Falcons Win Regional Tournament, Birth in National Championship

Kansas Christian is heading back to the NCCAA DII National Championships after defeating Barclay 1-0 to win the DII Central Region Tournament.

"These boys gave me everything today," said Luke Cottage, Falcons Head Coach. "Literally, we left it all on the field, and I could not be prouder of this team."

While the 1-0 score isn't impressive, Cottage said the way KCC got on the board certainly was. The goal was scored by freshman Ben Harper off a creative corner by Javier (Javy) Sanchez.

"It was a beautiful free kick by Javy (Sanchez)," Cottage said. "We sent the team towards the back post, but Javy, with the skill he has, whipped it right at the front post. Ben flashed and got a piece of it, and it found the net. It was beautiful and well done by the boys."

Goals change the score, but it's the defensive intensity shown by the Falcons that's become the calling card for this team.

"These guys are gritty," said Cottage, who's in his first year as head coach. "I don't know a better way to say it. Two words to sum up our season would be growth and adversity… Each week, we've shown up and figured out a way to stay in the game. Slowly and surely, throughout the season, our grittiness has turned into real growth. This team has never lost the fight."

One unsung hero on the season is the Falcons assistant coach, Kyle Mowrer. Being a part of a coaching staff that came in after recruiting is challenging enough, but Cottage said you also have to consider this is Coach Kyle's first experience coaching at the collegiate level.

"He really deserves a lot of the credit (to the success of this season), "the head coach said of his assistant. "He's been by my side watching film until 3 a.m. multiple times this season and is willing to do whatever it takes to make this team better. I know I'm a better coach, and we're a better team, because of Coach Kyle."

Coach Cottage, and Coach Kyle, are now hoping to parlay the team's grittiness and regional tournament win into success in the national championships, something the Falcons have been unable to do despite consecutive trips.

"That's what we want," stated the head coach. "We came into this season with no pressure or expectations, and we should feel the same way going into the national championship. We know what we're capable of when we play our game and have fun. We want to win it, and we believe we can."

The DII National Championships will take place from Nov. 18-23 at the Austin-Tindall Sports Complex in Kissimmee, Florida.

More information on the NCCAA DII National Championship can be found HERE.