2016 NorthWood Fall Sports Athletic Awards

The Fall Awards program will take place on Tuesday November 1 at 6:30 pm in the High School Auditorium.

2016 Off season workouts Open Gym at the AC (OG/AC)

Off season work outs will start on Monday October 31 (Halloween) from 7:30-9 pm in the NorthWood Athletic Center (AC). All workouts in the off season will be from 7:30 - 9 pm. It is essential that all 2017 soccer players attend all these work outs!!!!!! The Coaching Staff

2016 Final Soccer Team Meeting

All soccer players need to meet in Room 801 on Thursday October 13 right after school to hand in CLEAN uniforms and warm ups.

Sectional Rd 2 NorthWood-Wawasee 1-2 (1-0)

NorthWood goes ahead 1-0 on a Eli Aukerman PK (foul on Jaron results in the PK)in the second minute. With numerous chances for NW that do not find the net, we let Wawasee get into the game. The second half starts out with a PK for the Warriors in the 44th. With the game tied at 1-1, the officiating in the middle goes from horrible to horrendous to disastrous. This guy clearly has no business being a center at a Sectional and probably felt like checking his underwear since he seemed to be unable to control a High School boy's soccer game that was somewhat contentious. When you have to tell Captains that they need to take control of the game, it pretty much means that you, as a center ref, have no clue on how to control it. Thanks to the AR on the bench side, it was somewhat kept under control so no one got hurt. We let Wawasee, a team that really is not very good at all with the exception of #4, back in the game. Wawasee scores the game winner with 32 seconds left on the clock. Unfortunately, the season is over. Our seniors worked hard and fought hard in this game but unfortunately, despite our focus on Wawasee's #4, he was able to slip thru the defense and score on us in the last seconds of the game. Our back line performed admirably, our midfield worked hard although we were out of position at times and did not cover the gaps well. Jaron worked very hard, Jadon played well and had some good shots. Eli had a great PK (he was the #1 on the PK list). Josh, Mason and Brock (and Skyler when he subbed in ) have been a solid back three. Cody had a good game and a good season. Cody was the only four year starter on this year's Varsity. Micah was dangerous and worked hard when he came in. Landon and Corbin passed well. Lucas got to experience Sectional pressure as did Trent and Kyle Luster. Dylan Weldy did a nice job crossing the balls in and did well on the flank.Matt was a workhorse in the middle and Juan did well and worked well together with Jerson (something to look forward to next season). Look on this site for announcements for the Fall Awards and the Open Gym in the AC (OG/AC).

Game Day 17

This afternoon, the Panthers travel to Kundt Field ("home of the award winning concession stand") in Plymouth to take on the Wawasee Warriors. Game time is 5 pm. When the clock runs out and if the Panthers have scored more goals than their opponent, the team will stay around to watch at least the first half of the Culver Academies vs. Plymouth match. The Panthers came out of practice yesterday with a healthy squad so everyone is available tonight. The PK part of the practices this week came to a conclusion and the coaches have the first ten PK takers lined up in order in case it is needed tonight. We just want the win and of course rather do it in regulation but if it requires Extra Time and even a PK shootout, we are ready for it. Please come out and cheer on the Panthers and especially our Seniors who are ready to help us get a win tonight!

Training and Team update

Practice today will be held at the game field from 3:30-5ish. The last part of the practice will feature a 11v11 scrimmage to get ready for tomorrow's game as well as the a PK shootout simulation. The entire team is healthy for today's practice. The bus will leave at 3:45 pm for Plymouth tomorrow. Game time is 5 pm.

2016 Sectional Preview

Last night (Monday 10/3), Warsaw was defeated in Sectional Action in Round 1 by Culver Academies. Warsaw finishes the season at 6-10-2. Culver Academies (14-2-1) will now face host Plymouth tomorrow night. Plymouth is 12-3 and one of only two teams to beat Culver Academies. In the first game tomorrow night (5 pm start), the Panthers will try and revenge their loss earlier in the season against Wawasee (4-10-2). At Wawasee, NorthWood (5-10-1) was not able to threaten too often. With a shot on the crossbar and one off the post, we had some opportunities but did not capitalize. Wawasee on the other hand, was fairly effective by scoring once out of about three opportunities. The temperatures will feel like summer with a predicted game time temperature of about 78 degrees. Hopefully the good weather and the fact that the seniors are starting their last play off competition, will draw a lot of fans to Plymouth. We hope to see you there cheering on our boys! The winners of tomorrow night's games will face each other in the final on Saturday night. GO PANTHERS!!! #together

Last Game at NWHS Soccer Game Field at NES?

Game over.........

The 2016 Seniors

SENIORS AND THEIR PARENTS GETTING READY FOR SENIOR NIGHT INTRODUCTIONS

2016 SENIOR NIGHT - Thank you Seniors and Parents!!!

Below are the seniors with their parents as they are introduced before the final home game.

Brock Lechlitner - Defender- Parents: Alex and Stephanie Lechlitner

Josh Weldy - Defender- Parents: John and Melanie Weldy

Dylan Weldy - Midfielder/Defender - Parents : Jennifer VanVoorst and Dennis Weldy and stepfather Brian VanVoorst

Jaron Mullet - Forward - Parents: Lyndale and Sherrie Mullet

Eli Aukerman - Midfielder/Forward- Parents: Mark and Sheila Aukerman

Jason McPherson - Midfielder - Mother: Patty McPherson

Cody Cripe - Goal Keeper - Parents: Randy and Andrea Cripe

Four Year Ball Boy Kyle Cripe

We want to thank Kyle Cripe for being the Men's Soccer Team's exclusive 4 year Ball Boy. Kyle will be a Freshman next year, so we will see him inside the lines next season!

NorthWood-Bethany Christian 1-1 (0-1)

With the stands filled and the pre game talk under way, it is time for the last home game of the season, the last regular season game for our seniors and quite possibly the last competitive game that will ever be played at NorthWood's first soccer home ground. Both teams start and end the game stuck on 5 wins for the season. Before kick off, the Seniors and their parents are introduced to a crowd of about 140 which isn't too bad considering the forecast. The JV sets the tone for the night with a 1-0 win with a Jerson game winner that sends the JV into the off season on a positive note. The Varsity contest kicks off right on time and it takes the Panthers 17 minutes before we threaten the Bruins for the first time with a Landon Parker shot that hits the post. Without anybody close to crash the goal, the net (ha) result is no goal. Eleven minutes later it is Bethany who after a seemingly non threatening attack, score first. The 0-1 half time score means that there is work to be done. Coach Duerksen points out that the work rate was not very impressive considering it is senior night and everything that comes with it. The seniors need to step it up but if they don't, underclassmen will be given an opportunity. The first half is boring, sloppy soccer for sure but at least the second half is more entertaining. It does take the Panthers 28 minutes before we actually change the scoreboard. Micah Pippinger passes a ball up the right side to Jerson, he makes a move and cuts inside and then places the ball between the 6 and 12 right in front of Juan. Juan one touches the ball to get control and decisively slots the ball to the left side on the ground by the keeper to tie the game, 1-1. The last 22 minutes of soccer on the home ground are enjoyable to watch. In the 78th, a great Bruins attack ends with a solid shot at goal but a cat like reaction by Panther's last defender, Cody Cripe, prevents the ball from going in. In the last 4 minutes of the game, the match becomes pretty contentious. When a clear foul -pushing in the back while going up for a header- is committed on Matt, there is, to the surprise of everyone, no whistle to be heard. All night long every little girly touch has been called but this obvious shove in the back gets no response from the ref. It does get a response out of Head Coach Duerksen. His obvious protest results in the center ref coming to the dug out (where it was nice and dry by the way). His question to the Assistant Coach "Are you ready to take over" gets the, I guess, only possible response (unless you want to get rid of your boss)"No, I am not" and therefore preventing a red card??????? I am not sure what all of this means but Coach Duerksen stays on task with his complaint about the non-call and gets a card. The color is yellow so it basically means nothing at this point of the game ((78th min still) or at this point of the season. But now the game becomes interesting. With the Panthers pressing high up the field and in possession of the ball, Eli threatens to score from the top of the box in a 1v1 on the Bruins GK. The ball does not go into the goal and time expires. But now the AR raises his flag and the center ref comes over to see why the flag went up. The AR makes the case that Eli was fouled outside the box and that there were 2 seconds left on the clock (this isn't basketball by the way, the clock ran out, tough luck for us but he, we will take a bad decision going our way for once). We are awarded a free kick. Eli takes it and does a nice job getting it over the wall and on the frame. And by on the fram, I mean on the frame as in on the crossbar and.....over....end of game. Final result 1-1. The regular season ends at 5-9-1. The focus shifts to our Sectional opponent Wawasee (1-0 loss away earlier this year).

Final Regular Season Game Day/Senior Night

The Bruins from Bethany Christian will visit the Panthers tonight for a JV and Varsity contest. If you believe some people, this might be the last EVER home game to be played at the Elementary School. The rumor has it that our next game might/will be played at our new complex to be built south of the current Puma's Soccer Complex. The plans call for artificial and natural turf fields with the artificial one being lighted and having stands and locker rooms. But back to tonight. The Seniors will be honored tonight before the start of the Varsity match. So between 6:15- 6:30 pm I would guestimate, the Seniors and their parents will be introduced. Brock Lechlitner,Cody Cripe, Eli Aukerman, Jason McPherson, Jaron Mullet, Dylan Weldy and Josh Weldy will play on their home turf for the last time. We are hoping for a large crowd because these guys have put in a lot of time and have committed themselves to NorthWood Soccer for a long time. The visiting Bruins are 5-9 and seem to be, on paper, a comparable team to us with similar results so the game should be very competitive. The Panthers will try and end the regular season with a win to give them some momentum going into the second round of their Sectional next Wednesday. So, please come out and support your Panthers and your seniors for this home game. GO PANTHERS!!! #together

Training Ground change announcement

Today's practice will be from 3:30 - 5 at the Game field. This practice will also be JV's last practice of the season.

Plymouth-NorthWood 5-0 (3-0)

NorthWood plays an NLC match at next week's Sectional site and comes up short. The biggest surprise of the night is that we learn that Kindt Field has an "award winning concession stand", over and over again. It might be the only thing worth mentioning as the performance on the pitch is not. The pitch itself is not in very good shape, the goober who ran around the field with a whistle in his mouth had hopefully the worst performance of his life. He awards the Rockies two (!) penalty kicks (Cody gets close to both of them), one for tripping (Juan trips and falls on the Plymouth player AFTER he had already taken a shot and one for a handball -ball to hand-). So two soft PK's and at that point in the game (minute 47), the game is, for all intent and purposes, over with. Scoring summary, 20' 1-0, 23' 2-0, 27' PK 3-0, 47' PK 4-0, 77' 5-0. NorthWood's record falls to 5-10. The JV loses its contest 2-0. The focus shifts to Senior Night, our last chance to get another home win this season before we go into the play offs. Hopefully we will have a good size crowd to thank our Seniors for their commitment to NorthWood soccer.

Game Day 15

The 10-3 Pilgrims host the 5-9 Panthers this evening in the last NLC regular season match up. Starting times are 5 & 6:45. Maxpreps ranks Plymouth at #19 in Indiana. Hope to see everyone on the sidelines on what looks to be a sunny but windy outing. GO PANTHERS!!!!! #together

Ball boy's nightmare

NOT WANTING HIS BROTHER TO GET ALL THE ATTENTION TONIGHT, KYLE CRIPE (OUR DEDICATED BALL BOY) GOT STUCK IN A RESIDENTIAL FENCE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RETRIEVE A GAME BALL. THANKS TO ROBERT LANE, KYLE ONLY HAS TO STAY IN THIS PRECARIOUS POSITION FOR MINUTES SINCE THE ENTIRE NW TEAM IS OBLIVIOUS TO KYLE'S PREDICAMENT.

NorthWood-John Glenn 3-0 (1-0)

Not really an astronomical amount of supporters you would expect, followed the Falcons to Nappanee on this beautiful sunny fall afternoon. The home fans trickle in late but by game time, the stands are nicely occupied and the lawn seating area is well populated as well. No Amason Mast to entertain us today so we have to do with the recorded version of the National Anthem. This if course after Randy Cripe introduces the players. And on that note, we would like to thank Randy for doing that now for us for many years and considering that Kyle Cripe will be in the program, we can hopefully talk him into continuing to do that (maybe at the new facility?). The game gets underway on time despite the fact that the referees show up mere minutes before kick off. FIRST HALF- A couple of changes to the lineup have been made, they are nuances really. Eli plays in one of the forward positions and Juan takes the Central Midfielder position. Landon, Mason and Dylan all start on the bench after their injuries. We have the luxury tonight of not having to count halves since there is no JV game. Therefore, everyone is available for the full 80. The first ten minutes of the match are choppy and sloppy. There is no real possession from either team and not really a threat. In the 10th, Juan passes a nice ball to Eli who takes a shot that careens off a Glenn defender for the first corner of the night. Four minutes later, Eli Aukerman picks a Glenn defender's pocket and takes the ball into the box to go one on one with the John Glenn keep; Eli tucks the ball away neatly in the corner to the keepers 's left for a 1-0 NW lead. A retaliation (barely, really) foul by Corbin Taylor, earns him a yellow card. The rest of the half most of the entertainment takes place in the middle third of the field. NW attacks but goes straight up the gut too often, an area that is congested with Glenn defenders. HALF TIME- In an effort to adjust to the Glenn defense and their densely populated center defense inside or near their own box, the coaches emphasize the fact that going wide will stretch their defense. The coaching staff also is not impressed with the NW work rate especially considering we have a full squad available for the first time all year. The players are asked to bust their rear ends and ask for a sub when they run out of gas. SECOND HALF- The effort is better from the get go and low and behold, going wide does create opportunities. A pass to the outside left lands by Landon Parker who crosses the ball on the ground to the middle to Jaron Mullet. Jaron one touches one of his famous lasers on the frame and the keeper has no chance. This hard shot shakes the cob webs off the ropes when the ball hits the left upper 90, 2-0. This is a well deserved goal for Jaron who has been working hard all night but has not had the best of luck with his touches. This shot makes up for that. The Glenn defense must have felt like a tourist in Amsterdam when NorthWood by way of Landon Parker again picks their pocket. His pass to Eli gives the elder Auky another opportunity to travel into the Glenn box. Once again with fantastic composure does he place the ball into the net for the final score, 3-0. The advantage of having the entire squad healthy and available on a night like tonight is that everyone played which keeps them sharp for the upcoming postseason but it also gives the ones that are just coming back from injury, the opportunity to ease their way back into the squad. Hopefully everyone has recovered nicely from this match and is ready to go against Plymouth. We play the Pilgrims (or are they Rockies?) away tonight. Our defense held the zero and gave Cody another shutout. Our record improves to 5-9. Hope to see everyone in Plymouth tonight.

Bethel-Grace

About 15 players and coaches went to Mishawaka Saturday night to watch Bethel-Grace. Graduates David Eshelman plays for Bethel and Brayton Taylor (Corbin's brother) for Grace. David played in the JV game and scored (for a second consecutive match!!!). Unfortunately we could not make it in time for that game due to the Senior dinner. We did watch the entire Varsity match (pretty exciting actually) and saw Grace come away with a narrow 1-2 win. Brayton played as one of the central defenders, played the entire game and performed very well. Congratulations to both David and Brayton! Afterwards coaches Duerksen and Dijkstra were able to catch up with both of them. It was great to see them!!!

Game Day 14

Today, after the rain has cleared, the Panthers will take on the John Glenn Falcons.****** Game time is 5:30 pm (there is no JV match). It should be sunny and around 65 tonight and it will probably feel like Fall. The Falcons are 4-10 and the Panthers are 4-9. Both teams will try and get their 5th win, the Falcons are known for their tough and scrappy play, an effort that needs matched by the Panthers. There is no JV practice today. All players need to be at the game field no later then 4:45 pm. It will be interesting to see if the field will get any attention. It did not look good at all on Saturday and if the lines are not re-painted and the field not mowed, it will be necessary for the players to use their machetes to cut their way thru the field.

2016 Senior Dinner

The coaches would like to thank all the parents who helped with the Senior Dinner. Jason McPherson, Eli Aukerman, Josh Weldy,Brock Lechlitner, Dylan Weldy, Cody Cripe and Jaron Mullett were put in the spotlight by Head Coach Duerksen and thanked for their contribution to the program.

NorthWood-Ft Wayne Concordia 1-2 (1-0)

Only three moments are memorable on this sunny Saturday; Randy Kauffman scores off a header in his first NW soccer contest (JV draws Concordia 1-1), "AMASON" MAST gives a terrific rendition of our National Anthem before the Varsity match -truly goose bump material- and the Skyler to Kyle split, followed by the cross to far post for a Jaron header (1-0 lead at the time). Wrap up Varsity contest : 13' - Jaron Mullett (Kyle Luster assist) 1-0, 47' 1-1, 73' 1-2. Varsity falls to 4-9. Time to come back strong against Glenn on Monday. Status for the injured players for that game are, I guess, not sure but hopefully Landon, Dylan and Mason will be available. In the new system it is crucial to have 15-16 players available so it is essential that they are healthy pretty soon. Mr. Widner has been working hard on their rehab. We sure appreciate all his hard work!!!!

Proof is in the pudding......uh....on the bracket

ACCORDING TO COACH DOUWSMA, THIS IS THE SAME DRAW AS THE 2014 DRAW WHEN WE LAST WON OUR SECTIONAL!

Sectional Draw

Warsaw - Culver Academies - Game 1 Wawasee-Northwood - Game 2 Plymouth-Warsaw/Culver Academies winner game 3 Final- Winner game 2- Winner game 3

2016 Sectional Draw

NorthWood is in Sectional 7. This is a Class 2 (large schools) Sectional and will be played in Plymouth this year. According to the brackets, the first game is played on Monday October 3 at 6 pm. The winner of that game will play the team that earned a bye on Wednesday October 5 at 7:15. The other two teams will play on October 5 at 5 pm. The Sectional Final will be Saturday October 8 at 6 pm. This post will be updated as soon as the draw is published. Stay tuned......

Game Day 13 and other activities for Saturday September 24

The Panthers host the Cadets of Fort Wayne Concordia tomorrow, Saturday September 24. The JV game starts at 10 am, followed by the Varsity match at 11:45. Concordia is 7-7-1 and has a 1 game winning streak (?) after defeating Bishop Luers (the school I assume) 4-0. Their Maxpreps state rank is 125 compared to the Panthers 174 ( up from 199 earlier this week). Tomorrow at 5 pm the team will get together for the senior dinner at the Nappanee Elementary School and hopefully a lot of us will go watch David vs Brayton at 7 pm (Grace at Bethel) at 7 pm ( free admission for the NW soccer team). This morning is the Sectional Draw. Results and details for the Sectional will be posted here as soon as the informtion is released by the IHSAA. INJURY UPDATE: As of yesterday afternoon, it looks like Dylan Weldy is on the mend and he has been working with our fysio Paul who thinks he will return before the two week period we previously predicted. Angel was back at the JV practice yesterday and Kyle was back with the Varsity squad as well. Hope to see a big crowd tomorrow! The forecast is perfect, low 70's at game time with partly cloudy skies! GO PANTHERS !!!! #together

NorthWood-Elkhart Memorial 0-2 (0-2)

Maybe not the X's and O's and perhaps not the Larry's and Joe's by themselves but more of a combination of the two have turned the Panthers into a competitive side. Considering that the Chargers are ranked 11th by Maxpreps and 22nd by the Indiana Coaches poll, we knew that we were going to have a battle on our hand. And despite a 13th minute goal, NW was able to stay organized defensively. The corner in the 36th from Landon Parker finds Matt's head. The header is saved by the Memorial keeper but the rebound finds Jaron who lasers the ball against the underside of the crossbar. A couple of minutes later, Memorial does find itself counterattacking. The pass over the last line of the NW defense finds the Chargers #22 who puts the ball into the ropes for a 2-0 lead. Not many adjustments are needed at the tea break, it is more of a re-focus of what was discussed at the pre game talk. We are in the game and just need a little luck in finishing. We have to wait until the 73rd for that opportunity. An Eli free kick finds Thornton. The continuation of play has Jaron go one on one with the keeper who comes up the winner. The score remains 0-2, not a bad result considering the talent of the opponent and it gives us confidence in the next few home games. On another note, the officiating was impressive and consistent, a rarity lately (lately being the last 20 years or so). The next game is Saturday versus Fort Wayne Concordia. The JV starts at 10, Varsity at 11:45. At 5 pm the team dinner will start at the Elementary school's cafeteria. Grace visits Bethel at 7 and any player who can attend (to watch David and Brayton) will be able to get in for free.A full day of soccer and soccer related activities! NOTES- We are dealing with some injuries; Dylan Weldy (toe, out 2 weeks), Angel Pantoja (day to day, bone bruise), Mason Mast (hip injury, status for Saturday unknown), Landon Parker (shoulder, status for Saturday unknown). Speaking of Mason Mast; he is scheduled to sing the National Anthem Saturday before the Varsity match. The draw for Sectionals will be Friday morning. I will post the draw as soon as we get the information.

Game Day 12

The Elkhart Memorial Chargers come rolling into Nappanee with a Maxpreps #11 state ranking combined with a # 51 National Maxpreps rank (compared to a 199 state rank and 2084 rank for the Panthers). The Chargers are 9-2-1 on the season overall and 3-2-1 in NLC (wins over Plymouth, Wawasee and Warsaw; losses againsr Northridge and Concord and a draw versus Goshen). The Panthers are 4-7 overall and winless in NLC so far. Hopefully we will be able to entertain a large crowd tonight. The weather will be a carbon copy of last night. See you there; GO PANTHERS !!! #together.

NorthWood-Elkhart Christian pics

ENJOYING THE VICTORY

NorthWood- Elkhart Christian 2-0 (1-0)

The grass is short(er), the weather is nice and a good size crowd is on hand for the Varsity only contest tonight.FIRST HALF- With the Panthers playing with a better shape centrally, the game is dominated by us right from the start. The passing is probably a little below par mainly due to our first touch being off. The game is uneventful (on and off the field)so kind of boring perhaps until about the 18th Eli Aukerman lays the ball off to Juan Pantoja. His shot with pace is an easy save for the Eagles GK. Eli is again involved in our next opportunity when he passes the ball to Landon to the left side of the field. Landon Parker utilizes his crafty left foot to put us ahead, 1-0. An Eli to Landon combination continues with a cross from the latest (and last) Parker product. The ball lands near Juan who takes a shot but misses. The Panthers consider themselves lucky when the arbiter decides to award ECA a free kick outside the box after a Cody Cripe charge and foul (fortunately Cody only receives a yellow caution). In the last seconds of the first half, the elder Aukerman slices a ball to Juan. Juan shoots the ball hard but the shot is on the frame, literally! It hits the post and rebounds back into play but no white shirt can get to the ball. Half time score is therefore 1-0. HALF TIME - The address from Coach Duerksen mainly deals with a few issues that need cleaned up in the second half; first touch and passing. If we get our first touch under control more consistently as well as passing to feet more, we will posses the ball more. And no team has ever scored a goal while not possessing the ball so possession is crucial. SECOND HALF - Jadon takes the ball up the left flank and delivers a cross with precision in the box to Juan. Juan's header, despite using great technique, misses its mark to the right. Juan works hard all night long, disturbs the defenders, applies pressure and distributes the ball and does all of that well but gets unlucky in the finishing as does, in general, the entire team. With shots on goal in the double digits, we have only been successfull once so far. ECA gets a couple of chances, most from set pieces. Cody has to come up with a save on a few occasions but overall, he has a quiet night. In the 73rd a mini scuffle ensues in front of the main stand and the last person to shove someone (Dylan Weldy, the player) receives his first, the team's second of the night. With 4 minutes left on the clock (operated by Randy Cripe; thank you for doing the announcing and running the clock and scoreboard!!), Jaron takes a shot at the goal, the save and melee afterwards gives Jerson an opportunity to finish the attack. He does and pokes the ball over the line just inside the left post for the final score: 2-0. A solid win and a win the team desperately needed.NOTES- Next up: tonight features home game number two of the season long 4 game homestand against another ranked NLC opponent, Memorial. JV kicks off at 5, followed by a 6:45 Varsity start. The Varsity record improves to 4-7. The JV traveled to Penn last night and lost 4-0 (all goals scored in the first half).

Match Day # 11

The eleventh game of the season features a visit from the Eagles of Elkhart Christian Academy. The Eagles have a 6-4 overall record and are coming off a home loss (0-5) against South Bend Trinity. Number 5 Hartman (a senior) is their top scorer with 15 goals on the season. We have not played common opponents at this point in the season. The Panthers are hoping to get back on the winning track after the loss against Goshen last Thursday. Tonight's game is a Varsity only contest and kicks off at 7 pm. The JV travels to Penn to play the Penn C team. The JV contest starts at 5 pm. The jV lost to both Concord and Northride at the JV NLC Tourney this past Saturday. Game time temperature will be 77 and sunny so come on out for another "evening of NW soccer". Go PANTHERS !

Goshen-NorthWood 6-0 (4-0)

#3 Goshen defeats unranked NorthWood 6-0. Goshen is a very skilled an talented team and despite the fact that NW gets some chances, none pass the goal line. Varsity falls to 3-7 on the season. The JV squad puts in a good effort but loses 1-0. The JV plays in the NLC JV Tourney tomorrow (Saturday) at Goshen. Their first game starts at 9 am on Field 2 vs. Concord. The second game will be at Noon against either Goshen or Northridge (depending on the outcome of the first games). Varsity's next game is Monday September 19 at home vs. Elkhart Christian at 7 pm. The JV travels to Penn Monday for a 5 pm kick off. Of the 6 remaining games for Varsity, 5 will be played at home (4 game home stretch starts Monday against ECA followed by Memorial,Ft. Wayne Concordia and Glenn respectively). Today's practice will start in Coach Duerksen's room for an analytical session followed by a short training field session.

NorthWood-Warsaw 0-4 (0-1)

Warsaw defeats NorthWood 0-4, the JV loses 1-4 (Jerson goal). Yellow cautions for Matt, Kyle and I forgot who received the third yellow. Next up tomorrow (Thursday at #3 Goshen). Bus leaves at 3:45. Today: NO practice (well deserved day off to recover after the Varsity has played 4 games in a 4 day stretch). On a different note; both the opposing coach and some of the officials were complaining about the game field condition. It did not look like it had been mowed and if it was done, the deck sure was set way too high. I have no clue how people are supposed to play soccer on a field that has tall grass and is very soft (rolling it would not be a bad idea). When the players take the field, you can't even see their soccer cleats The lighting in the northwest corner was not optimal either since it has only two of the three working since the start of the season. I guess all in all, the result matches the condition of the field. In all honesty, you rarely hear me complain about the condition of the facility because I really only care about the field itself. If you have never played soccer you probably think the pitch looks good but go ahead and try and run on it with a ball. We are coming up on a long home stand and actually we will play four of the next 5 games at home so hopefully something will be done.

LaPorte-NorthWood 4-1 (1-0)

After a sketchy rendition of the national anthem that includes a Cessna 172 flyover (I think) we start our first ever away game at LaPorte in front of a small travelling NW crowd. Once again an arbiter circus swoops down with the best clown taking the center in the Varsity contest and I will leave it with that. The Panthers play hard, attack with speed on the flanks and get some opportunities but the Slicers score first (18" 1-0). NorthWood stays on task with a great work rate, good communication for the most part and an improved focus on their first touch. Four minutes into the second half, LaPorte goes up 2-0 but 9 minutes later, Juan toe pokes a Jaron pass on a defenders right into the ropes and the Panthers are back in the game. But in the 62nd and 70th, LaPorte breakaways turn into goals on a couple of defensive lapses (that start in the midfield) and the 3 goal lead is too much to overcome for our boys. In the 72nd, Jerson does go in the box and if the pitch would have resembled a soccer field a little bit more than the cow pasture that it really was, he probably would have scored a second goal but the ball hits a clump and goes up and Jerson can not recover from the unexpected bounce. Considering that NO fouls are called in the first and nothing but fouls are called in the second, it is a surprise that we only get one yellow (Matt Thornton). The JV game also ends in 4-1 but this time the score is in our favor. The JV welcomes their coach back with gratitude and ends the night with 4 goals (Hilty, Jerson 2, Jason McP). Corbin played well as a composed distributor in the middle and adds two assists on his tally sheet. Next up is Warsaw at home (tonight, Tuesday 9/13/16) with a 5 pm JV kick off and a 6:45 Varsity start. The Varsity's record drops to 3-5, while the JV improves its record to 2-3. The JV is currently riding a two game winning streak.

Game day # 7

NorthWood travels to LaPorte today. The game will be played behind (south) of Kesling Middle School (306 E. 18th St, LaPorte). The SLicers are 4-4, the Panthers 3-4. The JV kicks off at 5:30 pm our time! The only common opponent that both teams have played is Northridge. Both NW and LaPorte lost to the Raiders 2-1. See you there hopefully. Go Panthers.

2016 Argos Invite Pics

Lakewood-NorthWood 1-0 (0-0) Glenn-NorthWood 0-4 (0-2)

The Panthers of Lakewood Park Christian defeat the Panthers of NorthWood with a 66th minute PK in the 3 pm game. The final 1-0 score sends Lakewood into the 8 pm final versus Argos, who earlier had defeated Glenn. The 6 pm consolation game therefore features John Glenn and NorthWood. It takes a little adjustment, not being in the final. This is the Panther's 5th trip to the Argos Invite but the first time we have not made it to the Championship game. Before the first game, the lineup was changed in a more attacking one but after losing 1-0, the decision was made to go even more offensive in the consolation game. A 4-3-3 was put in place in hopes of generating more shots and goals. Prior to the matchup with Glenn, the team is asked to walk out so the starters can be announced. As nice as it is to give the starters some recognition, it would have been even nicer if the announcer would have actually have announced the correct starters. As it turns out, it would not be the only screw up of the night. The one consistent in this tournament thru the years is the officiating. It has been awful. Not that all officials have been below par but every trio seems to have one member who has no business being on a soccer pitch. So tonight, once again, is no exception. The game itself is fairly entertaining. All NW players get playing time, as expected and all contribute. The effort is good and we generate a good amount of offense. Indicative of that is a nice pass from Lucas Aukerman to Jaron Mullett thru the middle near the top of the box in the 29th minute. Jaron gets a nice first touch to go by the last defender and his trademark laser hits the ropes for the first NW lead of the day. In the 37th, Eli Aukerman dribbles around a Glenn defender and makes it to the end line. His perfect pull back pass/cross lands in front of Micah Pippinger who decidedly puts the ball over the line for the 2-0 lead. The officiating crew decides to show their incompetence in the 39th. When Kegan Shiflett (Glenn's #21; their only good player) gets hit by the ball that is cleared by Josh Weldy, the two get tangled up. Shiflett fouls Josh before they get tangled up and that foul earns a red card from the center ref. Now keep in mind that this takes place on the southeast end of the field. Glenn's #21 walks off the field and all of a sudden the AR on the southwest side of the pitch consults with the center ref and that conversation apparently results in a red (what????) card for Josh Weldy. He gets accused of stepping or stumping on Shiflett after the foul. With the crowned pitch and the distance from the AR to where the foul takes place and considering that the center ref is closer to the infringement, it is odd that the AR says he witnessed such a flagrant foul that it constitutes a red card. In other words, this high pitched moron has no business making this call considering his proximity to the area where the "foul" takes place. He then berates coach Duerksen about his smile or grin on his face when he questions the AR on his call. Believe me, coach Duerksen does not smile or grin when one of our players receives a red, ever. So if you can't determine if someone is smiling or not ,you probably can't determine a foul from a non foul. The Panthers stay on task in the second half and there is more room to play since it has turned into a 10v10 contest.Juan Pantoja scores in the 53rd (Landon Parker assist, 3-0) and in the 74th we are able to increase the score to 4-0 with Jerson shot on frame that rebounds and has Jason McPherson touch the ball towards the frame where Matt Thornton finishes it off with his first and the team's 4th and final goal of the day. So the final tally for the day is one win, one loss, one red card and two yellow cards (Eli and Matt) and Juan got a yellow card that was taken away again (talk about some awful officiating). The Varsity's record is now 3-4. Next up is an away game Monday at LaPorte. The bus leaves at 3:45.

Wawasee-NorthWood 1-0 (1-0)

Wawasee defeats NorthWood 1-0 in an NLC match up. The Panthers dominate play until the Wawasee goal about midway thru the first half. NW also scores (in the second half goal,Juan Pantoja) but the goal is disallowed for being offside (beg to differ). Jaron Mullett has a great opportunity in the box and goes one on one with the keeper. His chip hits the crossbar. The last fifteen minutes of the game consists of the Panthers pressing and playing hard at the Warriors goal but we are unable to put the ball in the net. NW fall to 2-3-0 overall (0-3 NLC). The JV wins their game with a first half goal by Brock Hilty (PK) and a second half conversion by Jerson. Corbin hits the cross bar and Jason (McP) hits the upright. A nicely played and (interim)coached game overall. JV record improves to 1-3. NOTES: Today's practice is an hour short; 3:30-4:30. Tomorrow the Varsity travels to Argos for the Argos Invite. Argos plays Glenn at 1 pm, NW entertains Lakewood Park Christian at 3 pm, winners play at 8 pm, losers face each other at 6 pm. The team bus will leave from Paul's Pain Palace at 1 pm (this way we can watch the second half of the first game). Game time temps will be in the low 70's with showers having cleared well before 3 pm.

Game Day #5 Wawasee-NorthWood

NorthWood is on the road tonight at Wawasee. The Warriors do NOT have lights so the Varsity will play first. The game starts at 5 pm. The JV game will follow approximately 20 minutes after the conclusion of the Varsity match. Hopefully they will be able to get the entire game in if it stays light enough. The Warriors have a deceiving 1-5-1 record but have been in all but one game. They lost to Culver Military Academies 4-2, 2-1 to West Noble and 3-0 to the Minutemen. All decent results despite those being losses. NW has a 2-2 record and starts a very busy stretch of soccer. With games tonight, Saturday (2 games in the tourney), a trip to LaPorte on Monday, followed by a home game on Tuesday against Warsaw and a Thursday match at #3 Goshen, it is important for the Panthers to stay healthy and get some results. The rain should clear out by kick off tonight and the temps are predicted to be around 81 at game time so it promises to be a great night for some NorthWood soccer.

Argos Invite Tournament Information

The Argos Tournament will take place on Saturday September 10th, 2016. NorthWood drew Lakewood Park Christian. That game will start at 3 pm. The game before us is between Argos and Glenn. The winner of these two games will play in the final at 8 pm, the losers will face off at 6 pm.

Concord-NorthWood pics

Concord-NorthWood 5-0 (1-0)

The second NLC match up does not yield the result we are hoping for. Four goals in a short period of time early in the second half, nullify a decent first half effort. The Panthers fall to 2-2-0 (0-2-0 in NLC). For the second game in a row, the JV comes up short but plays well. Concord's JV defeats NW 3-2. The NW goals come from Trent Edwards (Corbin Taylor assist from a corner) and Jerson Sanchez-Baires. The JV falls to 0-2-0 but has played well and were in both games until the final whistle. Next up: Thursday September 8 (next week) at Wawasee. The Varsity will play first due to the fact that Wawasee does not have a lighted field. The JV will start at the conclusion of the Varsity contest. NOTES: No injuries to report so a full squad will practice today. Since we played Monday night, the Tuesday practice will conclude at 5 pm.

NorthWood-Northridge 1-2 (1-2)

With the stands about filled to capacity and additional spectators crowding the area around the bleachers with folding chairs, the NorthWood Panthers get ready to measure themselves against their first NLC opponent and not an easy one at that. The Raiders field a Varsity that has 9 seniors starting tonight's contest. Northridge sports a deceiving 1-1-1 record (4-1 win over Bethany Christian, a 0-0 draw vs. Penn and a 3-2 loss to Elkhart Central)coming into tonight's game.FIRST HALF- Both teams try to settle in to the game with Northridge dictating play early on. The Raiders attack over the flanks and bring numbers up the middle. Defensively we struggle in the first minutes of the match. In the 7th minute, a hard NR shot forces Cody to dive to his right and he stops the effort but is unable to corral the ball. The rebound lands in front of Northridge's #13 (Tre Marvel) who makes no mistake and kicks the ball into the net for a 0-1 early lead. It takes the Panthers a while to settle down after the goal and most passes are not very accurate. Play gets a little chippy and the result is a 19th minute foul that results in a yellow caution for Kyle Luster. Two minutes later, the Raiders score their second goal when a midfielder goes thru the NW defense and scores on Cody but another Northridge attacker is deemed off side as he is considered involved in play so the goal is disallowed. The score remain 0-1. Northridge's # 6 (Blyly) complains about everything and everybody which aggravates just about everyone including coach Duerksen who in an effort to help the guy says "I got a Kleenex here for you Buddy!!!". In the 31st NR #20 Zach Yoder goes by Dylan Weldy (the player, not the manager) and at our keeper and puts the ball into the goal for a 0-2 lead. Despite being down two goals, NorthWood starts to play better. In minute 38, a pass to the right wing lands in front of Landon. With a really nice slip pass, he reaches Eli Aukerman. The older Auky goes into the box and at the keeper. With a move to his right, Eli goes around the GK and goes towards the empty goal. He makes no mistake and cuts the NR lead in half, 1-2 9great composure!).HALF TIME- Overall the first half performance is decent but we need to decrease the defensive mistakes, make better passes and play tougher. Coach Duerksen points out the fact that NR goes wide and bring numbers in the middle. Hopefully the adjustment will make it easier to defend NR attacks. SECOND HALF- Despite the fact that neither team scores another goal in the second half, the game turns out be one of the most entertaining ones we have seen at our home field. It certainly was one of our best defensive performances in a long time. Because we defend a lot, our counter attacks are important but unfortunately, we are unable to score another goal. Our midfield and defense play a fantastic second half and do not allow another NR goal. Dylan, Kyle, Josh, Jadon and Mason play, as coach Duerksen put it, like men! Brock comes in to relieve Mason and does a great job. Juan is a box to box workhorse. Eli does a nice job in center midfield and Landon, Lucas and Kyle work hard in the middle and do their job very well. Jaron works his rear end off, gets a couple of little opportunities and gets off a couple of shots (one of them a laser). All our subs do a nice job; Micah -our utility player who can play ALL positions-, Trent, Jerson and Skyler all come in and get minutes. Never does the level of play drop which says a lot for the entire team. Cody keeps a clean sheet in the second half and makes a couple of unbelievable saves. All in all, we play well and we show what we are capable of doing. Now we just need to continue this level of play on a consistent basis. Tonight we put in a great performance (especially in the second half) and if we can do this consistently, we can become a great team. NOTES: The JV plays its first game of the season and gets the same end result as the Varsity be it in a different manner however. The JV ties the score 1-1 (Jerson goal) but then gets scored on again. The play was pretty good especially considering that it was our first JV game of the season. Undoubtedly, we will get some wins soon. The Varsity record stands at 2-1-0, The JV at 0-1-0. During the varsity game, the center ref seemed distracted by some off the field situations such as a photographer not being where he should be and some parked cars having headlights turned on that needed turned off but other then that, the men in blue did a pretty good job overall. Next up: Away game at Concord (tomorrow, Saturday 8/27) with a 10 am JV start and a 11:45 Varsity kick off.

Game Day #3

Matchday 3 features the first NLC game of the 2016 season. Northridge has a 1-1-1 record thus far and comes off a 4-1 win earlier this week against Bethany Christian. The Panthers are 2-0-0 and have faced two weak opponents in the first two weeks of the season. Tonight's game will tell us how far we have come or how far we have to go. With NW's fairly inexperienced lineup, it will be interesting to see how the Panthers respond to a usually physical Raiders team. The JV game starts at 5 pm. It will be our JV's first game of the season. The Varsity contest is slated for 6:45 pm. Hopefully we will draw a good crowd tonight to cheer on both our squads. GO PANTHERS!!!!!

Angola-NorthWood pics

POST GAME SPEECH BY COACH DUERKSEN TOO LONG OF A BUS RIDE FOR SOME.......

Angola - NorthWood 0-10 (0-4)

About 60 fans total show up for a Noon contest on a Saturday afternoon about 13 miles from Ohio. The weather forecast looks ominous so we try to start early. With four flags to pick from, we listen to the National Anthem.The field has some interesting points of interest. With the Varsity field deemed unplayable, we are demoted to play on the (dry) JV field. The field itself has no semi circle by the corner flags, it has cement markers at each corner and it has the same cement square markers at the corners of the 18 yard boxes. To top it all off, the PK spot is an actual round steel plate (it is worth mentioning because it becomes part of the game early on). It is windy as well, which plays a part in the game as well, this time, late in the game. The Hornets' program is obviously struggling with getting enough players to come out. FIRST HALF- This report is mainly a game summary due to the fact that the Panthers score early and often this Saturday afternoon. NW starts out with a bang when in the second minute, Matt Thornton slices a pass thru the defense to Jaron Mullet. Jaron goes at the Hornets GK and decidedly puts it over the line, 0-1. In the very next minute, Landon does the same as Matt but from the opposite side. Again, the recipient is Jaron who, again, scores. The 0-2 is remarkable because the Landon Parker cross lands on the steel PK spot, bounces way up but Jaron stays with the ball and volleys it hard into the net. A one on one in the 6th gives Jaron a shot at a third goal and would have been the fastest hat trick in NW soccer history but the Angola keep comes up with a big save. We have to wait until the 25th minute for the scoreboard to change. Brock Lechlitner crosses a great ball towards the box. The GK punches the ball but the ball ends up in front of Juan who shoots and scores, 0-3. A 27th minute laser from Matt goes over by way of the crossbar. From the middle of the field it is Jaron who pushes a nice ball in the channel to Juan who makes no mistake, 0-4. Right before the half, an Angola player tries to get the ball over Cody who is at about the 6 but a timely save keeps a chance at a shutout intact. HALF TIME Only some minor points are addressed such as dealing with a strong wind and using our outside midfielders. SECOND HALF= With the score at 0-4 this will be a game where all players will get significant playing time with the exception of Corbin Taylor who is on the bench and was placed on the concussion protocol yesterday during practice after he kissed the pitch a little bit on the hard side (courtesy Mason Mast). It is mainly as a precaution and the hope is tat he will be ready to go again next Thursday. Corbin might actually do better now on the concussion test then he did for the baseline test. The second half nets another six goals. Some of these are by first time scorers. Here is the summary; 44"- Dylan Weldy cross (assist), header Juan Pantoja 0-5, 49"- Jaron Mullet pass (assist) to Juan Pantoja 0-6, 50"- Eli Aukerman assist to Landon Parker 0-7, 70"- Eli Aukerman assist (great thru ball) to Jerson (also assist) who finds Trent Edwards (freshman, first NW career Varsity goal), 0-8. 78" Kyle Luster assist (soccer program will let him kick!)to Jason McPherson (Senior, first career NW Varsity goal) and finally in the 79"- Eli gets his first goal of the season off a Juan Pantoja assist. Worth mentioning is the almost goal from GK Cody Cripe. His punt in the 60th minute bounces near the opponents box and requires a save from the opposing goalie to prevent a NW goal. Cody Cripe gets his second sht out of the season and the Panthers move to 2-0-0 with GF 18, GA 0. Next up: Thursday August 25 at home versus the Northridge Raiders. This will be the Panthers' first NLC contest of the season.

NW - TV Pics

NorthWood -Tippy Valley 8-0 (3-0)

A nice crowd (over 130) shows up for an easy season opener against Tippy Valley. The Vikings don't really look the part in the tri-colored shirts. An interesting wardrobe choice that gets (too) many accolades from Coach Douwsma. A large Tippy Valley squad manages more line changes (1) than goals tonight. The tall grass does not bother the Panthers as they get off to a quick start. A Juan Pantoja slalom into the box in the 3rd (!) minute results in what would turn out to be the only goal the Panthers will need tonight. All the rest of the scoring is icing on the cake. Juan actually puts his stamp on the first half with another shot at the goal that touches the far post. The ball gets a nice easy tip in from Jaron for his first but not last goal of the night. The second goal is scored in the 14th minute and 8 minutes later, Juan adds another goal with a low shot to the left of the goal. 3-0 is the half time score. The opponent is not very impressive and it is obvious that they are in the early stages of building their program. The second half starts with a one on one opportunity for Eli but the keeper prevents a quick restart goal. The best team goal comes in the 44th when Juan finds Landon wide on the left who then places the ball just outside the 18 and in front of Jaron. Jaron doesn't hesitate and fires a laser into the ropes for 4-0 lead. Two minutes later, Jaron takes another shot that explodes on the crossbar before it goes out of play. A Jaron Mullet dribble ends in the 6 yard box but gets mishandled by the Vikings defense, the ball pops up and Jaron takes advantage of the defensive indecision and heads the ball over the Tippy Valley goalie for a 5-0 lead. Juan gets the next assist when he passes a ball in the 57th to Jerson who connects for the 6th NW goal. In the 65th, Micah , who has missed some opportunities, assists Lukas Aukerman who signs for goal number 7.One minute later it is #5 Corbin who hits the woodwork. The panthers have one more goal left in their repertoire when Corbin passes a nice ball to Jerson who fnds the ropes for his second goal of the night. The Varsity record stands at 1-0-0. The next game will be an away game this coming Saturday vs. Angola. The bus leaves the High School at 10 am. Fridays practice will be from 3:30-5. The saturday contest is Varsity contest only. Goal scorers : Jaron Mullett -3, Juan Pantoja - 2, Jerson Sanchez - 2, Aukerman, L-1.

Game Day #1

A new season means new opportunities. On the menu tonight is the first game of the season versus Tippy Valley. The Vikings have a soccer program that has not been around for very long. The game kicks off at 5 pm and is a home game. NorthWood's home games are played at the soccer field behind Nappanee ELementary. Game time temps are predicted to be around the 80 degree mark, perfect weather to take in a High School Varsity soccer game. Hope to see everyone tonight. GO PANTHERS!!!!

TWINS

This week in NW Soccer features two games, both Varsity only contests at that. On Thursday August 18, the Panthers host the Vikings of Tippecanoe Valley at 5 pm. Saturday NW will travel to Angola (10 pm departure) for a 11:45 kick off. Hope to see you there. Game report to follow on Friday!

2016 Alumni Game and Red-Black scrimmage

With the three top scorers as well as the GK with the most shutouts in NorthWood history on the field, some entertaining soccer was played in blistering conditions. With 26 former players and coaches attending, it was a nice mix of past players, graduating anywhere from 2000-2016. With five goals in the first game and another 4 in the Red-Black scrimmage, the scoring was not lacking Thursday night. It took a handball in the last minute of the Red-Black game for the home team to record the equalizer. Eli put the ball in the right corner to get the 2-2 draw. With four practices left to go until the first game of the season we have our work cut out for us. Last night answered some questions the coaches had when it comes to positions people will or can play. A good performance overall for sure and with some more hard work ahaed, we are hoping to be ready for game #1 next Thursday.

ALUMNI GAME & RED-BLACK SCRIMMAGE INFORMATION

There will not be a regular practice after school today, August 11. At 5:30, the annual Alumni Game will take place. About 20 former NorthWood soccer players and coaches will play each other at the game field. The game will consist of two 25 minute halves. At 6:30, there will be a short parent meeting. The Red-Black scrimmage will start around 7 pm.

2016 PUGG Tournament

This past Friday, on the last day of two-a-days, the annual PUGG Tournament was held. The 5v5 tournament fielded 6 teams. On paper, teams like Luster City and Sporting Mullett seemed to be able to contest for the title but it was Atletico Juan who demanded the runner up trophy. The coaches and Jaden, playing for Duerksen FC, were however undefeated again and took the PUGG trophy for a second consecutive season.

Mandatory Athletic Meeting

The mandatory Athletic Meeting will be Wednesday August 3 at 6 pm in the High School Auditorium. Athlete's parents need to attend this meeting. Additional information is available on the school's new athletic website (goNWpanthers.com).

2016 Westview Soccer Shootout Recap

This past Saturday, the Panthers traveled to Amish Country to play in the Westview tournament. It was amazing to see all these Amish in their buggies pulled by 1HP going down the road. The soccer complex just east of the Blue Gate had been mowed but not very short. The temperatures are "only" in the eighties for the morning game but half the team was already hot before stepping on the pitch due to the fact that once of the mini buses did not have any of the two AC units working at all. The morning game against Huntington North was won by a Matt Thornton goal, 1-0. The afternoon game was a little different story. It was very steamy and our opponent (Argos) was a little stronger then the one we faced earlier in the day. Argos beat us fairly easy, 5-1, the lone goal coming from the elder Auky (nice slip to the right). There is a lot of work to be done to get ready for Game #1 against Tippecanoe Valley High School on August 18 (home game).

Alumni Game 2016

The Alumni Game will be played before the Red-Black scrimmage scheduled for Thursday August 11. The venue is the game field behind the Nappanee Elementary School and the time will be announced soon. Follow Coach Duerksen on twitter to get the latest on the alumni game and Red/Black game.

2016-2017 SEASON ABOUT TO START

The new season starts this coming Monday with a full week of two-a-days. The first practice will start Monday August 1 at 9 am and will go until about 11 am. We will start at the track. Players will need to bring their running shoes and soccer cleats. Make sure that the Physicals have been completely filled out and signed and turned in to the Athletic Office before the start of the first practice. Monday's second practice will be from 1-3 pm. All week, practices are from 9-11 am and 1-3 pm and all morning practices will start at the track. The school has developed a new website for NorthWood athletics only. You can find it at goNWpanthers.com and the schedules for both Varsity and JV have already been posted. This week is a moratorium week where the coaches can not have contact with the players. If players organize a pick up game or a run, they can do that but players and coaches won't be together until Monday August 1. All four (4) NorthWood coaches will return for this season. Head Coach Brad Duerksen and Asst. Coach Dijkstra will coach the Varsity and start their 20th season at NorthWood. Seth Douwsma will be back for another season at the helm of the Junior Varsity while Kyle Dijkstra will be here for the first two weeks of practice (before he returns to Bloomington to finish his last semester at IU) to work with the keepers. Once out of college, Kyle would like to move back to this area and is hoping to spend even more time with the Panthers next season. We are expecting a decent number of players to come out Monday and at this point the weather forecast for at least the first day seems to be very good.