Your future, our focus
Final Preseason Game Thursday At MSU-Billings
Much of the progress made between the Northwest College men’s soccer team’s first and second scrimmages was lost on Friday.
The Trapper men lost to Rocky Mountain 5-0 in Billings after playing to a 2-2 draw against the Battlin’ Bears in Cody the weekend prior.
Head coach Rob Hill said his team didn’t play as one in the rematch, especially on defense.
“Right now, there’s a lot of individualism and I think that comes again from bringing a lot of new players from a lot of different areas,” Hill said.
While the coach conceded the 5-0 loss was a team effort, possession was often lost — and defensive assignments missed — in the midfield.
“We lost the midfield battle,” Hill said. “We tried different combinations of players in midfield. We were working very individually, we didn’t work as a team at all.”
Youth and inexperience contributed to a lack of defensive cohesiveness.
Of Northwest’s 24 players, only four are returners. The Trappers have 15 freshmen and four transfers, which could explain the team’s early issues with chemistry.
While some players have been moved around the pitch, others are just adapting to new roles.
“They might be playing the same position (as before), but they’ve been given different responsibilities,” Hill said. “We’ve got one guy who’s thinking we should press here and the other is dropping off.”
The Trappers made minor mistakes that led to major consequences.
“It was just more tactical errors in how we defend — particularly midfield,” Hill said. “We’d have one guy pressing the ball and two guys hanging back. We just got too stretched out. It’s simple fixes but it’s going to take a lot of repetitions … until it becomes automated and these guys aren’t thinking about it anymore.”
Not only did the miscues put the Trappers on their heels, it made it more difficult to strike back.
“(Freshman forward) Danny Mort ran the lines up front by himself, and he touched the ball 10 times throughout the whole game,” Hill said.
Yet, offense is still the least of Hill’s concerns. Northwest has enough skill to score, but needs a tougher defense to generate chances for the attack.
“Talent wise, I’m not concerned,” Hill said. “We just have to be willing to make some changes, accept coaching, and we need to start being more intense in practice.”
The Trappers finished their two-a-day schedule and are now practicing only in the afternoons.
Hill said he hopes Friday’s shutout opens some eyes.
“I think it’s freshmen not having a good understanding of how intense you need to be,” Hill said. “If we’re going to be in games and have a chance of winning games, this is how we’re going to have to train.”
Northwest will have to make the most of its three practices before Thursday if it wants to end its preseason schedule on a high note.
“They’ve got to be able to problem solve and fix things as they play. It’s my job to do that on the training ground from Monday to Thursday, create those scenarios to where they’re better prepared for games,” Hill said. “It’s not going to be perfect, but I want these guys to be able to recognize if there’s a mistake they can fix it. It’s my job to highlight it, but I want them to get to the point where they know.”
A scrimmage scheduled for today (Tuesday) against University of Mary was canceled due to a scheduling change by the Bismarck, North Dakota, school. Rather than reschedule the game for Wednesday and play three games in four days, Hill elected to call it off.
“Thursday will be the last opportunity to show what they can do, after that it’s going to be a different story,” Hill said.
Montana State University-Billings will provide tough competition as Hill gets his final look before Saturday’s regular-season opener against Utah State University-Eastern. The Trappers are scheduled for a 4 p.m. start.
Hill has stressed he’s looking to start the best team, not necessarily the most talented 11 players. Each scrimmage has allowed Hill to mix and match players in search of the proper fit.
“I’ve mixed it up a little bit as who’s played with who, and I’m trying to find the right combination,” Hill said. “I think I’m getting a better idea.
“We’re definitely getting a better idea of who’s capable of what and what strengths they bring.”
With a deep, healthy roster, the Trappers should find no shortage of motivation in practice.
“We have a lot of good players and I hope they look at each other and see that they’re going to have to work to get a starting spot,” Hill said.
The men are without an official starting keeper heading into the preseason’s final scrimmage.
Freshman Nate Snyder started in goal for the Trappers Friday, and was taken out during halftime. Sophomore Alex Basalt and freshman Connor Tornquist split time in the second half.
Freshman George Battersby did not play on Friday and probably won’t play Thursday, but could return Saturday. Sophomore transfer Eddie Asamoah missed the scrimmage due to a continued knee injury rehab.
Returning sophomore Sam White and freshman Logan Redhair made their 2015 debuts after dealing with early-season injuries.