In a season where the Cerritos College men's soccer team captured the South Coast Conference Tournament championship, as well as the SCC South Division title, head coach Benny Artiaga was rewarded by being named the Southern California Coach of the Year. It marks the second time Artiaga has received this award, presented by the California Community College Soccer Coaches Association, which started in 2017, with the Falcon head coach garnering the inaugural award.
"I'm honored to be voted Southern California Coach and Staff of the Year," stated Artiaga, who also received the conference's Coach and Staff of the Year award. "There are some amazing coaches we compete against in California, so this award allows me to showcase my amazing coaching staff. From recruiting coordinator George (Artiaga), to field session specialist JJ (Jose Esparza), Chris (Lekavich), our goalkeeper coach, and the list goes. My entire staff is so amazing and we share this together."
Artiaga and his staff led the Falcons to a 17-5-1 record, which included wins over two of the four teams that qualified for the CCCAA Final Four. They were seeded #2 for the Southern California Regional Playoffs, but were upset in the 3rd Round of the playoffs, which ended their season prematurely.
"This award is bittersweet," added Artiaga. "I could not attend the award ceremony due to my grandmother's funeral. It's ironic I received an award on the day I had to say goodbye to my Mama Chelo, because I am who I am because of her. This award is dedicated to the rock in my life, Consuelo Gallardo, and all the love and support she instilled in me since a child.
Over the course of his 16 seasons as the Cerritos head coach, Artiaga has led his programs to one National Championship, four CCCAA State Championships and six conference titles, including the last five seasons (there was no season in 2020 due to Covid-19). Along with the two SoCal Coach of the Year honors, Artiaga has also been named the National Coach of the Year twice, Far West Coach of the Year four times and South Coast Conference Coach of the Year six times.
![M. Soccer: Trio of players make their four-year decisions](/sports/msoc/2021-22/photos/DRP-2315_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
January 10, 2022
M. Soccer: Trio of players make their four-year decisions
![M. Soccer: Season comes to an end with playoff loss](/sports/msoc/2021-22/photos/DRP-4235_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 27, 2021
M. Soccer: Season comes to an end with playoff loss
![M. Soccer: #2-seeded Falcons one win away from state tournament](/sports/msoc/2021-22/photos/DRP-8879_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 23, 2021
M. Soccer: #2-seeded Falcons one win away from state tournament
![M. Soccer: Team extended to overtime before defeating Norco](/sports/msoc/2021-22/photos/20211120_154244_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 20, 2021
M. Soccer: Team extended to overtime before defeating Norco
![M. Soccer: Team has 10 players earn conference awards](/sports/msoc/2021-22/photos/IMG_7588_ad_hoc.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 18, 2021
M. Soccer: Team has 10 players earn conference awards
![M. Soccer: Falcons seeded #2 for SoCal Regional Playoffs](/sports/msoc/2021-22/photos/DRP-2286_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 16, 2021
M. Soccer: Falcons seeded #2 for SoCal Regional Playoffs
![M. Soccer: Falcons playing for conference tournament title](/general/2021-22/photos/DRP-4554_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 12, 2021
M. Soccer: Falcons playing for conference tournament title
![M. Soccer: Falcons settle score with Long Beach City](/sports/msoc/2021-22/photos/IMG_7599001_ad_hoc.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 12, 2021
M. Soccer: Falcons settle score with Long Beach City
![M. Soccer: Win sends Falcons to conference tournament finals](/sports/msoc/2021-22/photos/DRP-8174_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 9, 2021
M. Soccer: Win sends Falcons to conference tournament finals
![M. Soccer: Unbeaten streak ended by Long Beach City](/sports/msoc/2021-22/photos/DRP-5425_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
October 29, 2021
M. Soccer: Unbeaten streak ended by Long Beach City
![M. Soccer: Road win at Mt. San Antonio biggest of the season](/sports/msoc/2021-22/photos/20211026_194308_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
October 26, 2021
M. Soccer: Road win at Mt. San Antonio biggest of the season
![M. Soccer: Defense continues to come up big in shutout win](/sports/msoc/2021-22/photos/DRP-5490_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
October 22, 2021
M. Soccer: Defense continues to come up big in shutout win
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October 19, 2021
M. Soccer: Falcons post 2-0 win over #11-ranked Rio Hondo
![M. Soccer: Cerritos wins fifth straight after 2-0 victory](/sports/msoc/2021-22/photos/DRP-2946_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
October 15, 2021
M. Soccer: Cerritos wins fifth straight after 2-0 victory
![M. Soccer Falcons record sixth shutout of the season](/sports/msoc/2021-22/photos/DRP-2755_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
October 12, 2021
M. Soccer Falcons record sixth shutout of the season
![M. Soccer: Scoring machine keeps churning for Falcons](/sports/msoc/2021-22/photos/DRP-2326_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
October 8, 2021
M. Soccer: Scoring machine keeps churning for Falcons
![M. Soccer: Armando Ibarra nets pair of goals in Falcons win](/sports/msoc/2021-22/photos/DRP-2030_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
October 5, 2021
M. Soccer: Armando Ibarra nets pair of goals in Falcons win
![M. Soccer: Falcons record 3-0 shutout win in final non-conference game](/sports/msoc/2020-21/photos/DRP-2168_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
September 28, 2021
M. Soccer: Falcons record 3-0 shutout win in final non-conference game
![M. Soccer: Cerritos plays #2 Taft to a scoreless tie](/sports/msoc/2021-22/photos/0004/DRP-1901_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
September 24, 2021
M. Soccer: Cerritos plays #2 Taft to a scoreless tie
![M. Soccer: Team stretched to their limits in late win](/sports/msoc/2021-22/photos/DRP-9879_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
September 14, 2021
M. Soccer: Team stretched to their limits in late win
![M. Soccer: Early deficit doesn't slow down Falcons](/sports/msoc/2021-22/photos/DRP-2211_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
September 8, 2021
M. Soccer: Early deficit doesn't slow down Falcons
![M. Soccer: Hartnell Tournament nets Falcons split in two games](/sports/msoc/2021-22/photos/0001/DRP-8173_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
September 7, 2021
M. Soccer: Hartnell Tournament nets Falcons split in two games
![M. Soccer: Unrelenting offensive attack leads to 4-0 win](/sports/msoc/2021-22/photos/DRP1468_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
August 31, 2021
M. Soccer: Unrelenting offensive attack leads to 4-0 win
![M. Soccer: Falcons start the season with 2-0 win](/sports/msoc/2021-22/photos/M._Soccer_Picture2_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
August 27, 2021
M. Soccer: Falcons start the season with 2-0 win