MWP: Griffins win 3rd in Southern California Regional Championships!

The playoffs were competitive on the Southern side this year as 8 of the States top 10 teams are from the south. The Griffins opened the tournament in the first round against the Mounties of Mt. San Antonio College, coming away with a 13-8 win. In the Quarterfinals the Griffins matched up with the 2nd ranked (State and Socal) Long Beach City Vikings, and sent them home with a 13-12 win. The next morning the Griffins were tasked with trying to knock out the #3 (State and Socal) ranked Bobcats of Saddleback Community college, but that early game proved to be more than the Griffins were ready to handle. The Griffins struggled on offense and defense early in the first quarter but managed to keep the score at 6-4 by half time, but in the third quarter the Bobcats pulled away, handing the Griffins a 6-13 loss. 

After Beating Orange Coast in the quarterfinal round and losing to Golden West college in the other semifinal of the morning, the Cougars of Cuesta community college met the Griffins in the Southern California Regional third place game.  Grossmont and Cuesta faced off once this season back on September 4th, Cuesta came away with a 16-9 victory. This time however, the Griffins would not allow the same fate. The Griffins went down 1-3 in the first quarter with the lone goal coming from freshman utility Ryan Beery. 

In the Second quarter the Griffins picked up the pace outscoring the Cougars 4-2 and the half ended in a 5-5 tie. Sophomores Emiliano Castro, Garrett Duardo each contributed one goal to the effort while Freshman Ryan Beery and Torin Carss each tossed one in as well. 

In the third quarter it looked like the Cougars were going to take this one as they outscored the Griffins 4-2. Freshman Ryan Beery scored his 3rd and final goal of the game, and Freshman Liam Zawadzki also found the back of the net keeping the Griffins within two scores (9-7) as the quarter came to an end. 

Again, trailing by two, the Griffins came roaring back, winning the 4th quarter 3-1 and sending the game into its first of four overtime periods. The 4th quarter saw Sophomore Brock Kammerer get on the board for his first of two goals in the game, Garrett Duardo tossed in his second, and freshman Torin Carrs notched his third goal of the match. The fourth quarter ended in a 10-10 tie. 

As per CCCAA and NCAA rules, overtime consists of two 3 minute quarters, and if needed, additional 3 minute periods of golden goal (first to score wins the game). In the first three minute overtime period neither team found the back of the net. The Cougars found the back of the net first in the second overtime period, but again the Griffins answered back when Brock Kammer found the back of the net for his second time of the match. The Cougars and Griffins would again prove unable to break the tie as a 3rd overtime period came and went. In the final overtime period, the Cougars earned an exclusion but failed to convert the opportunity with Freshman goalkeeper Parker George securing his 16th save of the match. The griffins then went down the pool earning an exclusion for themselves. The Griffins looked exhausted but moved the ball quite well, finally putting it in the capable hands of 6 foot 5 left handed shooter Liam Zawadzki, who promptly scored his second goal of the game, earning the Griffins 3rd place.

This was a banner year for the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference, hosting its first ever Southern California Regional tournament, and seeing the 2021 Griffins become just the  to finish in the top 3 since the Griffins last did it in 2008. It is believed that the 2021 PCAC champions are the first to finish in the top 3 since 2008, and only the fourth going back to the formation of the PCAC in 1998 (Grossmont 2002, 2003, 2008, 2021).