Hawks’ defender Alex Meczarski fired the ball past St. Clair Saints goalkeeper Nedeljko Malic in the 90th minute of their Oct. 1 game. That last-second tally kept Humber’s still-perfect regular season record intact.
The defending OCAA and CCAA champions are now only a couple of games away from an undefeated season.
The Humber Hawks men’s soccer team has two more games to go before the playoffs, and getting there with a perfect season offers powerful momentum for their post-season.
On Saturday, they faced their first test after a close 2-1 win against the St. Clair Saints.
“I’m glad that we won, but it wasn’t the best of performances from our side given the quality of our team,” head coach Michael Aquino said. “I was expecting more. I think they took their foot off the pedal a little bit.”
That late-winner by Meczarski shows he’s determined to prove that his addition to the team this year will bolster their performances.
“Getting the three points at the end of the day is all that matters, keeping that undefeated record,” he said.
“This is my first year on the team so I haven’t been a part of their winning culture before,” Meczarski said, adding Humber’s success provincially and nationally is “no secret.”
Kadell Thomas dribbles past Saints defender Fares Akhdar during the Oct. 1 match. Humber won 2-1 with a last-second goal. Thomas is currently the Hawks' top goal-scorer. Photo credit: Andre La Rosa-Rodriguez
Despite this being his first season, he brings experience with 49 appearances for the Toronto Metropolitan University Bold (formerly Ryerson Rams) over four years.
He is one of the many new faces on the team’s roster. Meczarski said around half the team has changed since last season and that this means they need to continue working on their chemistry on the field.
“A lot of people are coming from different environments. It’s all about being on the same page every moment of the game,” he said. “It’s nice that we have a bunch of new faces on the team and the level has stayed the same.”
Former Toronto FC II and U-20 team Canada midfielder Luca Uccello said close games can be good for teams.
“It was a close game and close games help you become a better team at the end of the day,” Uccello said.
Luca Uccello shoots a free-kick from the edge of the 18-yard box during a game against St. Clair Saints on Oct. 1. Uccello earned Hawks athlete of the week honours following his impressive performances. Photo credit: Andre La Rosa-Rodriguez
“We maintained our undefeated streak through the season and now that we’re in the second half of the season, we’re just looking for ways to improve with the squad we have,” he said.
Uccello earned himself Humber athlete of the week honours following his offensive dominance on the pitch.
He has been one of the Hawks’ star players with six goals and nine assists this season — one of the top goal-scorers on the team. This is his second season with the Hawks.
Aquino said Uccello is one of the team’s captains and considers him one of Humber’s best.
“He’s a leader and each and every game he comes to compete. He’s got the right mentality and approach to every game,” he said.
In the Saints match, Uccello scored the first goal and assisted the second, capitalizing off a free kick from outside the box.
“In the end, it’s the sign of a good team,” Aquino said. “Good teams find ways to win even on not so hot days.”
He noted that “more quality in front of goal” and “consistency” throughout the game are the lessons he took from the match.
The Hawks went on to convincingly win 7-0 on Sunday against the Lambton Lions and another dominant 5-0 performance against the Conestoga Condors on Wednesday.
They will face the Niagara Knights on Oct. 12 and close out the regular season at Sheridan in Oakville on Oct. 15.