2007 season preview

RAIDERS LOOK TO BUILD ON SUCCESS IN 2007

The 2006 Northwestern College men’s soccer team continued to grow as a team and finished winning seven of its last eight games. The Red Raiders ended the season as the Region III runner-up after tying Hastings College in the championship game. They lost the contest in penalty kicks (3-0) to fall just short of their first-ever national tournament berth. Northwestern finished the 2006 season 10-9-1, was the two seed in the six-team regional tournament, and finished sixth in the conference, going 7-5.

Coach T.J. Buchholz’s team returns seven starters from last year including four second team All-GPAC performers and two All-GPAC honorable mentions. This is coupled with a talented and deep recruiting class that Buchholz believes will have longevity and a high impact for four years. The Raiders will have to replace two time All-American goalkeeper Mike Ten Clay.

Goalkeeper-The Red Raiders will have plenty of options to replace Ten Clay, who is second all time in saves at Northwestern. Keepers back from last year’s team include Chris Bergst, Mike Van Engen, and Mark Peterson, combined with Colorado preps Ben Schneider and Jeff Lanser. Buchholzlikes the depth of the goalkeeper position, commenting that “there is no front runner to win the net” and he is “anxious to see who will step forward.”

Defender-While the goalkeeper for the 2007 squad will be a new face, the guys defending the ballwill be very familiar to GPAC opponents. Back after stellar 2006 campaigns are sophomore TylerSytsma and senior Brian Springer. Sytsma was tabbed second team All-GPAC for his efforts in 2006, and Springer started 18 games. With a new man in goal, Coach Buchholz expects this group to be the backbone of the team. Matt Huhnerkoch, Bryant Wieking, and Caleb Tilstra will also battle for field time and provide depth for this veteran bunch.

Midfielder-The Red Raider midfield will be as exciting as any midfielder group in school history. Junior Andy Janssen and senior All-American Blake Wieking bring experience and talent to the position Buchholz thinks has the most depth of any squad he has ever coached. “Andy controls the tempo of games for us; we will rely on him to make things happen,” comments Buchholz. “Blake is a great attacker who will be a focal point in our attack.” Also returning for Northwestern is Steven Grand, an honorable mention All-GPAC selection in 2006, and Jordan Born. “Grand is the most technical player on the team, and we hope to get him more involved in the offense this fall,” says Buchholz. The experience of the returnees, combined with the athleticism and talent of a freshman class that includes Mike Cookson, Ben Karnish, Greg Hubbard, Alex Heyl, and Aron Pall, will provide Buchholz with many options in the middle of the field.

Forward-Sophomore Brad White returns after leading Northwestern in goals, assists and points. “Brad is the most complete finisher I have seen as a sophomore,” says Buchholz. He will bejoined up front by fellow sophomore Aaron O’Brien. O’Brien started 15 games as a freshman and scored five goals.

Northwestern will have a very difficult schedule that includes a trip to California, where they will play2006 NAIA runner-up Azusa Pacific and Westmont. They also have scheduled non-conference tilts versus Jamestown and a promising Waldorf squad, to go along with the challenging GPAC schedule. Says Buchholz, “The GPAC continues to get better. In the past it’s been dominated by one or two teams, but now there is a lot of parity. Hastings is the team to beat, but all teams will challenge everyone. Each game in the GPAC is difficult.”

Last season Northwestern was penalty kicks away from the national tournament, and Buchholz says that is where the goals start. “We want to start 2007 the way 2006 ended, winning eight of our last nine and playing very sound soccer.” To do that, everyone will have to buy in to the philosophy of, “one game at a time.” If everyone buys in, Northwestern men’s soccer will be ready for its first contest Aug. 24 versus Waldorf.