Golden West Men’s Soccer Earns No. 20 Seed, Heads to MiraCosta for SoCal Regional Playoff

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. – The Golden West College men's soccer team is postseason-bound once again, officially securing the No. 20 seed in the 2025 SoCal Regional Bracket. The Rustlers will travel south for an 11 a.m. playoff matchup on Wednesday, November 19, taking on the 13th-seeded MiraCosta College Spartans in Oceanside.

The Rustlers enter the postseason after a hard-fought and resilient regular season, finishing 7-6-6 overall, including an impressive 7-3-4 record in Orange Empire Conference play. Golden West was one of the toughest teams in the league down the stretch, losing only once in its final eight matches and earning key results to climb into the playoff field.

Golden West's attack was led by breakout freshman forward Luis Cano, who delivered a standout first season in the green and gold. Cano finished with a team-best eight goals and four assists (20 points), scoring twice from game-winners and emerging as one of the conference's most dynamic offensive threats.

Veteran midfielder Arnold Ramirez continued to be the engine of the midfield, adding three goals and two assists while providing leadership and steady possession play across 18 matches. Fellow sophomore Camron Hatamkhani also made a major impact with three goals and one assist, including a perfect 1-for-1 mark from the penalty spot.

Returning all-conference selection Yasir Duque delivered another balanced campaign with two goals and two assists, while sophomore striker Jorge Orozco added valuable attacking depth with three goals across 14 appearances. First-year contributors Jonathan Acosta, Pedro Flores, and Sean Allen each added a goal as well, giving the Rustlers a diverse scoring rotation.

Defensively, Golden West relied once again on standout goalkeeper Trevor Jones, who anchored the back line with a strong season. Jones started all 16 games he appeared in, posting a 1.38 goals-against average, 65 saves, and four shutouts, helping the Rustlers keep opponents to just 25 goals across 19 matches. Freshman goalkeeper Jose Perez also saw action late in the year, recording 11 saves in two starts.

As a unit, the Rustlers scored 28 goals on 130 shots (a .215 scoring rate) and held opponents nearly even across statistical categories, highlighted by a defensive group that limited dangerous chances and delivered timely stops throughout conference play.

Golden West now turns its attention to a MiraCosta squad that earned the No. 13 seed and enters Wednesday's match with momentum of its own. The Rustlers will look to continue their disciplined defending and opportunistic scoring that powered them through conference competition.

Wednesday's winner will advance to the Second Round of the SoCal Regional Playoffs on Saturday, November 22.

Full Bracket Here