Las Positas sports recap: Hawks men win thriller

The soccer playoff doubleheader at Las Positas on Saturday did not lack for high drama.
The Las Positas men’s team capped the night with a thrilling 1-0 win over Canada-Redwood City on a last-second goal by Ali Amin. The triumph followed a heartbreaking 1-0 loss for the Hawks’ women’s team against San Joaquin Delta.
It’s been a great season for both Hawks’ teams; both went unbeaten in the Coast Conference-North for the first time and earned No. 4 seeds in the playoffs. Having a home playoff doubleheader was like frosting on the cake.
Las Positas men’s coach Andy Cumbo was pleased with his team’s “pretty typical” effort against a dangerous underdog in the No. 13-seeded Colts.
“The guys were fairly disciplined, worked hard, worked for each other, stayed committed to the game plan,” said Cumbo, whose team extended its unbeaten streak to 16 games. “Canada’s a really good team, and despite their rather low ranking in the playoffs they were one of the best teams we’ve seen this season.”
Amin’s climactic strike came on a well-constructed play. After a long throw-in by Nick Tucker from the left, Kyle Adafom took a shot from outside the opposite post. Colts keeper Alan Cruz made the initial save before Amin hammered in the rebound.
“Ali was in the right spot and put it away,” Cumbo said. “We were in good spots. I think one of the best parts about that play was Kyle just being composed and keeping it on frame and forcing the goalkeeper to come up with a play.”
Cumbo describes Amin as a “good player. He’s just in his first season of eligibility; strong, tough, dynamic, and puts himself in a good spot in front of the goal most of the time. He usually executes after that as well.”
Las Positas, which has not lost since Sept. 19 against Modesto, will next host Coast-South champion West Valley, seeded fifth, in the second round at 2 p.m. Tuesday. The winner would face either No. 1 seed Fresno or Santa Rosa in Round 3 on Saturday.
The Hawks and West Valley know each other well, having battled to a memorable 2-2 draw on Nov. 7. Jordan Quick forced the tie with a cheeky finish in the 90th minute, stripping a defender of the ball and nutmegging the goalkeeper.
The rematch Tuesday figures to be just as intense.
“I’m excited to play them again, they’re a really good team,” Cumbo said. “They take care of the ball well. They’re fairly dynamic. At this point in the last round anybody you play is good. Everybody’s quality. I thought we did well in the first time we played them, and we’re more prepared to play them again.”

IN OTHER SPORTS: The Las Positas women’s basketball team got 21 points and 10 rebounds from Samantha Roney in a 76-59 loss to Merced to complete the LPC Hawks Shootout. Against Feather River, Roney had 13 points and 12 boards and Ashley Hart had 15 points. Against Contra Costa, Jenna Kol paced the Hawks with 12 points … The Las Positas men's basketball team won one of three games in the Mendocino Tournament, beating Lassen 92-64 in the second game. In a 78-76 loss to Cosumnes River to open the tourney, the Hawks (4-2) rallied from an eight-point halftime deficit to fall just short. ... The Las Positas women’s water polo team (10-9, 6-4) completed the Coast-North Championships with a 24-9 rout of CCSF … The Las Positas men’s water polo team (7-19, 3-6), which enjoyed its best season, dropped the third place game in the Coast-North Championships 15-7 to Ohlone. … David Frisbie finished 11th in the CCCAA State Cross Country Championships in a time of 20:36.0 at Woodward Park in Fresno Saturday. Jordan Kirby was 30th for the Hawks in 21:10.9, and Sebastian Andersson was 92nd in 22:04.4.