2008 STATE CHAMPIONS

01.13.10 - Luis Gonzalez named National Player of the Year
For the first time in history, a member of the Cerritos College men's soccer team has earned the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Player of the Year. Falcon sophomore forward Luis Gonzalez (Long Beach Millikan HS), who led the Falcons to the #2-national ranking, was named the National Player of the Year after finishing with 27 goals and 18 points for 72 points. He helped lead Cerritos to the 3rd Round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs his sophomore season after guiding them to the state championship as a freshman.

Gonzalez, who finished his Cerritos career with 51 goals and 35 assists for 137 points, was also named the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) October Male Athlete of the Month, as well as the South Coast Conference Player of the Year. He became the first Cerritos male athlete to earn the monthly award, while he joins a growing list of those that have earned national recognition. In addition to being a 2nd Team All-American as a freshman, Gonzalez was joined last year by Jonathan Rivas, who was a 1st Team All-American selection, while Michael Paz (2007), Marco Pulido (2006) and Roberto Ramirez (2004) are the other Falcons to earn All-American recognition...[more]

11.28.09 - Late goal ends season for Cerritos
On their road to winning the state championship last season, the Cerritos College men's soccer team defeated rival Mt. San Antonio College four times, with the last being a 1-0 win in the state championship game. If the Falcons were going to make their fourth trip to the state tournament in the last five years, it would have to be with a win over the Mounties. However, on Saturday, Cerritos saw their 1-0 second half lead disappear, as Mt. SAC scored twice in the final 15 minutes to pull out a 2-1 win. The #3-seeded Falcons (19-3-2), who reached the state championship game in 2004, while winning the title in 2006 and 2008, must now wait until next season to try and get back to the tournament.

"This game was very eye-pleasing to the fans and it's why we compete and play sports," said Falcon head coach Benny Artiaga. "It was a game where momentum shifted back and forth and each team waited for the other to make a mistake. We made two careless mistakes in the back and they were right there to capitalize on them."...[more]
 

11.24.09 - Falcons advance to 3rd round with win
Freshman forward Cesar Castillo (Eagle Valley, CO HS) scored a beautiful one-touch goal in the 83rd minute to break a 2-2 tie and the Cerritos College men's soccer team came away with a 3-2 home win over Los Angeles Harbor College in the 2nd Round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs on Tuesday afternoon. The win by the #3-seeded Falcons (19-2-2) sends them to the 3rd Round on Saturday where they will face the winner of the #2 Mt. San Antonio-#10 Moorpark winner. Should the Mounties win, they will host Cerritos, while a Moorpark upset will keep the Falcons at home.

"We'd love to get a chance to face Mt. San Antonio again," said head coach Benny Artiaga. "We'd find out who's the best team in the state is after the game. They'd also be facing a pissed off group who will be using the last game's result against them (a 2-2 tie) as motivation."...[more]
 

11.21.09 - Cerritos opens playoffs with 2-1 win
The Cerritos College men's soccer team opened defense of their state championship on Saturday with a 2-1 home win over Palomar College. The Falcons (18-2-2), the #3-seeded team in the playoffs, now advance to the second round at home on Tuesday, while the Comets (11-7-2) saw their season come to an end. Cerritos will play the winner of the ECC Compton Center-Los Angeles Harbor College game at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The Falcons split their two games against Compton, while they beat LA Harbor both times they faced each other.

"This was a typical close first round game," said head coach Benny Artiaga. "A lot of freshmen got their first taste of playoff soccer. But after this game, nobody on the team can be viewed as a freshman anymore."...[more]

11.17.09 - Men's and women's soccer playoffs announced
Both the Cerritos College men's and women's soccer teams won the state championship last season, while the women were crowned the National Champions and the men finished ranked second. On Saturday, both teams will begin defense of their respective titles at home. The Falcon men's team, which placed second in the South Coast Conference, was seeded #3 and will host #14-seeded Palomar College at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. As for the women, who are the two-time defending state champions and winners of the South Coast Conference, they were seeded #8 and will play at 2:00 p.m. against #9-seeded San Diego Mesa College...[more]

11.13.09 - Falcons finish regular season with win
After falling behind 1-0 to East Los Angeles College in their South Coast Conference finale, the Cerritos College men's soccer team responded with a pair of goals to come away with a 2-1 home victory on Friday. With the Falcons, who finished in second place in the SCC, are 17-2-2 overall and finished 10-2-1 in conference play. The team will have to wait until Monday when the seedings are announced for the Southern California Regionals Playoffs. There is a good chance Cerritos will receive a bye in the first round, which is scheduled for November 21, which means the team will play their second round game on Tuesday, November 24.

The Huskies got on the board first on a miscommunication play by a pair of Falcon players and freshman goalkeeper Danny Lizama (Duarte HS). The ball was sent toward the goal, where both players though Lizama would catch the ball, but it bounced and Victor Clara scored for a 1-0 East LA lead....[more]

11.11.09 - Luis Gonzalez named state's Male Athlete of the Month
Cerritos College sophomore men's soccer forward Luis Gonzalez (Long Beach Millikan HS), who leads the state in goals, assists and points, was named the California Community College Athletic Association October Male Athlete of the Month. This is the first time a member of a Falcon men's team has won the award, while eight Cerritos women's athletes have won the award over the years.

Gonzalez, who scored 15 goals and added nine assists over the nine games played in the month, currently leads the state in goals (25), assists (17) and points (67), as the Falcons are 16-2-2 on the year. Gonzalez helped the team to a 7-1-1 record in October and his output included a four-goal game against Pasadena City College, as well as three other multiple-goal games and a pair of multiple-assist games. Cerritos is currently #3 in Southern California in the power ratings and are the defending state champions...[more]

11.10.09 - Cerritos shuts out El Camino, 3-0
The Cerritos College men's soccer team posted their third win in a row on Tuesday, as they shut out visiting El Camino College, 3-0 in a South Coast Conference match. The win improves the Falcons to 16-2-2 overall and 9-2-1 on the year, as they have just one more regular season game left. On Friday at 1:00 p.m., the team will host East Los Angeles College and then wait to see where they are seeded for the Southern California Regional Playoffs.

In the 18th minute, the Falcons took a 1-0 lead when freshman German Rivas (Monrovia HS) scored on a long shot from outside the box that landed in the upper corner of the net and over the outstretched hands of Warrior goalkeeper Christian Jornsved....[more]

11.06.09 - Shutout has playoff feel for Falcons
With just two more regular season games remaining before the start of the Southern California Regional Playoffs, the Cerritos College men's soccer team turned in a strong defensive game, as they shut out host Los Angeles Harbor College, 2-0 in a South Coast Conference match on Friday night. The win improves the Falcons record to 15-2-2 overall, while they secured a tighter hold on second place in the conference with a 9-2-1 record. The team will play their final two games at home, as they host El Camino College on Tuesday at East Los Angeles College on Friday, with both games starting at 1:00 p.m...[more]

11.03.09 - Falcons rebound after loss with 4-2 win
Needing a win to recapture their confidence after a loss last Friday, the Cerritos College men's soccer team showed much improvement on their offense, while the defense was able to stand up to another test. The end result was a 4-2 South Coast Conference home win against Long Beach City College on Tuesday afternoon. The Falcons (14-3-2 overall, 8-2-1 SCC) will now play under the lights on Friday when they travel to Los Angeles Harbor College for a 6:15 p.m. conference game. The loss dropped the Vikings to 7-7-3 overall and 4-4-3 in conference play.

Long Beach City displayed some offensive pressure early in the game, but the Falcon defense withstood any attack that the Vikings could muster. Cerritos broke the scoreless tie in the 24th minute, thanks to some hard work from sophomore Luis Gonzalez (Long Beach Millikan HS). The state's leading scorer dribbled hard down the left side, turned the corner on a Viking defender and sent a pass along the goal line that was fanned on by freshman Miguel Hernandez (Cabrillo HS). But freshman Eddie Valencia (Los Angeles Wilson HS) was able to get off a shot that was saved by LB City goalkeeper Luis Romero. Hernandez was there for the rebound and chipped it into the net for the goal...[more]

10.30.09 - Cerritos stunned by 2-1 loss to ECC Compton Center
Looking to ride the momentum of a convincing win over Pasadena City earlier in the week, the Cerritos College men's soccer team was stunned by a 2-1 loss to ECC Compton Center on Friday afternoon. The loss all but eliminates the Falcons from defending their South Coast Conference title with four games remaining. The setback drops the team's record to 13-2-2 overall and 7-2-1 in conference play. They will look to get back on the winning track when they host Long Beach City at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday...[more]

10.27.09 - Falcons put away Pasadena with second-half barrage
After the first 45 minutes of their South Coast Conference men's soccer game, Cerritos College held just a 2-0 lead at Pasadena City College. But the Falcons scored six second-half goals, with four coming in a span of 16 minutes to register a convincing 8-0 victory. The win improves the team's season record to 13-1-2, while they are 7-1-1 in SCC play, while the Lancers dropped to 0-15-1 overall and 0-8-1 in conference. Cerritos will now travel to Compton on Friday for a 2:00 p.m. game against ECC Compton Center...[more]

10.23.09 - Late goal saves game for Mt. San Antonio
For the first 90 minutes and an inexplicable seven minutes of extra time, the Cerritos College men's soccer team had outplayed rival Mt. San Antonio College in every facet of the game. Staked to a 2-0 first half lead, the Falcons surrendered a goal when the defense pulled up looking for an offside call, while the game-tying goal came in the eighth minute of extra time in the second half. The tie puts the Falcons at 12-1-2 overall and 6-1-1 in South Coast Conference play, while the Mounties are now 12-0-2 overall and 7-0-1 in the SCC. The tie puts Mt. San Antonio in the driver's seat for the conference title over Cerritos. The team will look to recover from the game when they travel to Pasadena City College for a 2:00 p.m. game next Tuesday.

"I am so proud of the way our team played today and it's a shame that they can't feel better about it," said a very angry head coach Benny Artiaga. "This was the best game any Cerritos team has played on this field and all I can tell the guys is to try and hold their heads up because they played a great 90 minutes - which is all they were supposed to play."...[more]


10.20.09 - Cerritos wins to set up showdown
In their first meeting of the season against rival Mt. San Antonio College, the Cerritos College men's soccer team absorbed their only loss of the season. On Friday at 2:00 p.m. at Cerritos, the two teams will meet up for the second time with South Coast Conference and national implications at stake. The Mounties currently lead the conference and are ranked #2 in the nation, while the Falcons are in second place and ranked #4 in the country. However, Cerritos is the top-ranked team in the state based on power rankings. Last year, the Falcons defeated Mt. SAC four times, including a 1-0 decision in the state championship game.

On Tuesday, the Falcons prepared for the game by posting a 3-0 conference win at East Los Angeles College by scoring three times in the second half. With a much smaller field to work with, Cerritos took some time to adjust to the field of play and finally broke through in the second half...[more]
 

10.16.09 - Fast start leads to lopsided win
It didn't take long for the Cerritos College men's soccer team to get started in their South Coast Conference match at El Camino College on Friday afternoon. The Falcons scored six times in the first half and cruised to a 9-1 victory that improved their season record to 11-1-1, while they are now 5-1-0 in conference play. They will finish off the first round of conference play on Tuesday when they travel to East Los Angeles College for a 2:00 p.m. contest...[more]

10.13.09 - Falcons win intense game against LA Harbor
The Cerritos College men's soccer team posted a 3-1 South Coast Conference home win over Los Angeles Harbor College to knock the Seahawks out of the undefeated conference ranks. With the win, the Falcons improved to 10-1-1 overall and 4-1-0 in conference play, while LA Harbor fell to 8-2-1 overall and 3-1-0 in SCC play. Cerritos will now travel to El Camino College on Friday for a 2:00 p.m. conference game.

The first half was evenly played, as both teams had their fair share of goal-scoring opportunities. Additionally, both teams displayed a very quick pace and used their defense to thwart several other chances. Early in the game, Seahawks goalkeeper Alex Diaz came up with a big save on sophomore Salvador Melendrez (Long Beach Millikan HS), who looked to get on the board with a header...[more]

10.09.09 - Cerritos shuts out Long Beach City, 3-0
After playing a scoreless first half, the Cerritos College men's soccer team scored three times in the second half to post a 3-0 South Coast Conference victory at Long Beach City College on Friday afternoon. The win improved the Falcons record to 9-1-1 overall and 3-1-1 in conference play. The team will now host Los Angeles Harbor College at 2:00 p.m. next Tuesday...[more]

10.06.09 - Team speed enables Falcons to post big win
Using the size of their field and overall team speed to their advantage, the Cerritos College men's soccer team had little trouble dispatching ECC Compton Center in a South Coast Conference match on Tuesday afternoon. The Falcons, who scored eight goals in a win over Pasadena City College last Friday afternoon, defeated the Tartars 9-1 to give them 17 goals in their last two games. Cerritos (8-1-1 overall, 2-1-1 SCC) will now travel to Long Beach City College for a 4:00 p.m. game on Friday.

"We know we have to take advantage of our field every time we play here," said head coach Benny Artiaga. "Being aggressive, while at the same time using our speed is how we are going to remain successful. It does help to have guys like Luis Gonzalez (Long Beach Millikan HS) and Cesar Castillo (Eagle Valley, CO HS) on the field. But I thought the best player on the field today was Juan Mejia (Paramount HS), who didn't score any points, but was everywhere on the field and did a great job of allowing the other players to get open. It's that kind of unselfish play that the coaching staff is looking for from everyone."...[more]

10.02.09 - Falcons regain 'swagger' in win
Looking to make a statement after their loss to Mt. San Antonio College on Tuesday, the Cerritos College men's soccer team scored virtually at will, as they posted an 8-0 South Coast Conference home win over Pasadena City College on Friday afternoon. The margin of victory by the Falcons (7-1-1, 1-1-0) was their second-highest, as they posted a 9-0 win over Orange Coast College earlier in the year. The team will now host ECC Compton Center at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday.

"We felt we needed to be aggressive from the beginning of the game and look to regain our swagger," said head coach Benny Artiaga. "We had an itch we needed to scratch after that loss and it just happened to be Pasadena that was next on our schedule."...[more]

09.29.09 - Cerritos drops first game of the year
On their journey to the state championship last year, the Cerritos College men's soccer team defeated rival Mt. San Antonio College four times, including a 1-0 decision in the championship game. In their first meeting since that game, the Mounties pulled out a 2-1 South Coast Conference win over the Falcons, which snapped their 15-game unbeaten streak (15-0-1) in a crucial contest. Cerritos (6-1-1, 0-1-0) will look to rebound when they host Pasadena City College at 2:00 p.m. Friday in another SCC game...[more]

09.22.09 - Falcons put nine on the board in win
As they prepare for the start of the South Coast Conference season and heated rival Mt. San Antonio College, the Cerritos College men's soccer team was as sharp as they have been so far in the abbreviated season. The Falcons, defending conference and state champions, posted a 9-0 win over Orange Coast College in a non-conference game on Tuesday at Cerritos. Ranked #2 in the nation heading into the game, Cerritos (6-0-1) has now scored 32 goals in their seven games and played as if they weren't coming off an 11-day layoff. Next Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. at Mt. SAC, the team will look to continue their success against the Mounties, who they defeated four times last year, which culminated in a 1-0 win in the state championship game.

"You know, we really take a lot of pride in playing well on our field in front of our great fans," said head coach Benny Artiaga. "This field fits our team so well because it's a very large field and we have speed at every position. I've been telling everyone that we are faster than last year's team and we showed it today. We wanted to go right at Orange Coast, who has played well this year, and put the pressure on them from the start. I preach to the team every day at practice that our offense is predicated on the success of our defense. Again, that was something we showed today."...[more]

09.11.09 - Early goal holds up in victory
After jumping out to an early 1-0 lead against Golden West College in their home-opener on Friday afternoon, the Cerritos College men's soccer team saw that score hold up for a victory. The win keeps the Falcons, ranked #1 in the state and #2 in the nation, unbeaten on the year, as they improved to 5-0-1. They will get an 11-day rest before returning to action when they host Orange Coast College at 2:00 p.m. on September 22.

Just seven minutes into the match, sophomore defender Fabian Perez (Bellflower HS) sent a 30-yard pass to sophomore midfielder Salvador Melendrez (Long Beach Millikan HS). Seeing that the Rustler goalkeeper was out of position due to the long pass, Melendrez fired a shot over his outstretched hands from about 25 yards out...[more]

09.07.09 - Cerritos wins second straight tournament
On the strength of a pair of regulation wins and another by penalty kicks, the Cerritos College men's soccer team won the Hartnell Tournament, which includes some of the best teams from Northern California. The Falcons (4-0-1) opened with a convincing 6-0 win over American River College and followed that with a come-from-behind 2-2 result against Hartnell that Cerritos won on penalty kicks, 4-2. That sent them to the championship game, where they handed Fresno City College a 3-1 defeat after falling behind early. The team will now play their home opener on Friday at 4:00 p.m. against Golden West College...[more]

08.30.09 - Falcons put up big numbers in first two games
As the defending state champions, the Cerritos College men's soccer team knows that their opponents are looking to find out just how good their teams are when they face the Falcons. Cerritos showed that they are still loaded with talent when they defeated Oxnard College, 6-1 on Friday and then defeated Taft College, 4-1 on Sunday with at the Mt. San Antonio Tournament. The Falcons (2-0-0) will now travel north for the Hartnell Tournament and open with a 3:00 p.m. game on Friday against American River College...[more]

03.25.09 - Cerritos announces the signing of eight players
The Cerritos College men's soccer coaching staff has announced that seven players from their 2008 State Championship team have signed letters of intent, with three of them going to Division I programs. Heading the list of signees are All-Americans Jonathan Rivas (Santa Fe HS) and Alex Munoz (Corona Centennial HS), who have committed to UC Irvine. The two will be joining a program that was the highest-ranked Division I program in California and advanced to the Sweet 16 this past season. Defender Norm Mariscal (Corona Centennial HS), a 1st Team All-South Coast Conference selection along with Rivas and Munoz, signed with UC Riverside, also a Division 1 program...[more]