Johnson County Community College
Press Release

College Information and Publications
913-469-8500
Julie Haas, Director, ext. 3120
Peggy Graham, Writer, ext. 3425
Tyler Cundith, Sports Information Director, ext. 3122

9/1/2005
Written by Tyler Cundith

Top Ranked Soccer Teams  Battle at JCCC   

OVERLAND PARK, KS -- Three of the top ranked NJCAA soccer programs will be on hand for the JCCC Challenge this weekend.  The field for the Challenge includes the Cavaliers, ranked No. 5 in the NJCAA preseason poll; Yavapai College (Prescott, Ariz.), ranked No. 4; South Suburban College (South Holland, Ill.), ranked No. 11;  and Iowa Western Community College (Council Bluffs, Iowa).  The Cavaliers face Yavapai on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 1 p.m.  South Suburban and Iowa Western face off at 3 p.m.  On Sunday, JCCC and South Suburban battle at 10 a.m., followed by Yavapai and Iowa Western at 12  p.m.

The Cavaliers have been a perennial NJCAA soccer program since the early 1990s, and have qualified for the NJCAA National Tournament three times three times in that span, including last season when they posted a fifth-place finish.  JCCC recorded its best finish of third-place in 2001.

Yavapai is considered the most successful NJCAA soccer program in the nation.  It its 16-year existence, the Roughriders have posted a record of 34-25-10, qualified for 14 NJCAA Tournaments, posted 14-top-4 finishes, and five National Championships.  Last year, Yavapai was 23-2-0 and finished fourth at the NJCAA Tournament.

South Suburban enters the 2005 campaign following a very successful 2004 campaign in which the Bulldogs won its region and district championships, advancing to the NJCAA National Tournament. Unfortunately, they ran into an extremely hot Johnson County team in the first round, losing 2-0.  The team finished the season 19-4-1.

Iowa Western played in its inaugural season last year, and the Reivers posted a 12-6-1 record.  The  reached the Region XI semifinals in postseason play.  This season, Iowa Western is expected to challenge Marshalltown and Iowa Central for the region title.