CHEYENNE, Wyo. (BVM) – Following a run at a national title, the Laramie County Community College men’s soccer team aims to take that last step toward the NJCAA national championship.

The Golden Eagles won the district tournament for the first time in school history in 2019, propelling them to the national tournament.

Looking to continue firsts for the school, the team began the preseason ranked second in the nation. After ending week one with a 1-0 win and 1-1 tie to Hill College, the Golden Eagles are tied for fifth in the nation with Louisiana State University-Eunice.

The team has an experience-heavy squad with 21 of the 30-player roster being sophomores. Several returning were starters for the Golden Eagles.

This season has already been a unique one for everyone. It was postponed from the fall until the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, the team had a season the school won’t soon forget, finishing 16-5-1, the best for LCCC since a 17-3 finish in 2016.

The season didn’t start on the right track, however. After beginning 2-0, LCCC lost three straight. But the Golden Eagles adjusted their play and won 10 games in a row to finish 12-3 on the regular season. They outscored their opponents 60-5 and never let any team score more than one goal against them. This winning streak included a 14-0 victory over Central Wyoming College and an 11-0 victory over Western Wyoming Community College to finish the season.

The team kept rolling into the Region IX tournament, shutting out both Central Community College-Columbus and Western Nebraska Community College in the first two rounds. In the region final, LCCC downed Otero Junior College, 3-2.

The then-ranked No. 17 Golden Eagles won their first district championship after knocking off No. 7 Marshalltown Community College 4-3 in penalty kicks. The program had only appeared in the district tournament seven times before.

For the first time in school history, the Golden Eagles qualified for the NJCAA DI Men’s Soccer Championship where they went 1-1 in pool play to beat out the third-ranked Tyler Junior College for an opportunity in the semifinals. LCCC played No. 4 Eastern Florida State in the semifinals and lost 4-0 to finish its season in third place in the national tournament.

The 2020 season being played in spring 2021 gives LCCC the chance to prove it belongs in the national tournament once again, but the Golden Eagles must get through the 14-game regular season, another Region IX tournament, as well as win the district championship for the second straight year.

The road is not an easy one, but the Golden Eagles are off to a respectable 1-0-1 start to the season. Sophomore forward Noe Ortiz-Pena has been the star for LCCC so far this season, scoring both goals in their two matches against Hill College. In those games, Ortiz-Pena has had a 44.4% shot on goal.

Sophomore goalkeeper Declan Domyan has also played a vital role for the Golden Eagles, saving all but one goal in the two games this season. His save percentage sits at 83.3%.

This season will be head coach Vince Gibson’s 13th season at LCCC. Gibson’s record stands at 140-73-11.