On Thursday, March 6, the Archie Williams boys varsity soccer team (15-4-5) faced the Tamalpais High School Hawks (13-6-5) in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) semi-finals. The Falcons secured a 2-1 win, solidifying their spot in the tournament’s final. 

The game began, and the Hawks came out with intensity, maintaining most of the possession. Despite many close chances on goal, the Falcons were able to hold them off as they built their momentum. A critical save from sophomore goalkeeper Jack Kasin in the 13th minute kept the score even at 0-0. 

As the first half progressed, the Hawks matched the Falcon’s energy well. Archie’s defense maintained their composure, with many crucial clearances from sophomore defender Hayden Bremer.

“I think keeping our energy up and working together helped us the most. The first half was an even battle between the two teams, but overall, we stayed strong,” Hayden said. 

Near the end of the half, the Falcons got several shots on goal from senior forward Willy Finley and senior midfielder Jackson Richardson. Despite creating multiple goal-scoring opportunities, Archie Williams couldn’t get the ball into the back of the net, and the half ended with a score of 0-0.

The Falcons came off the second half strong, having many chances on goal. Just three minutes into the second half, senior midfielder Jake Morrison took a corner, allowing Willy to get a shot off and score, putting the Falcons ahead 1-0.

The Falcons continued to work hard to protect their lead against the Hawks, putting major pressure on their defense. A foul in the 22nd minute on junior forward Sean Chamberlin resulted in a penalty kick for Archie Williams. Sean buried the ball into the back of the net, extending the Falcons’ lead to 2-0. 

Archie Williams’ defense began to slip after their second goal, and with 20 minutes left, the Hawks scored off of a defensive error, putting them back in the game with a score of 2-1. Despite Tam’s efforts, the Archie defense stayed strong, with great work and communication from Hayden and Junior defender Manny Cardenas. 

The Falcons persevered up until the final whistle, leading to a score of 2-1. Head coach Rene Ayala believes the Falcons won their games due to the team’s grit and strong work ethic.

“Just when I feel like these guys are not going to have enough in the tank, they just pull out a game like this, and it’s been happening for a long time now. I guess I just have to learn not to doubt these boys because they always come through, and I’m just happy for them to keep going,” Ayala said.

The Falcons play next Saturday, March 8, where they will take on Hillsdale High School in the CIF Finals at home. Jackson is proud of his team’s performance and is optimistic about the upcoming game. 

“I’m really happy with how we were playing. We came out from the start hungry, and we really worked together throughout the game, and that showed in the result. I’m super proud of all the boys, and because of today, I’m feeling confident going into Saturday,” Jackson said.