KAMLOOPS – For almost two calendar years the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack men's soccer team has been building and growing. Between a playoff loss to the Mount Royal Cougars in October of 2019 and Friday, Sept. 10's season-opener inside Hillside Stadium, there have been countless practices, exhibition games, weightlifting sessions and more.
*PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO REGIONAL HEALTH RESTRICTIONS, SPECTATORS ARE NOT PERMITTED INSIDE HILLSIDE STADIUM*
They finally get the chance to play in an official Canada West contest again when they welcome a familiar face in the form of the UBC Thunderbirds to Kamloops this weekend.
Games are slated for 7:00 p.m. Friday and 5:00 p.m. Saturday and can be watched live on canadawest.tv.
TRAINING CAMP RECAP
Heading out on the road for much of training camp due to poor air quality, the WolfPack made the most of their August travels.
After a week's worth of training in Richmond, the 'Pack put up a dominating win in a scrimmage with Capilano University. The team then followed that up with an extremely impressive tournament. Playing against top men's teams from across the Lower Mainland, TRU won the FVSL City Cup Premier Final after five hard-fought matches in a three-day span.
As far as U SPORTS competition goes, the WolfPack dropped tight games to both the Fraser Valley Cascades and Mount Royal Cougars to wrap up their pre-season slate.
SEASON PREVIEW
Always among the contenders in a tight Canada West conference, the WolfPack will be looking for their fourth-straight playoff appearance after back-to-back conference bronze medals in 2017-18 and 2018-19.
Playing games against B.C. division foes only in a new conference-play format, the WolfPack head out on the road after hosting the Thunderbirds where they will play the UBC Okanagan Heat (Sep. 18-19) and the UVic Vikes (Sep. 24-25). Returning to Hillside Stadium in October the WolfPack host the Trinity Western Spartans (Oct. 1-2) and Fraser Valley Cascades (Oct. 8-9) before wrapping up their season in Price George against the UNBC Timberwolves (Oct. 22-23).
Interestingly for the WolfPack, despite there being 17 new faces on the roster from the 2019-20 version, eight of those athlete bring previous experience from playing at either the university of professional levels.
2019 CW regular season leaders:
Goals: 8 –
James Fraser, Forward
Assists: 3 –
Daniel Sagno, Midfield
Points: 8 –
James Fraser, Forward
Wins: 5 –
Jackson Gardner, Goalkeeper
Shutouts: 4 –
Jackson Gardner, Goalkeeper
Key additions (name / position / eligibility / hometown / last team):
Elijah dos Santos / D / 1st-year / Coquitlam, B.C. / Mountain FC
Jost Hausendorf / F / 3rd-year / Ammersbeck, GER / West Virginia Wesleyan
Patrick Izett / M / 3rd-year / North Delta, B.C. / Capilano
George La Motte / F / 2nd-year / Arima, TTO / West Virginia Wesleyan
Jonathan Rinaldi / M / 1st-year / Kamloops, B.C. / TOFC
Marques Scott / M / 3rd-year / Winnipeg, MB / Sheridan College
Key losses (name / position / hometown / years with program):
Justin Donaldson / Midfield / Kamloops, B.C. / 3
Adam Swanson / Defender / North Vancouver, B.C. / 4
Key performer:
James Fraser
Forward
5th-Year
Penticton, B.C.
2019 Stats: (8 Goals / 8 Pts in just 8 GP)
The lone fifth-year on the roster,
James Fraser is a clinical finisher that will once again be counted on to pour in the goals for the Thompson Rivers WolfPack. The product of Penticton who started his career with Simon Fraser University has tallied 15 goals in the 36 Canada West regular season matches he has played.
WEEKEND PREVIEW
This weekend will feature two teams that have been near the top of Canada West conference for the past few seasons. The WolfPack hold a home record of 2-3-2 against the Thunderbirds in conference play and captured the first national medal in program history with a penalty shootout win for bronze against UBC inside Hillside Stadium back in 2017-18.
COACH'S TAKE
John Antulov, head coach WolfPack men's soccer
On the pre-season tournament victory:
"We were playing against quality teams, I wasn't sure what to expect going into that tournament but to play five quality games against good squads helped and it gave some of our younger players a good idea of what that next level step up is when you're playing against men."
On adding a number of veteran players to the roster:
"Obviously we wanted to get a few guys with some years under their belt, it's a good mix of younger and older players so that we aren't so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. If you've got a young guy being able to jump in between three or so older players, it helps them and their confidence. There is a method to the madness when it comes to recruiting, I tend to go not for just all 18-year-olds unless they are guys that have played at really, really high levels. You have to have that good mix of younger and older."
On the tough opponent this weekend:
"UBC is a top three or four team in Canada every year. Mike (Mosher) has his team well-coached, well-organized and they'll be talented. I think more than anything it's 'where are we?' you can't really take big takeaways from the results because they are just starting out and we are just starting out but it's definitely a barometer of where you are and where you need to be moving forward."
"It is an extra little impetus for us going up against UBC but it doesn't matter who we play, anybody in our conference can beat anybody on any given day, you've got to be prepared and it's the team that makes the least amount of mistakes that's going to win those games. We will focus on the process no matter what happens this weekend and continue to forge forward and look ahead to the following weekend."
On building for the U SPORTS National Championship that TRU will host next Fall:
"We look at every year with the goal of wanting to get into the playoffs and go as far as we can, that's that mind-set that we've built here. At the same time when you have 17 new players in your team that haven't played a Canada West game, there are going to be bumps and bruises along the way. We just have to make sure at the end of the day we are progressing forward and yes, the big picture is looking toward next year but I'm not losing focus on this year as well."
