The Garden City Telegram
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GCCC ready for tourney
Published 9/12/2009 in Sports
By MIKE KESSINGER
mkessinger@gctelegram.com
A year ago the Garden City Community College men's soccer team opened its first tournament in grand fashion by going 2-0. There would be nothing more the Broncbusters would like to do for the second edition of the tournament that starts Saturday at Memorial Stadium than finish it the same way as they did last year -- undefeated.
If anything though, GCCC coach Stephen Gorton is banking on this year's bracket that includes North Idaho and Laramie (Wyo.) to be a little stronger. Both teams were region champions last year and Laramie fell a game short of playing the Busters for the Great Plains district title, losing to Jefferson (Mo.). The Busters will start the tournament against North Idaho on Saturday at 7 p.m., then will play Laramie at 3 p.m. on Sunday. Laramie will play Barton County at Memorial Stadium on Saturday at 5 p.m., then Sunday the Cougars will play North Idaho at 1 p.m.
"North Idaho is have a good season so far," said Gorton, who's team is ranked No. 4 in the NJCAA. "They actually beat Laramie the other day 3-0. Laramie's doing well. They're young and both teams are capable of beating either us or Barton."
When the Busters concluded their home tournament last season, they did it by knocking off Blue River (Mo.) College 6-0, and Lincoln (Ill.) College 5-1. It was after that tournament Gorton said his team really propelled itself toward being one of the top teams in the country for the rest of the season. He's hoping this year's event can strengthen his teams confidence, which has already to been set on a high level through a 3-0 start.
"This is where we kind of really started to shine last year," Gorton said. "After our tournament we really started to get on a roll and play the way we ended the season."
GCCC enters the weekend on a week-in-a-half layoff from competition as the Busters haven't played since beating Dodge City 6-2 on Sept. 2. The time off isn't a concern to Gorton as it has given the team a chance to rest a little and for some of the players to heel from some injuries. Over the Labor day weekend, the Busters had four days off from practice. With the layoff, Gorton said there is no one dealing with an injury, in particular midfielder D.J. Zuniga, who missed the first week of competition with a hamstring pull.
"I think it could work either way," Gorton said of the concern or not of a long layoff from game action. "We could come out really well and energized and have more legs than everyone else or we could come off showing like we were off for a week-in-a-half and haven't had any games. So I think you just kind of play that card. I think it was the best decision to give them that break for later down the road, but for this weekend I have no idea what it's going to do."
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