Results from Saturday July 3rd Provincial Playdown
Kelowna United Soccer U16 Boys Provincial A Cup Champions
For the Kelowna United U16 Boys "A" Team, Saturday July 3, 2010 provided the most exciting and hardest fought game of the year, equal to its Provincial Championship Playoff status. The one game takes all fixture against Surrey Guilford Selects turned out all that it was billed to be. A game of shifting fortunes, great determination and skill and a final five minutes of drama equal to any World Cup match. Kelowna United took an early first half lead off an exceptional free kick from Nolan Wallace after Matt Stevens' attacking run took the ball through the opponent's mid field to within shooting range. Surrey came back close to the end of the half with a very nice "strikers goal" to level the score. The second half saw Surrey come out and take the offensive, with Kelowna United playing the defensive game of their lives. Their patience paid off mid way through the second half from a counter attack that provided another perfectly placed free kick from Nolan Wallace and a clinical finish from Matt McHugh. Kelowna United hung on desperately, surviving wave after wave of Surrey attacks. The Kelowna team held its composure despite shots off the goal post, three corner kicks in the last minutes and goal line heroics from Kelowna United keeper and BC Soccer Man of the Match, Jacob Rivet to preserve the final score at 2-1. The exceptional team effort brought with it the title of BC Soccer U16 Boys A Cup Champions for 2010. Head Coach Sean Wallace praised both teams saying; "Our opponents, the Surrey Selects are a very good team to have come out of the Metro League in Vancouver. We told our boys that they would have to play the best game of their lives and they executed it close to perfection. They played as a team, they never gave up. The coaching staff cannot say enough about the effort these boys gave in the final and they should be very proud of their accomplishment. We are now the BC Soccer U16 Boys A Cup Provincial Champions - How sweet does that sound?". Next up for the Kelowna United team is the National Championship, to be held hosted by the City of Vaughn Ontario in October, 2010.
Team Members and Coaches;
L-R Front row; Trevor Swaisland, Matt McHugh, Jordan Hesketh, Mackenzie Rigg
L-R rear row; Jacques Rivet (Coach), Sean Wallace (Coach), Nolan Koriath, Eric Russo, Matt Stevens, Jacob Rivet, Riley Ledwon, Robin Whittaker, Keefer Joyce, Nolan Wallace (Kamloops), Taylor Ronquist (Kamloops), Gord Joyce (Coach).
Missing from Photo; Jordan Garcha
