Perfect Peninsula Pirate men still ranked No. 1

These rankings are the opinion of just one man, and do not reflect the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges or any of their sponsors. If you have a question or comment on this or any story for John Howard, send him an email , contact him via twitter , or leave a comment below. 

NWAACC Men's Soccer

With just a handful of games left in the season, most playoff berths have been wrapped up. Edmonds, Walla Walla, Peninsula and Clark have all taken their region titles, and will sit out in the first round of the post season. However, there are a few wild races for 2nd place (2nd place teams play at home in the first round) and a pair of tooth-and-nail battles for a place in the playoffs.  As these rankings and insight are only released every other week, be sure to look for The Week Ahead (view: last week, this week when available), a weekly preview of matches with a few tasty tidbits mixed in. Here are a few quick and easy factoids to get you caught up:

Soaring team of the week: Columbia Basin (3-1-0) 12-4 goal advantage

Freefall team of the week: Wenatchee Valley (0-5-0) 5-23 goal advantage

Score of the week: Walla Walla 7, Highline 1

Bore of the week: Every game had at least one goal!

For news and notes on NWAACC soccer throughout the season, follow @JowardHoward on twitter or search #nwaaccsoccer. View the coaches rankings here.

                                                                                                                         

1. Peninsula (18-1-0) (11-0-0 West)

No. 1 Coaches

Previous ranking: No. 1, No. 1 coaches

From start to finish, Peninsula has seemed to be the clear frontrunner in nearly every category. They knocked off the defending champion Chemeketa Storm to start things off, and they haven't stumbled save for a loss to Wyoming on September 1st. They remain number one in goals scored, fewest goals allowed and shutouts, and have gone 11-0-0 in region play with just two matches remaining. They've also far and away clinched the Western Region title for the third year in a row, and are looking for their second NWAACC championship in three years. Also, get this: Peninsula has three players with 15 goals apiece. 

                                                                                                                         

2. Clark (14-1-2) (11-0-1 South)

No. 2 Coaches

Previous ranking: No. 2, No. 2 coaches

While the records don't show it, Clark bears the distinction of being the lone NWAACC program to actually get past the mighty Peninsula Pirates. The two teams faced off before the friendlies, and according to Penguin head coach Binium Afenegus, neither team was "firing on all cylinders", but Clark "had a good game" and came away with a 2-1 victory. If that is what they're capable of, then it's no surprise that Clark has taken the South by storm, falling only to No. 3 Walla Walla and getting early season draws with No. 6 Chemeketa and No. 8 Highline. Now with nine straight victories, Clark has now won the region title and earned the first round bi.

                                                                                                                         

3. Walla Walla (13-1-3) (8-1-3 East)

No. 3 Coaches

Previous ranking: No. 3, No. 3 coaches

The Warriors have faces three ranked opponents in their last  three matches, coming out with a pair of wins and a draw, and clinching the NWAACC Eastern Region title. With just one game remaining in the regular season, Walla Walla is third in the league in scoring with 54 goals and fourth in the league with 17 goals allowed. Offensively led by 11 from forward Max Smith and 10 from Sergio Burgos, Walla Walla also has a defensive star in keeper Daniel Romero, who is second in the league with 5 shutouts.

                                                                                                                         

4. Columbia Basin (11-5-3) (6-4-2 East)

No. 4 Coaches

Previous ranking: No. 8 (tie), No. 7 coaches

Ever since their 1-0 defeat to Spokane in mid-October, Columbia Basin has been on a tear, capping their six-game unbeaten streak with a draw with No. 3 Walla Walla (story). Not all of the wins were pretty, and two came against non-NWAACC competition, but the draw with Walla Walla is telling. Down 1-0 just after halftime, Columbia Basin was able to rally for a score in the 74', and hold one of the league best scoring teams scoreless in the final 40 minutes of the match. The Hawks will have a big chance to cement their playoff birth on Oct. 31 when they host No. 7 Spokane, who sits just four points behind them in the standings for 2nd place. A win guarantees the spot, but a loss puts everything up in the air. 

                                                                                                                         

5. Edmonds (10-6-2) (9-2-1 North)

No. 6 Coaches

Previous ranking: No. 5, No. 6 coaches

A 4-1 loss to No. 2 Clark aside, Edmonds has had a rather successful month of October. With a win on Oct. 31 over Whatcom, Edmonds can clinch the Northern Region, but Edmonds has an odd statistical anomaly about them. With 34 goals let in so far this season, they're dead last of any team in the top eight by a wide margin. And yet, they're second in the league in shutouts. That's because almost all of those goals were given up in the first six games of the season, when the Tritons went 1-5-0 and were outscored 26-12 in those first six matches. Since then, if you do your math, Edmonds has only given up eight goals, four of them in the loss to Clark. If you were to wipe out the first few weeks of the season, Edmonds might be a lot higher in the rankings than they are.

                                                                                                                        

6. Chemeketa (8-4-5) (8-1-2 South)

NR  Coaches

Previous ranking: No. 4, No. 5 coaches

Chemeketa had a big test on Oct. 17th when they faced No. 2 Clark. Chemeketa had done well since the rough start to the season, going unbeaten since early September. This outing, however, didn't fare quite so well. The Storm were outplayed from start to finish, and although they mustered a few scoring chances, Chemeketa was playing catchup for much of the game. Given, their opponent has been nearly unstoppable since the season started, but the game went to show that Chemeketa isn't one of the top tier teams this year, as they were shut out 3-0 by Clark, their first scoreless outing since September 1st.

                                                                                                                         

7. Spokane (7-6-2) (5-5-1 East)

No. 9 Coaches

Previous ranking: No. 7, No. 9 coaches

Two weeks ago, Spokane was in a neck and neck race with Treasure Valley. They played to a 2-2 draw on Oct. 17th, and then both lost to Walla Walla, Spokane by a score of 4-0. The following week, Spokane got a legup when Treasure Valley fell to No. 4 Columbia Basin, and they now hold a slim 16-13 points lead for 3rd place in the NWAACC East. In all likelihood, TVCC will pick up three points on Oct. 31, meaning that the season finale when Treasure Valley visits Spokane could very well be for a trip to the playoffs. Keep an eye on this one.

                                                                                                                         

8 Highline (6-4-2) (9-4-3 West)

No. 7 Coaches

Previous ranking: No. 8 (tie), No. 5 coaches

Highline is a team that has definitely struggled of late, not winning two matches in a row since September 22nd and 26th, when they beat Columbia Basin and Olympic College. However, they have now clinched the 2nd spot in the West, and played No. 1 Peninsula extremely close on Oct. 20th, falling 2-1. Had Highline not allowed an early goal in the 6th minute, a draw in that match would have been feasable, and Highline would find themselves ranked much, much higher.

                                                                                                                         

Teams added: 

Teams dropped: Treasure Valley

Nationally ranked Lady Pirates make No. 1 again

These rankings are the opinion of just one man, and do not reflect the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges or any of their sponsors. If you have a question or comment on this or any story for John Howard, send him an email , contact him via twitter , or leave a comment below. 

NWAACC Women's Soccer

With just a few games remaining in the NWAACC regular season, two teams have come out and dominated their regions. Peninsula and Clackamas, both nationally ranked at 11 and 16 respectively, have easily taken the region title in the West and South. The East and West, however, aren't quite finished yet. Two fantastic races for first place are in effect, with Spokane and Walla Walla separated by just two points and Whatcom and Everett apart by only one. Also, in all four regions, there is still one open playoff spot, meaning that some teams won't know if they'll be attending the post season until all the games are finished. As these rankings and insight are only released every other week, be sure to look for The Week Ahead (view: last week, Nov. 7), a weekly preview of matches with a few tasty tidbits mixed in. Here are a few quick and easy factoids to get you caught up:

Soaring team of the week: Everett (3-0-1) 7-1 Goal Advantage, +2 in rankings

Freefall team of the week: Wenatchee Valley (0-4-1) 3-32 Goal Advantage, one forfeit due to injury 

Score of the week: Spokane 13, Wenatchee Valley 0

Bore of the week*: Edmonds 0, Shoreline 0

* One of five scoreless matches, but the only one with two unranked teams

For news and notes on NWAACC soccer throughout the season, follow @JowardHoward on twitter or search #nwaaccsoccer. View the coaches rankings here (when available).

                                                                                                                         

1. Peninsula (18-1-0) (13-1-0 West)

No. 1 Coaches

 Previously ranked: No. 1, No. 1 Coaches

Peninsula's four goals in their Oct. 27 match against Tacoma were enough to push them past the elusive 100 goal mark into an exclusive club of some truly impressive teams. In fact, every team since 2007 that has scored 90+ goals has either won the NWAACC title or advanced to the finals. As of Oct. 30th, they sit at 101, and they can move up into second place all-time* in single season goals with just eight more in their final two games of the season. Taking first place is a longshot, as Walla Walla's 2007 mark of 129 goals is a little too much to ask for. Whoever gets Peninsula in the second round better look out. 

                                                                                                                         

2. Spokane (12-1-3) (11-1-2 East)

No. 2 Coaches

Previously ranked: No. 2, No. 2 Coaches

Spokane is doing everything they can to dearly hold on to the top seed in the NWAACC East. Still leading Walla Walla by just two points, they dominated Yakima Valley 8-1 and Wenatchee Valley 13-0, and held Walla Walla to a 0-0 draw on Oct. 24th. If the Sasquatch can win out, they'll claim their first Eastern title in more than 10 years, and finish in the top two in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2005-06. Spokane's potent offense is currently 2nd in goals scored with 76, but their next two matches are against teams fighting to make the playoffs: at Columbia Basin, and at home against Treasure Valley to end the season.

                                                                                                                         

3. Clackamas (12-3-0) (11-2-0 South)

No. 5 Coaches

Previously ranked: No. 3, No. 3 Coaches

The Cougars have now won five in a row since their loss at home to Whatcom on Oct. 10th. More significant is that  the last four victories have come against the other four teams in their region, and all five of the wins in the current streak have been shutouts. While not the flashiest team on offense (39 goals, 6th NWAACC) they are among the league's best defensively. They're tied for least goals at six with Walla Walla, and tied for most shutouts with Peninsula, and while one could argue that Walla Walla and Peninsula are more impressive because of their record and greater amount of games played, you can't ignore Clackamas' defensive prowess. They have now claimed their third consecutive Southern Region title, and their 7th since the program's inception in 2003. 

                                                                                                                         

4. Walla Walla (11-2-3) (10-1-3 East)

No. 3 Coaches

Previously ranked: No. 4, No. 3 Coaches

The entire month of October has been one that clearly sent the message of "we will not be ignored" from the three time defending champion Walla Walla Warriors. They haven't lost all month, going 7-0-1 and picking up a victory over  No. 1 Peninsula and a draw with No. 2 Spokane. They are now fast on the heels of Spokane for the Eastern Region title following a draw with Spokane on Oct. 24. They sit a fair distance behind the Sasquatch in scoring, but in third place nonetheless with 51 goals, and they are tied with Clackamas for least goals allowed. The Warrior's path to the title would require Spokane to lose, but Walla Walla's schedule going out isn't very rough: their opponents have been outscored 39-212 so far this season, and 34 of those goals belong to Yakima Valley. 

                                                                                                                        

5. Everett (9-4-3) (9-2-2 North)

No. 6 Coaches

Previously ranked: No. 7, No. 8 Coaches

Another team fighting for the top spot in their region, Everett has surged past Whatcom to sit in first place, but only by one point. They've drawn once already this season, but Everett hasn't tripped up much lately. The month of October has been productive, with Everett going 6-1-1 in that time span, falling only to No. 3 Clackamas on Oct. 13th. Everett is about as on top of it's game as it can be, making for an intriguing way to end the season: should both Whatcom and Everett get the same result their next match, they will face one another in the last game of the season for the region championship. Can you say Game of the Week? No, really. Say it. 

                                                                                                                         

6. Whatcom (10-1-4) (8-1-4 North)

No. 6 Coaches

Previously ranked: No. 5, No. 6 Coaches

Somehow, Whatcom mysteriously leads the North in both goals scored (36) and least goals allowed (7). They're tied for most shutouts with nine. It's a mystery because Whatcom doesn't lead the North in points, something that is most likely the product of how the Orcas handled the middle of October. They were ranked second coming in to the game against Edmonds on Oct. 10th, having just knocked off a very good Clackamas team on the road. The luck, however, didn't continue, and Whatcom ended the game with a pair of goose eggs. The next outing produced another pair, and then another, as Whatcom played to three consecutive scoreless draws to lose their footing in the race for the top spot in the North. That said, there's a chance at redemption: that game at home on November 3rd against No. 5 Everett is for aaaallll the marbles.

                                                                                                                         

7. Highline (8-5-5) (6-4-4 West)

No. 8 Coaches

Previously ranked: NR, NR Coaches

Highline definitely hasn't been perfect of late, but they've done what good teams try for at the end of the season: make the most of every opportunity, and fight tooth and nail until the whistle blows. Late in the season, a door opened with the implosion of Bellevue, and Highline stepped through it. Wins against Yakima Valley and Olympic and a draw with the aforementioned Bellevue, and Highline now finds themselves in 3rd place in the West, just a few weeks removed from wondering if they'd make the playoffs or not. They have a solid lead on 4th place Tacoma, and can ice their berth with just one more win or a loss from the Titans. 

                                                                                                                         

8. Bellevue (9-5-3) (7-4-3 West)

NR Coaches

Previously ranked: No. 6, No. 6 Coaches

Somewhere in the middle of October, something went horribly wrong for the Bellevue Bulldogs. They've only scored two goals since Oct. 10th when they defeated Lower Columbia 4-1, and the only win that they've had since then was the result of a forfeit. All together, they've gone 1-3-2 in the last few weeks, and have Highline breathing down their necks for the 2nd spot in the West. They have Olympic on Oct. 31st, but they finish the season with a real challenge: on the road at Peninsula. Leading by just two points, they will have to win out to ensure the 2nd seed. 

                                                                                                                         

Teams added: Highline

Teams dropped: Shoreline

NWAACC Soccer Week 9 Preview

By John William Howard, NWAACC.org

These previews are the opinion of just one man, and do not reflect the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges or any of their sponsors. If you have a question or comment on this or any story for John Howard, send him an email, contact him via twitter , or leave a comment below. 

NWAACC Men:
Current Rankings

Both Walla Walla and Clark can wrap up a region title with one more win, as they lead their regions by seven and five points respectively. Then begins the debate: do you rest your players to get back to full strength and stave off injury, or do you keep your regular rotation on the field to keep up momentum going into the post season? Keeping in mind that region champions get a first round bi with the current playoff format, how would you as coach handle that situation? Answer on twitter or below in the comments!

Men's Matches of the Week:

Oct. 24th - No. 5 Edmonds at Everett

This match up is critical for both teams, and the stakes are high, while different, for each squad. Edmonds, who leads the NWAACC North by four points over Everett, looks to further pull away in the race for the division title and cement their claim to the crown. For Everett, things could go either way. They lead Whatcom by just one point, and if they lose or draw and Whatcom wins on Wednesday, Everett could find themselves in third place. However, a win for Everett would make them a legitimate title contender as well as  clinch a berth in post season play with just two games remaining.

Final result: Edmonds 2, Everett 0.

Oct. 24th - No. 7 Spokane at No. 3 Walla Walla

For the last few weeks, Spokane seemed as though they suddenly woke up. They were on fire, winning four matches in a row and allowing only two goals. Then they ran in to No. 6 Treasure Valley and allowed two scores in that match alone, which ended in a draw. The Sasquatch will look to get back on track, as well as move out of a tie for third place with the aforementioned Treasure Valley Chuckars. An interesting note about the East: should TVCC and Spokane both win on Wednesday, there will be a three way tie for second place in the division. Spokane will place both Columbia Basin (2nd) and Treasure Valley once more before the season concludes.

Final result: 4-0 victory for Walla Walla. Read the full game recap.

*          *          *

NWAACC Women:
Current Rankings

By the end of the day on October 24th, the North could either be shaken out or even more of a mess. Four teams are within five points, and all four teams are playing one another on the same day. No. 7 Everett (1st) and Edmonds (3rd) face off, and No. 5 Whatcom and No. 8 Shoreline will play. If Everett and Whatcom win, there will be a clear 1-2 race and a clear 3-4 race. However, if things go the other way, all four teams will be within three points leading into the final week of the season. Hold your breath.

Women's Matches of the Week:


Oct. 24th - No. 2 Spokane at No. 4 Walla Walla

Two teams ranked in the top four. Two teams already qualified for the post season. Two teams separated by just one point, and two teams fighting tooth and nail for the Eastern Region championship. That sets up one heck of a game in Walla Walla. It sets up Spokane's (ironically) high powered offense against Walla Walla's stingy defense. Spokane has scored at least four goals in their last six contests, while Walla Walla's nine shutouts is tied for best in the league. The last time these two teams faced one another the game ended in a 1-1 draw, something that might not be quite as likely to happen this time around.

Final result: 0-0 draw. Read the full game recap.



Oct. 27th - Highline at No. 6 Bellevue

After suffering through a rocky early mid-season patch, Highline has come back with a vengeance  looking to unseat Bellevue from their 2nd place position in the NWAACC West. Bellevue hasn't done much to hold their own, losing their last three games to No. 2 Spokane, No. 1 Peninsula and unranked Olympic, and now find themselves leading Highline by just one point in the Western Region standings. A win definitely wouldn't guarantee Bellevue the spot, but it would give them some ground, as they have No. 1 Peninsula looming ominously to end the season while Highline plays a relatively soft schedule.


The next set of JOWARD Power Rankings will be out on the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 17. Look for them on twitter or facebook.

Peninsula women slip, but remain No. 1

These rankings are the opinion of just one man, and do not reflect the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges or any of their sponsors. If you have a question or comment on this or any story for John Howard, send him an email , contact him via twitter , or leave a comment below. 

NWAACC Women's Soccer

As covered in last week's The Week Ahead (view this week), this period saw the fall of the mighty Peninsula women who have looked so dominant all year long. They still top the rankings, but the loss showed that they are human, they are vulnerable, and that they can bounce back from adversity. Just ask Wenatchee Valley. Only two regions really have any question left as to who will take the title. Clackamas is all but crowned in the South, and Peninsula has run away and hid in the West, leaving an exciting race between Spokane and Walla Walla for honors in the East, and a four-way in the North with no solid front runner. 

Soaring team of the week: Walla Walla (5-0-0) 22-0 Goal Advantage, +4 in rankings

Freefall team of the week: Lane (0-4-0) 0-7 Goal Advantage, dropped from rankings

Score of the week: Peninsula 15, Wenatchee Valley 1

Bore of the week: Whatcom 0, Edmonds 0
Bore of the week II, the bad sequel: Whatcom 0, Everett 0

For news and notes on NWAACC soccer throughout the season, follow @JowardHoward on twitter or search #nwaaccsoccer. View the coaches rankings here.

                                                                                                                         

1. Peninsula (15-1-0) (10-1-0 West)
No. 1 Coaches

 Previously ranked: No. 1, No. 1 Coaches

Following Peninsula's one and only loss on October 6th to No. 8 Walla Walla, some questions surfaced: how would the Pirates bounce back from the match? Would one loss turn into several? The answer is a most emphatic no. Peninsula jumped on Olympic for a measly 5-0 shutout to regain traction, and then took Wenatchee Valley behind the woodshed for not ten, not eleven, not twelve (I sound like LeBraun) but 15-count-em fifteen goals to none. It's safe to say that Peninsula is back on their game. Feast on this coincidence: 90 goals scored, 9 goals allowed, 9 shutouts. and boom goes the dynamite.

                                                                                                                         

2. Spokane (10-1-2) (9-1-1 East)
No. 2 Coaches

Previously ranked: No. 4, No. 8 Coaches

Spokane was highlighted in October 10th issue of The Week Ahead, pointing them out as a team to watch for a smash into the top two with a good performance against Bellevue. The Sasquatch lived up to the prediction, and here they are with a 4-1 victory over No. 5 Bellevue in hand, they're atop the Eastern Region standings, and they haven't lost since September. However, they have their work cut out for them to stay ahead of a streaking Walla Walla team that finally put the first blemish on the seemingly unbeatable Peninsula Pirates. 

                                                                                                                         

3. Clackamas (9-3-0) (8-2-0 South)
No. 5 Coaches

Previously ranked: No. 3, No. 3 Coaches

In the last two weeks, Clackamas has allowed only two goals in four matches. Unfortunately for the Cougars, those two goals came in a tough loss to then No. 2 Whatcom, tying their opponent high in goals allowed for the season. All things considered that's not too much to complain about. They're fresh off of a 3-0 shutout (story) over a quicky fading Lane team that, with another loss or a win by Clackamas, has almost no chance of catching the Cougars for first place in the South. Tayler Ficek still maintains a stubborn lead on the rest of the NWAACC with 15 goals scored, which is over half of the goals scored by the entire Clackamas offense.

                                                                                                                         

4. Walla Walla (9-2-2) (8-1-2 East)
No. 3 Coaches

Previously ranked: No. 8, No. 4 Coaches

Welcome back, Walla Walla. The few messy weeks are past, and the Warriors have come to town with a mission. They've become the first team to take down No. 1 Peninsula, they're now just two points behind No. 2 Spokane for the lead in the East, and they have to this point allowed fewer goals than any other team in the league. Their last five matches have been impressive shutouts. 1-0 over Columbia Basin and Peninsula, 8-0 over Yakima Valley, 2-0 over Tacoma, and 10-0 over Wenatchee Valley. Lookout, world. 

                                                                                                                        

5. Whatcom (8-1-3) (6-1-3 North)
No. 6 Coaches

Previously ranked: No. 2, No. 6 Coaches

Whatcom's stock was riding high following their 2-0 defeat of Clackamas on October 5th. Not only did they shut down one of the league's best scorers, but they also put up a season opponent high on an extremely stingy defense that is tied for second best in the league with 6 scores allowed. However, Whatcom turned around and laid a pair of eggs - failing to score in two matches in a row, ending in a pair of nil-nil draws with No. 7 Everett and unranked Edmonds. And with the draw with Everett, the Orca's are looking over their shoulders at Everett, who sits at just one point behind them for the Northern Region lead.

                                                                                                                         

6. Bellevue (8-4-1) (6-3-1 West)
No. 6 Coaches

Previously ranked: No. 5, No. 7 Coaches

Bellevue hasn't had the easiest of schedules the past two weeks. They drew with Highline, missing out on an important chance to widen the gap between second and third. They shut out Columbia Basin and Lower Columbia, but then had to play No. 2 Spokane and No. 1 Peninsula back to back. While they dropped both games, Bellevue didn't do too badly against the Pirates, holding Peninsula to just two points in a 2-0 loss. The Bulldogs will get another shot at Highline to give themselves security late in the season, which is something that they might need. They close the 2012 campaign on the road at Peninsula.

                                                                                                                         

7. Everett (6-2-2) (3-1-1 North)
No. 8 Coaches

Previously ranked: NR, No. 8 Coaches

Before falling to Clackamas by a score of 2-0 on October 13th, Everett hadn't lost since early September. A few days later, they had a scoreless draw with Whatcom, but their early season scoring issues seem to be a thing of the past for the most part. 6 scores on Green River and 10 on SW Oregon can do a lot for a team's offensive numbers, and they've also emerged as one of the better defensive teams in the league, tied for fourth in total goals allowed and shutouts. However, Everett definitely can't get comfortable where they're at. One point separates them from first place Whatcom, two points from Shoreline in third, and four points from fourth place Edmonds. Everett could find themselves in a completely different spot with a run one way or the other.

                                                                                                                         

8. Shoreline (6-3-3) (5-1-3 North)
NR Coaches

Previously ranked: No. 7, NR Coaches

Shoreline had slowly been on the decline, sputtering and slipping on their way out of the rankings until they faced Chemeketa on October 6th. Their 5-0 victory tied the best all season, and they followed it up with an even more impressive 3-0 shutout of Lane. That game more or less served as the knockout punch for Lane's place in the rankings, and stood as the worst Lane had suffered up until that point. Shortly afterwards, though, Shoreline missed out on an important opportunity to grab three points from Skagit Valley and tie Everett for second in the North. They now sit two points behind EVCC and two ahead of Edmonds, making for an exciting final few weeks before the playoffs.

                                                                                                                         

Teams added: Everett

Teams dropped: Lane

Peninsula men still No. 1 as playoffs loom

These rankings are the opinion of just one man, and do not reflect the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges or any of their sponsors. If you have a question or comment on this or any story for John Howard, send him an email , contact him via twitter , or leave a comment below. 

NWAACC Men's Soccer

The playoffs are now on the horizon, and teams are on the final stretch. Peninsula, Walla Walla, and Clark look untouchable in their respective regions (West, East, South), but the Northern has yet to  be won. With the exception of the South where Chemeketa maintains a wide margin, the battle for second place is wide open, especially in the East, where there are three teams within one point of one another. These next two weeks will be crucial for playoff positioning.  As these rankings and insight are only released every other week, be sure to look for The Week Ahead (view: last week, this week), a weekly preview of matches with a few tasty tidbits mixed in. Here are a few quick and easy factoids to get you caught up:

Soaring team of the week: Spokane - Last time's Freefall team, four consecutive league wins.

Freefall team of the week: Tacoma (1-2-1) 

Score of the week: Clark 10, SW Oregon 0

Bore of the week: S. Puget Sound vs. Shoreline (Two winless squads)

One or Two Win Club: The OTWC welcomed a new member in S. Puget sound with a 3-1 shellacking of winless Shoreline. They now join Bellevue, SW Oregon, and Wenatchee Valley.

For news and notes on NWAACC soccer throughout the season, follow @JowardHoward on twitter or search #nwaaccsoccer. View the coaches rankings here.

                                                                                                                         

1. Peninsula (15-1-0) (8-0-0 West)

No. 1 Coaches

Previous ranking: No. 1, No. 1 coaches

Peninsula extended their perfect run to 13 games this week. 13 matches with no losses, and no draws. In fact, you'd have to go to last season to find a game in which they lost to NWAACC competition, their only blemish this year being a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Wyoming. Add to that their measly seven goals allowed all season and a league leading 10 shutouts, and oh yeah, their league leading 67 scores. Peninsula is downright scary, and as they're the only squad to have been perfect through league play, teams won't exactly be lining up to face the Pirates when the tournament rolls around in a month's time.

                                                                                                                         

2. Clark (11-1-2) (8-0-1 South)

No. 2 Coaches

Previous ranking: No. 2, No. 2 coaches

Clark's scoring machine, Borce Atanasov, has now jumped in front to lead the NWAACC with 22 goals in the Penguin's 15 matches. Some of that is because of the beat down against SW Oregon on October 10th during which he scored five times, but that aside, Atanasov and his compatriots have scored in bunches all season. So far, they've put up 57 goals - an easy, breezy second place ahead of Walla Walla's 40. However, Clark faces a massive challenge this week: they travel to face No. 4 Chemeketa on October 17th, a team that has been surging and is the last remaining legitimate challenger for the Southern Region title. Win that match, and Clark all but guarantees themselves the first place finish.

                                                                                                                         

3. Walla Walla (10-1-2) (5-1-2 East)

No. 3 Coaches

Previous ranking: No. 3, No. 3 coaches

Walla Walla has had a tough, tough schedule of late. According to the previous set of rankings, the Warriors faced No. 5 Columbia Basin, No. 1 Peninsula and No. 6 Tacoma in a two week period. The fact that they walked away with a pair of wins doesn't hide the 4-1 loss to Peninsula, but few teams (if any) could have done much  better. They have another match up with CBC looming, but Walla Walla will play Wenatchee Valley (0-5-1 East) twice. The East isn't in the bag for the Warriors quite yet, but it's on the horizon. 

                                                                                                                         

4. Chemeketa (6-3-5) (6-2-0 South)

No. 4 Coaches

Previous ranking: No. 7, No. 5 coaches

Disregarding the draw with Willamette University, Chemeketa has now won six of their last eight. In fact, they haven't lost to an NWAACC team since falling to Columbia Basin on September 1st, an unbeaten run that includes a draw with No. 2 Clark and a 5-1 victory over No. 5 Edmonds. However, Chemeketa's list of impressive opponents that they've prevailed over isn't long. The games against Clark and Edmonds are the ones that Chemeketa can glean the most pride from. They're supposed to blow out teams like S. Puget Sound, Shoreline and SW Oregon, which they did. Those victories are important, as they've helped the Storm stay close with Clark in the South, but a Southern Region title will be out of reach with a loss to the No. 2 Penguins on October 17th. 

                                                                                                                         

5. Edmonds (7-6-2) (6-2-1 North)

No. 6 Coaches

Previous ranking: No. 8, No. 6 coaches

For the last two months, the Tritons of Edmonds were doing rather well. They hadn't lost in seven matches, allowing only one goal and asserting their position atop the NWAACC North. Things were going swimmingly until the wheels came off on October 14th against No. 2 Clark. The recently stingy Triton defense gave up four goals to the high scoring Clark, their worst since falling to No. 4 Chemeketa over a month ago. Lucky for Edmonds, their biggest challenge ahead of them will be Everett, who sits only three points behind in the standings but has a negative goal differential on the season. 

                                                                                                                        

6. Treasure Valley (3-3-4) (3-2-3 East)

NR  Coaches

Previous ranking: NR, No. 8 (tie) coaches

If not for a forfeit in their game against Olympic, Treasure Valley could very well be sitting in second place in the NWAACC East behind Walla Walla. In fact, by the end of the day on October 17th, they just might be, as the difference between second and fourth is just one point. TVCC's last four games have been impressive: including a draw with then No. 5 Columbia Basin and wins over No. 8 Tacoma, No. 4 Highline and Wenatchee Valley. Treasure Valley hasn't been all that impressive on offense (16 goals in 15 matches) but as they have more draws than any other team in the league, you get the feeling that if they can break out of their slump just a little, they'd be right on Walla Walla's tail for the Eastern title. 

                                                                                                                         

7. Spokane (6-5-1) (4-4-0 East)

No. 9 Coaches

Previous ranking: NR, NR coaches

After going through a rough couple of weeks and falling out of the rankings, Spokane is back. Not quite with a vengeance, but back all the same. After an embarrassing 7-0 trouncing from No. 1 Peninsula, the Sasquatch have reeled off four consecutive wins, accounting for all 12 of their points in league play. and while three of those wins came against teams with combined records of 6-22-4, they did also knock off then No. 5 Columbia Basin and have only allowed two goals through those four games. Spokane is definitely one of the three horses in the race for second place in the East, and if they continue on their current streak, it will be hard to keep them out. 

                                                                                                                         

8 (tie). Columbia Basin (7-5-2) (4-4-1 East)

No. 7 Coaches

Previous ranking: No. 5, No. 6 coaches

Columbia Basin's fall in the rankings was a difficult choice to make, but ultimately was a product of the success of teams around them, and that their loss to Spokane was more of a surprise than the trip ups of the other ranked squads. It is also a product of the fact that the Hawks haven't won a game in their own region for some time. Recently, they've lost to Spokane and Walla Walla, and drawn with Treasure Valley, three games that were of upmost importance in the race for the playoffs in the tightly contested NWAACC East. They still sit in second place, but only by a narrow margin. 

                                                                                                                         

8 (tie). Highline (7-5-2) (4-3-1 West)

No. 5 Coaches

Previous ranking: No. 4, No. 4 coaches

Highline has had a difficult time lately. After falling 1-0 to No. 3 Walla Walla, they seemed to bounce back with a feel-good 4-1 victory over Bellevue. However, just a few days later, things started to sour again, and Highline drew with then No. 6 Tacoma. From there, things got a little darker with a 2-1 loss to an unranked (but now No. 6) Treasure Valley squad, and it doesn't get much better looking forward. They have a week off before visiting No. 1 Peninsula, meaning that should Tacoma get a likely win at Olympic, the game between Tacoma and Highline could end up being for an all-important second place in the Western Region. 

                                                                                                                         

Teams added: Treasure Valley, Spokane

Teams dropped: Tacoma