Wily Coyotes capture state soccer banner

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: December 8, 2024

Cuyamaca College's Esteban Salais / 3C2A photo

2024 COMMUNITY COLLEGE MEN’S SOCCER
3C2A State Championships – Final
Cuyamaca College 2, Butte College 0

By Nick Pellegrino
ECS Senior writer

SACRAMENTO – For the first time in television history dating back to 1952, Wile E. Coyote got the best of the Roadrunner.

Esteban Salais tallied a pair of goals — one in each half — and goalkeeper Cole Maryan registered a shutout, as the Cuyamaca College Coyotes topped the butte College Roadrunners, 2-0, capturing the 3C2A (California Community College Athletic Association) state men’s soccer championship. The match was held at American River College.

While the cartoon character came close in capturing the Roadrunner for decades, Sunday’s (Dec. 8) match was a real-live experience on a television cable system (Spectrum SportsNet).

OTHER VIEWS: 3C2S

Unlike last season’s state Final Four, when Cuyamaca took its semifinal match in overtime, but were tired and slow to fall to El Camino in the 2023 final, this go-round, the Coyotes took to the “desert highway” pitch at full speed from the start.

Salais found the back of the net in just the 11th minute at 10:06, with turned out to be the game-winning goal.

Cuyamaca captain Ali Almaliki (Steele Canyon), who drilled home a free kick for the overtime winner Friday against Cañada College, gained the assist.

“I sent a through ball to the right side to Ali, then I headed to the net,” said salais.

Almaliki added, “Estaben game me a through ball in the air on the right wing. I had a bad touch and briefly lost the ball, but pressured the defender to get it back. then centered to estaben. who headed it in.

Noted salais. “I faked that I was going to the near post, ut I instead went to the far post.”

“The pass was perfect, right to my head, and i justed tapped it in.”

Salais added an unassisted marker in the 60th minute at 59:01, while Coyotes goalkeepers needed to register just two saves for the easy shutout as the midfielders kept control of the ball throughout the contest.

“My No. 10, Enrique Rodriguez, sent me a ball over the top,” noted Salais, a freshman striker. “I was in front of their center-back, so the goalie came out so it was a 1-on-1.”

“I was patient and slided the ball through and under his legs.”

Cuyamaca held a slim 9-8 7-2 advantage in shots, but for attempts on target, the cushion was 7-2, with most of the Butte shots coming from long distance.

It was a hard battle, a good team we played against, but we’ve been playing so well — a -game win streak — and we learned how everyone on our team plays and started to click.”

“Honestly, we knew we were the better team,” added Salais. “With early pressure and really confident with our 15-game winning streak, we got the two goals, then just defended like crazy.

“Defensively, orr defenders had them on lock down.”

According to Cuyamaca head coachBrian Aleu, the Coyotes; unique 3-man (or 5-man, depending on how you looked it), was composition includes: Robert Sommerville on left, Venizio Dimas at central defender, and Jesse Lopez on the right. The package also includes a pair of “wing-backs” in Salais and Luis Maciel.

Cuyamaca was the computer ranked No. 10 squad out of Southern California for the second straight season. Butte was ranked No. 13 in NorCal.

Coach’s Comments

Brian Aleu, Cuyamaca head soccer coach

On rebounding following last season’s disappointing setback toEl Camino in the state championship game:

“We learned from lastr season, and even this year when we were just .500 after six games , we perfected everything.”

“It’s the experience of being able to get there and beleiving in yourself and understanding you need to navigate through the processto get these, then getting the returning players — we ave seven of them — to msnge to mskr yth new players a part of the team.”

“We found a way to get back to the final, but then winning the final, too.”

Considering Cuyamaca College os a small school located in a small public high schools district — e.g., Mt. San Antonio College draws from 34 public schools — the championship is even more remarkable.

“At our level, to win 16 games is a row with the tremendous compeitition her in Southern California is amazing.”

“For a program so small in San Diego like us, winning is unprecidented. San Diego has really good futbol, but for someone like us to do win state.. I find it hard to imagine.”

Notes

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From World War II until the 1980s, American football teams at community colleges were feeder program to some NCAA Division I programs. For example, the USC Trojans were known for sending future players to Pasadena City and Fullerton college because of a lack of available scholarships.

The same was true when the U.S. national team coach also coached Golden West College to state and national crowns in the 1970s, or Full erton receiving players from Cal Poly Pomona for state crowns in the 1970s and 80s. Currenlt, Golden West has won 8 straight state crowns in men’s water polo because of national teamm connections.

Today, many highly regarded programs are sent younger yet talented players from the L.A. Galaxy, F.C. Los Angeles, and USL clubs. Most of them are placed and stay in L.A. and Orange counties.

Thus, Aleu is hopeful his team, including the coaching staff, get nominated for Club of the Year by the U.S. Soccer Coaches of America Association.

The resume is solid. At least 18 victories o er season over three seasons, a trio of conference crowns, and two state championship game berths, including Sunday’s title.

The other remarkable factor Aleu wouldn’t address — but we will here — is what the Coyotes have to work with.

No team locker rooms. A field with no bleachers or lights, and a single Porta-potty to serve both sides. They also have one of the smallest budgets (officially called “low budget:) of any PCAC school.

Meanwhile, some conference rivals now play in new (Palomar) or refurbished (Southwestern) stadiums. Next season, San Diego Miramar will start a new soccer progrram with its own new facility.

In addition, other California community colleges are opening fields worthy of NCAA Division I clubs. A good example is American River College in Sacramento, which hosted this season championships and televised the contest on Spectrum Sports Net cable.

Women’s Final

The women’s state title went to the Folsom Lake College Falcons (located a few blocks from Folsom State Prison) defendings their 2023 state title by holding off the Cypress College Chargers, 2-1.