On Wednesday, Aug. 14, the Northeast Community College men’s soccer team and Coach Adam Potter had one of those rare moments.
The Hawks were invited to play Creighton University at Morrison Stadium in Omaha against the Division 1 Bluejays in an exhibition match. That meant it didn’t count toward anything, with players getting an opportunity to just go out and have fun while competing.
In recent years, Creighton routinely gets ranked and has made 22 NCAA Tournament appearances, going back to 1992.
Additionally, Morrison Stadium is a beautiful soccer facility, which includes the Omaha skyline to the south. The stadium is one of the reasons Creighton routinely finishes in the top 10 in attendance in the NCCA in men’s and women’s soccer. It even features thousands of seats with back supports and arm rests.
Before the game, Potter and four of the players crashed a special pregame pizza party at Rocco’s Pizza. The party was arranged by the Northeast Community College Foundation as a way for fans and alumni to gather and soak in the atmosphere of having a community college invited to such a lofty status.
Potter and the players shared some thoughts in the private party room, where fans prepared by yelling cheers ahead of the game.
“We can’t tell you how much it means to us for you to support our program to enable us to do things like this,” Potter said. “This is great for bringing kids in here and taking the next steps as a program. I just can’t thank you enough for everything.”
Potter said players are looking for more than just playing the game but having experiences and opportunities like Wednesday evening. And while they did actually play an exhibition game, with Creighton winning 4-1, both teams substituted with a lot of players getting an opportunity to measure themselves against a level they don’t usually see.
Soccer reached new heights last year for Northeast, with the Hawks setting a program record for wins in a season with 22 and reaching the semifinals of the national tournament. Still, Wednesday’s game against the Bluejays was a big step up.
Mathias Kristoffersen of Skovby, Denmark, said the opportunity meant a lot to the players. Kristoffersen was named Second Team All-American last season as a freshman goalkeeper after the Hawks led the nation in shutouts with 16.
“It means a lot to us to see how many people in the community are supporting us. I know personally I had my doubts and I think we all have our doubts coming in from so far, but it means a lot to see all of you here,” Kristoffersen said.
Luca Rosen of London, England, said he appreciated seeing all the familiar faces from Northeast.
“I know when I was in the recruiting phase, I was dreaming of playing in games like this,” Rosen said. “This shows that games like this mean a lot to everyone, including the community.”
Edouard Nys of Dottignies, Belgium, thanked the fans. Nys was named First Team All-American after a freshman campaign that made waves across the collegiate-soccer world. Nys was 11th in the country in goals scored with 17, third in assists with 22, third in points with 56 and had the most shots in the DII ranks with 106.
“Games like this don’t happen very often,” Nys said, “but because of you guys, we can play games like this.”
Pedro Cidade Santos of Sete Lagas, Brazil, said when he was looking for a place to play, he wanted a college that would be “a good community with good experiences.”
“In Northeast, what I found was a family that cares about me not just as a student-athlete, but as a family and how I am going to be a man, a citizen. Northeast is dedicated to the success of the students and the community it serves,” Cidade Santos said.
Bobby Frost, associate athletic director, said Northeast appreciated the opportunity extended by Creighton, and was thankful to the boosters who helped to make it possible.
That included I & P Construction, which sponsored a bus to the game. The team signed a game ball that was given to the company.
The exposure to play against a top team also helps Northeast.
“This has just been a great opportunity for everyone,” Frost said.
Booster Party
Among those who spoke during a Northeast Community College pizza party before an exhibition soccer match against Creighton University were (from left) players Pedro Cidade Santos, Edouard Nys, Luca Rosen, Mathias Kristoffersen; Bobby Frost, associate athletic director, and Coach Adam Potter. (Northeast Community College)
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