Coming off a program-record victory count in 2016, Northeastern Junior College won't be as much the hunted as it will be hunting on the soccer pitch this fall.
"Teams are watching us with closer interest, wondering who we are going to bring in next or what we are going to do," stated head coach David Groves. "We believe we have come a long way in the last 12 months but there is still work to be done. For us, this isn't a time to settle."
Knowing his Plainsmen will have a high-visibility target on their collective back, Groves jumped at the chance to bolster his back line by successfully recruiting another rearguard in Bayfield goalkeeper Austin Bushnell.
And, possibly more so than even Bushnell himself, most happy to have the former Wolverine suiting up in Sterling was the second-year coach.
"We had a few reports on Austin but nothing that matched up to his performance at our camp," he recalled, of Bushnell's showing at a combine conducted back in March. "Honestly, his performance was one of the best that I have seen as a collegiate coach."
"Out of just under 100 prospects, we felt that Austin stood out as the camp's best player."
Now the fourth BHS backstop - following Ryan Wirth, Lucas Moyers and James Young - in a decade to rise to the next level, Bushnell will join a program which went undefeated in its last five regular-season matches before a 2-1, double-OT loss to Western Wyoming CC in the NJCAA Region IX Tournament's first round.
Under Groves' new leadership, NJC tied the school record for shutouts (five)-including clean sheets against three of its last four regular-season foes-and finished a solid 9-6-3 overall (5-4-0 in conference) last year.
Northeastern were the most improved squad, statistically speaking, in all NJCAA men's soccer levels, despite being one of the youngest in the country.
Part of the youth movement was freshman goalie Akim Larmond, who saw action in 15 of NJC's 18 matches, and allowed 18 goals (1.20 GAA) while going 7-7-1 overall with 114 saves and three shutouts.
Also included on a multi-national roster-players hailed from Australia, the Netherlands, France and Germany (Larmond came from Jamaica), and U.S. states including Texas, California, Wyoming, Arizona and even New Hampshire, was a striker known well to Bushnell and the 3A Southwestern/Intermountain League.
Former Pagosa Springs standout forward James Berndt played in 17 matches, starting two, and recorded three goals and an assist (all during conference play) for seven total points.
"James was an excellent impact player for us this," Groves said.
"He is explosive and offers something different compared to the other guys we have."
But whereas the ex-Pirate will be returning in 2017, other team members will not. And with the situation between the sticks changing, Bushnell's presence will be all the more vital to NJC protecting its hard-earned status as a crew to be feared.
"We needed to redo our goalkeeper core," Groves said. "Had some goalkeepers transfer out, and we recently transferred in the reigning Region XI Defensive Player-of-the-Year, Eric Edge. We believe Austin is the perfect understudy to work with Eric and.ultimately, push for the starting spot come our first game in August."
"As a staff, we believe Austin has the natural tools to develop at the collegiate level. Needs some refinement and coaching in terms of mechanics, but he has the natural instinct and drive, qualities to truly be a big-time keeper," the boss continued. "He will be working hard in the weight room and pushing himself."
"We truly see him as a great find and a diamond in the rough," Groves said, "who was most likely under-recruited due to his lack of a big-time club background and late start as a goalkeeper. We see a lot of potential in the kid and hope that NJC is not his last stop as a collegiate athlete."
