Cowley soccer team sweeps the major Jayhawk Conference awards

Leading Cowley College to its first Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Division 1 Men's Soccer regular season title since 2021, Tiger head coach Ruy Vaz has been named the KJCCC Division 1 Men's Soccer Coach of the Year along with Tiger soccer players Kanta Ishii and Koshuke Fukudome being named KJCCC Division 1 Men's Soccer Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.

"Kanta is a tremendous talent," Cowley head coach Ruy Vaz said. "You watch him in games and practice and are just impressed by what he does with the ball. I am also beyond proud of Kohsuke for the incredible journey he has had this season. To come back stronger than ever after facing challenges takes an incredible amount of heart and determination, and being named the Defensive Player of the Year is no small feat – it's a reflection of not just his skill on the field but also his resilience, work ethic, and mental toughness. And I know he wants more."

As for the Coach of the Year honors, Vaz credits his players for his success.

"This recognition is a testament to the players' commitment to excellence, and I am excited to see how they will continue to push each other to even greater heights," Vaz said.

Joining Ishii and Fukudome on the list of first-team all-conference selections were Tiger defenders Takeru Chiba and Jin Tokishi (five assists), as well as forward Shogo Haraikawa (10 goals) and midfielders Carmello Bello (seven goals, four assists) and Joao Magalhaes (two goals, five assists).

Sophomore defender Sota Nakazono (four goals, two assists) earned second-team all-conference honors.

"I am happy for all of the awards; they illustrate what we do on and off the field, but the most important thing is what we accomplish as a team, together," Vaz said.

Cowley (13-1-3) will face Barton Community College for the Plains District title on Saturday at 7 p.m. in Chanute, KS.

Ruy Vaz – Cowley (KJCCC Division 1 Men's Soccer Coach of the Year)

Picked to win the KJCCC regular season title in the preseason coaches poll, Vaz led Cowley to a 9-0-3 record in conference play while outscoring opponents 28-9 to claim the outright conference crown by eight points over second-place finishing Barton. Of the nine victories that Cowley posted, six were by shutout, with the Tigers spending the entire season ranked in the NJCAA Division 1 Men's Soccer poll as part of an 11-1-3 overall record in the regular season that saw their lone loss coming to number four-ranked Indian Hills Community College.

Kanta Ishii – Cowley (KJKCCC Division1 Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Year)

Netting all four of his goals this season in conference play, with the goals coming in key moments, Kanta Ishii becomes the second Tiger to earn KJCCC Division 1 Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Year honors in the past three years after finishing the regular season with 12 total points. Averaging nearly three shots per game, Ishii was a perfect 1-1 on penalty kicks this season and scored game-winning goals against Kansas City Kansas and Garden City, with his two game-winning goals ranking fifth among KJCCC Division 1 Men's Soccer Players.

Koshuke Fukudome – Cowley (KJKCCC Division 1 Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Year)

An everyday starter for the Tigers, Fukudome helped a Cowley defense that allowed a total of 13 goals this season while allowing just 6.7 shots per match. Only four times in 15 regular season games did Cowley allow more than one goal as the Tigers posted seven shutouts while ranking ninth among NJCAA Division 1 men's soccer schools in total goals allowed (13) and 12th in goals against average (0.87)