Fueled by a heavy influx of new players and steadied by a group of sophomores already a year into the program, the Hawks successfully fused veteran experience with fresh talent and cruised to a 4-0 opening-day victory. The decisive win against Shasta College on Aug. 29 highlighted a revamped roster alongside three new coaches.
The Las Positas women’s soccer team has already established itself as a competitive program, appearing in the 3C2A playoffs for 10 consecutive seasons. However, this year they face a unique evolution as they integrate 18 new players onto the roster. While roster overhauls are nothing new to the world of junior collegiate sports, this year’s massive influx of talent will push Cumbo’s ability to manage a program.
Unlike professional teams with months of preseason training and big-dollar budgets, soccer programs like Las Positas must blend local high school standouts, transfers, and any returning players into a cohesive unit in only a matter of weeks.
The Hawks’ season opener came against a Shasta team that went 2-14 last season, 0-10 in conference.
The Hawks didn’t waste any time getting ahead of Shasta. With a quick pass from Bella Hernandez — followed by a touch from Camryn Caliz — the team was able to sneak past the defense within the first eight minutes of play and allow sophomore team member Isabel “Izzy” Garcia to deliver the first strike, eliciting a thunderous reaction from onlookers.
“It felt really good!” Garcia noted. “I feel like when I score a goal, most of the time everything is just silent, so I didn’t really react until I realized everyone was cheering for me and it hit the net.”
The swift first goal set the tone for the match, and the team kept the pressure turned all the way up. With two more goals put past the goalkeeper by newcomer Kara Mullen and Garcia, once again, Las Positas was up 3-0 before the 25-minute mark.
Freshman forward Brianna “Bri” Hillery was able to land yet another goal late into the second half, bringing the total to four and putting a forceful end to the match.
Head coach Andrew Cumbok knew the tactical masterclass was bound to pay off. Unlike the players who may see the field as turf to defend, or grounds to prove themselves on, for Coach Cumbo it’s simply a home to fine-tune their skills.
“We recruited hard to fill the team,” Cumbo said regarding the mid-year overhaul that brought in several new transfers. “The main piece was [bringing in] defensive-minded players because the players we brought in last spring were a little bit more attack-minded.”
And recruit hard they did, adding nearly two full lineups of new players to the team for a total roster of 22 players, a roster size not surpassed for the Hawks at any point over the last three years.
Against Shasta, a total of 21 players saw the field.
“You’re able to change the game …with so many different players and tactics,” he said on the matter, “so there’s always an element of surprise to your advantage.”
Cumbo does not lack help in managing the growing lineup. The team also welcomed 3 new assistant coaches this season: joining the Hawks are goalkeeper coach Romello Fulcher alongside assistant coaches Irie O’Donell and Gio Monroe.
Offering a blend of program history and local expertise, Fulcher and O’Donell both provide unique continuity as former players under Cumbo.
Adding to that foundation is newcomer Gio Monroe, a local and well-established women’s varsity coach who brings a wealth of experience to the team.
Until 2022, Monroe was an Olympic Player Development coach for the Portland Timbers Regional Training Center, a program that is focused on young athletes’ development.
In 2024, Monroe took a job as Granada women’s soccer head coach two and a half miles down the road from Las Positas.
Intense daily drills and tactical sessions have helped the players learn each other’s tendencies and build on-field chemistry.
As freshman goalkeeper Farzana Momrak put it, “When I saw the team, everyone was so welcoming, and I was like, ‘Okay, this is gonna be super fun, and I’ve learned a lot so far.”
The welcoming environment not only eased her nerves, but immediately offered a strong support system as well.
“The other goalkeepers, they’re super nice too,” Momrak said of her teammates competing for playing time with her. “They tell me ‘You got this!’ so many times, and we huddle around together before we get on the field.”
Along with pre-game rituals and explosive battle cries, the players also directly vote for their team captains, further empowering the roster and solidifying a player-led culture. This foundation of teammate synergy and mutual respect is one that Cumbo hopes only to continue building with the season.
“We have a great level of trust right now. But we’ll continue to … build on that throughout the season based on the experiences we have with one another.”
For the second matchup of the Hawks season, the team traveled to Hayward to play their sister school, Chabot, who went 10-5-5 last season. Last year, the Hawks won their first matchup of the season 3-0, then split the second matchup 1-1.
This year, the Hawks put up five goals on Chabot, with three goals courtesy of Brianni Hillery. Hillery jumped ahead of Garcia for the goal lead, with Mullen adding another goal to tie for second with Garcia.
Through the first two games, the Hawks have shut out both opponents and go into their third matchup with a +9 goal differential.
The Hawks, led by Cumbo, are united and high-powered in their quest for an 11th straight playoff appearance.
Infusing new and old blood, the race is on to make this yet another milestone season.
***
TOP PHOTO: Freshman center back Amassa Rabi loads up for a pass to a teammate near midfield to get past the Shasta defense. (Photo by Zach Lewis // The Express)
Jo Rojas is a staff writer for the Express. Follow them on Instagram @itsajobrainer.
