Switchbacks FC continue busy part of schedule by hosting Hartford Saturday night
The Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC will hit the midway point of their season on Saturday when they host Hartford Athletic at Weidner Field in a 7 p.m. start. This is the only meeting of the year between the clubs.
The Switchbacks (6-6-3, 21 points) are in fifth place among seven teams in the USL Championship Mountain Division. The top four teams qualify for the postseason, which begins in late October.
Hartford (7-4-3, 24) is fourth in the eight-team Atlantic Division.
“We know our team. We know each other. We know we’re good,” said Switchbacks defender Sebastian Anderson. “We know we can earn a playoff spot.
“It’s about being consistent now and finding our rhythm and getting points on the board.”
Following the Hartford match, the Switchbacks play their next five games in five states.
“It’s always tough traveling when we have so many games back-to-back,” said Switchbacks defender and captain Jimmy Ockford, who will return to action against Hartford after given a full off-day Wednesday at Austin Bold FC. “It’s supper important to stay focused within that stretch of games and be smart about what we do and recovery wise after these matches.”
The Switchbacks are arguably one of the most exciting and aggressive teams in the 31-team league. They are third in the league in points (28), third in yellow cards (45) and second in red cards (3).
First-year coach Brendan Burke, who spent his entire career in the East prior to this season, has consistently pushed his team to be aggressive on offense and take calculated risks on defense. Even Burke has two yellow cards this year.
Burke was out of town attending to family business on Friday, so his top assistant, Stephen Hogan, ran the team’s practice ahead of the Hartford match.
“In talking with people around the league, everyone is scared to play us,” said Hogan. “They are trying to stop our front three. Our front four. Our front five. And when they don’t we win.”
Switchbacks’ 16-year-old forward Darren Yapi reflected on his first professional goal Wednesday in Austin.
“It all happened so fast, I didn’t have a chance to think about it,” said Yapi, a junior in high school on loan from the MLS Colorado Rapids.
Yapi added that he is well aware he is the youngest player on the team.
“I started thinking about it last year when I was 15 at the Rapids Academy,” he said. “I looked around and I realized some of these guys have kids and could be my dad.”
On Friday, the Switchbacks announced that defender Lamar Batista was being loaned to Oklahoma City Energy FC for the remainder of the season. The 6-foot-6 Batista, the tallest player on the Switchbacks, played in three games (two starts) with Colorado Springs this season. Batista lists Oklahoma City as his hometown.
Switchbacks captain and defender Jimmy Ockford is expected to be back in action on Saturday after missing Wednesday’s game in Austin for much needed rest.
Switchbacks defender Sebastian Anderson has had two stints with the MLS Colorado Rapids this season. The Switchbacks have a player agreement with the Rapids.