Giants Men’s Soccer Starts Season with 3-0-1

The College of the Sequoias men's soccer team kicked off the 2024 season with four competitive matches. The Giants secured victories against Feather River, Los Angeles City, and Canyons while recording a draw in a match against Cabrillo.  

COS 1, Feather River 0  

In their season opener at home, the Giants edged out Feather River in a tightly contested home match. Johnathan Ibarra (Porterville HS) scored the lone goal of the match in the 75th minute, driving home an unassisted effort to give the Giants the win. The Sequoias defense, led by goalkeeper Zachary Ramirez (Orange Cove HS), was flawless, playing the full 90 minutes and earning the clean sheet. 

COS 1, Los Angeles City 0

 The Giants followed up with a road victory against Los Angeles City. Once again, the defense stood tall as Ramirez recorded eight saves to preserve the clean sheet. The game's only goal came late in the first half, as Jose Fabian Sandoval (Tulare Union HS) found the net in the 42nd minute, assisted by Jonathan Barboza (Mission Oak HS).  

Head Coach Abraham Campos praised the team's effort, stating, "Our defense has been outstanding, and Zachary [Ramirez] continues to show why he's one of the top goalkeepers in the conference. We're grinding out results, and that's a testament to the hard work of these players." 

COS 3, Cabrillo 3

In one of the most thrilling games of the early season, the Giants battled to a 3-3 draw against Cabrillo. Sequoias found themselves trailing twice but managed to rally both times. Jairo Medina (Dinuba HS) and Joshua Urista Herrera (El Diamante HS) scored late in the second half to erase a 3-2 deficit. Herrera's goal in the 89th minute looked like it might be the winner, but Cabrillo equalized in the dying seconds of the match. 

"We showed a lot of heart in this game," added Campos. "Even when we fell behind, the team never gave up. It's that kind of resilience that will carry us through the season." 

COS 3, Canyons 2

The Giants continued their winning ways in a 3-2 victory against College of the Canyons Cougars. The Cougars tied the game after Jairo Medina scored the first goal of the game in the 13th minute, assisted by Jonathan Ibarra (Porterville HS). After College of the Canyons tied the game first half, the Giants regrouped at half and took the lead in the second half when Jonathan Ibarra and Miguel Hernandez (Tulare Union HS) added second-half goals to seal the game at 3-2 and keep COS unbeaten. 

"We made some adjustments after the slow start, and the guys executed brilliantly," Campos remarked. "I'm proud of the way they stayed composed and continued to battle." 

Up Next

The Giants are now off to a strong start, sitting at 3-0-1 as they prepare for the next phase of their season. With stellar defensive efforts and timely scoring, they're looking like a force in the 2024 season. Keep an eye on this resilient squad as they aim to maintain their momentum in the coming weeks. The Giants next home game will be Tuesday, September 10, which will be a doubleheader against Allan Hancock College as the Women's play at 12 p.m. and the Men's play at 2 p.m.