Best record in the Northwest Athletic Conference at the end of the regular season.

Nothing.

Most goals scored (55) in the conference.

Crickets.

Beating defending NWAC champion Peninsula 2-0 in the quarterfinals, now the North Idaho College men's soccer team now has the attention they've been seeking all season.

"Once we beat Peninsula, then the phone starting ringing off the hook," said third-year NIC coach Ken Thompson. "A lot of teams just thought the East (Region) didn't have much this season, so there's a little bit of a chip on our shoulder."

On the other end were coaches from Oregon State and Seattle University, looking for information on the team and its players.

"I think they thought, hey, these guys might be for real," Thompson said.

NIC sophomore Adam Talley was named the East Region Most Valuable Player, and midfielder Elias Herman and defenders Jake Kraut and Brady Ulen were selected to the South-East Region All-Star team.

Former Lake City High standout Alec Johnson, who is tied for the league lead in points at midfielder, was left off the list.

"We thought their was an omission for sure with Alec," Thompson said. "We just feel like the coaches weren't paying attention to us throughout the season."

NIC (16-1-2) face Edmonds (8-7-4) of Lynnwood in the first men's semifinal on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at the Starfire Stadium in Tukwila, the training facility of the Seattle Sounders MLS team.

The NIC men's and women's program returned to the NWAC for the first time in 10 years earlier this year.

NIC beat Edmonds 3-0 in a nonconference game on Sept. 16 in Coeur d'Alene.

"They're a good passing, physical team," Thompson said. "When we got up on them 2-0, they started putting in their second string because they were playing Spokane the next day, so we're definitely expecting a different match this time."

Edmonds sophomores Nathan White and Mike Curry graduated from Post Falls High.

In order to prepare for the match on a turf field, NIC has traveled to Gonzaga Prep in Spokane to practice on the school's turf field.

"Three days from the semifinal, traveling to Spokane isn't ideal," Thompson said. "But to be as fit and raring to go, we'll need the extra time off. We'll need to win the net balls and stay disciplined defense and make those extensions where we keep the ball or get up the field quickly."

"I like it," said Thompson of playing on turf. "It gives you an honest goal and it favors the more skillful team and it makes for a more precise passing game. But in the final four, all of the teams do that well. Most of our guys like it (playing on turf) and it's not like it was 20 years ago."

Skagit Valley (11-5-2) and Highline (10-2-4) will play in the second men's semifinal on Saturday at 6. Skagit Valley, with former Sandpoint High standout Austin Keyes at goalkeeper, upset the top-seed from the South Region Clark College 2-1 to advance. Highline beat Whatcom 4-2 in the quarterfinals.

In the women's tournament semifinals, Spokane (20-2-2) will face Everett (18-2-1) at 10:30 a.m. and Lane (15-2-2) will face Peninsula (18-1-2) at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

n All-Star Games set for Sunday: North Idaho sophomore midfielder Natalie Middleton was selected for the women's All-Star Game, which kicks off at 10:30 a.m. in Tukwila.

Spokane sophomore forward Alex Opland, a former Lakeland High standout, was selected to the men's South-East Region team for the All-Star Game, which kicks at 12:30 p.m.

NORTH-WEST REGION

Coaches of the Year - North: Darren Bell, Skagit Valley; West: Jason Gjersten, Tacoma; West: Kanyon Anderson, Peninsula.

MVP - North: Andrew Wildfong, Whatcom. West: Anthony Dean, Bellevue.

FORWARDS - Eddie Benito, Peninsula; Anthony Dean, Bellevue; Caio Maciel, Peninsula; JJ Schmeck, Edmonds. MIDFIELDERS - Eleazar Galvan, Skagit Valley; Isidro Prado-Huerta, Highline; Miguel Medina, Edmonds; Kassio Monteiro, Peninsula; Vinny Ngyuen, Highline; Dakota Scott, Tacoma; Aaron Weathington, Olympic; Keevan Webb, Peninsula. DEFENDERS - Ryan Anderson, Shoreline; Garrett Brewer, Highline; Jack Fuchs, Whatcom; Young Hills, Tacoma; Tyler John, Highline; Brodi Keefe, Peninsula; Mattson Overstreet, Whatcom; Colton Ronk, Highline. GOALKEEPERS - Arturo Oberto, Edmonds; Andrew Wildfong, Whatcom.

SOUTH-EAST REGION

Coaches of the Year - South: Binaim Afenegus, Clark; East: Ben Rotert, Walla Walla; East: Peter Osborn, Wenatchee Valley.

MVP - David Forfanah, Chemeketa; Adam Talley, North Idaho.

FORWARDS - Josh Alvarez, Wenatchee Valley; Vicente Flores, Walla Walla; Alex Opland, Spokane, Adam Talley, North Idaho. MIDFIELDERS - Jorge Campos, Columbia Basin; David Forfanah, Chemeketa; Elias Herman, North Idaho; Octavio Hermosillo, Clark; Jesus Pelayo, Treasure Valley; Francisco Sanchez, Walla Walla; Peter Sokolis, Spokane; Joe Villa, Wenatchee Valley. DEFENDERS - Franky Arroyo, Walla Walla; Brandon Babinski, Spokane; Juan Rodriguez-Fuentes, Wenatchee Valley; Jake Kraut, North Idaho; Osvaldo Martinez, Columbia Basin; Abdiel Morfin, Clark; Brady Ulen, North Idaho; Jacob Young, Clark. GOALKEEPERS - Miguel Perez-Flores, Clark; Francisco Flores, Walla Walla.

WOMEN'S

NORTH-WEST REGION

Coaches of the Year - North: Geoff Kittle, Everett; West: Tom Moore, Highline.

MVP - North: Hayley Warren, Shoreline. West: Jessi Beverlin, Highline.

FORWARDS - Lauren Allison, Everett; Alyssa Bertuleit, Peninsula; Madison Gale, Highline; Hayley Warren, Shoreline; Emily Wilkins, Olympic. MIDFIELDERS - Jessi Beverlin, Highline; Victoria Lentz, Everett; Kelsie Neill, Everett; Paxton Rodocker, Peninsula; Brianna Sillivan, Bellevue; Toria Southworth, Tacoma; Krista Stewart, Olympic; Monica Whitfield, Green River; Brittney Yoshimura, Peninsula. DEFENDERS - Kamryn Barney, Peninsula; Nicole Davis, Tacoma; Kylee Inman-Wolfe, Highline; Michaela Moren, Edmonds; Emily Nelson, Everett; Madissen Ostergaard, Highline; Georgie Van Panhuis, Lower Columbia; Mikayla Whitton, Everett. GOALKEEPERS - Emily Flinn, Peninsula; Kasie Lough, Peninsula.

SOUTH-EAST REGION

Coaches of the Year - South: Art Mota, Chemeketa; East: Jim Martinson, Spokane.

MVP - South: Taylor Boyer, Lane; East: Rashelle Fisher, Spokane.

FORWARDS - Taylor Boyer, Lane; Rashelle Fisher, Spokane; Holly Martinez-Moorman, Chemeketa; Sarah Melvin, Spokane. MIDFIELDERS - Bethany Forst, Columbia Basin; Anna Goodrie, Lane; Kylie Gorton, Walla Walla; Kaylee Holloway, Pierce; Natalie Middleton, North Idaho; Lexi Miller, Spokane; Hannah Sanders, Spokane; Brooke Thomas, Treasure Valley; Salome Yates, Yakima Valley. DEFENDERS - Krista Campbell, Clark; Cassandra Clarke, Treasure Valley; Mecca Ray Rouse, Lane; Mikaila Riddle, Lane; Serena Robertson, Spokane; Sydni Thomas, Spokane; Taylor Waite, Chemeketa; Emily Walker, Lane. GOALKEEPERS - Samantha Burmester, Spokane; Stephanie Gibson, Columbia Basin.