Las Positas soccer goalkeeper Dwyer a Tower of Power

Soccer goalkeepers tend to be the ultimate team players, which explains why Las Positas College keeper Brannon Dwyer is loving life this season.
The Hawks, riding a 14-game unbeaten streak, have marched in lockstep on and off the field under coach Andy Cumbo. Players who hail from a variety of communities interact like a band of soccer brothers or kindred (kicking) spirits.
“Honestly, everything is team chemistry,” the 6-foot-6 Dwyer says of the Hawks’ secret sauce. “Every single guy on the team is friends. We go out to lunch every single day together. Regardless of the fact we all live in different places, we’re always together.”
The camaraderie helps them persevere in close games and get results, Dwyer says.
Dwyer, who also starred in soccer at Redwood High in Larkspur, has done his part by keeping things organized in the back, making clutch saves, and bravely hurling his body into traffic on set pieces. He ranks sixth in the state in save percentage at .872 and is tied for third in shutouts.
The Hawks (12-3-6, 8-0-4 Coast), No. 14 in the United Soccer Coaches Junior College Division III National Rankings, have a big game on Friday at CCSF to close the regular season.
Cumbo can’t say enough good things about Dwyer, a sophomore who is being recruited by four-year programs.
“Brannon has developed a lot in a short period of time,” Cumbo says. “He is a well-rounded GK and dominates in the air. He’s an extremely competitive individual and is great form right now. Off the field he is witty, likable, and most importantly to me fun to work with. He has a bright future ahead of him in the game.”
Cumbo builds his teams from the back to the front, which makes Dwyer critical to the team’s success. Last season the Hawks were blessed with Coast Conference Goalkeeper of the Year Jose Elizondo, who spent last year with Reno 1868. The Hawks’ other keeper last season, Jose Naranjo, started at Menlo College this fall.
A passionate competitor, Dwyer grew up playing with Marin SC, under good-guy coaches such as Phil Billeci-Gard, Steven Sosa, Dave Frank, and Josh Kalkstein. Soccer, Dwyer says, is “kind of where all my life experiences come from.”
One thing is certain, the Hawks’ capable defenders know Dwyer’s voice.
“We are always talking,” Dwyer assures. “In the game I’m always in their ears, I’m giving them information. I’m telling them where other players, opposing players are. I’m always just chattering and so are they; they’re always giving information. Everyone knows if there’s a runner.”
Some of the Hawks’ key defenders are Arnie Maravillas, Victor Diaz, Matt Dremalas, Cory Stewart, and Nathan Robinson.
Dwyer works primarily with Las Positas goalkeeper coach Tyler Hoffman, but he also appreciates how Cumbo brings it all together and gets the most out of players, which also shows up in the close games.
“Cumbo is a great guy and every player wants to work hard for him, and he makes it that way,” Dwyer says. “If I could give a comparison I would say he’s probably like coach Jose Mourinho from Manchester United. You just want to work and get the job done for him and your teammates. He’s just the cherry on top of the ice cream. He brings everything together.”
The same could be said for Dwyer. He’s a keeper.