Colts' season ends with loss at State Championships

SACRAMENTO – A historic 2024 Cañada College men's soccer season came to a close with the Colts' 2-1 loss in overtime to Cuyamaca College in the 3C2A State Championship semifinals on Friday at American River College. The Colts made their first trip to the state tournament since 1999.

Recap by the 3C2A:

SEMIFINAL #1 - (S2) Cuyamaca 2, (N1) Cañada 1
Cuyamaca, the south's 10th seed during the regional playoffs, returns to the state championship game for the second straight year by overcoming a 1-0 deficit against the Colts to win its 14th straight game.

Cañada wasted little time jumping on top, getting a score from in the game's second minute when Vlad Tomutiu found Noah Lake in front of the goal.

That score stood for more than 30 minutes until the 34th minute when Enirque Hernandez's spectacular goal from the left side found the upper right side of the net.

The teams held each other scoreless for the rest of regulation, forcing two overtime periods. Neither team could break through until late in the first extra period when Ali Almaliki's direct kick from just outside the box cleared Cañada's wall and into the left side.

That proved to be the difference-maker as Cuyamaca held off the Colts the remainder of the way. Broward Maryan had five saves in goal for the Coyotes while Luis Evangelista had three for Cañada.

The Colts finished their season 14-4-7.