Las Positas Notes: Soccer Stars Honored; Basketball Top Scorers

Three Las Positas women’s soccer players were selected to the first-team All-Coast Conference-North Division squad: sophomores Meghan Giamona, Lauren Sisneros, Paola Samaniego.

The Hawks, who racked up 67 goals in 20 games, finished another successful season under head coach Paul Sapsford with a 13-4-3 record, advancing to the CCCAA regional playoffs.

Giamona, a midfielder and Livermore High graduate, led the Hawks in points with 35, scoring 12 goals and dishing off 11 assists. Samaniego (California HS), a forward, was No. 2 on the team in points with 28 (9 goals, 10 assists). Sisneros (Liberty HS), a deluxe playmaker, had three goals and six assists.

Second-team all-conference picks were sophomore defender Sofia Escalante (Dougherty Valley), freshman forward Isabella Polizzi and freshman forward Araceli Hinojosa (Newark Memorial HS).

Honorable mention picks were freshman defender Camille Le Blanc (Livermore HS); freshman forward/defender Sheare Ford Berrera; sophomore goalkeeper Anjelica Gonzalez (Tracy); freshman forward Jocelyn Hernandez (Arroyo HS); freshman /midfielder forward Darlin Hayworth (Carondelet); freshman defender/midfielder Raena Juarez (James Logan); freshman midfielder/forward Jasmine Loaiza (Sierra HS); freshman forward/midfielder Alexis Xaysana (Antioch); freshman defender Ally Vierra (Tracy).

The Hawks’ season ended with a 3-2 loss against Hartnell in the playoffs on Nov. 19. Scoring for Las Positas were Hinojosa and Escalante.

MEN'S SOCCER

Hawks men's soccer player Oscar Munoz (Freedom), a sophomore forward, was selected to the prestigious 2018 United Soccer Coaches Junior College Division III Men's All-West Region First Team.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Freshman Michael Hayes scored 32 points as the Las Positas men’s basketball team (7-2) notched a 71-62 win over West Valley in the Skyline Classic. Hayes is ranked No. 20 in the state in scoring, averaging 19.0 points a game.

Sophomore guard John Ketchel added 11 points in the victory.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Despite a sensational performance from Ashley Hart, the host Las Positas women’s basketball team dropped an 81-79 decision to Gavilan in overtime on Dec. 5.

Hart, a sophomore guard out of Millennium High, had a game-high 29 points, shooting 50 percent from the floor (10 of 20), 17 rebounds, eight assists and four steals. Hart is ranked third in the state in scoring, averaging 25.3 points a game.

Four other Hawks reach double figures in the loss: Taylor Freitas (14 points), Jadey Thorsteinson (13), Kiara (11) and Alexis Caringal (10).

Gavilan went on a 24-7 run over the fourth quarter to force a 72-72 tie, and then Hawks were outscored 9-7 in a tight overtime period.

The Hawks (4-4) will compete in the Monterey Peninsula Tournament (Dec. 15-17).