On Sunday, Nov. 9, the 5C men’s club soccer team secured a lopsided 10-0 victory over Cal State Channel Islands, allowing onlookers to see what the Pears have been cooking up in the offseason.
“We’re really happy that we [executed] what we’ve been working on,” Claremont Pears’ head coach Jaha Sibanda said. “It’s a good group of kids we have this semester. They’ve been putting in the work in practice, and to get a win the way we did today, convincingly … I call it a professional job.”
At the beginning of the game, the Pears’ forwards scored quickly, establishing a solid lead with several goals before the end of the first half. Throughout the rest of the match, the Pears held the majority of possession, making it difficult for the Dolphins to muster a counterattack.
This advantage proved decisive as the Dolphins failed to score. On the other side of the field, the Pears roster rotated through positions and took multiple shots on goal with ease.
This was the Claremont Pears’ first victory in the two games they have played thus far in their season. Given that they drew 1-1 in the previous game, this game set the stage for the Pears to test their adjustments.
The team has been training diligently, working with new players in the offseason, including many first-years looking to get their cleats dirty. As a new member of the team scoring his debut goal in this game, Cyrus Hnasko PO ’29, found confidence thanks to the warm reception he got from his teammates.
“I’m feeling great … it was my first game with the team,” Hnasko said. “It was a blast [being] out there today. We worked a lot on our formation, our skills [and] other things in practice. But, at the end of the day, the thing I enjoyed most was that we had fun.”
Going into the 2025 club season, Sibanda made it his intention to give all his players time to determine their place on the team. Even nearing the end of the match, Sibanda wanted to rotate the newcomers to get fresh legs on the field, which paid off.
“That’s the whole point,” Sibanda said. “We want everyone who comes here to get a return on the time they put in. So, these guys that you see playing today, it means they show up to practice on a consistent basis.”
The Pears were not the only Claremont club soccer team to draw support on Sunday, though.
A few hours after the Pears’ victory, Claremont FC, the 5C women’s club soccer team, played a competitive 90 minutes against Cal Poly Pomona, but ultimately came up short by one goal.
Claremont FC scored first in the half, setting a high tempo with pressure on Cal Poly.
The game remained tied through the half. At the start of the second, though, a swift goal gave the Broncos a 2-1 lead at the start of the half, which lasted until the final whistle. Despite the loss, the team is not discouraged, according to Ansley Washburn SC ’26.
“It’s frustrating, on one hand,” Washburn said. “Our last few games have not gone the way we wanted [them] to go. But, to be honest, I’m feeling pretty good. I feel [that] the second half was our best half that we’ve played all season.”
As the Claremont Pears are continuing to practice and prepare for the next stretch, Claremont FC is nearing the end of its fall season. Washburn and her teammates are now focusing on seizing the remaining opportunities to add to their win column before the winter break.
“We have one more game, and potentially another scrimmage before the [fall] season ends,” Washburn said. “So, we’re looking forward to that.”
Both 5C soccer clubs took many shots on goal and put up strong defensive efforts, despite only one team having the win to show for it. Although each team is at a different point in their seasons, both are vying to improve and make the most of each remaining match.
The Pears expressed excitement about the possibilities that lie ahead for the fall season and the upcoming spring, while praising the progress the team has made thus far.
“We’re looking forward to growing together,” Hnasko said. “Each day we practice and each day we spend time together as a team, we’re getting better as friends, but also [as] teammates … that’s what I am most excited for. To see our growth over the season, from day one tryouts until now, is remarkable.”
Claremont FC sang a similar tune, looking to take stock after a tough loss and improve from the lessons learned.
“We’re technically an all-year sport,” Washburn said. “We like to take what we learned in the fall and do really well in the spring. We end our [spring] season in May with a tournament every year, so that’s the big culmination.”
5C club soccer is far from over, as both the Claremont Pears and Claremont FC pick up again next Saturday, Nov. 15. The Claremont Pears will take on Cal State Fullerton at 2 p.m. at Parents Field, and Claremont FC will head to Pomona for a rematch with the Cal Poly Pomona Broncos at the same time.
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