CCIW

[Falconer]

Wheaton getting it done vs winless Augustana, 2-0 at the half. Watching it live at Joe Bean Field, since I happen to be in the area for a few days. Hard to tell just how good they are, since their opponents aren't, but IMO number 7 (Johnson) is a stud. Fast, quick, fearless, smart, and aggressive. He'd be all-conference in the MAC—I haven't seen anyone not playing for Messiah in the conference who's better. An Illinois HS player, he was apparently all-state and I believe it.

Wheaton's two goals came off great balls into the box, the first for a leaping one-timer and the second for a header. They dominated possession, but that was to be expected. I wish I could be here for the Saturday game vs NPU. The way both teams have been playing, I give Wheaton the nod.

[Gregory Sager]

North Park came up big today at Carthage, taking down the Firebirds by a 3-0 tally.

[Midwest Fan]

Wheaton getting it done vs winless Augustana, 2-0 at the half. Watching it live at Joe Bean Field, since I happen to be in the area for a few days. Hard to tell just how good they are, since their opponents aren't, but IMO number 7 (Johnson) is a stud. Fast, quick, fearless, smart, and aggressive. He'd be all-conference in the MAC—I haven't seen anyone not playing for Messiah in the conference who's better. An Illinois HS player, he was apparently all-state and I believe it.

Wheaton's two goals came off great balls into the box, the first for a leaping one-timer and the second for a header. They dominated possession, but that was to be expected. I wish I could be here for the Saturday game vs NPU. The way both teams have been playing, I give Wheaton the nod.

Johnson making an impact again tonight as Wheaton leads North Park 3-1 at Joe Bean. He drew the penalty on the first goal and has scored the other two. Wonderful strike on the goal from him that put Wheaton up 2-1 - he brought a long ball down nicely on his thigh and smashed a left footed volley past the keeper.

[Gregory Sager]

It's pretty obvious that NPU is down this year, but I'm still hopeful that the Vikings can manage to put together a good CCIW tourney run and get into the dance via the Pool A route. But I'm not putting any money on it.

[robertgoulet]

What are the current standings looking like? Odds for playoff births?

[PaulNewman]

What are the current standings looking like? Odds for playoff births?

Mr. Robert Goulet....loved your work in Brigadoon.

Your alma mater having superb season.

[soccerpapa]

Final Standings
North Central (Conference Champs)  6-0-2
Wheaton                                          6-1-1
North Park                                        5-2-1
Carthage                                          4-3-1
Elmhurst                                          4-4
Illinois Wesleyan University               3-3-2
Carroll                                             2-5-1
Millikan                                            2-6
Augustana                                       0-8

Wheaton lost on the final night of league play to Millikan to lose the chance of being conference regular season champions for the first time since 2015.  First lose in their history to Millikan. 

Conference Tournament starts Saturday with first two getting a bye and top six making the CCIW tournament.

As far as NCAA Bids I would say the only chance of getting more than one team in would be if a team other than North Central wins the conference tournament (automatic qualifier) 

[soccerpapa]

Carthage is thru to the next round with a win over Elmhurst.  They will meet North Central in the semis on Wednesday.

North Park (3rd seed) is out with a loss to 6th seeded Illinois Wesleyan.  Wesleyan won in PKs after coming back while playing a man down.  They will face Wheaton on Wednesday.  Disappointing end to the season for a team with high expectations.   

[Gregory Sager]

North Park (3rd seed) is out with a loss to 6th seeded Illinois Wesleyan.  Wesleyan won in PKs after coming back while playing a man down.  They will face Wheaton on Wednesday.  Disappointing end to the season for a team with high expectations.

The expectations were certainly high among the North Park fanbase, which has grown used to supporting nationally-competitive teams. But the coaching staff was privately much more guarded about this group from the get-go, once it became apparent in preseason practice that the three scholarship-level transfers that they were depending upon to bear the weight of all of those graduation losses from last season were, contrary to their prior D1 and D2 performances, busts. Once their inadequacy was revealed, the season became a matter of trying to climb extremely steep Mount Expectation with a very inexperienced set of Sherpas.

The Vikings do have talent, but it's very young, and there are no Peder Olsens, Angel Barrigas, Gustav Ericssons, or Ricky Pimentels among them. This necessitates a different sort of reloading than the NPU coaching staff is used to doing. Nevertheless, I have great faith in Kris Grahn's ability to get it done. If anybody can find that sort of talent, on either side of the pond, and then bring it to the North Side of Chicago, he can.

[soccerpapa]

Were they busts....or does it just go to show that higher level D3 is better than mid/lower level D1/2?

I would side with the latter.  I think the divide between the levels is not nearly what is used to be. 

[Gregory Sager]

That's entirely possible in theory, but it is a subject for a much larger debate that needs to take place on a bigger stage (i.e., a nationally-based board on this website) than this one.

[stlawus]

Were they busts....or does it just go to show that higher level D3 is better than mid/lower level D1/2?

I would side with the latter.  I think the divide between the levels is not nearly what is used to be.

I personally think North Park did themselves a major disservice with the enormous roster size.  Even with a reserve team there is simply no way you can develop talent with a roster of 50 or more. Every team will have injuries so developing depth is key, and it's not unusual for players to step up throughout the course of a season due to extra attention and development in training as the available player pool dwindles.

[Gregory Sager]

Were they busts....or does it just go to show that higher level D3 is better than mid/lower level D1/2?

I would side with the latter.  I think the divide between the levels is not nearly what is used to be.

I personally think North Park did themselves a major disservice with the enormous roster size.  Even with a reserve team there is simply no way you can develop talent with a roster of 50 or more. Every team will have injuries so developing depth is key, and it's not unusual for players to step up throughout the course of a season due to extra attention and development in training as the available player pool dwindles.

That's not the issue at all. North Park has had a roster this size for six or seven years now. For example, here's the roster and team picture for the 2018 NPU team.

The travel squad practices separately from the reserve team, and the travel squad corresponds roughly to the size of a more standard roster. As attrition takes place within the travel squad, players from the reserve team are promoted to it. The travel squad backups get all the extra attention and development in training that they need.

[Christan Shirk]

REGION VIII - NCAA REGIONAL RANKINGS - November 01, 2023

Rank	School	. Div. III . Record	. Div. III . SOS	. R-v-R .	. Overall . Record	. Prev. . Rank
1.	Calvin	12-2-1	0.570	4-1-1	14-2-1	1
2.	Chicago	8-2-5	0.628	4-1-2	8-2-5	3
3.	North Central (Ill.)	15-1-2	0.559	2-1-1	15-1-2	2
4.	Carthage	10-5-2	0.563	1-4-1	10-5-2	--
5.	Wheaton (Ill.)	11-5-1	0.566	1-3-1	11-5-1	5
6.	MSOE	15-1-3	0.528	1-1-2	15-1-3	4
7.	Trine	7-5-3	0.579	2-4-1	7-6-3	--

[PaulNewman]

Either Carthage or Illinois Wesleyan is going to the NCAA tournament.  Illinois Wesleyan has advanced to CCIW final after back to back PK shootouts...and after being out shot by Wheaton 29-15.

Bubble teams forced to ingest more anxiety as North Central almost certainly takes a Pool C spot off the board.

Wheaton is probably done but who knows.