Bio

By: Fernando Bossoes
Humber Athletics Communications

SAINT-LAMBERT, QC. – Ten years ago, the Hawks stood on this very same pitch playing in the national final. Down to nine men after two first-half red cards, Humber played more than 100 minutes shorthanded, surviving pressure after pressure before triumphing 5-3 in penalties to capture the national gold medal.

That day, Humber legend Jim Bialek summed it up in his game recap: "Simply put… WOW!"

Wow, indeed, Mr. Bialek, what a ride it has been since that fifth national title.

A decade later, the Hawks returned to Seaway Park, this time as underdogs against the host, Champlain Saint-Lambert Cavaliers. For the first time in years, the weight of expectation tilted against Humber.

But sometimes, history balances the scales. A jersey as heavy as Humber's carries its own gravity, the kind shared by clubs like Real Madrid or Manchester United.

And on Saturday, November 8, history repeated itself. The Hawks once again etched their name in gold, defeating the Cavaliers 2-1 in front of a packed home crowd.

So Mr. Bialek, if you will allow me, I will borrow your words once more: "Simply put… WOW!" Because this is what Humber men's soccer does.

A program built on a gold standard and a relentless pursuit of excellence that spans generations. From Hall of Famer Germain Sanchez, who laid the foundations, to Michael Aquino, who turned success into a dynasty, and now Jason Mesa, who's already proving the legacy is in steady hands — and ready to become an empire.

Another championship. Another testament to years of discipline, sweat and a standard of greatness that refuses to fade. A history written in blue and gold and punctuated by numerous "WOWs."

The Hawks are national champions. Canada stays blue and gold.

Match recap

This is it. The gold medal match. The moment every Canadian collegiate athlete dreams of - stepping onto this stage.

On one side stood the hosts, the Champlain Saint-Lambert Cavaliers, fueled by the support of the home crowd. They battled through a thrilling 4-3 semifinal win over Conestoga, returning to the national final for the first time since their 2007 title.

Across from them were the Hawks, who, for the first time in years, arrived as underdogs. After edging Montmorency 2-1 in the quarterfinal, Humber found its rhythm with a dominant 3-0 win over UKC to book its place in the final.

One team chased just their second CCAA crown. The other, an unprecedented 11th. It all came down to this.

Both teams began with a cautious, disciplined approach, respecting each other's quality and avoiding costly mistakes.

The possession was traded back and forth throughout the half. Both sides created opportunities, but neither could find the back of the net, sending the match scoreless into halftime.

In the second half, Humber turned up the pressure, generating quality chances through Marcus Riviere and Cisco Thomas, but the deadlock held firm.

As time passed, the match became increasingly physical on both sides.

In the 76th minute, the breakthrough finally came. Luca Pinto sent a cross from the left side that found Tomas Joseph, who headed it into the middle. A poor clearance dropped to Michael Crocco, whose shot struck the crossbar. The rebound fell perfectly to Thomas, who buried it to give Humber a 1-0 lead.

Seven minutes later, the Hawks could almost taste gold. Crocco won the ball in midfield and sprang Tyler Yasaka for a one-on-one with the keeper. The rookie made no mistake, scoring to make it 2-0 Humber.

The Cavaliers threw everything forward after Humber's second tally, and Seaway Park erupted when Yacine Ihaddadéne pulled one back with two minutes to play.

Four minutes of stoppage time felt like an eternity. Then, the referee blew the final whistle, 2-1.

The Hawks silenced the home crowd, defended their crown and captured the 11th national title in program- the ninth since 2012.

Player of the Game, presented by 4imprint Canada

• Amar Dhindsa

Tournament All-Stars

• Marcus Riviere
• Matias Lescano
• Cristiano Candelaresi

Tournament MVP

• Carmine Fiore

Humber Highlights

• Humber remains perfect against Saint Lambert, improving to 4-0 all-time.
• The Hawks stand as the most successful CCAA men's soccer program in the country, capturing 11 of 42 national titles, more than a quarter of all championships contested.
• Humber boasts a near-perfect 11-1 record in the CCAA gold medal match.
• The Hawks extend their CCAA winning streak to 13 matches.
• Humber is one of only two teams this season to hand Saint Lambert a loss.
• The Hawks hold a 12-2 all-time record against RSEQ competition.
• In 12 CCAA gold medal matches, Humber has recorded nine clean sheets.
• Head coach Jason Mesa becomes just the second coach in program history to win a national title in his debut season. Coach Mesa now has ten titles - one as player, eight as assistant coach, and one as head coach.
• Rookie Michael Crocco led the Hawks with 14 points in OCAA and CCAA postseason matches this season.