will need to rely on its two forwards — Tecle and Hertwig — and their freshman midfielder Frank Hinostraza to turn their Conference season around. These three key players lead the team in points (which combines a player’s goals scored and assisted). Each of them offers a unique and different playstyle. When they’re on their game, it creates an offense that causes problems for opponents. The Hawks average 2.6 goals per game.
“From the beginning, me, Lenni and Frank had a really good connection,” Tecle said. “Us three, that’s the usual front three lineup. And I think all three of us bring a different attribute to the game and kind of helps us take on defenders.”
The Hawks will head into San Francisco for their next match against their rivals, the City College of San Francisco Rams. The Rams hold a 3-3 Conference record and a 8-4 overall record. It should be yet another challenging game for the Hawks. The goal is not to just make the playoffs but to compete in the postseason. In order to do that, the Hawks have to find their stride and re-solidify their success on the pitch. Soon.
“We just want to take it game by game and primarily stay focused and positive, supporting each other,” Cumbo said. “We want to play good attacking soccer and try to continue to score goals.”
Top photo: Saul Tecle (No. 19), one of the best goal-scorers in the state, might need to turn it up another level to keep the Hawks’ postseason chances alive. (Photo by Alan Lewis/ Special to The Express)
Francis Kennedy is the Sports Editor for The Express. Follow him on X, formally Twitter @kennedy_aloisf.
