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Bulldogs back in the soccer playoffs
By Joe Hansen, Sports Writer
Wednesday, November 05, 2008 | No comments posted.
After missing the playoffs last year, this season a hungry North Bend boys soccer team went 9-2-1 in Far West League play (9-3-2 overall), drawing the No. 2 seed and a familiar foe in Central on the road in the Class 4A playoffs today.
The Bulldogs blanked the Panthers 3-0 in the second round of the state playoffs in 2006. Back then, Central was a young team. Many of those same players are now upperclassmen for the No. 4 Panthers, who went 12-0-1 this season, winning the Val-Co League at 7-0-1.
“We’re expecting a lot of the same players back,” said North Bend coach Blaine Deming. “They’re good. They pass the ball really well, and they have some good speed.”
Weather will be a factor in today’s game at Monmouth. The Bulldogs have been preparing for it, though.
“You train the whole season to play a rain game, and the rain doesn’t come until the playoffs,” said Deming. “This is the best part of the season.”
North Bend likely won’t try to play a pretty game today, instead sending long balls forward, where aggressive Bulldog forwards Sean Jany and Sam Lynass will try to make a mess for the Central defense.
“You try to keep the ball off the ground as much as you can,” said Jany of playing on what’s sure to be a rain-soaked field. “Not as many short passes, more long passes... You try to get the ball up the field.”
North Bend will look to control the pace of the game, nullifying Central’s passing attack, which takes time to develop.
“We have to set the tempo, since they’re such a good passing team,” said Deming, adding that long passes may be the best way to disrupt the Panthers’ gameplan. “In this rain, anything happens, and I have two really aggressive forwards. That may be what works best.”
The Bulldog defense, made up of Andy Langenstein, William Fowler, Jake Schneider and freshman Brady Snelgrove, will have to be solid to clean up whatever the Panthers bring, as well.
For North Bend’s five seniors — Jany, Fowler, Langenstein, Schneider and Michael Hoover — this season’s playoffs are the culmination of many years of playing soccer together. The postseason also is a chance for the Bulldog boys soccer program, which has only missed the playoffs four times in the last 12 years, to bounce back from last year’s postseason absence.
In 2007, North Bend was hampered by injuries and never was able to come together as a team, going 6-6-2 and sitting out the Class 4A playoffs. This year’s been a different story.
“Chemistry’s the biggest thing this year,” said Jany. “We’re really bound together as a team.”
If North Bend can win today, it would get the Bulldogs back in the quarterfinals on Saturday in a matchup against the winner of today’s match between Cottage Grove and Seaside. Jany said the team is excited to once again be playing soccer in November.
“It feels awesome right now,” said Jany. “We’ve just got to win everything, challenge everything. The goals will come as long as we play hard. If everybody plays hard, we’ll do good.”
The Bulldogs blanked the Panthers 3-0 in the second round of the state playoffs in 2006. Back then, Central was a young team. Many of those same players are now upperclassmen for the No. 4 Panthers, who went 12-0-1 this season, winning the Val-Co League at 7-0-1.
“We’re expecting a lot of the same players back,” said North Bend coach Blaine Deming. “They’re good. They pass the ball really well, and they have some good speed.”
Weather will be a factor in today’s game at Monmouth. The Bulldogs have been preparing for it, though.
“You train the whole season to play a rain game, and the rain doesn’t come until the playoffs,” said Deming. “This is the best part of the season.”
North Bend likely won’t try to play a pretty game today, instead sending long balls forward, where aggressive Bulldog forwards Sean Jany and Sam Lynass will try to make a mess for the Central defense.
“You try to keep the ball off the ground as much as you can,” said Jany of playing on what’s sure to be a rain-soaked field. “Not as many short passes, more long passes... You try to get the ball up the field.”
North Bend will look to control the pace of the game, nullifying Central’s passing attack, which takes time to develop.
“We have to set the tempo, since they’re such a good passing team,” said Deming, adding that long passes may be the best way to disrupt the Panthers’ gameplan. “In this rain, anything happens, and I have two really aggressive forwards. That may be what works best.”
The Bulldog defense, made up of Andy Langenstein, William Fowler, Jake Schneider and freshman Brady Snelgrove, will have to be solid to clean up whatever the Panthers bring, as well.
For North Bend’s five seniors — Jany, Fowler, Langenstein, Schneider and Michael Hoover — this season’s playoffs are the culmination of many years of playing soccer together. The postseason also is a chance for the Bulldog boys soccer program, which has only missed the playoffs four times in the last 12 years, to bounce back from last year’s postseason absence.
In 2007, North Bend was hampered by injuries and never was able to come together as a team, going 6-6-2 and sitting out the Class 4A playoffs. This year’s been a different story.
“Chemistry’s the biggest thing this year,” said Jany. “We’re really bound together as a team.”
If North Bend can win today, it would get the Bulldogs back in the quarterfinals on Saturday in a matchup against the winner of today’s match between Cottage Grove and Seaside. Jany said the team is excited to once again be playing soccer in November.
“It feels awesome right now,” said Jany. “We’ve just got to win everything, challenge everything. The goals will come as long as we play hard. If everybody plays hard, we’ll do good.”
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