by Jeanette Regier | Oct 24, 2018
In November of 2012, the Calvary University Warriors won the ACCA National Championship. This month marks the six-year anniversary to that accomplishment and we wanted to honor that team as November is beginning. The men on this team set an incredible standard for the future of our department and we are so grateful for their legacy. We praise God for each one of them as well as Coach Henderson! Coach Daniel Nichols asked Ross Harris to write about the championship game. The following paragraphs are written by captain Ross Harris.
On the trip over, I sat up front with Brian and prayed with him as we did before every match. We got off the bus and got ready for the match. I was normally silent, and worrying about and analyzing the other team for weaknesses, but for the first time, I found I was looking at our team only. I took in all the laughter and just enjoyed being with these other Christian brothers I had the pleasure of playing with at Calvary. I loved them all, and apart from my Savior and my family, I loved nothing else more than these men I was able to serve with.
Being the captain of this team was one of the greatest joys of my life. Wearing the armband for the Warriors normally felt heavy, but I felt light as a feather that day. Warm-ups ended, and I remember looking each player in the eye. I told them, “We come from different walks of life, different backgrounds, different upbringings, different beliefs, but have been brought to the same school, on the same team, by the same Savior to win that third star.” Our goal was to tell everyone God helped the same players who achieved the worst season in Calvary history turn things around and eventually end up winning the national championship two years later. “Let’s do what we’ve been charged to do today. Let’s win this.”
We said “Rak Chazak” one last time. I smile fondly when I think that the match for me was quite unremarkable. I don’t think I registered an assist on any of the goals even. I had a front-row seat watching my brothers in Christ play the most beautiful match of the most beautiful game that I’ve ever had the joy of playing. They were crisp, technical, and precise.
We went into halftime knotted up at 0-0, and down one player. A great irony occurred. Brian Binkley, the man who never stops running, the man who carried an ankle injury all season, finally lost the battle to his injury. He couldn’t run. We carried him off the field, and he was done. My heart broke, as he was a senior, and this would be his last game. He’d have to spend it on the sidelines.
I walked up to Brian and told him to take it easy. I told the other players to stay loose and get ready for the next half. Brian was grimacing on the bench, holding his ankle. I walked up to him, patted him on the back, and said, “Don’t worry. Just rest now. You’ve served your school well. We’ll carry you to the finish line.”
Steven Parkin went on to score the opening goal (and the first goal of his career), followed by Josh Henderson. Parkin then scored his second, and Josh Henderson sealed the deal. It was the greatest performance I’ve ever seen at Calvary on the day we needed it most. It was the complete game. We won 4-0. I remember looking at the clock and seeing the 0:00. I fell to my knees and sobbed. I promised Coach Krchmar we’d win a championship. I thought we’d never get it done, until the night before.
I called Coach Nichols on the bus immediately. All I remember saying to him was, “Look what He did!” The other players celebrated with him as well. We had a great buffet for dinner and drove back to school. I held the trophy close the whole way home.
by Jeanette Regier | Oct 17, 2018
The Warriors were looking to build on the momentum from their victory last week vs. Barclay College as they took the field against the Kansas Christian College Falcons Tuesday afternoon. Instead, the Warriors fell short in the 0-7 match in Belton. “We had a slow start,” Warrior Coach Daniel Nichols said. “We just didn’t recover well after letting them score early in the game.” The Warriors and the Falcons have met twice in 2017 and 2018 with the Falcons winning all four matches.
As the match began, the size, speed, and strength of the Falcons showed as they scored the first goal five minutes into the game. The Warriors gave up three more goals before the end of the first half but battled back towards the end of the half. They closed the half with a great shot from Takuya Takagi that bounced off the post. “We were able to lock things down and create more opportunities.” Coach Nichols said.
In the second half, the Warriors tried a different formation that created more scoring opportunities. Unfortunately, their rally was quickly squelched as the Falcons scored three more times to take a commanding lead. Despite several attempts, the Warriors could not breakthrough the Falcons defense and finished the game 0-7. “It was a tough game and both teams fought very hard,” said team captains Masaki and Noah. “We are sure that this game helped us to prepare for our upcoming conference game and tournaments.”
The Warriors will look to bounce back Thursday on the road against Manhattan Christian College.
by Jeanette Regier | Oct 4, 2018
The Calvary volleyball team overcame a 2nd set rally by Union College as the team won their 6th match of the season with a 3-1 victory on Thursday night in Lincoln, NE. “It was great match for us,” Coach Ashley Spicer said. “We needed to be pushed. We needed to see if we could grow as a team tonight.”
The two teams had met earlier in the 2018 season with Calvary winning in straight sets 3-0 in Kansas City. But Union wasn’t about to be shutout again as they took the court in front of their own Warrior faithful.
In the first two sets of the match, both teams were even as neither could gain a sizable lead. Anna Holloway and Kaela Gingrich both contributed offensively to provide sparks that would eventually build the lead to win set one. Union would go onto win set two with their offense clicking on all cylinders.
Sets three and four belonged to Calvary tonight. Jenny Herr led the Warriors with 14 digs and had solid back row play. Anna Holloway led the team with blocks. She had 2 solo and 1 assisted block on the evening. Tori Stahr picked up 33 assists to lead the team in the setting category. Holloway finished with 14 kills, Gingrich finished with 12.
The Warriors see action tomorrow night as they travel to Haviland, KS to face Barclay College at 7:00 p.m.
by Jeanette Regier | Oct 2, 2018
Joplin, MO: A late goal by the Ozark Christian College Ambassadors gave them a 0-1 win over Calvary University on Tuesday night. “We have to be more consistent and disciplined in our play,” Warriors coach Daniel Nichols said. The Warriors and Ambassadors met twice during the 2017 season with the teams splitting the season series at 1-1. The stage was set for the next chapter of this rivalry as the Warriors and Ambassadors took the field in Joplin, MO.
As the match began, the two teams went back and forth with both trying to get their offense going. Both teams had good scoring opportunities, but none of the shots found the back of the net. As the first half ended, the Warriors and Ambassadors were locked in a 0-0 battle.
At halftime some adjustments were made. Calvary focused on getting shots off quicker and on frame while giving Ozark less space offensively.
In the second half, both teams looked for that one play that would break the scoring drought. In the 62nd minute, the Ambassadors got that break on a throw in where CU did not mark up properly and Ozark put the ball in the back of the net to give them the 1-0 advantage.
With time winding down, the Warriors desperately looked for the equalizer and worked their offense to move into the attacking third, but the Ozark defense successfully cleared away the threats as OCC held on for a 1-0 victory over CU.
“Offensively we’re still working to develop,” Coach Nichols said. “We have the ability and players to score goals but we need to get everyone on the same page.”
Next up, the Warriors will travel to Barclay College on Friday night in Haviland, KS.
by Jeanette Regier | Sep 22, 2018
The Calvary soccer team was encouraged after holding Faith Baptist Bible College 0-0 throughout all of regulation on Friday. The team had a tougher contest against the Emmaus Eagles in a 4-1 defeat on Saturday afternoon. “We had some lapses defensively that cost us,” Coach Daniel Nichols said. “It is still always great to play Emmaus. I am very proud of the squad and the program Coach Brown has built through the years. We matched up against a very good soccer team today.”
The Warriors came out creating opportunities. Ten minutes into the game Takuya Takagi pressured their keeper and won the ball. He had an open net to shoot on and barely missed wide. The Eagles then established momentum as a defensive lapse by the Warriors allowed Emmaus to get a shot by Seth Bielenberg on a free kick in the 21st minute to put the Eagles up 1-0.
The bright spot of the half came in the 23rd minute as Masaki Ouchi crossed in a ball off of a free kick on the right flank. Aedan Wilson connected off a Josh Tomlinson assist to put the Warriors on the board 1-1. Emmaus scored again in the 28th and the 33rd minute after lapses of giving up too much space and a bad give away. The two teams went into the break with the score 3-1. “They controlled the first half,” Coach Nichols said. “Those defensive lapses and giveaways told the story of the half”
In the second half, the Warriors came out strong and were determined to get back into the game. Their energy would be depleted in the 57th minute as Emmaus scored to make it 4-1 Eagles. Takagi had another great opportunity to score late in the second half off another terrific pass from Tomlinson. The shot went just wide. “We showed a lot of fight in the second half,” Coach Nichols said. “That was good to see. It was good to have a quality goal and good opportunities against a very good team.”
“As team leaders, we went into the game thinking this was going to be a tough game,” Captain Noah Wittenbach said. “We are quickly learning how to hold the defensive line. Our defense is our strength and we have been showing that all year. Now we are focusing on our offense. I’m really proud of our team. I never felt like we let up. Coach told us that Calvary has a reputation to always play hard and to glorify God when we are on the field and I believe we held up our responsibility today.”
The team will not have much time for rest and recovery as they prepare to travel to Omaha, Nebraska on Monday to play Nebraska Christian College.
