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Until next time. It may be the final home game, and then again it might not. Seattle Pacific University honors its graduating seniors from the men’s soccer team Friday night (Oct .20) when the 8th-ranked Falcons (11-4-0) host Western Washington (2-15-1) in their penultimate Great Northwest Athletic Conference game. The final week begins with a long flight to San Antonio to face No. 18 Incarnate Word (11-2-2) Tuesday (Oct. 24). SPU visits Seattle University Oct. 28 to conclude the regular season.

Possibly November. The Falcons find themselves not just in the thick of the postseason discussion, but at the top of it. In the initial NCAA regional rankings for the Far West, SPU is No. 1, followed by Cal State Dominguez Hills, Sonoma State, Cal State L.A. and Seattle University. The top four teams in the final Oct. 30 ranking qualify for the playoffs, with the top seed serving as host. Seattle Pacific has not hosted a postseason game since 1999.

Big games ahead. With the Far West extremely competitive this season, results down the stretch could have a heavy impact on the playoff picture. All three remaining games hold serious consequences. A win over Western Washington would assure SPU of no worse than a tie for the GNAC title, its first since 2000. Incarnate Word and Seattle U. are both battling for playoff spots as well, ranking No. 3 and No. 5 in their respective regions.

Answering the bell. If Coach Cliff McCrath has an overarching objective in these final three games, it’s to develop some consistency. The squad has been running on emotion for the last three outings, losing two of three following a seven-game win streak. Obviously the injuries–both emotional and physical–from the Oct. 7 Phoenix car crash have had a profound effect. No sooner had McCrath gotten medical clearance for the last of six crash-related injury victims, he lost center midfielder Michael Morris (Sr., Bothell, Wa./Blanchet) to a one-game, red card suspension. Morris is expected back for the trip to Incarnate Word.

Riggs on a roll. One player who has managed to keep on producing during this period of upheaval has been Colin Rigby (Sr., Mercer Island, Wa.). In each of the last four games, Rigby has scored the Falcons’ first goal. Rigby now leads the team with seven for the season and he assisted on what proved to be the game-winner versus Seattle University, working a give-and-go with Andy Willis (Sr., Gig Harbor, Wa./Gig Harbor). He scored to tie the Simon Fraser match midway through the second half of a 2-1 loss. Rigby has been named the GNAC player of the week three times this season, including each of the past two weeks.

Senior citizens. Rigby, Willis and Morris will be among the five seniors recognized prior to Friday night’s game. McCrath’s other seniors are starting right back David Reuhl (Sr., Bothell, Wa./Bothell-Bellevue CC) and winger Steve Spencer (Sr., Scottsdale, Az./Chaparral-Paradise Valley CC). Willis and Morris have been four-year starters and scored 23 and nine goals, respectively, during their careers to date. Reuhl has been a fixture, starting 19 straight games on defense. Spencer led SPU in assists as a junior.

Who ya gonna mark? While it’s nice to have a go-to guy up front, there’s something to be said for an attack which is unpredictable. The Falcons feature five players with four or more goals this season, and three others have scored twice. The net effect has been a less predictable, more productive offense: 2.26 goals per game, compared to 1.95 a year ago. Rigby is tied for second in the GNAC for goals and is No. 3 in total points (16). Willis and James Coggan (Jr., San Jose, Ca./Valley Christian) have scored five times, followed by Morris and Jeff Hallenbeck (Jr., Redmond, Wa./Inglemoor) with four apiece.

Throw-ins. The Falcons have not lost two consecutive games since the 2003 season (both were at home)...Rigby’s opening goal vs. Seattle University came just 38 seconds after the kickoff...Seattle Pacific has outscored opponents 18-6 in the first half but has been outscored in the second half and overtime 5-2 during the last three games...After missing the Grand Canyon game following the accident, Coggan returned vs. Seattle U. He just missed his sixth goal when an early second-half header hit the post. He had scored three times in his previous two games...Sweeper Matt Kemper (Jr., Colorado Springs, Co./Palmer) has now started 55 consecutive games. The others to start all 15 games are Reuhl, Hallenbeck, Kellen Rosten (Jr., Colorado Springs, Co./Doherty) and Justin Abel (Jr., Snohomish, Wa./Snohomish)...For the third time in as many weeks there’s a new No. 1 team in Div. II, with unblemished Dowling (NY) overtaking Franklin Pierce (NH)....Coggan is tied for No. 2 in GNAC assists (5), along with Brandon Crutchfield (Fr., Snohomish, Wa.), and is No. 4 in total points (15). Rosten is No. 1 in shutouts (5) and GAA (1.11).

Coaching Staff. Cliff McCrath is the Division II leader in career coaching victories. In 2002 he surpassed San Francisco’s retired Steve Negoesco to briefly become collegiate soccer’s leader for all divisions. McCrath has led SPU to a record 28 NCAA playoff appearances, including berths in 18 of the last 22 years, and five national titles (1978, ‘83, ‘85, ‘86 and ‘93). His staff includes former Falcons Mark Collings (‘98 Final Four), Mark Metzger (‘78 championship team), and Sergio Soriano (‘78 NCAA winners).

Tickets, please. Ticket prices for all SPU regular season home games are $5 for general admission, with students and senior citizens $3. Group and team rates are available by phoning (206) 281-2085 in advance.

Missing links. For the latest and best information on Seattle Pacific University athletics, stay where you're at -- on The Falcons Online. For updated standings and statistics, see the Great Northwest Athletic Conference web site.