Sophomore forward Aaron McCollum led the Cosumnes River College Hawks to their first victory on Sept. 2, scoring two goals against the defending Bay Valley Conference champions Yuba City 49ers.

The Hawks, who won the game 5-2, demonstrated their explosive offensive power as well as the ability to control the ball.

“We added a few twists to our formations that suits these guys because they are more possession-oriented,” Head Coach Ron Preble said before the game. “We can be a little more aggressive going forward and have a little bit of more of an attacking personality.”

The Hawks demonstrated those skills early on, moving the ball across the field and attempting a relentless set of shots against the 49ers that would eventually lead to a goal by freshman forward Marek Albert.

McCollum added his first goal of the game later on in the half, as the Hawks continued to pressure Yuba’s defense.

“The ball was bouncing around on top of the box. My teammate got it and I dropped off on a good angle for him to play me the ball and I slid it in the bottom corner,” McCollum said.

Many of the shots Yuba attempted in the first half either sailed over the net or were out of bounds. The Hawks quickly moved the ball to the other side of the field every time the 49ers were close to scoring.

“We weren’t pressuring. We weren’t passing right. We weren’t shooting. No communication,” 49ers midfielder sophomore Alex Butterfield said.

The second half began much of the same way, with McCollum adding his second goal and freshman defender Cesar Sosa kicking in his first score of the season. However, the Hawks’ defense would falter and freshman Isaac Mora would score Yuba’s first goal of the game.

A few minutes later, the Hawks threatened to score again. Freshman midfielder Eliezer Ramos attempted a shot but the ball bounced off freshman 49ers defender Felipe Rodriguez. Rodriguez went down in pain, clutching his shin and was tended to by the team doctor and Head Coach Imed Dossy. Rodriguez would eventually walk off the field under his own power but with a limp.

Later on in the half, McCollum received a yellow card for not following directions and behaving unsportsmanlike. Preble immediately removed him from the game.

Yuba City would eventually tack on an additional goal but the deficit proved to be far too large.

“We got to work harder and get our guys in shape. They broke down after 10 minutes of the game and they just didn’t keep running,” Butterfield said.

For the Hawks, they earned their first win of the season and demonstrated that their controlling offense is a potential threat to the rest of the conference.

“From our standpoint it shows we have a team that can score goals,” Preble said. “ We have also given away goals. So I don’t think we are putting in the fear in anyone’s heart yet but we are gaining confidence and that is important for us.”

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