Boys Soccer (2024-2025)
Panthers Blanked in First Round NCS Matchup vs. Napa 5-0
February 18, 2025—With the North Coast Section (NCS) playoffs upon us, the Varsity Boys Soccer team opened their quest for an NCS title as the #8 seeded team in the Division 3 playoff bracket, playing host to the Napa High Grizzlies, who come in as the #9 seeded team with an overall record of 9-6-4. This game was an opportunity to not only prolong one’s season but also set themselves up for an NCS Quarterfinal matchup against the winner of Livermore High and College Park.
However, it would be the Grizzlies being the ones to prolong their season and advance into the Quarterfinal Round as they would take full control from start to finish, beating the Panthers by the score of 5-0, with 4 of their goals coming the first half. With the victory, the Grizzlies will play host to the #16 seeded College Park Falcons who came a away with a huge upset over the top-seeded Livermore Cowboys.
With the loss, the Panthers finish off their season with an overall record of 8-8-2 and will head into their offseason where they will lose six senior players to graduation, while returning a relatively young core of players for the 2025-2026 season.
Panthers’ League Title Hopes Come to an End in Richmond
February 11, 2025—After their First-Round victory over the Pinole Valley Spartans last Thursday in the Tri County Athletic League (TCAL) Tournament, the Panthers were looking to keep their league title hopes alive with hopes of an upset win over the top-seeded Richmond High Oilers. In their two regular season meetings, the Oilers pulled away in both games by very close margins (2-0, 2-1), but the Panthers were hoping third time would be the charm for this time around.
However, the Oilers proved to be a dominant force on Tuesday evening as they would ultimately defeat the Panthers by the score of 4-1 to earn a trip to the TCAL Championship Match where they will host the Albany Cougars.
The Panthers will now wait to hear what their North Coast Section (NCS) Playoff fate is when the seedings and brackets come out this Sunday, February 16th, and whether they will start at home or on the road for their First Round matchup.
Panthers Advance to TCAL Semifinal Round, Defeat Spartans 3-2
February 6, 2025—With postseason play having arrived for the Varsity Boys Soccer team, the Panthers were looking to get on a hot streak, which would be pivotal at this time of the year. In fact, the Panthers would do just that as they would defeat the Pinole Valley Spartans in the First Round of the Tri County Athletic League (TCAL) Playoffs by the score of 3-2 to punch their ticket into the TCAL Semifinal Round.
The Panthers and Spartans found the back of the net on a few occasions in the first half. Senior, Fabian Sanchez Bidot, got the Panthers on the board first thanks to a beautiful crosser by Sophomore, Timothy Hamp. However, the Spartans would immediately respond moments later with a strong kick 20-yards out that would beat Freshman goalkeeper, Demarco Cruz, tying the game at 1.
However, the 1-1 tie wouldn’t last long as Senior, Colm Gallagher, would break the tie later in the first half on a 10-yard shot to give the Panthers a 2-1 lead, until the Spartans were awarded a penalty kick that they would cash in on to tie the game at 2-2 heading into halftime.
With the next goal being pivotal for both teams, it would be crucial for the hometown Panthers to be the ones to get it. In fact, the Panthers would indeed get that vital third goal thanks to a beautiful assist by Sophomore, Ramel Sanchez-Albarran, where he would fellow Sophomore, Emmett Bates, would then bury the goal to give the Panthers not only that much needed goal, but also the 3-2 victory to earn a trip to the league semifinals.
The Panthers will now prepare for that game as they will take on the top-seeded Richmond High Oilers, a team who beat the Panthers twice this season in two very close games. The match is set for Tuesday, February 11th, at 6:00pm at Richmond High School.
Panthers Top Spartans on Senior Day
January 31, 2025—With the rainy weather making a return to Brady Park, the Varsity Boys Soccer team looked to find their winning ways as they played host to the Pinole Valley Spartans in the final home game of the regular season. Also, with it being the last home game of the regular season, the team celebrated Senior Day where they honored six Senior players prior to the start of the game. Seniors Fabian Sanchez-Bidot, Colm Gallagher, Aidan McGhee, Kai Wicke, Julien Blake, and Reggie Masket were all recognized for their hard work and commitment to the program.
Following the Senior Day festivities, the Panthers and Spartans would find themselves in a game where there were a lot of scoring opportunities for both teams, especially during the first half. However, it would be the Panthers who would strike first towards the end of the first half, giving themselves a 1-0 lead going into halftime. In the second half, goals would be hard to come by despite the constant scoring chances. However, it would be the Panthers, yet again, who would find the back of the net and cement their path to victory by the score of 2-0.
With the victory, the Panthers sit with an overall record of 6-6-2, and a Tri County Athletic League (TCAL) record of 3-5-2 which is good for 4th place. The Panthers will now wait to find out who they will take on in the first round of the TCAL Playoffs starting next week. Good luck Panthers.
Cougars Last Ditch Effort in Final Minute Leads to 1-1 Draw with Panthers
January 23, 2025—With the Panthers now back at .500 with their overall record following their victory over the Salesian Pride this past Tuesday, the Varsity Boys Soccer team were looking to earn their second straight victory over yet another rival in the Albany High Cougars. At this point of the season and where the Panthers currently sit in the league standings and with their overall record, wins were an absolute must for the team to give themselves the best chances of postseason play in the North Coast Section (NCS).
In fact, the Panthers got off on a great note in this game as they would score the only goal in the first half thanks to a beautiful goal by Junior and last year’s Tri County Athletic League (TCAL) MVP winner, Tim Hamp, giving the Panthers a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.
In the second half, the Panthers strong defense did a fantastic job of keeping the Cougars from generating any scoring opportunities, or any time in the offensive zone in general, to preserve the 1-0 lead. However, in the final minute of the second half, the Cougars would finally get that all important goal to end the game in a 1-1 tie.
Even though the Panthers earned the tie, a victory would have been essential for the team to build momentum and to make a push at the right time where victories are a must.
The Panthers will return to action next week in the final week of the regular season where they will travel to Richmond to take on the Oilers, who sit atop the TCAL standings in first place. The match is set for Tuesday, January 28th, at 6:00pm.
Bates & Gallagher Goals Propel Panthers Over Pride
January 21, 2025—With the end of the season drawing near and sense of urgency being necessary down the stretch, the Varsity Boys Soccer team needed to get a much-needed victory over their longtime rival, the Salesian Pride, here at Brady Park. In their first meeting back in December prior to the new year, the Panthers defeated the Pride in very close matchup by the score of 2-1 back in Richmond.
Now, for this second meeting between these two longtime rivals, it would be the same exact result as the Panthers would prevail in yet another closely contested matchup by the score of 2-1. The Panthers got on the board first thanks to a beautiful pass from Senior, Fabian Sanchez Bidot, that would find Sophomore, Emmett Bates, who then cash in from close range to give the Panthers the early 1-0 lead going into halftime.
In the second half, the Pride would respond with a goal of their own to tie the game at 1-1, setting itself up to what could be an exciting finish. In fact, that exciting finish would come as Senior, Colm Gallagher, would pick the best moment of the year to score his first goal of the season, finding the back of the net 18-yards out to ultimately give the Panthers the much-needed victory.
In addition to the strong performances of Bates and Gallagher, Freshman goalkeeper, Demarco Cruz, was sensational in net for the Panthers as he would make crucial save after crucial save, one of them being an early stop on a penalty kick by the Pride to keep the game at 0-0 in the first half.
With the victory, the Panthers move back to .500 with an overall record of 5-5. The Panthers will now look to get on a hot streak when they play host to their crosstown rival, the Albany Cougars, this Thursday, January 23rd, at 3:15pm. This will also be the Panthers Senior Day game as six seniors—Fabian Sanchez Bidot, Colm Gallagher, Aidan McGhee, Kai Wicke, Julien Blake, and Reggie Masket—will be honored prior to the start of the game.
Gauchos Blank Panthers 3-0 in Pivotal TCAL Matchup
January 16, 2025—On a cold Thursday afternoon at Brady Park, the Varsity Boys Soccer team looked to overcome their recent struggles as the played host to the Tri County Athletic League’s (TCAL) 1st place team in the El Cerrito Gauchos. In their first matchup at El Cerrito High School, the Gauchos handed the Panthers their first loss of the season, winning the match by the score of 3-2.
With the Panthers looking to exact revenge on the Gauchos for the early season defeat, they unfortunately would not be able to fulfill that as the Gauchos would defeat the Panthers for the second time this season by the score of 3-0 thanks to a goal scored late in the first half, and two quick goals at the beginning of the second half to put the game out of reach for good. With the defeat, the Panthers move to the 5th place in the TCAL standings with a 1-4-1 record, and an overall record of 4-5-1.
The Panthers will look to get out of their recent struggles as they will return to Brady Park on Tuesday, January 21st, when they play host to their longtime rival, the Salesian Pride. The match is set for 3:15pm.
Panthers Fall to Oilers 2-0
January 10, 2025—With hopes of finding their way back to the win column in Tri County Athletic League (TCAL) Play, the Varsity Boys Soccer team played host to the Richmond Oilers. Both the Panthers and Oilers have had iconic matchups in recent years both in the regular season and league playoffs, so this matchup had the chances of replicating those.
Overall, the match proved to be tightly contested and filled with good scoring opportunities from both sides, but it would be the Oilers who would find the back of the net twice in the first half to give them the two goals that would need to defeat the Panthers by the score of 2-0. The Panthers looked for their opportunities to get themselves back, but the Oilers defense would tighten things up to cement their 2-0 victory.
The Panthers will look to regroup next week when they play host to the Pinole Valley Spartans on Tuesday, January 14th, at Brady Park. The match is set for 3:15pm.
Cougars Top Panthers in Critical TCAL Matchup 1-0
January 7, 2025—In a critical Tri County Athletic League (TCAL) matchup between two crosstown rivals, the Varsity Boys Soccer team traveled to Albany to take on the Cougars. The Panthers were looking for revenge from last year when the two teams met in the TCAL Semifinal Round, falling short to the Cougars in penalty kicks by the score of 1-0.
This matchup proved to be a low scoring affair between the two teams as goals would be extremely difficult to come by. However, in the final minutes of the first half, the Cougars would find the back of the net to not only give them the 1-0 lead at that point game, but ultimately the one goal that they would truly need to earn the one goal victory.
Freshman Goalkeeper, Demarco Cruz, was sensational for the Panthers in net as he would give his team a chance at potential victory.
The Panthers will return home to Brady Park this Friday, January 10th, when they play host to the Richmond Oilers. The match is set for 3:15pm.
Panthers Suffer First Defeat of The Year at The Hands Of El Cerrito
December 17, 2024—On a chilly evening on the campus of El Cerrito High School, the Varsity Boys Soccer team took on the El Cerrito Gauchos in their first Tri County Athletic League (TCAL) game of the year, looking to not only start league play off on the right foot, but also extend their overall record to 4-0. However, the night would belong to the Gauchos as they would defeat the Panthers by the score of 3-1.
The Panthers and Gauchos would each trade off goals in the first half, leading to a tie game of 1-1 at halftime. However, the Gauchos would take control of the second half as they would take advantage of their opportunities and find the back of the net twice, giving them not only the 3-1 victory, but also the Panthers first loss of their season.
The Panthers will now shift their focus to their next league matchup when they travel to Richmond to take on their longtime rival, the Salesian Pride. The match is set for Thursday, December 19th, at 3:30pm.
Panthers Avenge Last Year’s NCS Playoff Loss, Beat Mariners 2-0
December 12, 2024—On a cold, rainy day at Brady Park, the Varsity Boys Soccer team played host to the Moreau Catholic Mariners in what would be a rematch of last year’s North Coast Section First Round Playoff game where the Mariners defeated the Panthers by the score 3-1. Therefore, the Panthers were looking to avenge their playoff loss.
In fact, the Panthers would not disappoint in that regard as they would ultimately defeat the Mariners by the score of 2-0, improving their record to their record to 3-0 on the season. The Panthers would score both of their goals in the first half thanks to Sophomore, Emmett Bates, and Junior, Emiliano Ceron, who both would score off of well-placed set pieces by Junior, Timothy Hamp, giving the Panthers the early advantage and eventually the victory. Even though he didn’t find himself on the scoresheet, Junior, Nicolas Carriere, was pivotal in the outcome through his aggressive defense, commitment to winning 50/50 balls, and setting up close scoring chances for his teammates. The Panthers would also get a strong performance from Freshman goalkeeper, Demarco Cruz, as he would earn his second shutout of the season.
The Panthers will now have a few days off before they return to league play when they travel to El Cerrito to take on the Gauchos on Tuesday, December 17th. Kickoff is set for 6:00pm.
Panthers Win Close Matchup Over Braves, 2-1
December 6, 2024—In the second game of their very young season, the Varsity Boys Soccer team traveled north to take on the Justin-Siena Braves in an early yet pivotal, regular season matchup. The match was set up to be a closely contested one between the Panthers and the Braves. In fact, it turned out to be that kind of match, but the Panthers would be the ones who would prevail in this Friday night showdown, defeating the Braves by the score of 2-1.
The Panthers two goals came off the feet of Junior, Timothy Hamp, and Senior, Fabian Sanchez-Bidot, who have started out their respective seasons on a very hot note. In two games, Hamp has scored three goals, and Fabian has scored two goals.
The Panthers will now prepare themselves for their next non-league matchup when they play host to the Moreau Catholic Mariners on Thursday, December 12th, at 3:15pm. This will be a rematch of the First Round North Coast Section matchup from a season ago where the Mariners ended the Panthers’ season by the score of 3-1.
Panthers Earn Season Opening Win in Richmond
December 3, 2024—On a cold evening on the campus of Kennedy High School in Richmond, the Varsity Boys Soccer team took to the field to embark on their 2024-2025 campaign and looking to earn the season opening victory. In fact, the Panthers would do just that as they would dominate the match by the score of 4-0.
The Panthers were led by Junior and last year’s Tri County Athletic League MVP Award Winner, Timothy Hamp, as he would notch two goals on the evening. In addition to Hamp’s impressive offensive performance, the Senior duo of Julien Blake and Fabian Sanchez-Bidot would score one goal each to secure the 4-0 victory over the Eagles.
The Panthers will look to earn their second straight victory in their young season as they will travel north to Napa, California, to take on the Justin-Siena Braves. The match is set for Thursday, December 6th, at 6:00pm.