It didn't matter that the Firebirds' 2-0 victory over visiting Los Gatos was the final game listed on their schedule. And it didn't matter that the Firebirds finished their Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division season with just three wins and four ties against five losses. Nor did it matter to the Firebirds that their overall record of 7-8-5 might not be worthy of an invitation to the Central Coast Section playoffs.

They practiced last week "with the hope that our season did not end on Feb. 5," said second-year Fremont coach Brian Pelton, after unassisted goals by Shervin Hessamfar and Jose Monje against Los Gatos "created a possible chance of slipping into the CCS playoffs."

But it wasn't to be. The Firebirds did not qualify for the playoffs.

Still, the Firebirds had a strong enough season to guarantee them a place in the De Anza Division again next year. Of Fremont's eight losses, all but one was by one goal. In four of its five tied games, Fremont had the lead most of the game before yielding late tying goals.

"Our main problem this year was not feeling comfortable with a lead," Pelton said, "and allowing teams to tie or win after we had the initial lead."

Fremont, whose 17-man roster featured just five seniors, was led throughout the season by senior goalkeeper Greg Larson, sophomore striker Juan Pablo Arce and junior defender Leo Torres. Arce, who played in only eight of the 12 league games, was the team's top goal scorer in league (six) and overall (12).

Larsen was named Most Valuable Goalie by the league's coaches, and Arce was named first team all-league. Torres was picked to the second team. Two other Fremont defenders received all-league honors. Junior Mike Torres was named to the first team and junior Jin Suwa was picked to the second team.

Other Firebirds who played key roles were Ryan Starne, Diego Luen, Santiago Valdivias and Samuel Tello.

Homestead, which needed to close El Camino Division play with three straight wins in order to claim the championship, fell short.

After beating Milpitas 4-1, the Mustangs battled eventual champion Lynbrook to a scoreless tie, before losing 3-0 to Monta Vista on Feb. 10. The Mustangs finished league play in a tie for third place with a 7-4-1 record.

"Losing three in a row earlier in the season made it tough on ourselves," said Homestead coach Luis Comesana.

Senior Mike Roos, who had to leave the most recent Lynbrook game with a broken finger, was back on the field against Monta Vista. He was the team leader, Comesana said, playing good defense and scoring several assists. Junior Craig Moberg, who had two goals in the win over Milpitas, finished El Camino with a team-high eight goals.

Comesana praised the consistent play of junior midfielder Michael Charrier, fullbacks Danny Hawanini and Jason Anthony, sophomore goalkeeper Sean McCarthy and Eric Dodge.