NLA – Preview on the Playoff Final or the Fast Track Back to the Top

Time for changes

Things started to become rather boring for ball hockey fans, at least for those not being supporter of either the Rebells or the Scorpions. From May 2011 trough to May 2015 every year the same picture: In the NLA playoff final the Oberwill Rebells matched the SHC Belpa 1107, no less than five times in a row. Four out of five series were won by the team from Zug. Remarkable too is the fact, that between 2012 and 2015 Belp won all its semifinals versus the SHC Grenchen-Limpachtal, four times in a row. Anyway, the almost eternal final between the Bernese and the Rebells seemed to come to an end for a long time after the fifth edition in May 2015. The scorpions stood at the begin of a change of generations. Such a shift normally takes a few years, longer if delayed. Belp had waited probably a little bit too long to initiate the change. But this is the menace that goes along with the success.  "Never change a winning team", this might be a brilliant idea for a playoff series. But if a club relies upon the very same players for years without actively striving for a rejuvenation, he will, at best, be out off the top teams for a few seasons.  At worst, it could be the end of the club. Both developments had been observed in Swiss ball hockey in the past. 

Well, not that the scorpions were threatened in their existence, by far not. The change of generations was initiated just two or three seasons too late. In autumn 2015 the consequences out of this were quite clear. It would take a couple of years until the scorpions would be back among the top teams of the NLA. In its internal planning, the management of the club calculated a period of at least three to four years until the team would be able to compete for the title again.In the seasons 2015/16 and 2016/17 the focus should be put on the integration of young players. In the season 2017/18 the team should be able to connect to the top teams. And finally, in the season 2018/19 Belp should be able again to play for the title. At least this was the plan.

The season 2015/16 passed more or less as expected, The top teams from Oberwil, Grenchen and Sierre turned out to be too strong for the Bernese. Though the scorpions were able to tease them from time to time, but that was all. At the end of the round robin, the Bernese were fifth behind the SHC Bettlach. On the other hand the individual class of players like Alessio Faina and Marc Mueller was by far enough to keep the SHC Bonstetten-Wettswil and the Kernenried Bulldozers at distance. In the playoffs the scorpions won the quarter finals versus the SHC Bettlach. In the semifinals they lost to the Rebells. However, to everybody's surprise the series went over the whole distance of three games. This was a first sign that the phase of transition might be shorter than initially expected. Not that the scorpions were at the same level as the Rebells. But they were at least strong enough that Oberwil had to take them serious. The integration of young players progressed during the season 2015/16. Fabian Bohnenblust was slowly growing into his role as one of the team leaders. Teighan Meier developed in to the same direction but was then thrown back by a longsome tight injury. With Iwan Kohler and Kevin Kiener two relatively young, talented players had joined the team. Finally junior players Florian Bohnenblust, Mikel Fairclough and Dennis Nydegger regularly competed in the rows of the NLA team, and another talented youth player, Jona Wegmueller mad his first appearance in Belps first team. 

The plan seems to slow down

During the first months of the season 2016/17 there were any indication that the scorpions would make the playoff final in spring 2017, on the contrary, things seem to turn bad. Between the two season, many players left the NLA team. Thomas Fahrni ended his career. Martin Reber wanted to invest less time, focused on the second team and was at the disposition for the NLA in emergency situations only. The same was the case for Yannick Straehler. Patrick Feuz, who supported the team in 2015/16 with his experience, ended his career as well. Sascha Burch moved to Winterthur for a new job and therefore quite the scorpions as well. The unexpected climax of the bleeding was Luca Streichs resignation immediately after the cup win versus Grenchen. So Belp was confronted by a huge wave of withdrawals. In such a situation many clubs would start whining, deploring their mischief loudly for a long time.  

Well those who mourn their great past, tend to block their track in a better future. An answer to this exigence was looked for and an answer was found. In a manner never seen before on this level of ball hockey, the scorpions relied on youth players in the season 2016/17. There were games in the round robin, where there were almost more youth player on the game sheet, then others. Mikel Fairclough, Dennis Nydegger, Jona Wegmüller, Stefan Zürcher, Florian Bohnenblust and Simon Meir regularly plaid in the NLA. Jesper Diener, Marc Bruni, Silvio Bruni, Janis Messerli and in the net Lukas Baumgartner made all several games for the first team.

Further, the scorpions made three remarkable transfers. All three players came from the NLB, tier two for our Canadian readers. Jim Zingg came from the Worblaufen Alligators. From the SHC Berner Oberland Francesco Faina returned to the place where he learnt to play ball hockey.  As well from the Bernese Oberland Sean Oesch joint the scorpions. All there players turned out to be excellent picks as the season went on. Obviously they all needed some time to adapt to the NLA. But when the important time of the championship begun, they were exactly there where they had to be. And finally, Sandro Witter decided to concentrated 100 percent on ball hockey. He still is one of the most skilled ball hockey players in Switzerland.  And good news from the net as well. Nick Leuenberger became a reliable goalkeeper for the scorpions, being second only after still outstanding Sven Hofmann. Even better with Lukas Baumgartner another talented keeper is ready to write ball hockey history.  

With the playoffs coming closer, Belp signed greek-canadian  player Stephen Alvo to beef up the team for the playoffs. Pascal Kohler, brother to Iwan and player of tier three ice hockey team EHC Thun was the second reinforcement for the scorpions. And last but not least and as usually, Yannick Nydegger returned for the second phase of the championship.

The round robin

Despite the many player leaving, despite the time the new players needed to adapt and despite several longsome  injuries, the round robin was more prosperous than expected. Even tough Belp lost its first two games of the season at home, nobody was disappointed . After all, a team in transition is allowed to lose against the two finalists of the past playoffs. One might ad, that both games were quite tight. Actually, the first phase of the round robin went on according to plan, more or less. The games versus Kernenried and Bonstetten were neat wins. The two games against Bettlach were both close, but in the end all six points went to the Guerbe Valley. On the games against the big three, Oberwil, Grenchen and Sierre there wasn't much to be achieved, for the time being at least. Things started to change in December 2016. Everything started with a 5 to 4 overtime win at home versus the Sierre Lions. Then, a first bang was shaking the Swiss ball hockey community.  The scorpions eliminated the SHC Grenchen-Limpachtal aka "the whales" in the Swiss cup. In January then a major setback. The quarter final of the Swisss cup was lost at the Lions. The scorpions absolutely wanted to win. To ensure this, they flew in a huge number of top players from Canada, Czech Republic and Switzerland. Well it were probably too many. The defeat in the Wallis was a clear sign not to leave the track of the transition. Or to phrase it with one of the youth player: "Why did we bring in all those top players? We hadn't done worse without them."  

The results in the second phase of the round robin, played between the four top teams, indicated the scorpions' progress in this season. The whales and the Lions were beaten twice. Sole versus the Rebells Belp couldn't win. Would there be a separate ranking for the second part of the round robin, Belp would be second, with just one point less than Oberwil. But there is no special ranking for part two of the championship. All games plaid in the round robin count for the final standings. And over the whole round robin the scorpions were number three. Not a bad result, taking into consideration the fact that the team is in transition. 

Playoffs: The road to the final

In the quarter finals the scorpions faced the SHC Bonstetten-Wettswil. For Belp this was primarily a question of the mindset. And th scorpions indeed had troubles focusing on the presumed inferior opponent from the Zurich province. In their heads, may of the Bernese players were already in the semifinal against the SHC Grenchen. Bonstetten, on the other hand, could play this series without any pressure. And therefore th  quarterfinals became much tighter then expected; at least as far as the first game is concerned. In this encounter the scorpions muddled themselves through to a 6 to 4 win. However, it must be mentioned, that head coach Ronny Straehler gave the youth players a lot of rink time. In addition with Nick Leuenberger the number two was in the net for this series. And finally, Stevie Alvo missed the quarter finals due to an injury suffered during training. In the course of the second matchup, Belp found back to its strengths. After 28 minutes into the game everything was decided, the game as well as the series. Now the scorpions could focus on the whales.

The start in the semifinal was totally messed up by Belp. It seemed, that the three wins in a row somehow had planted the idea in sone scorpions' heads that they could throw out Grenchen off the playoff without any opposition. Well, this wasn't the case. Quite soon, Belp was down by two goals, and later by even three goals, struggling to come back into the game.  After all, the whales were not able to get more space between the two teams. Towards the end of the game, the scorpions were able to come back within one goal. But that was it, Grenchen was one up in this best off three series. 

The screenplay for the second game was somewhat different, but with just a few minutes left in the game it looked like the visitors from Grenchen would move up to the final with two wins. But lets start right at the beginning. Grenchen looked like the better team, often moving the game in Belps zone. However the scorpions' defense and outstanding Sven Hofmann were able to master the pressure of the whales. The first lead of the Bernese in the opening period was equalized but the guests in the second period. In the third twenty minutes, Marc Muller brought the scorpions up again. But Grenchen was able to turn the game. Lars Henzi brought his colors up with four minutes left in the game. It looked like the scorpions were running out of time. But then something happened that occurred often in the past few years when Belp and Grenchen faced each other in important games. The scorpions turned everything in the last 91 seconds. Francesco Faina tied the game. And with 32 seconds left, Yannick Nydegger scored the game winner. The scorpions were back in the series. Even better, the way how this happened, was suitable if not to break Grenchens moral, then at least to heavily shake it. And as far as it comes to Belps transition, if a player of the game would have been selected, it might have been Mikel Fairclough.

In the third game Belp was 2 to 0 up after the first period. In the second twenty minutes the scorpions extended the lead to 5 to 1. Around the fiftieth minutes hope returned in the rows of the whales. Frkan and Rindlisbacher brought their colors back to 3 to 5. Only a few minutes later, the home squad play for almost 90 seconds with five against three runners. But they were not able to score and to definitively come back into the game. Belp was just back at full strength again, when Alvo marked the sixth goal for the scorpions. The 7 to 3 scored by Alessio Faina with eleven seconds left on the clock was just the cherry on the cream cake.       After just one years break Belp moved up into the playoff final again. The mix of experienced ball hockey cracks and young motivated players brought the team by far further than anybody - friend or foe - expected at the begin of the season.

And now the highlight: The playoff final

To be very clear right at the beginning. Belps change of generations is not yet done, by far not. There is still a lot to be done. After the unexpected achievements of this season, a setback in the season to come can't be excluded. But the team moves into the right direction and well ahead the schedule. The motivation and the hunger for success are a great basis for a brilliant future. But lets put away the medium and longterm perspectives and lets focus on the upcoming playoff final.    The Oberwil Rebells, and I'm sure nobody will contest me on this, are the big favorite in this series. Anything but a win of the team from Zug would be a big surprise. But still the series has to be plaid first. Belp can go int it without any pressure. The goals for the season have been more than fulfilled. But the scorpions are still hungry. And for what ever reason and under what ever circumstances you make the final: You go on the rink to win it. So he Rebells are well advised if they take the scorpions very serious. They shall not underestimate this team. If the scorpions will gain speed they are able to force the momentum on their side. An if they do so, everything is possible in this series, really everything. Still the Rebells are the undisputed favorite. When they will play their best hockey, things will become very tricky for the young scorpions.

So, lets look forward to a great series between two strong teams. Lets look forward to the duel between the two best coaches in Swiss ball hockey. Tibor Kapanek vs Ronny Straehler, this is perfection versus improvisation, genius Slovak tactics versus simple, efficient Canadian inspired handicraft. All this carried on the rink by some of the best players Swiss ball hockey ever saw.  Stephan Sidler and Sven Hofmann are two outstanding goal keepers.  Adam Roušal, Andrew Hildreth and Stephen Alvo are among the top players of the world.  Raphael Melliger, Alessio Faina, Yves Stucki, Sandro Wittwer, Patrick Döbeli, Marc Müller are all players that are able to compete for every national team on the globe. Fabian Bohnenblust and Tim Müller will become key players for the Swiss national team by the 2019 world championship latently. On the field will be Bastian Steiger and Mikel Fairclough two of the best youth players ever seen on Swiss ball hockey rinks. Who ever has the time shall come to Zug, shall come to Belp. Ball hockey long ago ceased to be an afterwork occupation plaid in some gloomy backyards. It has become a dynamic, fast running, breathtaking sport full of emotions.

I have to thank and to apologize to all English speaking readers. Thanks for reading the whole text despite the very average quality of the language it is written in. An for this language I pray you to accept my excuses.