Collegiate 5 Ballard 0

[drew4489]

Collegiate is an all around great team. Number 5 for Collegiate had three goals in the first half. He will be going D1. Ballard did not look anything like they have this season. No effort.

[Yellow Card]

I believe #5 is Haji Abdikadir.

[drew4489]

"Yellowcard" you would be correct. I just didn't want to butcher the young mans name.

[Aleff12]

Favorite to win state?

[drew4489]

Collegiate is one of the two better teams I have seen this season. The other being St X. Both have and can be beaten on any night. St X is the better all around team. Abdikadir is the best player on the ball I have seen but at times does too much. Which seems to be the case for many players.

[warbeagle]

St X beat collegiate 3-1 early in the season. Haji was red carded early in the game, for profanity. He also had to sit during their tie to South Warren as a result of the red card. I believe they can play with anyone. They are good, but perhaps a short bench. Heavy legs may get to them later in the season. They have the All A classic and a weekend trip to st louis coming up which may grind them down a bit.

[gameplayedright]

Over the years I've witnessed many teams that basically rely on one player not do well in come single elimination time. Teams can better prepare tactically to stop this one player, wear him down, frustrate him, etc. And it sounds like this #5 for Collegiate is that typical player that falls into the "trap", i.e. already one red card Vs St X. Very difficult to make a deep run in the State Tournament , 3, 4, 5 wins when your entire offense is pretty much dependent on one player. And Collegiate has to get past Trinity and/or St X just to get out of the 7th Region.

[Sir!]

Over the years I've witnessed many teams that basically rely on one player not do well in come single elimination time. Teams can better prepare tactically to stop this one player, wear him down, frustrate him, etc. And it sounds like this #5 for Collegiate is that typical player that falls into the "trap", i.e. already one red card Vs St X. Very difficult to make a deep run in the State Tournament , 3, 4, 5 wins when your entire offense is pretty much dependent on one player. And Collegiate has to get past Trinity and/or St X just to get out of the 7th Region.

 

Haji sounds like an outstanding player and he does have 26 goals and 8 assists for Collegiate. But I'm not sure they "basically rely on one player." They've scored 87 so far as a team. Cameron Wheeler has 11 goals and 13 assists; Mirza Ugarak has 12 goals and 6 assists. And Collegiate's defense puts up good stats too. They have only allowed 3 goals in the last 11 games and have 8 clean sheets. Smaller school, so they may have a slightly shorter bench, but sounds like a pretty complete team, as I think others who have seen them play have noted. Region 7 has 4 of the top 6 Maher rated teams right now... no doubt getting out of Regionals will be difficult. It'll be interesting to see how they do as a smaller school going up against St X and Trinity.

[gameplayedright]

I know nothing about Collegiate or #5, I based my comments on post #5 & #6, so my apologies to both. Apparently they are more then one player, but time will tell. In Collegiate's only loss and tie, # 5 did not score nor did he get an assist in either game and their SoS is 212, not picking on them just pointing out facts.

One thing is for certain, which ever team wins the 7th region will be a hand full and likely the #1 or #2 favorite to win it all this season.