After 12 weeks of consistent work and dedication, Northwood can proudly announce that, for the first time in program history, the Soccer team has finished the season ranked number one in the country. When this journey started, there were 14 prep schools ahead of the Huskies, and countless more nipping at their heels, so ranking #1 would require a spotless campaign. Off the bat, the team gained both momentum and attention as #5 Kiski and #12 Pennington fell to the Huskies, 5-3 and 2-0, respectively.
As the season rolled on, the Huskies continued to win, and by early October, they had effectively secured a spot in the top 5, with significant results continuing to come. From then on, the arguments for the number one ranking began to roll in. The only draw the boys had on the season was a 2-2 tie with Taft in preseason, and Taft had been holding firm at the #2 ranking since the beginning (virtually). So, the question remained: why, after knocking off 5 teams in the top 15, were the Huskies still stuck at 5? It simply came down to a lack of games; the Huskies had played 8 games and had a record of 8 wins and 1 tie, while most teams ahead of them had played between 15 and 17 games. This would not matter, though, if the boys could get one last significant result, and that is precisely what they did. The boys made the day trip down to Berkshire School, then ranked 3rd in the nation, and pulled out an emphatic 2-1 victory in enemy territory. At this point, the argument for anything except a top 2 spot was out the window; Northwood had beaten more ranked opponents than anyone else in the nation, and it did not look like anyone else in the country would catch up. However, this was unfortunately the end of Northwood’s prep season, and they were stuck at #2. With no more matches left to play against other prep schools, it was simply a waiting game to see if the only team ahead of them, Woodstock Academy, would lose.
Going into the last weekend before Thanksgiving Break, things looked dire. Woodstock had picked up a tie against Vermont Academy, but that wasn’t enough to drop them below Northwood in the rankings. However, they still had one game left to play. When all hope seemed lost for the Huskies and their dreams of #1 seemed crushed, Woodstock picked up their first loss. The Hoosac School, which Northwood had beaten twice, both at home and away, had defeated Woodstock in a brilliant performance that displayed both quality and grit. So, on the final possible day, Northwood finally obtained the crown of #1 prep team in the Nation.
This achievement will not only help Northwood’s recruitment efforts but also serve as a model of what Northwood teams can do when they put their mind to it. The classes of players that follow in this team’s wake will always strive for this achievement, forever pursuing the title of best in the nation.