Alex Sorenson had a night most players only dream of, but he's not the only scorer on the Cardinals' roster. North Central athletics photo

By Adam Turer
D3sports.com

With an eventful 2017 behind them, the Cardinals have turned the page to closing out the 2017-18 season strong.

Last year began with a late-season surge that led North Central (Ill.) to the NCAA Tournament for a second straight season. The Cardinals became the first No. 4 seed to win the CCIW tournament, then proceeded to win their opening round NCAA Tournament game.

The 2017 portion of this season was chock full of even more memorable moments and milestones.

The Cardinals bonded on a trip to Honolulu, splitting their two games in the Hoops in Hawaii Classic over Thanksgiving weekend.

Todd Raridon earned career win No. 500 on Dec. 19. The leading scorer who helped deliver that milestone was Raridon’s youngest son, Connor. The third Raridon son to play for dad, Connor scored 36 points that night, the highest single-game total for a Cardinals player since 2009.

That mark didn’t last long. In the Cardinals’ next game, Alex Sorenson set a program record with 54 points, making 25 of 29 field goal attempts. He broke a mark that was set by Cardinals legend Bill Warden in 1955.

Most importantly, the Cardinals have recovered from a 3-4 start, reeling off six straight wins since suffering a 68-66 home loss to Illinois Wesleyan on Dec. 9.

“It’s been kind of a crazy season. We started off a little less successful than we hoped, but we’re starting to click now,” said Sorenson. “We had some games earlier this year where we were giving up a lot of points. Our defensive intensity has really been the key to our success. We’ve always been able to score points, but we’ve really focused on the other end.”

Sorenson knows all about scoring points. His historic day against Robert Morris-Chicago on Dec. 30 will be tough to top. His previous career high was 32 points.

“That was an amazing game. In the moment, you don’t really know at all. It just seems like every trip down the court, you keep going back to the well,” said Connor Raridon. “When they announced the record at the end of the game, it was like ‘Wow, that was a blur but it was fun.’”

The beauty of the game was that it was far from a one-man show. The Cardinals also set team records for rebounds (59) and assists (36, on 47 field goals).

“I was shooting the ball pretty well to start. It really clicked at halftime. It kind of felt like everything I was doing was working,” said Sorenson. “We’ve got some really good passers and they got me the ball in some great spots. It was pretty surreal.”

“I’ve never witnessed something like that in my career. It was fun,” said Todd. “I was happy for Alex. Everything that he put up went in. Several shots bounced around two or three times and dropped in. It was just his night.”

Sorenson’s big day came one game after the Cardinals delivered their coach his 500th career win. His first 269 came at Nebraska Wesleyan. He has added 234 and counting in his 13-plus seasons at North Central. Not surprisingly, there was little fanfare leading up to the milestone. Even Connor Raridon had no idea going into the game that his father was on the verge of the benchmark victory.

“For me personally, it meant that I’ve had a lot of really good players and a lot of really good staff throughout the years,” said Todd. “They deserve more credit for that than I do. It was nice, but I didn’t do anything. Everybody else did the work.”

Raridon is thankful to be back on the court this season. North Central athletics photo

Connor scored 36 points in that victory. He is the third and final of Todd’s sons to play for the Cardinals. Mitch and Derek had successful careers at North Central, but Connor does not feel any pressure to live up to his older brothers.

“He’s really a combination of the other two. His mental approach is the same, his intensity is a little bit like Mitchell. He’s not as laid back as Derek was,” said Todd. “He does some things that both of them do. I think that’s a good thing.”

“My brothers still let me know things I can work on. I’ve definitely learned a lot from them,” said Connor. “They always tell me to try and be the best you that you can be. That’s the way I approach every game, every practice.”

The younger Raridon also has a newfound appreciation for the daily grind. He missed the majority of last season, playing in just seven games before suffering an injury. The sophomore was on a torrid pace before the injury, and struggled out of the gate this season. Now, he’s back to playing at a high level, elevating his teammates.

“It’s never easy after a year off for anybody. It’s taken him some time to adjust,” said Todd. “He’s doing a lot of the little things that we need. I think our team has fed off of that. We’ve used his versatility. Making the extra pass, getting the ball inside at the right time in the right position where he can score.”

His teammates appreciate and value his return to the lineup.

“The last few games he’s really been clicking. He’s a great guy to play with,” said Sorenson. “He’s so good at finding you when you don’t think he sees you. Last year, not having him was tough.”

Five different Cardinals have led the team in scoring through 13 games this season. Four, including starter Erwin Henry and Mike Pollack off of the bench, average in double figures. They feed off of one another’s energy. Another milestone was reached in 2018, when Henry eclipsed the 1,000-point mark.

“All of our guys are really unselfish and we all trust each other to score. We’ve got so many options of guys who can score in different ways,” said Sorenson. “If we get an assist or a score, we’re just as excited. We’ve got so many weapons. It’s a lot of fun to play on this team.”

With Connor back in the lineup and an experienced core, the Cardinals have developed a strong chemistry. That was strengthened by the Thanksgiving trek to Hawaii. The Cardinals split their two games there, but the experience has made them better in the long run.

“It was a great bonding experience. We got to know the newer guys a little better,” said Sorenson. “We like each other, we enjoy spending time together. It’s easier to play with guys like that.”

The four losses have all been close, including a double-overtime loss at Heidelberg in the opener and a seven-point loss at now-No. 2 Augustana.

“I think we’re playing a little better than we were in the early part of the season. I didn’t think we were playing nearly as well as we could have early in the season,” said Todd. “Things lately have come together a little bit, especially on the defensive end. It has to be, going into conference play.”

After last season’s injury, Connor is eager to share his newfound perspective with his teammates. There’s a sense of urgency that didn’t kick in until very late last season. In 2018, the Cardinals are playing with a sharpened focus and passion. The individual milestones are not nearly as important as the team goals that are still on the horizon.

“We have a veteran team. We know how the conference goes and how tough it is. We’ve been here before and we want to repeat our success,” said Connor. “It fuels our team to know that we’re in every game, there’s just games that we’ve let slip. We have it in the back of our minds that we can’t let that happen again.

“Every game could be our last. That’s what I’ve tried to tell everyone since I’ve been back. You never know when it can be taken away from you.”