THUNDER BAY – MacDonald Niba says the Thunder Bay Chill have to stick to their game plan and not try to adjust too much as they start what he hopes is a long playoff run.
The Chill open the postseason on Friday night, one of 32 teams vying for a USL 2 championship, knowing they need to win five straight matches to claim the second title in franchise history, the first coming 16 years ago in 2008.
They’ve come close in ensuing seasons, going to the final in 2010 in Portland, Ore., 2013 in Austin, Texas, and 2017 in Charlotte N.C.
“We’re ready for the challenge,” said Niba, named the team’s most valuable player earlier this month after helping lead the Chill to an 8-3-1 record.
The first challenge is first-round host Peoria City, the second-place finisher in the Heartland Division, the Chill’s former home, but a squad that finished 8-1-3, outscoring their opponent 35-13.
“We have done our homework about our opponent,” Niba said. “We have our video guy, Keegan, who is helping us with videos of our opposition. We know how they play and I think we are prepared for that.
“Our team, we defend from the front. Everyone is committed to give 100 per cent defensively and offensively, so we’ll be up for the challenge.”
It’s the 17th time in 25 seasons the Chill have made the playoffs, and coach Tony Colistro was at the helm for the majority of those runs.
Colistro said the plan is to focus on what the Chill does well.
“That’s something we are in control of. Of course, we’ve watched game film on them and tried to pick up on any patterns that we see that maybe we need to be aware of, but at the end of the day, we have to do what we do very well, and that’s what we’re practicing on,” Colistro said.
“They’ll have to hopefully adjust to our game.”
A win on Friday night would set up a second-round match against the winner of the game between the Chill’s former arch-rivals, the two-time champion Des Moines Menace and Bavarian United, who will open the first round on Friday afternoon in Peoria.
The Cameroon-born Niba, who turns 30 next month, has played professionally in Europe and said his take on the Chill is it's a team built on depth, from front to back.
“Everyone is really strong and not only the starting 11, but the guys on the bench. We have a deep squad. Anyone can make an impact on the game,” Niba said.
“We had six wins in a row, so we want to continue with that winning mentality. Everybody wants to win every day. But it’s just another game, and we have to give everything like it is our last game.”
Colistro, also the owner of the Chill, said he’s been a part of some pretty talented teams. The 2024 edition is no different.
“I’ve been telling the players that I really believe in them. I’ve had great teams. I’ve had special teams. This is a special team in its own,” Colistro said.
“It’s a lot of blue-collar workers on this team, and that’s what you need. You need tough defence. You need to be strong. But we also have some special players evolving, and if they come through, they can add some excitement to our game. And then you have veterans like Sullivan (Silva). He’s been here. He’s seen it.”
Kick-off is Friday night 7:30 p.m. CDT.
