Men’s Soccer 2019 Season Recap

The 2019 El Camino College men's soccer team wrapped up the 2019 season with a 14-3-5 overall record and finished their season in the final round of the state playoffs before the Final Four state tournament.  It was the best season for the Warriors since 1992 when the Warriors won their fourth state championship. 

In just the second season under head coach Mike Jacobson, the Warriors have improved dramatically.  In 2018 the Warriors went 7-7-6 and just missed out on the CCCAA playoffs. However, in 2019, the Warriors doubled their win total and made it three rounds into the playoffs.  

The Warriors started the season off unbeaten with a 8-0-1 record and were undefeated until their first game with Cerritos College in the second week of October.  They would not lose again until playing the Falcons again in the semis of the inaugural South Coast Conference tournament.

The Warriors overcame their semi-final loss and finished the regular season with a 3rd place finish in the South Coast Conference tournament with a 1-0 win over East Los Angeles College.  

They were seeded 4th in the CCCAA Southern California Regional playoffs.  They hung onto to a close 1-0 win over Cypress College in the first round of the playoffs.  They dominated Orange Coast College with a 4-1 win in the second round of the playoffs. They fell to the state runner-up in Mt. Sac in the third round of the playoffs in a narrow 1-0 loss.

For the season, the Warriors were ranked nationally and had multiple players given recognition throughout the season from the United Soccer Coaches Junior College Division III system.  The Warriors finished the season as the No.11 ranked team in the nation. Larry Lopez, Luis Garibay, and Melvyn Perez-Cortez were all given National Junior College Player of the Week honors.

Larry Lopez, Melvyn Perez-Cortez, and Oliver Diaz were named to the 2019 All-South Coast Conference first team.  Matthew Villongco, Eduardo Grados, and Jorge Alvarenga were named to the All-South Coast Conference second team.

Oliver Diaz was named to the National Junior College Scholar All-American Second Team.

Melvyn Perez-Cortez and Oliver Diaz were named to the All_Region Team.  Melvyn Perez-Cortez was also named to the All-State team.

The Warriors had five players reach double-digits in points.  Melvyn Perez Cortez led the team with 19 points on seven goals and five assists.  Oliver Diaz was second with 18 points with seven goals and four assists. Kalyl Silva was third with 15 points on seven goals and one assist.  Eduardo Grados was fourth with 13 points on five goals and three assists. Larry Lopez was fifth with 12 points on four goals and four assists.  Luis Garibay was fantastic in goal for the Warriors with a 10-3-3 record and 8 shutouts. Garibay made 62 saves for the season and had a 1.00 goals allowed average.