The business end of the OCAA soccer season is here, and the Humber Hawks are bringing plenty of heat. A dramatic 2–1 double-overtime victory over Centennial on Saturday booked Humber's men their place in the OCAA final four, with a winner in the 108th minute settling a physical quarter-final packed with cards, momentum swings and a late equalizer.

The offence

The men finished the regular season 9–1, second in the West, and entered the playoffs ranked third nationally. Their loss to Fanshawe interrupted an otherwise dominant campaign, but the response has been emphatic: five straight wins across league and playoff play.

Humber has found another gear at exactly the right time.

Photo Credit:  Diego Guillen

Since that 4–0 defeat at Fanshawe on October 4, the Hawks have scored at least four goals in every match:

• 20 goals vs. Lambton (W 20–0)

• 4 goals vs. St. Clair (W 4–1)

• 5 goals vs. Sheridan (W 5–0)

• 7 goals at Niagara (W 7–0)

• 11 goals vs. St. Lawrence (W 11–0, playoff crossover)

Across their 10 regular-season matches, Humber scored an OCAA-record 66 goals, averaging 6.6 per game. That is 25 more goals than West Division champion Fanshawe, which averaged 4.1. Even in a division Humber did not win, its attacking output was on another level.

The 20–0 victory over Lambton set a Humber program record, but the consistency around it is what makes this run so impressive. The Hawks have kept finding the net against different opponents, at home and away, and have carried that form into the postseason.

The women are cooking, too

Photo Credit:  Adam Pileggi

Humber’s women have put together a strong campaign of their own under first-year head coach Marcelo Capozzolo.

After an opening-day defeat to Mohawk, they went unbeaten through their remaining nine regular-season matches. They finished 8–1–1, third in the West, with 41 goals scored and just six conceded. That combination of attacking production and defensive control has given them a solid platform for a playoff run.

Both teams have shown they can respond to a setback. Now they have an opportunity to turn that response into something bigger.

The Standouts

The team performances have been matched by individual recognition. Among the players driving Humber’s season:

• Franz Mella: 13 goals and 9 assists during the regular season; a West Division First-Team All-Star.

• Luca Pinto: West Division Defensive Player of the Year and a First-Team All-Star, recognized for his composure and organization of Humber’s backline.

• Layah Haye: 9 goals in ten matches and OCAA Rookie of the Year, making an immediate contribution to the women’s attack.

• Kaitlynn Russell: 10 regular-season goals, leading Humber’s women in scoring during her final collegiate campaign.

Mella’s contribution captures what makes the men difficult to contain: he can finish attacks and create them for others. Pinto’s recognition gives deserved attention to the work behind those big scorelines.

For the women, Russell and Haye bring two different stages of a collegiate career together. One is trying to finish her Humber journey with silverware; the other is already making her mark in her first season. Their contributions have given the Hawks both experience and fresh attacking energy.

The Bigger Picture

For Humber’s men, winning is already the expectation. They captured their 11th CCAA national championship in 2025, but finished with OCAA silver after losing the provincial final to Conestoga. This season offers a chance to defend their national crown and reclaim the provincial title that slipped away.

The women have their own reason to push further. After OCAA silver medals in 2023 and 2024, they finished fourth in 2025. This year’s eight league wins also represent a clear improvement on last season’s 5–2–3 regular-season record.

The opportunity in front of Humber is substantial. This season, the Hawks could:

• Reclaim OCAA men’s gold after last year’s runner-up finish.

• Defend their CCAA men’s title and lift a 12th national championship.

• Return the women’s team to the provincial podium and challenge for gold under a new head coach.

The form has put those ambitions within reach. The next step is delivering when the margins tighten.

Can They Do It?