CCIW

[Gregory Sager]

Yep. The Vikings didn't find the back of the net more than twice, with a re-direct goal in the fourth minute by Peder Olsen and a double-assist goal by Ulrik Lund in the 80th, but they were both picturesque strikes that were the product of great teamwork and were the culmination of fairly consistent pressure put on the Augustana GK all evening.

Speaking of Augustana, that's an outfit that has improved its talent level. Even though Augie was thoroughly outclassed last night, it should be a noticeably better team next fall than it has been in the past few seasons.

[Gotberg]

Greg, I won't be able to watch any of the game tonight.  Would you mind sharing some observations and score line at some point? 

[Gregory Sager]

Greg, I won't be able to watch any of the game tonight.  Would you mind sharing some observations and score line at some point?

Final score was 1-1. It was a scrimmage played in four 30-minute periods, because I think that North Park is too banged-up-slash-sick to play a full 45 apiece for starters and reserves. Therefore, the first two periods were "starters," while the third and fourth were reserves. Nobody scored in the first two periods; North Park picked up a goal in the third when Sander Carlsoen connected from 15 yards out off of a nice give-and-go from Erik Lundeen (who is still trying to work his way back onto the first team), while North Central got that goal back in the fourth when the Cards put a 40-yard far-angle free kick in past NPU's third-string GK, who simply misread the ball.

I put "starters" in quotes, because I suspect that the only NPU players who started tonight that will actually be starters in the fall were Peder Olsen, Noel Holm, and William Boström-Rydfjall. (I think that perhaps a couple of others, notably Christian Vaaland, might have a crack at starting as well, depending upon how recruiting shakes out.)

North Central is loaded with freshmen, but they're talented, and Enzo Fuschino's already got them disciplined enough to stick to his game plan. In the Imitation Is the Sincerest Form Of Flattery Dept., Enzo's got five Norwegians in his freshman class, and some of them are pretty good. Young or not, I suspect that the Cardinals will again be in the mix to make the CCIW tourney.

[Gotberg]

Thanks!

[Gregory Sager]

North Park's fall 2021 schedule is up. In non-conference play the Vikings will host:

* Greenville (10-9 in 2019)
* Loras (15-6-1 in 2019)
* Christopher Newport (14-2-5, D3 tourney second round in 2019)
* Luther (17-5-3, D3 tourney Elite Eight in 2019)
* Hope (14-6-1, D3 tourney first round in 2019)
* St. Norbert (16-5-3, D3 tourney second round in 2019)
* Chicago (12-2-5, D3 tourney second round in 2019)

... and will visit:

* Lake Forest (10-8-1 in 2019)
* Washington MO (8-7-1 in 2019)
* Knox (15-4-2 in 2019)

I wouldn't mind it if a home game or two was scheduled for the road instead for the sake of year-to-year balance, but other than that this is a really fine schedule. The Vikings should be well-tested and have an augmented SOS rating as a result of this slate.

I wish that every CCIW program in this sport looked to assemble as tough a non-conference schedule as possible. Alas, they don't.

[Gotberg]

North Park's fall 2021 schedule is up. In non-conference play the Vikings will host:

* Greenville (10-9 in 2019)
* Loras (15-6-1 in 2019)
* Christopher Newport (14-2-5, D3 tourney second round in 2019)
* Luther (17-5-3, D3 tourney Elite Eight in 2019)
* Hope (14-6-1, D3 tourney first round in 2019)
* St. Norbert (16-5-3, D3 tourney second round in 2019)
* Chicago (12-2-5, D3 tourney second round in 2019)

... and will visit:

* Lake Forest (10-8-1 in 2019)
* Washington MO (8-7-1 in 2019)
* Knox (15-4-2 in 2019)

I wouldn't mind it if a home game or two was scheduled for the road instead for the sake of year-to-year balance, but other than that this is a really fine schedule. The Vikings should be well-tested and have an augmented SOS rating as a result of this slate.

I wish that every CCIW program in this sport looked to assemble as tough a non-conference schedule as possible. Alas, they don't.

Thanks Greg!  I can't wait to watach some of these games - hopefully in person!

[Gregory Sager]

Naturally, the first two 2021 non-conference schedules to check out after North Park's are those of Carthage and Wheaton.

Carthage hasn't posted one yet. But Wheaton has. The Beaners will host:

* Hardin-Simmons (14-3-2 in 2019)
* Concordia IL (9-9 in 2019)
* MSOE (10-7-2 in 2019)
* Chicago (12-2-5, D3 tourney second round in 2019)
* Alma (5-11 in 2019)

... and will visit:

* Marian (5-13-1 in 2019)
* Washington MO (8-7-1 in 2019)
* Ramapo (11-2-5 in 2019)
* Rutgers-Newark (7-9-2 in 2019)

[Gregory Sager]

Looking at the other 2019 CCIW tourney teams, here's what North Central has to offer next fall. First, home:

* Benedictine (10-8-1 in 2019)
* Concordia WI (13-5-1 in 2019)
* Marian (5-13-1 in 2019)
* Rose-Hulman (16-3-1 in 2019)
* Aurora (13-5-1 in 2019)
* Dominican (16-3-3, D3 tourney first round in 2019)

... and then away:

* Concordia IL (9-9 in 2019)
* Dubuque (10-6-2 in 2019)
* Wartburg (8-8-2 in 2019)
* Lake Forest (10-8-1 in 2019)
* Rhodes (4-11-2 in 2019)
* Hendrix (4-14 in 2019)

Looks like North Central has become a stealth member of the NACC.

[Gregory Sager]

The other two programs that participated in the 2019 CCIW tourney, Illinois Wesleyan and Elmhurst, have yet to post their fall 2021 schedules.

Moving on, neither Augustana nor Millikin have posted theirs, either. But Carroll has. Here's the home non-conference slate of the Pios:

* Edgewood (6-13-1 in 2019)
* Wisconsin Lutheran (7-9-1 in 2019)
* Ripon (1-16-1 in 2019)
* UW-Eau Claire (new program)
* UW-Whitewater (15-5-2, D3 tourney first round in 2019)

... and the away:

* Beloit (5-11-2 in 2019)
* Olivet (4-12-1 in 2019)
* Albion (7-10-2 in 2019)
* Lawrence (8-8-1 in 2019)
* Benedictine (10-8-1 in 2019)

This is disappointing as well from an SOS perspective. Clearly, a lot of CCIW coaches are not putting a premium upon scheduling difficult opponents in order to bolster the league's SOS and aid the effort to get multiple CCIW teams into the D3 tourney on a regular basis. It's maddening to see the league get two, three, even four teams into the D3 tourneys of other sports, while it's stuck in the mud with only one representative in men's soccer each season. The CCIW has only managed to get two reps into the D3 men's soccer tourney field in three out of the past ten seasons, and it hasn't happened since 2015 -- and poor SOS is clearly what cost the CCIW an at-large bid when the 2018 tourney field was announced.

There's more to success than just racking up a gaudy non-conference record against patsies.

[WLCALUM83]

CCIW Pre-Season Poll is now up:

https://cciw.org/news/2021/8/3/north-park-predicted-to-win-2021-cciw-mens-soccer-title.aspx

[augie77]

Wheaton's website reports that John Gosling and Dylan Milkent have been named interim head coach and assistant men's soccer coaches, respectively.  Article says the previous coaches resigned last week.  No other context provided.

Odd timing to say the least!

[Gotberg]

Npu's 2021 roster is posted
https://athletics.northpark.edu/sports/mens-soccer/roster

It looks to include the son of former Chelsea and Norwegian striker Tore Andre Flo. Who knows, perhaps they heard about  the school from former Norwegian international Lars Bohinen, who used to hang out on campus during the early 90's.

[GoThunder1]

A couple of notable names:

Pedar Olsen/Gustav Ericsson/Ulrik Lund - Trio back for what seems like year 25. D1 level players.
Noel Holm - Looked like the best player on the field during spring scrimmages
Angel Barriga - All American returns after taking 2020 off
Johan Bjorck - D1 transfer from UNC Wilmington

Looks like a pretty solid core, but did they find a number 9? That has been the one position lacking for them in recent years.

[Ejay]

Noel Holm - Looked like the best player on the field during spring scrimmages

a 22 year old freshman with youth national team experience. I should hope he was the best player on the field.  Roster looks loaded. Maybe it's their year?

[GoThunder1]

Is it their year....to win a national championship?

Obviously, way too early to tell but based on the 2 games I watched in the spring - they have some areas of concern. The midfield is absolutely loaded. No questioning that. However, they seemed to lack a real striker in the spring. Small sample size (2 games), but they just didnt have anyone who was going to put fear in a good defense. The other position that looked up in the air was GK. As noted earlier, way too early to tell and I have no idea if they brought in a stud freshman or transfer to solidify that.

With that being said, they might have the best midfield in the country - Olsen, Ericsson, Lund, DeCarro, and Holm.

I am significantly less optimistic about my Thunder, for reasons everyone is aware of. Maybe next year.