Posted: Dec 19, 2023
All-American
Las Positas College men's soccer coach Andy Cumbo knew he could always count on sophomore center back Luis Castillo this past season.
Now he can count on another thing — Castillo is an All-American.
The Hawks' two-way defender was selected on Dec. 6 to the United Soccer Coaches Junior College Division III Men's All-American Second Team.
"He's great on both sides of the ball and was dominant in the air," Cumbo said of Castillo. "In addition to his class on field, he is a well mannered, respectful and hard working young man. He made his mark this year and we are proud and appreciative of him."
Castillo, of Hayward, a Hawks team captain and leader, was also a first-team Coast-South selection after helping the Hawks to a 13-8-2 overall record and a trip to the Northern California Regional Playoffs. He appeared to enjoy all aspects of the LPC program, especially getting a chance to compete alongside top-quality players.
"I just wanna say thank you to my Coach Andy Cumbo and to my assistant coaches for the opportunity to let me represent LPC. I've learned a lot of new things from them, and thank you to my teammates for making this a memorable season," Castillo said.
Known as Luigi, Castillo made an "immediate and continual impact" this season, overcoming injuries to always give his best on game day, the coach said.
The Hawks surged down the stretch, going 5-1 in the final six conference games, to nail down a playoff spot.
Las Positas, as the 14th seed, fell to host No. 3 West Valley 3-0 in Round 1 of the Northern California Regional Playoffs.
Cumbo loved the quality he saw from his men's squad, describing it as "probably the best team I've had here."
What advice would Castillo give to young players? "Always set their goals high, the sky's the limit."