Fighting Cocks Defeat Hayward in Adult League Championship

A local adult soccer league team celebrated a major victory over the weekend.

The Union City Football Club, better known as the Union City Fighting Cocks, crushed Hayward Oaxaca 4-2 in the Liga de Las Americas Division 1 championship tournament on Sunday, Oct. 16 at Southgate Fields in Hayward.

It was the team’s first season competing in the East Bay adult league, said player-coach Rick Garcia. Garcia, a freshman soccer coach at , founded the team last year.

Sunday’s victory topped a successful five-month season with 14 wins, three ties and one loss. Much of the team’s success is credited to its mix of seasoned athletes and skillful and fierce young players, Garcia said. Their 22-player roster includes Logan alumni in their 40s, as well as current Logan players in their mid to late teens.

The team also has great chemistry, due to the fact that many of the players are related or friends, Garcia said. "We're more like a family," he said.

Among the stars of the championship game was , 19, who scored two goals and won the honor of league MVP.

According to Garcia, the team started the championship match strong, with Valdovinos scoring the first goal within five minutes. But Hayward struck back, scoring almost immediately after.

Garcia said the team wasn’t stirred at all by the exchange of goals.

“I was pretty sure we’d win. We did well against them in the league previously,” Garcia said.

Sergio Anthony, 20, scored right before the end of the first 45-minute half, putting them up 2-1.

Hayward scored another goal but the Fight Cocks finished off its neighboring rivals with Gustavo Ulloa, a 19-year-old kicker at Chabot College, scoring the team’s third goal 25 minutes into the half and Valdovinos striking again right after.

While the team is excited about the win, the celebration won’t last long, Garcia said.

In two weeks, the Fighting Cocks begin competing in the Premier Division comprised of champs from adult leagues in other regions.

“They’re stronger teams, it’s more competitive; a lot more younger kids,” Garcia said. “But we should do fine. We played a team already as a scrimmage, and we tagged them.”

Though the team has a full roster, Garcia said they are always looking for more local talent.

The team is also seeking sponsorships.

According to Garcia, the team is a registered non-profit organization and is currently funded through the support of local project management company and apparel company Amor Clothing.

For more information on the team, or to sponsor the team, contact Rick Garcia at 510-706-5586.