As the regular season winds down, every win earned in South Coast Conference play is crucial to the post season for the Cerritos College men's soccer team. On Friday, the Falcons (11-5-3, 7-4-1) posted a 5-0 home win over rival Long Beach City College, which not only earned the team three points in the conference standings, but it helps the team attempt to maintain their #4 seeding for the upcoming Southern California Regional Playoffs. Prior to the win over the Vikings, Cerritos held the #4 position in the power rankings with two games remaining. They will host Pasadena City College on Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. before closing out their regular season against #3-ranked Mt. San Antonio College.

The win over the Vikings was a dominant performance by Cerritos. Two spectacular first half goals gave the Falcons some confidence as the game progressed.

In the 22nd minute, sophomore Dominic Escobar (Roosevelt HS) finished off a great play with a diving header for a goal on a nice crossing pass into the box by freshman Mario Guerrero (University HS). Sophomore Gabriel Rivera (California HS) made it 2-0 in the 44th minute with a laser shot off a free kick from 35 yards out that scored under the crossbar against LBCC goalie Jorge Becerra.

Shutting down any attempt for Long Beach City to generate offense was the back row trio of Rivera, freshman Jeffrey Payeras (Animo HS) and freshman Michael Bautista (Norwalk HS), along with the direction of freshman goalie Benito Gonzalez (Long Beach Wilson HS), who recorded the shutout.

The second half was more of the same, with Cerritos controlling the ball for the greater majority of the game. A series of passes from midfield led to the third goal, with freshman Fabian Tapia (Glenwood Springs, CO HS) taking possession of the ball at midfield. His pass to Guerrero set up another diving header goal, this one by freshman Jose Rivera (Torrance HS). In the final 20 minutes of the game, the Falcons had numerous chances to add to their lead, and did so in the 74th minute when sophomore Carlos Escobar (Roosevelt HS) found a wide open freshman Gustavo Reyes (Long Beach Wilson HS), who went in all alone against new goalie Luis Anguiano and scored easily. 

The final goal came in the last minute of the game when freshman Ludwing Vargas (Salesian HS) scooped up a loose ball and planted it into the back of the net.

Photo by Daryl Peterson