The Barton County CC Cougars played a pair of non-conference games in Garden City, Kansas this weekend. On Saturday, Barton knocked off a solid Lincoln College (Illinois) team 3-0. Among the scorers, Springfield Demize midfielder Oscar Narvaez notched a goal on a brilliant free-kick from about 23 yards out. On Sunday, the Cougars defeated Metropolitan CC-Blue River by a count of 6-1. Again, Narvaez scored once for Barton as Demize teammate James Neighbour added two assists. The pair of wins moves the undefeated Cougars to a 6-0 record.
Up this week for Barton are a set of conference games starting tonight at home against Dodge City CC, Saturday at home against Cowley County, and Tuesday in a road game at Hesston College.
In addition to being 6-0, Barton was rewarded Monday for their early season success by coming in at #4 in the NJCAA rankings. It is the highest any Region 6 (Kansas) team has been ranked in the regular season since Johnson County CC was #4 in the same poll in 2005, and is Barton’s highest ranking ever. Jefferson College (Hillsboro, MO) came in at #6 with St. Louis-Meramec moving up to #9 (both teams Barton defeated last weekend). Fellow Region 6 competitor, Garden City, came in at #10 in the rankings as well. The full list of rankings can be found at www.njcaa.org or www.nscaa.com.
If you look at the recent history between the Kansas schools (region 6) and the Missouri schools (Region 16), it is easy to see why Barton’s wins over #9 St. Louis-Meramec and #6 Jefferson (Hillsboro, MO) were such big wins. The regional champions from Missouri and Kansas meet in the Plains District finals every year to determine who will go to the National Tournament. Since 2000, region 16 (Missouri) has won that battle five times compared to just three by region 6 (Kansas). Between 2000 and 2003, East Central (Union, MO) was the class of Missouri making the National Tournament once, while Meramec also made the tournament once.
When then East Central CC head coach Stephen Peck decided to start the program at Jefferson College in 2005, he took the winning tradition with him. Jefferson CC has been the dominant team in the district ever since. They have made nationals every year since its existence (2005-now) as well as winning the National Championship in 2006. Barton’s win over Jefferson last weekend was the first time Jefferson had been beaten by a Region 6 opponent since Johnson County (Overland Park, KS) beat them 2-1 in the regular season in 2005.
The current schools in region 16 include Jefferson College, St. Louis CC-Meramec, St. Louis CC-Flo Valley, St. Louis CC-Forest Park, Crowder College (Neosho, MO), East Central College (Union, MO), Metropolitan CC-Maple Woods (Kansas City, MO), and Metropolitan CC-Blue River (Independence, MO).
NJCAA Correspondent, Austin Dowling
EDITORS NOTE: Crowder College, after opening the season 0-3-1 have now won their last two games. They defeated Neosho County (KS) 3-1 at Chanute and last night defeated Independence (KS) 2-1 at Independence. The game-winning goal in last nights game was scored by Justin Rogers (Glendale).
Neosho were the Region 6 runners-up last year so it appears the Roughriders may be finding their stride in the competitive soccer region they are competing in.
