BILLINGS – Success is nothing new for the Rocky Mountain College men’s soccer team.
The Battlin’ Bears have been to the NAIA national tournament five of the past six years, but that’s not enough anymore.
“That’s our goal, obviously, is to do something we haven’t done before, and that’s win a national championship,” head coach Richard Duffy told MTN Sports.
Of course, to win it, teams have to get there, something the Bears didn’t do last year. They were left out of the field despite finishing 17-2-2.
“I think we’ve kind of always been screwed over by the NAIA,” Bears defender Gregor Watson said. “Teams come here and it’s always difficult to play us here, at home especially.”
No more so than right now. Rocky has won six straight, giving up just one goal total in the run, thanks to a senior-led defense.
“I believe they’re the best back line in the nation,” defender Nolan Sherwood said. “I truthfully and honestly believe that. Without them we wouldn’t be as far as we are.”
“I always say you’re only as good as the seniors that you have,” added Duffy. “They’re the ones who have been through it for four years and can understand it, especially when it’s their last year. They’ll go the extra mile and put the effort in.”
Watson, a captain from Scotland, leads the charge and says his time in green and gold has been the best four years of his life.
“It’s incredible,” he smiled. “I’ve loved every minute of it. I wish I could do it all again, to be honest. I’m going to miss this place when I’m done, but hopefully that’s not for a while yet.”
The 2018 national championship game is Dec. 1.
