Cavaliers Capture Sixth Consecutive Conference Crown
PORTLAND, Ore.—Playing off campus for a home match against Cascade College, Alex Ponce scored in the 19th minute to push Concordia to a 2-0 win to secure the outright Cascade Collegiate Conference championship at Strasser Field located in northeast Portland’s Delta Park.
Concordia moved to 14-3-0 on the season with a 12-1-0 record in the CCC to guarantee the regular-season league crown with a two-game lead over Warner Pacific College (7-9-0, 6-9-0) with one game remaining for each squad.
The conference title represents the sixth straight for the Cavaliers. Last season, Concordia shared the title with The College of Idaho after both teams finished with a 9-3-0 mark in CCC action.
“The team has worked very hard for this 2007 title,” Concordia head coach Dan Birkey said. “Every side we played was up and energetic against us. The level of talent in the conference continues to rise and to win it this year is professionally rewarding.”
With his conference leading 14th goal of the season, Alex Ponce (Hood River, Ore.) took a short cross from Kossivi Alokpovi (Glendale, Ariz.), who was flanked to Ponce’s right side, and fired an eight-yard strike past Thunderbird goalkeeper Anthony Trejo.
Ponce almost iced the game with his second first-period goal after scooping a loose ball and firing a shot towards an open net. With Trejo charging to stuff the attack, Ponce’s blast sailed harmlessly to the right, just outside the near post.
Bent Jenson (Beaverton, Ore.) gave the Cavs its second score nearing the midway mark in the second period. In the 60th minute, Jenson aimed a 14-yard shot into the upper right corner of the net after receiving the feed from senior Joe Givens (Gresham, Ore.).
With constant pressure from its offense, Concordia recorded 20 shots and 12 corner kicks. Defensively, the Cavs limited the Thunderbirds to five shots and a solo corner kick.
Trejo rejected eight shots while allowing the two goals. Garrett Staples seized two saves en route to the team’s ninth shutout of the season.
“It was another outstanding defensive show from our midfield and backline,” Birkey said. “The adjustment from a muddy pitch on Saturday to an artificial surface today required a lot of smartness from the guys. To win three conference games in five days is fantastic.”
Concordia ends its regular season at The College of Idaho on Oct. 27.
“We have unfinished business with The College of Idaho,” Birkey said. “It will be a test of character for us over there. They are a quality team with many good athletes. I know they will need the game to get into regionals so they will be taut and ready. We need to prepare well to maintain a high standard.”