CMC can’t withstand NIC’s power, Powers

It’s not necessary to be the most savvy or knowledgeable soccer fan to recognize when the sport is being played the right way.

Those in attendance for the NJCAA Region 18 championship game at North Idaho College’s Eisenwinter Field on Saturday were treated to such a sight.

David Powers posted his first hat trick of his collegiate career, and host NIC dominated Colorado Mountain College in a 6-1 victory to advance to the NJCAA district tournament. The Cardinals will host the Region 1 champion Saturday at noon, and the winner will proceed to the NJCAA national tournament.

NIC (11-3-1) used a perfect synergy of ball control, spacing, possession and finishing around the net to dispatch CMC. The Cardinals never trailed and led 3-0 at halftime.

“I thought we put together a very good performance, especially attacking,” NIC coach Scott Moorcroft said. “Our attack today was better than it’s been in a while.”

Powers scored two of his goals in a 5-minute span in the first half to extend the Cardinals’ lead to three. Jared Bork tallied NIC’s first goal in the ninth minute to jump-start the rout.

Shortly after Max Von Rabenau successfully curled a shot off the inside of the left post 10 minutes into the second half to pull Colorado Mountain within 3-1, NIC’s Travis Jette squashed CMC’s hopes of a comeback with a goal for a 4-1 edge.

Powers then capped his hat trick in the 87th minute when he deftly used his left knee to elevate the ball over CMC goalkeeper Mario Linares. Dylan Torcoletti scored the Cardinals’ final goal in the game’s waning moments.

“We played at a faster pace than they were used to,” Powers said. “Everything was clicking. Everyone was making the right runs and the runs they’re supposed to make.”

Fleet-footed defender Kyle Wirtz, who assisted Bork’s goal to open the scoring, contributed with long runs up the sideline to add another playmaker to the Cardinals offense. CMC coach Steve White didn’t have a player to turn to who could keep up with Wirtz – or several other NIC players.

Moorcroft had a sobering thought, however.

“We have to play much faster and defend much better because the speed will be very fast,” he said. “I hope we can make practice like that this week.”