Hartnell College Men’s Soccer Team Advances to State Semifinals

The Hartnell Panthers (17-3-4), the NorCal Regional No.1 seed, are heading to the State Soccer Final Four in Mission Viejo. Hartnell will face the second-seeded Los Angeles City College Cubs (15-4-7) in the second semifinal game on Friday, December 5, at 7 p.m.

The Panthers advanced to the semifinals with a rousing run through the regional playoffs. After earning a first-round bye as the No. 2 seed in the Northern bracket, Hartnell defeated Las Positas 2-0 in round two and topped West Valley 1-0 in round three. They secured their spot in the "Final Four" with a 1-0 win over Evergreen Valley College of San Jose on November 29. The winning goal for the Panthers was scored in the 37th minute by Ryan Ruiz, off an assist from Kevin Trejo Aviles.

The winner of the Hartnell vs. LA City College matchup will advance to the championship finals, which takes place at 2 p.m. on Sunday, December 7, against the winner of match one - Cerritos College vs. Cañada.

Hartnell is no stranger to making a "Final Four" appearance, marking this weekend's presence as number five, including a championship win in 2013. Current Head Soccer Coach Daniel Ortega has led the team to four of those final appearances during his 18 years at the helm, and he likes this gritty team's chances at a title.

Ortega notes that this year's team is distinct from previous squads. "Each team has a signature style, and in the past I've had outstanding offensive teams," he says. "This group is unique. They've found ways to win games this year, a lot of different ways, from shootouts to defensive games."

He especially emphasizes the team's depth and defensive strength. "I can't say we have one superstar on the team, unlike other years. Our leading scorer has 11 goals. But we're excellent defensively, we're pretty hard to break down, and we haven't given up a goal in three of the regional playoff games."

While the Panthers have never faced LA City College, a "Cinderella team" that has never been to the Final Four, Ortega has been hard at work studying film of the Cubs' offense and defense since last Sunday. "They're just a hard-working team that we've never played, that alone can be a challenge," he says. The team's success is rooted in their challenging schedule. It's a cliché, but we take it one day at a time."

Ortega credits the college and his staff for their preparation. "I'm confident that we are ready because we've been there before," he says about the upcoming match and Hartnell's experience in championship games. "I have a great support system with Hartnell behind us. All I have to do is coach."

Watch the Hartnell's match against Los Angeles City College through the Overnight livestream link.