Getting two 90 minute contests in on Sunday, the Northwest College men’s soccer team showed plenty of promise after learning plenty in preseason games in Helena, Montana.

“We played different 11s in each 45 minutes,” coach Rob Hill said. “So we wanted to look at everybody.”

The Trappers started with a game against the College of Southern Idaho, with the first half being particularly impressive to Hill.

“The first 45 minutes, I thought the football was excellent. It was very impressive,” Hill said. “The movement off the ball, the rotation, the pressing, the counter pressing was very high. We created five or six very good chances, and I just think with a bit more composure in front of goal, we’d have been four, five nil in that game. The scoreline doesn’t display the dominance.”

Despite the strong first half, CSI struck first in the second half, but the Trappers stuck with it and got a goal from William Danaire to earn the draw.

“I think there was 10 minutes left. A mistake by us, by the goalkeeper, and they nicked it and scored,” Hill said. “But the guys stuck with it, stayed resilient. Then William scored off a set piece. The chances we created were very good. Their goalkeeper in the first 45 (minutes) was unbelievable. He made some unreal saves, so I was very pleased with that game. I thought we played very well. Really good movement. The work ethic and work rate were superb.”

He felt the team should have scored several more goals, but they were unable to find the back of the net.

“I think overall, it was a very good team performance, and I was pleased with them, and I thought that set us up well for the next game against Carroll,” Hill said.

The first half of the second contest ended 0-0, with a gritty contest not allowing either team to find the back of the net.

In that first half Hill said Carroll held more of the possession but didn’t create a ton of chances, before the Trappers came alive in the second half.

Danaire again scored off a set piece with a header, while Julien Landi provided the second goal to seal the 2-0 win for Northwest.

“Two very good games and some players showed some very high level soccer, good IQ, and we got to see everybody play, which was great and what the objective was,” Hill said. “We got to see who played well with each other, who didn’t and where people were clicking. So we got a better idea of who works well with other people. The work rate was superb. Very impressed by that.”

He said the challenge now is to sustain the energy the team had in Montana when they need it later in the season.

“It was a good few days for us in Montana,” Hill said.

Starting the regular season the Trappers head back on the road, making the long trip this time to Nebraska.

The Trappers take on Western Nebraska Community College at 3 p.m. on Saturday with the contest being the first  game for both teams.

“They usually recruit well, they always make it tough down there. Never had an easy game down there,” Hill said. “I think it will be a very good, different test for the guys. Definitely eye-opening for them in terms of region play. It’ll be fast, it’ll be furious and I think that it will be a good test for us.”

He said the Cougars typically recruit and compete well, and believes it will be an interesting game in terms of finding out where they stand in Region IX.

“I think if we can finish a little better, have a bit more composure on the chances, that will definitely be something that we look to improve on,” Hill said. “Creating chances was not a problem. I think with the longer grass out there as well, we’ve got to adapt quickly from turf to grass. It’s usually a little bit longer, so the ball will move slower. We’ve got to adapt to that.”

This will be a nonconference contest between the two teams, with the return fixture in early October in Powell.