The Cerritos College men's soccer team came out in their season opening game with a vengeance, and scored in the second minute on Thursday. The Falcons, the defending CCCAA State Champions, took a 2-0 first half lead against visiting Rio Hondo College. But the Roadrunners, behind the play of Ezequiel Pena's three goals, posted a 4-2 decision. Cerritos will now travel to Oxnard College on Saturday for a 5:00 p.m. game against Oxnard College.

Opening up the scoring for Cerritos (0-1-0) was the team's returning leading scorer, Christian Carrillo (Katella HS), who jumped on a loose ball in front of the net on a corner kick. Freshman Mark Sanchez (Westview, AZ HS) sent the ball toward the net, where there was a mad scramble. Carrillo, who had 11 goals last year, chipped the ball past Roadrunners (1-0-0) goalkeeper Edwin Elizarraraz less than two minutes into the game.

It was a 2-0 Cerritos lead in the 35th minute, with Carrillo sending a through ball on a 2-on-1 break to freshman Mark Cruz (El Toro HS). Cruz was able to gain control of the ball and scored into the right corner. However, Rio Hondo knotted the game before halftime, as Pena scored two minutes apart. He completed the natural hat trick in the 53rd minute, with Moses Gutierrez adding an insurance goal in the 78th minute when he found an open part of the net and scored on sophomore Jaime Sanchez (Aspire Pacific Academy HS).