(Valhalla, NY) - You could call them undermanned, and potentially overmatched. You could deem them underdogs as the #1 seed, even while playing on their own home field. You could term them inexperienced as they fielded a line-up more than half of which did not start a game during the 2018 season. You could describe them as having an uphill climb as their leading scorer was flanked by three defenders every place he went on the field. But, after 90 of the most technically sound minutes of soccer they have played all season, by the time the sun set on Wednesday afternoon, the Westchester Community College Men's Soccer team could only be described with one title.

Champions.

With 10 players - including six starters - forced to watch the game from the stands, the top-seeded Vikings took the field for the first-ever Mid-Hudson Conference Championship Game against second-seeded Ulster Community College on a frigid Wednesday afternoon with more than a share of question marks after being forced to compete under the most adverse of circumstances. But, in one of their most dominant efforts of the season, the question marks became answers, and later exclamation points as Westchester pounded the Senators, 4-1. With the win, the Vikings captured their fourth consecutive Mid-Hudson Conference Championship, and first for Head Coach Alfio Carrabotta.

Viking forward Franco Ladron De Guevarra (White Plains, NY/White Plains HS) spent the 2018 regular season establishing himself as one of the best strikers in Region XV, and on Wednesday afternoon removed any doubt as if he earned such accolades. Despite being denied the ball, shadowed by as many as three defenders, and double-and-triple teamed each time the ball was near his feed, Ladron De Guevarra was simply brilliant on Wednesday. The sophomore netted his second hat trick of the season, and easily could have scored more. He fired 12 shots during the game, and was undoubtedly the best player on the field. After a quiet beginning to the game, a Renzo Tolentino (New Rochelle, NY/San Antonio-Peru) goal at 4:21 off of a Chris Vallejo (Pleasantville, NY/Pleasantville HS) assist loosed everything up for the Vikings as the Ulster quickly learned that WCC had weapons beyond Ladron De Guevarra. With a little bit more space, the crafty righty took over, scoring unassisted on a direct kick at 26:38 to make it 2-0.

Ulster seemed to turn things around at 31:50, making it a 2-1 game after a spectacular individual effort by Kelvin Nunez. But, from there, the Viking defense did as they have done all season long. They shut the door, and did not allow a second goal for the 12th time in 14 games.

Despite playing into the wind during the final 45 minutes, Westchester increased their dominance as Ladron De Guevarra scored off of assists by Miguel Perez (Montrose, NY/Hendrick Hudson HS) at 77:53 and 89:59 to clinch the championship.

How dominant were the Vikings? Playing with only one substitute, Westchester nevertheless controlled possession from start-to-finish, and ended the game with a 28-4 edge in shots. The Vikings also doubled the corner kick edge, 6-3. Freshman goalkeeper Guilherme Griza (Novo Hamburgo-RS (Brazil) Colegio Marista Pio XII) was called upon to face two shots on goal during the game, saving half of them.

With a conference championship under their belt, the Vikings now set their sites on the Region XV Championship tournament where WCC will be seeded fifth. The action begins on Saturday, Oct. 20 when the Vikings travel to fourth-seeded Borough of Manhattan Community College for a 12:00 p.m. start.