The Northwest College men’s soccer team used a bye week off from competition to prepare  for a semifinal matchup at home on Saturday.

“We had an intersquad scrimmage that was very competitive just to keep us match sharp,” coach Rob Hill said. 

The Trappers (8-2-2) learned their opponent on Sunday, as No. 5 Otero College (5-6-5) defeated No. 4 Northeastern Junior College (7-5-2) by a score of 5-1 on the road.

“We watched the game on Sunday. We’ve watched several other games of theirs. They’ll know how we play, we’ll know how they play.”

That means it will be a rematch of last season’s Region IX Championship Game, with the Trappers hoping for some revenge after falling last season.

“I’m thinking that it’ll be a very tough game for us, and it’ll be a repeat of last year’s final so there will be a bit of contention there as well,” Hill said.

He added that the Rattlers  look much improved and different from the team the Trappers defeated at home 4-1 in early September. Otero was the team that started the current nine game unbeaten run for Northwest which has landed the Trappers as the No. 13-ranked team in the NJCAA.

“I don’t think the conference finish really represents their level,” Hill added.

The match on Saturday was originally scheduled to take place at Powell High School, but after it was discovered the field is not wide enough for a college match it was moved back to Trapper Field at 1 p.m.

If Northwest wins, it will hold the Region IX Championship Game next Saturday, if the Trappers lose their season ends, and Otero continues on the road to the winner of No. 3 Western Nebraska Community College (9-4-3) and No. 2 Casper College (8-3-4) which play at noon on Saturday.

REGION IX BRACKET

FIRST ROUND

No. 5 Otero def. No. 4 Northeastern 5-1

No. 3 Western Nebraska def. No. 6 Central Wyoming 3-1

SEMIFINALS — SATURDAY

Noon: No. 3 Western Nebraska at No. 2 Casper College

1 p.m. No. 5 Otero College at No. 1 Northwest (Trapper Field)

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME — SATURDAY, NOV. 7

TBD Lower seed at higher seed