SANTA CLARA — For about 10 minutes, Bellarmine boys soccer looked unstoppable.
The Bells, the top seed in the CCS Division I bracket, were getting whatever they wanted against third-seeded Everett Alvarez, scoring two early goals to take control of the section title game at Santa Clara University.
But in the aggregate, the final 68-plus minutes belonged to the visitors from far-away Salinas, who imposed their will with a goal late in the first half and three more in the second.
When the dust settled, the shell-shocked Bells had to swallow the disappointment of a 4-2 championship loss that was hard to fathom based on what had taken place just over an hour earlier.
Bellarmine’s Roman Fernandez (2) and Bellarmine’s Thomas Dumont (7) are given their second place award after losing their CCS Division I boys soccer championship game against Everett Alvarez High 4-2 in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
“The boys set the tone early, pressing pretty hard,” Bellarmine coach Conor Salcido said. “We caught them on the back foot. Both goals in the first 12 minutes were solid, really good pressing goals that our guys took that extra breath right before taking their shot and buried both of them.
“Once they scored that goal, it felt like, ‘OK, this team is a legit group.’ Our guys recognized that. And then once the start of the second half happened, that momentum shift was just hard to get our feet under us after that.”
Bellarmine (17-3-3) couldn’t have asked for a better start. The Bells jumped out to a 1-0 lead thanks to Gregory Gutierrez’s goal in the fourth minute, then doubled it when Gutierrez set up Nathan Johnston with a perfect pass across the middle of the 18-yard box.
Everett Alvarez (21-0-2) re-established itself in the 16th minute, when Fernando Matias controlled a through ball and pushed a shot past Bellarmine keeper Drew McClelland to get the Eagles back in the game.
A penalty kick by Everett Alvarez High’s Luis Macias gets past Bellarmine goalkeeper Drew McClelland (88), tying the game in the second half of their CCS Division I boys soccer championship in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
From then on, the field was slanted in favor of Alvarez.
“Bellarmine is a top team, and whenever you see a team like that, you commit mistakes, they’re gonna capitalize,” EA coach Gabriel Campos said. “There’s no doubt about it. But we’ve seen that scenario a couple times this season, where we’ve been down against a good team, and we’ve been able to wiggle through to find the appropriate actions to get us back in the match. And that’s exactly what took place.”
Bellarmine’s last best chance to change the momentum came in the 47th minute. Thomas Dumont found a through ball of his own at his feet and was one-on-one with EA keeper Alvaro Reyes, but he was stonewalled and did not score.
Three minutes later, EA’s Luis Macias drew a foul on a run in the box and cashed in the ensuing penalty kick, tying the game.
Everett Alvarez High’s Luis Macias (8) kicks the ball away from Bellarmine’s Thomas Dumont (7) during their CCS Division I boys soccer championship game in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
It was a harbinger of things to come. The Eagles dominated possession from then on, eventually taking the lead on Edwin Moreno’s goal in the 67th minute. Then in the 75th minute, Jorge Hernandez added an insurance goal for good measure after Bellarmine turned the ball over in its own 18.
“There’s a lot of guys that were obviously pretty upset,” Salcido said. “But we lost to a good team. At no moment in that game did I think we didn’t play our style and we got overpowered. They’re just a good team. I mean, they really are a solid group of players. When I saw them start warming up, I’m like, ‘OK, this is gonna be a fun game.’”
The Division I championship was Everett Alvarez’s second CCS title in two seasons. The Eagles also won the Division III crown last year, which was their first section title in a 30-year school history.
Everett Alvarez High players celebrate with their first-place award after winning their CCS Division I boys soccer championship game against Bellarmine High 4-2 in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
“It doesn’t just mean a lot for our program. It means a lot for our whole city,” Campos said. “Salinas is a soccer town. Salinas is soccer. For us to put Salinas’ name on the map like we did today, it’s major. Last year, we were a little shunned by going into D-IIII. But we made a statement. This was a year that we can definitely push through and show that we’re not just a one-year team. We can definitely commit to being a proper program here in CCS.”
Bellarmine’s Friday night ended with bitterness, but the Bells’ season doesn’t have to conclude that way. Bellarmine will now await its draw in the CIF NorCal regional championships, which begin on Tuesday.
Everett Alvarez High goalkeeper Alvaro Reyes (1) blocks the ball as he collides with Bellarmine’s Gregory Gutierrez (11) in the second half of their CCS Division I boys soccer championship against Bellarmine in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
“Back in my day, this was it,” Salcido said. “Your season’s done. The fact that we still have a chance to continue in NorCals, maybe our road got a little bit tougher in terms of travel. But like I’ve already told this group, they’ve left an amazing legacy at Bellarmine. I mean, we won the WCAL with three games left. And the campus is buzzing.
“I’m very happy with how the Bellarmine community as a whole has gotten behind this group. The kids feel it, the parents feel it. It’s a really solid group. The fact that our season continues on Tuesday does make this a little bit better.”
Bellarmine’s Thomas Dumont (7) and Everett Alvarez High’s Omar Lopez (4) battle for the ball during their CCS Division I boys soccer championship in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
Bellarmine’s Gregory Gutierrez (11), right, celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during their CCS Division I boys soccer championship game against Everett Alvarez High in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
Bellarmine’s Gregory Gutierrez (11) celebrates after scoring a goal with teammate Thomas Dumont (7) during their CCS Division I boys soccer championship game against Everett Alvarez High in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
