Columbia Basin opened its 2025 season in style Saturday morning, powering past SOZO United with a confident 3–1 victory on home turf.

The Hawks wasted no time getting the crowd into it, striking just three minutes in. Marco Almazan found space inside the box and buried the opener off a clever feed from Daniel Zamudio, giving Columbia Basin an early 1–0 edge. SOZO responded late in the first half, leveling the score with a penalty conversion from Licona in the 38th minute. The teams entered halftime deadlocked at 1–1, but the Hawks' relentless attack hinted more goals were coming.

The breakthrough arrived in the 69th minute when Jayson Castillo whipped a pass into David Ochoa, who calmly slotted home to restore the lead at 2–1. Just eight minutes later, Castillo put the game out of reach himself, finishing off a sequence that began with sustained Columbia Basin pressure.

The Hawks dominated the stat sheet, firing 20 shots to SOZO's five and piling on six second-half corner kicks that kept the visitors pinned deep. Goalkeeper Caleb Coronel stood tall when called upon, recording a key first-half save to preserve the tie.

With contributions across the roster and a second-half surge that showcased their depth, Columbia Basin set the tone for the year with an emphatic performance. The 3–1 final not only secures the Hawks' first win of the season but also serves notice that this squad plans to be a contender from the opening whistle.

The Hawks move to 1-0 on the year and will travel to the NWAC Friendlies to take on Whatcom and Tacoma starting August 19th/20th.