Men’s Soccer Earns No. 18 Seed, Sets Up First-Round Showdown at No. 15 Cypress

For the third time in four years, Palomar men's soccer is heading to the postseason. The Comets earned the No. 18 seed in the CCCAA SoCal Regional Playoffs and will travel to face No. 15 Cypress College on Wednesday for a 1 p.m. kickoff.

Palomar enters the postseason behind one of the most explosive attacks in the region. Jakub Kozlowski has powered the Comets all season long, scoring 24 goals, including several multi-goal performances that lifted Palomar through key PCAC wins. Around him, the supporting cast has been just as dangerous:

• Felix Hamm (nine goals, eight assists) — the team's engine in midfield and one of the top playmakers in the PCAC.

• Ismael Zavala (nine goals, five assists) — a veteran scorer who delivered in big moments, including two goals in the league finale.

• Dylan Bissember (five goals, 11 assists) — one of the most productive outside backs in SoCal.

• A back line anchored by Brandon Barrientos, Jonatan Maelicke, and Edwin Martinez.

In goal, Amanueal Kidanemariam and Bruin Bailey combined for four shutouts and key performances throughout conference play.

The Comets scored 60 goals in 21 matches, averaging nearly three per game — one of the strongest offensive totals in the program's modern era. Their late-season surge included a 5–0 road victory over San Diego Mesa and a stretch of results that kept them in the conference title race until the final week.

Cypress, meanwhile, finished the regular season 13-3-5 and near the top of the Orange Empire Conference. The Chargers have allowed just 21 goals all year, leaning on a disciplined back line and dangerous attacking pieces such as Issac Morales (nine goals, seven assists) and Erik Hernandez (six goals, six assists). Wednesday's matchup is a classic postseason clash: Palomar's high-powered attack against a Cypress side that rarely gives anything away.

With Kozlowski leading the front line, Hamm and Zavala pulling strings in the midfield, and a strong defensive group behind them, the Comets head into Wednesday's match prepared, confident, and ready for the moment.

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Cypress College as Palomar looks to extend its postseason run and write the next chapter in a standout 2025 campaign.