Carson scores district championship for men’s soccer

EAST PEORIA — The Illinois Central College men’s soccer team has claimed the last title that stood between them and nationals. The match was against Metropolitan Community College – Blue River and the prize was the Central District championship.

The first half saw #12 Carson Gray score one for ICC. The second half saw two more scores by Carson — the first with 11 minutes left on the clock and the second with only 2 minutes to go.

All the while, ICC defense stood strong, not allowing a single shot past their keeper for a final score of 3-0. This was a large margin of victory, but ICC’s head men’s soccer coach, Oz Bakirdan, said that this was the first time ICC had ever played MCC-Blue River, the Region 16 champions, and they weren’t a losing team.

“That was a very, very good team,” Bakirdan said. I think that score is really misleading because that game was a lot closer than 3-0, but we did very well. We haven’t conceded a goal in 5 matches now, which is a great run, especially going into playoffs, into the national tournament. We’re tough defensively and it showed today. We bend but we don’t break, and it has been very rewarding.”

Now, Bakirdan plans on preparing his team for the national tournament maintaining their winning strategy.

“We are currently ranked second in the country, and that the highest ranking we’ve ever achieved,” Bakirdan said. We are going to continue doing what we’ve done to get where we’re at. We’re not going to change anything to be quite honest. We’re very comfortable with our training methods and how we prepare our guys and we’ll continue to do that.”

Bakirdan said the team will travel to Arizona on November 16 for the national tournament in Prescott and will use the time until then to get rested up for the games ahead.