MEN'S SOCCER WINS WAY TO THREE SEED

BY SETH ROMSA TRIBUNE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Powell Tribune

The Northwest College men's soccer team continued its unbeaten run in October, using a 3-1 win over Lamar Community College and a 1-0 win over Northeastern Community College to secure the No. 3 seed in the postseason tournament with a little help from a pair of Central Wyoming losses.

NORTHWEST 3, LAMAR 1
Returning home and needing at least one point to secure a postseason berth, the Trappers (9-4-1 overall, 5-3-1 Region IX) welcomed in the Runnin' Lopes (1-15 overall, 1-8 Region IX) on Friday.
Northwest started on the front foot and got the first goal after a Sora Taenaka shot was saved but deflected right into the path of Cameron Low who tapped it home and made it 1-0 at the 22 minute mark.
Lamar had an answer just before the break, scoring on a cross that was headed to the near post, as the Trapper keeper was unable to keep it out and the Lopes tied the game 1-1 at the break.
"I thought we were quite comfortable, and they scored a goal that we should have defended better," coach Rob Hill said.
Northwest immediately took the lead in the second half, as just two minutes into the frame Shay Lonergan fired home a shot after a switch in play by Taenaka.
"But then we took control of the game again," Hill said.
The Trappers got the game-sealing goal late on in the second half, as Mateo De Souza snuck in behind the line at the edge of the box and fired home to make it 3-1 with 12:36 left.
That win secured a postseason berth for the Trappers, with a win on Saturday ensuring a first round match at home.
"It was nice to see a lot of players get in that game, because from here on out it's really tight with single games on the weekend, but it was nice to see some of those guys come in and get some playing time," Hill said. "People are coming back into form again. We had a little blip midseason but people have started to show the form that they were showing early on in the season that got us ranked 12th. I thought that game was a well deserved win."

NORTHWEST 1, NORTHEASTERN 0
Heading into Saturday everything was there to play for both teams, as a tie or win for the Plainsmen (4-7-2 overall, 3-5-1 Region IX) ensured a spot in the postseason and a Northwest  win guaranteed a home game in the first round.
"They'd (Northeastern) come off the back of a 6-0 win against Central, which was very surprising. So they were coming in with bags of confidence and that was a really tight game," Hill said.
Both teams fought in a rainy first half to find a goal and take the lead, and it took until 1:49 remaining in the first half for the Trappers to get their goal.
A counter attack by the Trappers was finished off by Lonergan at the far post and made it 1-0 just before the break.
"It was a very well taken goal between Josh (Hatton) and Shay," Hill said.
Northwest gained an advantage early in the second half, when a second yellow card was shown to a Northeastern player, resulting in a red card and a man advantage for the Trappers for the final 32 minutes of the match.
The Trappers did not capitalize on their advantage, as it was the Plainsmen who found the back of the net late in the second half. 
A corner kick found its way into the back of the net after a scramble in the box, but the goal was called back after an infraction to keep the score at 1-0 with just 2:27 remaining.
Northwest finished the final two minutes and earned the win, and after a pair of losses by Central Wyoming the Trappers leapfrogged to the
No. 3 seed.
"The second half when they got the red card, which often happens, is that they actually upped their game and started playing a lot harder. We kind of dropped off and didn't take care (of the ball) or take advantage of the spare man," Hill said. "At times we looked like we had 10 men and they looked like they had 11. So it was a bit unsettling that we didn't manage that game better.     

HOME GAME SATURDAY
The Trappers now host No. 6 seed Western Nebraska (3-6-5 overall, 3-4-2 Region IX), which has been idle since the Trappers defeated them in Scottsbluff 3-0 on Oct. 4.
"I'm happy that we're home, whether we were third or fourth didn't matter to me," Hill said. "We played them at their place, I thought it was a good battle 3-0. Maybe it was a bit generous on our part … Everything goes out the window in postseason play, so they'll be tough. They have everything to play for just as we do … We need to make sure that we're not complacent just because we beat them one time at their place."
The winner of that game heads on the road to Casper next weekend, taking on the No. 2 seeded Thunderbirds (10-2-2 overall, 8-1 Region IX).

REGION IX TOURNAMENT
Every game at the higher seed
FIRST ROUND 
(Both games Saturday, Oct. 18)
GAME 1 — 10 a.m. No. 3 Northwest vs. No. 6 Western Nebraska
GAME 2 — 1 p.m. No. 4 Central Wyoming vs. No. 5 LCCC

SEMIFINALS
(Scheduled for Oct. 25, times TBD)
GAME 3 — TBD Winner Game 1 at No. 2 Casper College
GAME 4 — TBD Winner Game 2 at No. 1 Otero College

CHAMPIONSHIP
(Scheduled for Nov. 1, time TBD)
GAME 5 — TBD Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4