By James Hernandez 

Following a super successful inaugural campaign that saw the team post a 13-3-2 regular season record, head Coach Geoff Hawkins and his Coyotes traveled to Ephraim, Utah to compete for conference supremacy in the 2016 Region 18 tournament. CSN entered the tournament seeded second overall and opened play versus the fourth seeded USU-Eastern Eagles on Friday morning.

The Coyotes posted a 2-1 record in three meetings with the Eagles this season, outscoring USU-Eastern 8-4 over the three matches.

Friday's match began with both teams competing to gain an advantage in the match and in the 24^th minute of the match CSN forward Kebba Jobe was able to find the back of the net with a little help from freshman forward Eddie Mercado. The goal would be the only scoring of the half and despite being outshot 11-10 the Coyotes took a 1-0 lead over the Eagles into the locker room.

CSN pushed all the right buttons in the second half, generating scoring opportunities off of superior defensive effort. The Coyotes cashed two of its eleven shots in the second half highlighted by a pair of goals from sophomore forward Genaro Corona (52:17, 63:01) that put the match out of reach for the Eagles. Star keeper Miguel Navarrete posted his eleventh shutout in fourteen wins for his Coyotes, eliminating USU-Eastern and moving onto the Region 18 championship match Saturday afternoon versus the third seeded Snow College Badgers.

After Snow College upset the previously undefeated and top seeded Bruins in the second semi-final match of the tournament Friday, CSN entered Saturday's championship match with an added boost of confidence having defeated and shutout the Badgers in all three regular season meetings this year.

Snow College broke its three match scoreless mark early in Saturday's championship when Sam Bamberlister found the back of the Coyote net just 7:11 into the first half. CSN's Stefan Skrinjaric netted the equalizer on a penalty kick at the 12:41 mark of the first half, however the lead was short lived for the Coyotes as the Badger's Felipe Noveli broke the tie just sixty seconds later to give Snow back a one goal edge. Freshman midfielder Christian Pango would knot the match up 2-2 with a goal in the 31^st minute and fellow freshman Kebba Jobe put the Coyotes up 3-2 in the 39^th minute, sending CSN into halftime with a one goal lead over Snow College.

Snow didn't do itself any favors in the second half and some sloppy ball handling by the Badgers resulted in an own goal for the Coyotes that expanded its lead to 4-2. Sam Bamberlister brought the Badgers to within one after scoring his second goal of the match, but it wasn't enough as the Coyotes used sound defense to limit the Badgers offensive attack the rest of the way. Ramon Perez-Meza punched CSN's ticket to the Western District's after taking a sweet pass off of the foot of Stefan Skrinjaric and putting it into the Badgers net at the 85:37 mark of the second half.

CSN defeated Snow College 5-3 in the Region 18 tournament final to advance to the 2016 Western District tournament this weekend in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Following the tournament Miguel Navarrete, Genaro Corona and Stefan Skrinjaric were honored as members of the All-SWAC first team and captain Connor Malone receiving Region 18 honorable mention. Star keeper Miguel Navarrete took home the prestigious SWAC Goal Keeper of the Year award, as well as 2016 Region 18 tournament most valuable player. Navarrete was also named to the Region 18 tournament first team along with teammates Genaro Corona, Stefan Skrinjaric and Eddie Martinez.

Fans your Men's soccer team continues its journey this weekend in Cheyenne, Wyoming when they face off against Region IX winner and host Laramie County Community College.

For match times and a look at the entire Western District tournament bracket please log onto www.csncoyotes.com or follow us on Twitter @CSNCoyotes | Facebook CSNCoyotes.