10/6 boys soccer: MVC tourney makes debut with six teams in action

By TODD SOMMERFELDT / tsommerfeldt@lacrossetribune.com

Joe Czerniak is excited about what will take place over the next week in MVC boys soccer.

He likes the fact that his conference has ditched its old format of playing everyone twice and opted instead to play each other once and conclude the season with a tournament.

“It’s a neat idea, and I think it will be something fun to compete in,” said Czerniak, who coaches Central. “We’ll see how it works out, but we’re getting a chance to do something a little different.” But there may be a bigger reason for Czerniak’s smiles when he discusses the tournament.

The Red Raiders are the No. 1 seed, and that — especially with the first-round bye that comes with it — would make any coach happy.

“That’s a confidence-builder, and it helps because you don’t have to go out there and risk injuries,” Czerniak said. “Rest is always good for the kids at this time of the year, too.”

Central won’t play today, but the other six teams in the MVC will as the tournament begins with games in Sparta, Tomah and Onalaska.

Placement games for fifth, third and first will be played at Fields for Kids on Oct. 14.

Central and Sparta tied for the MVC lead by going 5-1 in conference games and were awarded 10 points each for their victory total. The Red Raiders won the No. 1 seed with a 2-0 victory over the Spartans on Sept. 2.

That means they’ll play in the third-place game even if they lose in the second round.

The tournament was instituted with the loss of West Salem from the conference. Coaches opted for this instead of playing 12 MVC games and determining a champion that way.

Tournament finishes will be added to regular-season point totals, which awarded two points for each win and one for each tie.

The tournament champ gets seven points, while the runner-up gets six, and so on, down to the the seventh-place finisher getting one.

“The scoring is tight,” Sparta coach Ben Crenshaw said. “We’ll see how it plays out, but there are some scenarios where the (overall) championship could be decided in the third-place game.”

Realistically, only Central (10 with a possible 17), Sparta (10 with a possible 17), Onalaska (8 with a possible 15) and Tomah (7 with a possible 14) have a chance at winning the overall title.

The Hilltoppers and Timberwolves, however, would have to win the tournament and get a lot of help along the way.

Central, in fact, is already assured of at least 14 points because it will finish no lower than fourth. Sparta will get at least four points if it wins today.

That means it will likely come down to the Red Raiders, who last won an MVC title in 2001, and Spartans, who won the MVC last season.

“We played them in the first game, and perhaps we took them by surprise,” Czerniak said of the Spartans. “They’ve been charging hard as of late, so it should be interesting.”

THE SCHEDULE

Today’s games

Game 1—Holmen (0-6) at Sparta (5-1), 4 p.m.

Game 2—Aquinas (1-4-1) at Onalaska (4-2), 7 p.m.

Game 3—Logan (2-4) at Tomah (3-2-1), 4:30 p.m.

Thursday’s games

Game 4—Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser (winner places sixth)

Game 5—Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner

Game 6—Game 3 winner vs. Central (5-1) at Fields for Kids, 7 p.m.

Placement games

(At Fields for Kids, Oct. 14)

Fifth place—Game 4 winner vs. Game 3 loser, 5 p.m.

Third place—Game 5 loser vs. Game 6 loser, 7 p.m.

Championship—Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner, 7 p.m.

Tournament scoring: The winner gets seven points, second place gets six, third gets five, fourth gets four, fifth gets three, sixth gets two and seventh gets one.

Current standings: Central 10, Sparta 10, Onalaska 8, Tomah 7, Logan 4, Aquinas 3, Holmen 0.