Men's Final Four team previews

Messiah college is located in Grantham, Pennsylvania, minutes from the state capital of Harrisburg in the rolling hills of south-central Pennsylvania. A Christian college of the liberal and applied arts and sciences, the college offers degrees in more than 55 undergraduate majors and 3 graduate programs. Messiah Bible School and Missionary Training Home was founded by the Brethren in Christ Church in 1909, its name reflecting its orientation to Christian service. Its name was changed to Messiah Bible School when it became a junior college in 1921 and the school adopted its current name in 1951 after beginning to offer four-year college programs. Total current enrollment is 2,802.

Cory Furman, the SID at Messiah College has prepared a "game notes" write-up for the Falcons.

Re-building or Re-loading? Makes no difference
Messiah showed no signs of a drop-off in the post-David Brandt era that began in 2009. And with new coach Brad McCarty guiding the Falcons to yet another national title in his rookie season, the expectations for 2010 were not lowered for the seven-time national champions. The Commonwealth Conference coaches were unanimous is voting Messiah as favorites to capture a fourth straight title, but the more interesting question was whether they could three-peat in the NCAA's for the second time. On one hand, virtually their entire attacking core that produced a 3.76 GSA in 2009 was returning. On the other hand, lost to graduation was 3/4’s of their back line, a three-year starting goalkeeper, and a heart-and-soul leader in central midfield. Messiah had made a habit of re-loading without missing beat for the past decade, but never had the graduation hit been so concentrated in one area.

And a new question mark arose just minutes into the season opener when the Falcons lost their top striker to a season-ending injury, making the overtime loss to Hobart a minor detail from Messiah's perspective even if headlining news for Hobart and the rest of Division III. Last year as a freshman, Josh Wood was a huge mid-season solution to a lack of goals from the target position, tallying a team leading 19 goals as he ran roughshod in conference play. But more importantly he had allowed make-shift center forward Danny Thompson to return to a more natural role out wide running at goal and by requiring more defensive attention created more space for midfielder stars Geoff Pezon and Nick Thompson to operate. Now they were back to a square peg round hole situation and hoping for one of the freshmen to prove ready to contribute.

Their strength in attack diminished, the loss of the chosen starting goalkeeper six games into the season added to the question marks in defense as the Falcons conceded goals in six of their first eight games. They were winning game after game after the opener, but it was more down to grit and determination—good qualities to possess, for sure—than quality soccer, and they had to come from behind in three September matches that required an overtime goal to get the win. But by their early October showdown with York, the backline seemed to have found their feet as they posted the second of what would become eight straight shutouts. In fact, the Falcons would only concede one goal in October, that to long-time rivals Elizabethtown in the “Marshmallow Cup”, and just one all post-season to, at least statistically, improve on last season's defense (0.45 versus 0.67 GAA). Not bad for a completely new set of backs and an untested back-up keeper pressed into action.

On the offensive side of things scoring has been down by about a goal per game (2.76 vs. 3.71 GSA), still good enough to rank in the top 10 of all Division III. The most significant aspect of their reduced scoring is that second half goals are not as plentiful as last year when a haul of 59 was more than most schools managed total. 38 goals after the break versus 24 before still reflects the freshness the Falcons are able to maintain over the full 90 minutes due to the major minutes off the bench at all positions with minimal drop-off in talent level. There has been no substitute for Woods’ goal scoring from the target position, but by committee the frontline starters and reserves have combined for 22 goals and 26 assists.

Taking Care of Business
Messiah were handed a deserved first round bye and then a potentially tricky opening match against Montclair State. The two sides had met in the tournament in both 2007 and 2008 and that made this match-up more than just a little intriguing even if Montclair was a questionable Pool C at-large selection and not the same dominating side of the previous few seasons. Montclair certainly would have felt they were due given how closely they had played Messiah the previous two times losing 1-0 on a 71st minute goal in their 2007 sectional final and 2-1 in overtime in the 2008 sectional semifinal. Some smelled an “upset” and it would prove to be another dramatic encounter as Messiah's early tally on possibly an unintended shot was cancelled out by a quick strike off a long goalie punt 17 minutes into the second half. The game moved to overtime and ended off a Nick Thompson shot for the game-winner. It was the Falcons' sixth overtime tournament victory in the last three years, with dramatic one-goal victories becoming their norm.

Due to upsets in the first two rounds eliminating No. 7 Swarthmore, No. 21 Rochester, No. 20 NYU, and No. 6 Stevens, their sectional appeared to be on the weak side. Whether true or not Messiah was hardly troubled by either Medaille or Merchant Marine who dispatched of hosts No. 25 Muhlenberg. Controlling the tempo from start to finish, the Falcons outshot Medaille by a 34 to 9 margin, putting 12 on frame versus just two en route to a 2-0 win. Medaille, in the Sweet 16 for the first time, defended valiantly to hold Messiah to just a pair of goals, but they had little chance to do much else and rarely threatened Messiah's goal. Some thought Merchant Marine's size and discipline could slow the Falcon attack, but it was much the same as Messiah pinned the Mariners in their own end for most of the first half. Having reached the Elite 8 stage for the first time, Merchant Marine were a little unfortunate to go down after ten minutes on an own goal, but the Falcons scored a goal of their own in each half for the comfortable win, registering large advantages in shots (28-6) and shots on goal (9-3).

It was the easiest pair of sectional games that Messiah has had since 2005 as they booked their place in the Final Four for the seventh straight year and tenth of the last eleven. The defending champion's heart and determination which carried them in the early part of the season is now accompanied by high quality soccer as the team is clicking on both sides of the ball. Encouraging was “square peg” Danny Thompson exploding for three goals at sectionals doubling his season total. In the end, it's the Falcons riding a 21-game winning streak with 12 shutouts in their last 14 games, phenomenal seniors Geoff Pezon and Nick Thompson making their cases for Player of the Year, and Messiah back in the Final Four where they seem to have taken up permanent residency. Never mind that No. 11 UW-Oshkosh is undefeated, that No. 16 Bowdoin represents arguably the best conference in the nation, or that Lynchburg has taken out three top 10 teams to get here, Messiah is still the team to beat and everyone knows it.

All-Americans and Supporting Cast
The Falcons are lead by the senior midfield duo of Geoff Pezonand Nick Thompson, both expected All-American selections and candidates for Player of the Year. Pezon's numbers are down this year from their extraordinary levels in 2008 (19g, 13a) and 2009 (18g, 18a), but 12 goals and 9 assists is still a great haul from midfield and his influence and importance is as great as ever. Provider and finisher, he is Messiah's all-time leader in assists (44) and tied for fourth in career points (148). His 19 game-winning goals over the past four years are only topped by Nick Thompson, the oldest of three brothers all starting for the Falcons this season. Nick Thompson has scored eight game-winners for the second straight season for a career total of 24. He leads the Falcons this campaign with 16 goals taking him into second in goals scored for the Falcons since 2000. Left to right across the front, junior Derek Black(2g 8a), junior Danny Thompson (6g, 3a), and junior Kent Ramirez (3g, 4a) keep defenses stretched and unable to focus solely on the threats from midfield, and there is little drop-off when they are replaced with junior Trevor Lee, freshman Sheldon Myer, sophomore Dan Squire, and freshman Drew Frey; this group has combined for 11 goals and 11 assists off the bench.

But the defense is the surprise of the season with deep-lying junior midfielder Tom Renko, and the backline of sophomore Logan Thompson, junior Jordan Sands, senior Jon Burke, and senior Sean Cunningham limiting the opposition to 7.8 shots per game, just 2.5 on goal. And finally sophomore keeper Jake Berry has posted an outstanding 0.25 GAA and eleven shutouts in his 16 games since taking over between the pipes, much better than was expected of the sophomore who had only logged 20 total minutes of “garbage time” in two 8-0 blowouts as a freshman. He will go into the Messiah record book with the best single season GAA if he allows no more than one goal in San Antonio.

From NCCAA Notoriety to D-III Dynasty
Given their overwhelming success in the past decade it can be easy to forget that Messiah was among the best in Division III in the late 1980's and that they spent a decade competing in the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) national championship before switching over to the NCAA in 1982. Messiah's soccer program began in 1967 under the direction of head coach Luke Drescher, the “grandfather” of Messiah athletics. The team had four different coaches in its first seven years and only managed a single victory in each of the first three seasons. It was in season five that first-year coach Sweimler guided them to a .500 record (7-7-0) and followed that with their first winning season in 1972 (13-5-1) and entry in the NAIA regional playoffs. The program has only had one losing season since.

That first winning season included winning the Messiah Invitational Tournament which served as an unofficial NCCAA championship with the association only instituting a national soccer tournament the following season. Northeastern Bible, who they beat, would go on to win the first NCCAA title in 1973. Layton Shoemaker was brought on as head coach in 1974 and proved to be an excellent and important hire as he would remain at the helm for 23 years leading the team to NCCAA success, through the transition to the NCAA, and then to Division III success. In his first year Messiah would reach but lose the NCCAA final. After a rough three years that included the program's last losing season, the Falcons would return to the NCCAA title match in 1978 and claim their first national title with a 2-1 win over John Wesley College. The 1981 season would be their last competing in the NCCAA, having decided to join the NCAA, and they would go out with on high note winning their second championship with a 2-1 win over Cedarville.

Messiah immediately rose to the new challenges of Division III competition qualifying for the NCAA's in their first two seasons and winning their first tournament match over Elizabethtown before a second round loss in 1982 and a first round loss in 1983, both to Scranton. The Division III tournament was a 24-team affair in the 80's and the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) in which they competed was very strong meaning invites to the tournament were not easy to come by and Messiah would only participate in the NCAA's twice more that decade but they would make the most of those opportunities. Helped by two more tournament wins in their growing rivalry with Elizabethtown, they reached the Final Four both years only to lose in the semifinals to heavy-weight UC-San Diego both times, the first in overtime and the second on penalty kicks. Shoemaker would lead Messiah to four more NCAA tournaments, reaching the Elite 8 in 1993, and to a team record 19 wins in 1995, his second last season, but a return to the Final Four and a national title eluded him. Shoemaker would step down in 1996 after 23 years with a 316-96-27 (.751) record at Messiah and what he was most proud of was a 49-game stretch from 1987 to 1989, at the height of his success, in which his players went without receiving a single yellow card.

New head coach David Brandt was a standout player at Messiah in he mid-80's having totaled 55 goals and 35 assists, holding the school’s career assist mark until broken this year by Geoff Pezon. He instilled a greater physical toughness in his teams and a Dutch-style attacking system. The Falcons made the NCAA's every year that Brandt was at the helm, and they progressively went further in the tournament from a round of 32 loss in 1997, the Sweet 16 in 1998, the Elite 8 in 1999, and culminating with the program's first NCAA national title in 2000 with the first squad that was entirely of his making. What followed next is well known and needs little repeating. Messiah and Coach Brandt would rewrite Division III tournament history by reaching ten of eleven Final Fours, winning the championship a record seven times, posting a incredible 44-2-2 (.938) tournament record from 2000 to 2009. Brandt would be the quickest coach to 200 wins in NCAA men’s soccer history (all-divisions), reaching the milestone in just 232 games. Following the 2008 season Brandt resigned to accept the same position at Division I Navy, being replaced by his top assistant and Messiah graduate Brad McCarty. Brandt left Division III with a 12-year record of 246-25-14 (.888) and the all-time best winning percentage in NCAA men's soccer history (all divisions). But for anyone who expected (or at least hoped) that the program would fall back to the pack, the evidence must be disappointing. The Falcons haven't missed a beat, winning the 2009 championship in McCarty's first season at the helm and are back in the Final Four for another shot at the title this year.

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By D3soccer.com writer Chris Shirk