Concordia Picked to Win Men's Soccer Crown

8/11/2009 9:59:44 AM

PORTLAND, Ore. – Concordia University’s iron grip on the Cascade Collegiate Conference men’s soccer championship trophy is not expected to diminish in 2009, according to a preseason poll of the CCC’s eight head coaches.

The Cavaliers, who have won seven consecutive league titles, are once again favored to continue their league dominance, racking up six first-place votes and 62 points in the league’s annual preseason poll. College of Idaho, last year’s CCC runner-up, tallied one first-place vote and 52 points to finish second in the balloting, while Warner Pacific (49), which earned one first-place nod, was picked third. Evergreen (41) was fourth, and was followed by Northwest (35), Oregon Tech (19), Corban (18) and Northwest Christian (12).

The CCC’s 16th season gets underway Aug. 20 with a pair of non-conference matches, as Northwest Christian plays host to Goshen (Ind.) and Warner Pacific travels to British Columbia to take on Simon Fraser. Concordia opens its 18-game slate Aug. 22 vs. Goshen (Ind.).

Veteran CU coach Dan Birkey, who is 280-135-18 (.667) in 21 seasons with the Cavaliers, returns 13 lettermen and four starters from his 2008 team, which went 14-6-2 and finished tied for ninth nationally. The Cavs’ top returnee is returning first team All-CCC forward Tyler Camp, who totaled seven goals and 10 assists last season. Key losses from last year’s team include keeper Garrett Staples, a four-time honorable mention All-American and the CCC’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2008, and midfielder Bryan Iotte, a second-team All-American who shared the team lead in goals (9).

College of Idaho, whose only CCC setback in 2008 came in the league’s tournament championship game to Concordia, returns seven starters and 13 lettermen from last year’s 14-3-1 club. Top returnees for sixth-year head coach Brian Smith include senior midfielders Kazuki Murata and Jesus Lopez, sophomore keeper Aaron Reynolds, and sophomore defender Spencer Ward. The Yotes must replace forward Antonio Bautista, the CCC’s 2008 Offensive Player of the Year who had 21 goals and five assists last season.

Warner Pacific, under the direction of 18th-year head coach Bernie Fagan, returns six starters and nine lettermen from last year’s 13-6-0 unit, including defenders Pat Connolly and Andrew Scott, midfielder Jacob Jackson, and forward Alija Sacirovic. Evergreen returns seven starters for fourth-year coach John Purtteman.

2009 CCC Men's Soccer Coaches' Poll