COS Men’s Soccer Prepares for Postseason

College of the Sequoias (COS) men's soccer team (8-4-10, 3-3-4 Central Valley Conference) is set to compete in the 3C2A NorCal Regional Playoffs after the regular season. The Giants enter the playoffs as the No. 20 seed and will take on No. 13 seed Taft College (8-4-8, 5-1-4 Central Valley Conference) on Wednesday, November 20, in a rematch of two tightly contested conference battles this season.   

COS showcased resilience throughout the year, finishing fourth in the Central Valley Conference behind Fresno City, Taft, and Merced. The Giants' defense, led by goalkeeper Zachary Ramirez, was a cornerstone of their success. Ramirez ranks fifth in the state in saves (102) and posted a 1.07 goals-against average with six shutouts.   

Offensively, COS was led by Yahir Ramos (Granite Hills HS), who scored seven goals and tallied two assists for a team-high 16 points. Jose Fabian Sandoval (Tulare Union HS) contributed five goals and five assists, while Johnathan Ibarra (Porterville HS) and Jairo Medina (Dinuba HS) added key goals throughout the campaign. COS's balanced attack saw contributions from several players, making them a threat in the postseason.   

"We've shown that we can compete with anyone," said Head Coach Abraham Campos. "Our guys have battled through a challenging schedule and played some of their best soccer against top teams. This is a great opportunity to prove ourselves in the playoffs."   

Taft College, COS's opening-round opponent, finished second in the Central Valley Conference and is led by Emilio Gonzalez, who recorded six goals and three assists during the season. The Cougars have played tough against the Giants in their two regular-season meetings resulting in a narrow 3-2 win for Taft and a scoreless draw.   

The winner of this first-round matchup will advance to face the No. 4-seeded Folsom Lake College (11-7-3) on Saturday, November 23.   

Kickoff is set for 2:00 PM at Taft College. Fans can expect an intense matchup as COS looks to make a deep postseason run.   

For the complete 3C2A Men's NorCal Regional Playoff bracket, click here.