GALT, CA (MPG) - Under a sky that alternated between drizzle and downpour, the Galt Warriors men’s soccer team delivered a performance worthy of champions, defeating crosstown rival Liberty Ranch 2-0 on Senior Night to capture the league championship Monday evening at Warrior Stadium.

The Feb. 10 showdown had all the makings of a classic. Both teams entered with nearly identical records, the Warriors at 12-1 and the Hawks at 12-0-1, after Liberty Ranch’s unexpected tie against Rosemont opened the door for Galt to seize the title. What followed was a fast and furious contest between two programs featuring some of the region’s finest soccer talent.

Senior Edgar Zavala emerged as the hero of the night, scoring both goals in the championship-clinching victory. His first came off a perfectly executed set piece when Angel Munoz delivered a corner kick to the far post.

 

Hawk Christian Maciel and Warrior Leo Garcia tangle with some high kicks.

“The first goal was off a set piece that Angel Munoz sent to the second post and I was there, ready for the ball,” Zavala said. “It’s amazing.”

Zavala’s second goal showcased the Warriors’ chemistry and his clinical finishing. Teammate Kevin Levario created space with a dummy run, allowing Zavala to unleash a strike into the bottom right corner.

“My teammate Kevin Levario basically dummied the ball, and I told him leave it, and I shot it bottom right, straight past the goalkeeper,” Zavala explained. “I honestly felt amazing being able to show out in this game, especially the most important game of the league. Winning league, ready for sections. We are a special team that lifts each other up.”

The victory marked a remarkable turnaround for Galt, which had trailed Liberty Ranch in the standings for most of the season. The Hawks had defeated the Warriors 2-1 at Liberty Ranch on Jan. 16, but Galt never lost again, setting up Monday’s winner-take-all finale.

 

Aldo Carrillo dribbles the ball down the side for the Warriors.

Galt goalkeeper Adam Preciado was instrumental in preserving the shutout, recording six saves to keep the Hawks off the scoreboard. His performance anchored a defensive effort that proved crucial in the championship-deciding match.

Head Coach Julian Parra guided his team with a simple philosophy built on three core principles: composure, connection and communication. Those values proved decisive in the pressure-packed atmosphere.

“It’s hard to explain,” Parra said when asked about the victory. “I said at the beginning of the season there was a lot of talk about how this was a rebuild year. We still heard a couple of things, but we kept to ourselves. We kept true to who we are. We’re a team united by a crest, but more importantly, we’re a team united by the community.”

Parra emphasized the support the Warriors felt throughout the season, even from those who couldn’t attend matches in person.

 

Galt’s Angel Munoz takes a header.

“The community always supports us. We always feel it. People are busy and I know it can be tough to come to the game, but even the people that can’t come out, they’re always wishing us well and they’re always watching on the stream,” he said. “This is for everybody.”

The Galt coach also praised the quality of competition provided by Liberty Ranch.

“Hats off to Liberty Ranch; great school, great program. They’re very competitive, very good, talented. They do everything to a high intensity, high level,” Parra said. “This was more of a celebration for the whole city. It felt really nice to see the stands full on both ends. I always tell my boys all the time that if there was a top 50 SVC regional players list, Galt High and Liberty Ranch would take most of it because there’s top-50-level players on both teams. The people here saw quality soccer and they saw, most importantly, the love for the city.”

When asked what he told his team before the championship match, Parra kept it simple.

“They were intense. We knew what it was about. We didn’t sell each other short. We were just there for each other,” he said. “It’s a community. Blood couldn’t make us any closer.”

 

Hawk Leyton Munoz takes a karate-type kick at the ball.

Perhaps the most memorable moment came immediately after the final whistle. Rather than rushing into celebration, the Warriors stopped and embraced every Liberty Ranch player, demonstrating the mutual respect between the rivals. Only after that display of sportsmanship did the Warriors gather for their championship celebration.

Both programs have already advanced deep into their respective playoff brackets. The Warriors, ranked first in the Division 5 section, opened with a dominant 13-0 victory over Waterford and have two more matches before the section title game on Saturday. Liberty Ranch, seeded fourth in Division 4, defeated Center 8-1 in their opening round.

For the Warriors, however, Monday night belonged to the seniors who delivered a league championship on their final home match, capping a season that exceeded all expectations and united an entire community.