The Humber’s men’s soccer team snagged its 16th gold medal at the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) finals on Oct. 26, beating the Algonquin Wolves 2-0 at Esther Shiner Civic Stadium in North York.
The team walked onto the field for the final OCAA game after ending the regular season undefeated with a 9-1-0 record and a 35-goal differential. They're also ranked number one nationally.
The team defeated Centennial Colts by 5-1 in the quarter-finals, qualifying for the final four in the provincial championship.
The OCAA’s first semifinal pitted the Hawks against Seneca Sting for a place in the final last Friday.
The first half offered the Hawks more scoring chances while Seneca defended near their goalkeeper and tried to mount a counterattack.
The Hawks opened the scoring at the 48-minute mark thanks to forward Christian Keshishian but were unable to add to the score.
Around the 85th minute, the Sting tied with a fantastic goal by midfielder Jackson Drewanz, sending the match to overtime.
Midfielder Tomas Joseph secured Humber’s win and qualification to the final after scoring the definitive goal in the 99th minute in the first overtime.
Joseph, who started the game on the bench, said after the match he felt emotionally down when he missed two clear chances in regulation time.
“My head was really down,” Joseph said. “I was in a dark place.”
He said the team didn’t stop supporting and cheering him on afterwards, which helped him to redeem himself and score the decisive goal in overtime.
The Hawks then faced Algonquin, which defeated Sheridan Bruins by 3-2 in the second semifinal.
Around 40 minutes before the final, Humber defender Isaiah Noel said the team was prepared and feeling good about their chances.
“We are high in energy,” he said. “We’re ready and prepared.”
Humber showed its best side and effectiveness early in the Saturday final.
Forward Jacob Ball scored the first goal for the Hawks in the eighth minute during a counterattack. It was a great individual play where he dribbled past three defenders.
In the 32nd minute, the Wolves defence lost possession on their side of the pitch, leaving Ball face-to-face with goalkeeper Oliver Langlois.
The kick put the ball to the right side of the goalie and into the centre of the net, making it 2-0 for the Hawks at halftime.
During the second half, the Hawks were solid defensively, not allowing the Wolves to have clear scoring chances, securing the gold.
For Humber Hawks head coach Michael Aquino, it’s his eighth OCAA championship, tying Humber Hall of Fame coach Germain Sanchez on the number of provincial titles.
“It’s a great testament to what we’ve done all season,” Aquino said. “I’m very happy for the team and for everybody.”
He said the team would rest a few days before starting to prepare for the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) national championship.
Humber’s Ball expressed his happiness after the final provincial game of the season.
“I was happy I could do my job today and score,” Ball said. “Just proud of what we’ve done so far this season.”
He said he knows the team has many achievements this season, but the job is not done yet, with the new goal now being the national championship.
Humber Hawks right back, captain and championship MVP Matthew Laic said the key to winning the final was to remain calm, and disciplined and capitalize on their chances.
“We were more nervous (during the semifinal) than we were today,” he said. “It’s a dream come true and a great performance for all the guys.”
Laic said this win is a relief for him and the team after losing last year’s final 3-0 against the Condors.
Now the Hawks have their sights on the national championship which starts on Nov. 6 in Fredericton, N.B., with St. Thomas University Tommies hosting the 2024 edition.
The team will face the University of King’s College Blue Devils from Halifax, N.S., first game at 12:30 p.m. AST for the quarterfinals.
The Blue Devils were finalists at the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) where they lost 1-0 against STU Tommies.
Humber’s history at the CCAA includes nine titles, the most with the last being in 2022 when they defeated Seneca. They also won one silver medal and three bronze medals.
