Surpassing outsider expectations, Duluth FC entered their first year in the NPSL North Division with a bang. Achieving eight wins, four draws, and only two losses, the BlueGreens topped their division and recorded massive wins along the way, from an 8-1 riot against LC Aris FC to an 9-2 thriller with Sioux Falls Thunder. Under the leadership of Head Coach Kyle Bakas, the club scored 42 goals and conceding 18 in the regular season, achieving a whopping 24 goal difference. At the end of the season Duluth FC had managed to grab 13 points at home and 15 on the road, finding itself 18th out of 96 in NPSL’s official Power Ranking chart. Needless to say, the regular season wasn’t perfect, but there was plenty to love.
Asked about Duluth’s Regular Season success, Bakas kept it simple. “That the season went as well as it did was down to the players acting as leaders, working together and understanding individual and group roles. Veteran players welcomed new ones and very quickly everybody was getting along great despite competing for limited spots.”
Winning the North Division gave Duluth a chance at playoff glory, heading to Keyworth Stadium to face Detroit City FC. The resulting game, a 5-2 win for Detroit City, would end Duluth’s playoff run but leave many both nervous and curious about what the BlueGreens will bring to the table next season. Combining one of the conference’s top defenses with an explosive attack, which recorded the second-highest amount of goals scored in the entire NPSL 2017 season, Duluth FC has set the bar high. Looking forward, the BlueGreens will continue to bring the beautiful game to the Twin Ports area and we hope that you, fans of all ages, beliefs, and backgrounds, will join us on that journey. Here’s to the soccer lovers, the interested novices, and all who find the time to be part of this community.
