Results 22-23/5
KU U12 Boys Impact
Kelowna United U12 Boys Impact lost 3 of 4 games playing in the top tier division at the May Long Weekend Slurpee Cup Soccer Tournament in Kamloops. The Impact lost to Calgary Rangers, St Albert Impact and host, Kamloops Blaze. In their only win, a 5-0 score against the Prince George Kodiaks, Morgan Gonzales led the Impact with three goals with singles coming from Jake Kovatch and Ilan Michaeli. Hunter McMorran recorded the shut-out. The opposition selected Hunter McMorran, Peter Warshawski, Morgan Gonzales and Jaden McNulty as game MVP’s.
KU U12 Boys Team 1
Kamloops Tournament
Game 1 vs Vernon
4-0 for Kelowna
1st half: Corbin Beauchemin scored on a penalty kick after Liam McDonald was tripped making it 1 -0 for Kelowna.
2nd half: Jeremy MacKay scored. Noah Ridgeway tipped it in, and then Jeremy Mackay scored again to make it 4-0 for Kelowna.
Kelowna was the dominant team.
Three stars: Logan D’Amato, Jeremy MacKay and TJ Snelling
Game 2 vs Terrace
5-1 for Kelowna
1st half: Terrace scored the first goal against the flow of the game. TJ Snelling answered back with a goal on a great kick from Nelson Denby. Score at the end of the first half was 1-1.
2nd half: Kelowna took control of the game. Great teamwork from everyone. Corbin Beauchemin scored four goals with the help of his team to make the final score 5-1.
During the game there was rain, sleet and hail, as well as a tiny bit of sun at the beginning. By the end of the game the boys couldn’t feel their hands or toes!
Three stars: Nelson Denby, Corbin Beauchemin and Noah Ridgeway
Game 3 vs Kamloops
1-0 for Kamloops
1st half: Both teams very strong, moving the ball back and forth across the field. Noah Trites made some tremendous saves and the score was 0-0 at the end of the first.
2nd half: Again, the play was very even. Kamloops was awarded a penalty kick right in front of the goal. There was nothing Noah could do and the score was 1-0 for Kamloops. Kelowna could not answer back and that was the final score.
Three stars were Noah Trites, Foster Warren and Kealan Cangiano.
Game 4 vs Peace Arch
4-0 for Kelowna
1st half: Liam McDonald opened the scoring with a goal off a centering kick from Jeremy MacKay, making it 1-0 at the end of the first. Peace Arch was a small team but they were tenacious and Kelowna had to work hard.
2nd half: Kealon Cangiano and TJ Snelling carried the ball up the field making some great passes and Jeremy MacKay was able to capitalize, making the score 2-0. TJ Snelling was then able to score again on a great pass from Jeremy MacKay. Kealon Cangiano scored, and the final tally was 4-0 from Kelowna. The boys worked very well as a team, with lots of passing. The goals were scored by four different players which is always nice to see.
Three stars: Liam McDonald, Noah Trites, Jeremy MacKay
We had to wait until Kamloops played their final game against Vernon to find out how we placed in the tournament. Scoring 13 goals and only allowing 2, we knew that we had done well. Kamloops had won their three previous games, however. Vernon played a good game against Kamloops and beat them, which meant that Kelowna United had won the gold medal!!
KU U12 Boys B
Kelowna United ‘Nitro’ U12 Boys won the blue division gold at this weekend’s KYSA Slurpee Cup in Kamloops.
KU U13 Girls A (Red Division)
Game One: 8:30am at McArthur Island
Kelowna United U13 A vs Kamloops Blaze
Despite driving rain and wind Kelowna United A fought hard and held Kamloops to a 0-0 half time score. A great goal by Jayden Penkala at 9:11 gave Kelowna the lead which they kept until the end of the game. Good defence by Emma Johnson, Emily Haber, Rachel McMillan and solid goal keeping by Ange-Aimee Quesnel ensured a win for Kelowna. MVP Emma Johnson
Game Two: 11:30am at McArthur Island
KU Girls U13 A
Vs Nelson Selects. First half was a very evenly matched game with action in both halves. A goal by Erin Graham at 11:57 gave the Kelowna girls the boost they needed. The second half saw a series of tactical moves and some exciting footwork by the Kelowna girls. Goals came every ten minutes, scorers Claire Culver, and two from Kennedy Snape. Assists from a dynamic midfield Jayden Penkala, Hannah Schell and Lizzy Raye. Great defence by Emina Arima. MVP Erin Graham
Game Three: May 23 10am at Brocklehurst Secondary School
Kelowna United U13 A vs Kootney S Saints
Kelowna dominated this game from the start with a strong goal from Lindsay Lalach at 10:05. Followed by another great goal by Jayden Penkala at 10:15. Kelowna held the 2-0 score to half time. Eager for victory the girls came out strong in the second half, Jayden scored her second goal of the match, assist by Lizzy Raye. Emma Johnson scored a fabulous goal which the Kootney goalie could only watch as it sailed over her head, assist by Hannah Schell. Final goal of the match was by Casey Culver with an assist by Erin Graham.
MVP Jayden
Game Four Final: 2:39pm at McArthur Island
Kelowna United U13 A vs Kamloops Blaze
This game saw both teams fighting hard for a gold medal with passion and determination. Top scorer Jayden gave Kelowna A the lead at 2:55pm but Kamloops quickly game back with an equalizer. Great defensive play by Abbey Nyburg, Emma Johnson, Emily Haber, Rosalyn Stevenson and Jenni Matheson held the score to 1-1 at half time. Both sides fought hard in the second half with some great attacking play by Casey Culver, Kennedy Snape and Serena Boulter. Paid off with the final goal of the tournament by Kennedy Snape with an assist from Serena Boulter.
KU U13 Girls B1
Kamloops Slurpee Tournament U13 Girls Blue Division Champions
KU Girls U13 B1 team were victorious at the tournament despite having only 12 players for much of the games. Goalkeeper, Joella Koblische managed a shutout for 3 of the four games including the final against Williams Lake. A total of 14 goals were scored by the Kelowna girls with the following players being voted MVP by the opposing teams: Julia Bower, Freya Kellet, Cennet Isik and Joella Koblischke. However the entire team put in strong performances and any one of them could have been presented with this accolade.
KU U13 Girls B2 team
Gold in the Kamloops Slurpee Cup tournament
Gold medal game vs Penticton 1-0
Goal scored by Lyndsay Pistawka
KU keeper, Breanna Berndsen, had a fabulous game. She kept the doors closed to give her team the chance to win the game
KU went 3 and 1 for the tournament
KU Boys U13 Team A
Kamloops Tournament Results
Game 1: KU - Prince George
Score: 0-3
Summary: Tough opening match for KU. Despite maintaining possession for the majority of the game, PG managed to score in the first half. KU battled back, and despite numerous chances, was unable to put the ball into the net. PG took advantage of the low morale and slotted 2 more goals in the second half.
MVP as named by Prince George: Jacob Dunn
Game 2: KU – Kamloops
Score: 2-1
Summary: After the morning’s loss to Prince George, KU took to the field with renewed energy and determination. Andrew Henseleit notched the first KU goal only a minute & a half into the game. KU played a strong game, both offensively and defensively, handling Kamloops with relative ease. Seconds before the end of the first half, Kamloops managed to score. KU returned to the pitch after the break determined to claim the victory. The game was intense for both players and fans. On a nice pass from Spencer Young, Andrew Henseleit chipped the ball over the Kamloops keeper to put KU ahead. KU held the lead to earn the victory.
MVP as named by Kamloops: Spencer Young
Game 3: KU – Terrace
Score: 4-0
Summary: KU appeared in control of the game from the first whistle. KU was pressuring with numerous shots going just wide of the goal. Andrew Henseleit had a great shot that put United into the early lead. Robbie Martin played a nice ball through to Aaron Obedkoff who slotted the ball to put KU up 2 goals at the end of the half. The second half continued with KU’s domination – Spencer Young slid the ball past the keeper to put United up by 3 goals. Only a minute later Robbie Martin added the 4th Kelowna goal.
MVP as named by Terrace: Sam Evans
Game 4: KU – Terrace (for 3rd place)
Score: 1-0
Summary: KU narrowly missed out playing for the gold medal and returned to the field to face Terrace for the second time. Both teams appeared tired, and it was a non-spirited game that resulted in a 1-0 victory for Kelowna.
MVP as named by Terrace: Harley May
KU U13 Boys B Team
finished second after four games of round robin play. It was an intense weekend but not even the weather could keep our boys’ spirits down. Saturday’s games proved to be a bit more challenging than we were ready for however we came back Sunday and owned the pitch.
Game 1: KU vs Nelson Selects ended in a 2-1 loss. Kelowna’s captain Ben Harding led the scoring early in the half however Nelson rallied and tied the game prior to half time. Nelson was able to stay focused amid the downpour of rain and scored their winning goal minutes before the end of the game. Game MVP was Morgan Small. Goal keeper was Bailey Larusson
Game 2: KU vs Mission Hurricans also ended in a 2-1 loss. This game was almost a mirror image of Game 1 with Game 1’s MVP, Morgan Small leading the scoring part way into the half. Mission came back to tie the game before half time and brought the win home as they scored minutes before the end of the game. Game MVP was Callum Reid. Goal keeper was Dawson Colluney
Game 3: KU vs Penticton Pinnacles ended in a 1-0 win. A new team emerged onto the pitch Sunday morning as they dominated the game and managed to shut down Penticton’s scoring opportunities. The lone goal of the game was scored in the second half by Gage Sayles. Game MVP was Max Morgan. Goal keeper was Bailey Larusson
Game 4: KU vs Kamloops Blaze was a stellar performance that ended in an impressive 3-0 win. The momentum that KU brought to the game in the morning continued into the afternoon as the boys oozed confidence and skill earning another shut out and taking the home town team to a 3 goal loss. Goal scorers were Dawson Colluney (8mins), Callum Reid (35mins), and Dom Mastrioanni (58mins). Game MVP was Bailey Larusson.
The boys pushed through the weekend with increasingly better performances across the entire pitch. Our team’s efforts were impressive with outstanding defensive work (Max Morgan, Jessie Manlove, Matt Nicolai, Christian Holzhey), solid mid field (Callum Reid, Dom Mastrioanni, Michael Macdonnell, Kyle Taylor, Dawson Colluney, Mitch MacDonald, Ryan Killingsworth), and persistent striking (Gage Sayles, Ben Harding, Morgan Small) on the opponents net. The two shut outs were well deserved by keeper Bailey Larusson.
KU U14 Boys A
Date: May 22/23, 2010 KYSA Slurpee Cup Tournament Result: 2nd (silver medal) Orange div.
KU U14 A boys won all three of their round robin games in the KYSA Slurpee Cup this past weekend in Kamloops. Heading into the finals in first place, the KU U14 A boy’s team had scored 12 goals and goalie Joe Steward had recorded three perfect shutouts.
In their first game against Kamloops U14 A boys, KU maintained possession of play for most of the match. Both of KU’s goals were scored in the first half. Defender Kurtis Knuth scored the first goal with a rocket of a shot just outside of the 18 yard box. Their second goal sealed the win with a beautiful diving header by Liam Duncan off a well-placed corner kick by midfielder Ayo Fashanu. The strong defensive line of Joe Overton, Ayden Ledding, Duncan and Knuth protected KU’s lead and prevented Kamloops from making a comeback in the second half. The stellar defensive effort by Overton earned him MVP of the match.
In their second game of the day, KU U14 A boys defeated Penticton U14 boys 4-0. The first half saw strong end-to-end play by both teams with Penticton pressing hard offensively. With a score of 0-0 at the half, KU responded in the opening minutes of the second half with a run to the net by forward Stefan Obradovic who passed to fellow forward Josh Ugyan to put it home. Ugyan assisted on KU’s second goal with a pass back to midfielder Matthew Droguett who found the back of the net. KU’s third goal came on a header by forward Tyler Shalansky off a cross into the box by midfielder Matthew VanDenHeuvel. The final goal of the game was scored off the foot of Liam Duncan on a free kick outside the 18 yard box. Once again the defense played a key role in denying any scoring opportunities by Penticton. Defender Joe Overton earned his second MVP nomination of the tournament.
On Sunday May 23, KU U14 A boys faced off against the U14 Whalley Panthers of Surrey. KU tested the Whalley goalie several times in the first half but only managed one goal when forwards Stefan Obradovic and Josh Ugyan broke away from the defense and Ugyan passed off at the goal mouth to midfielder Tomas Pesl who made a nice left footed goal. Ahead by only 1-0 at the half, KU came back strong in the second half scoring 5 more goals. The second goal was scored by Ugyan and assisted by Pesl. Midfielder Ayo Fashanu scored the third goal on a pass from Matthew VanDenHeuvel. Fashanu then setup the fourth marker with a cross in front of the net to forward Tyler Shalansky who connected with a backward bicycle kick into the net. Goal number five was scored by Matthew Droguett assisted by Obradovic. Shalansky scored the sixth goal and his second of the match on a through ball from Pesl. KU’s dominant offensive play in the second half earned forward Obradovic MVP of the match.
In first place after round robin play, KU once again faced Penticton U14 in the finals. Penticton came out strong determined to avenge their previous loss. Both teams fought hard throughout the match. The only goal came on a free kick to Penticton just outside the 18 yard box. KU battled hard in the second half in an effort to come back. However, the boys were unable to capitalize on any of their scoring opportunities and conceded their only goal and loss in the tournament to place second in their division winning the silver medal.
KU U14 Boys B
Kelowna United just missed to play in the final of its group. After a 1-1 tie with Prince George and a 5-0 loss to tournament winners Terrace, Kelowna won 8-3 and 8-0 against Port Albany.
Many different goal scorers and solid play on both sides of the field made he second day of the tournament memorable.
KU U15 Girls
Kelowna U-15 Girls win Slurpee Cup!
The U-15 bracket of the Kamloops Slurpee Cup was fiercely competitive with the three of the best local squads facing off both against each other and two Metro Gold teams.
Kelowna started with a hard fought battle against a Vernon team stacked with some guest super Y players. The early deadlock was broken when Kelowna Megan “Jo-Jo” Johansen pounced on a loose ball in the box. Shortly after Kelowna scored, Vernon had a break-away opportunity which was thwarted by a brave challenge from keeper Natasha Remez. The collision was costly as Remez suffered an injury which ruled her out of the rest of the weekend’s play and perhaps more. However, her sacrifice was much appreciated by her team mates as the save turned out to be a big reason the squad took home gold.
Kelowna had the better of the play for the remainder of the first half, but had to wait till the early minutes of the second half to get a second goal. Candace Robinson, always a force was playing perhaps her best game of the season and supplied the perfect cross which Savannah Gellner skilfully headed back the opposite way to beat the keeper.
After the second goal Vernon pressed hard for some time. But the back line anchored by the reliable and robust pair of stand-outs; Leaghan Penekala and Magan “Jeffer” Jeffries held firm. As always; the dynamic duo led the team in minutes played. Kelowna also had chances, many of which were created by Haley Louden who turned the opposition defence inside out with several inspired runs. She was rewarded with Game MVP honours for her efforts. Only a late goal from Vernon could spoil the shut-out. 2-1 Kelowna.
The next game saw the girls pitted against tournament favourites and local rivals Kamloops. It was a hard fought affair with both Hanna Caldwell of Kelowna and the Kamloops keeper making key saves. It was a physical battle at centre field with Theresa King leading the way. Kelowna striker Kaesha Lazar was named the game MVP for her relentless pressure on the Kamloops defence and her speedy attacking runs. A well played game ended in a 0-0 tie.
So tight was the group that four of the five fixtures played on day one were draws. Because of this Kelowna went into day two knowing they had to win both games to bring home gold.
Port Coquiltlam FC was a big, strong and smart squad. Much like the Kamloops game, it was very tight and both keepers were called on early to be sharp. The opposition attacked relentlessly down the wings. However, the wide defenders Jessica MacKeldon, Katie Stein & Katy Gruendel matched them for speed and played as tough against some great athletes. All three were beat up by Sunday night as they gave their all in every game.
It was another tight game decided by a single goal. Once again it was Jo-Jo Johansen that supplied the marker. She had kept her run going after a saved shot and crashed the net sending the keeper to the sidelines for treatment and the opposition home without a medal. Her fellow striker Keasha Lazar was once again awarded player of the game honours but she donated the medal to Chrissy Macdonald who had played her best game of the weekend when it mattered most. She did a fine job filling in for Alex Myshak-Davis who had to miss the tournament.
The team was now needed to beat Powel River to be crowned champions. The schedule had not been kind to Kelowna and the opponents sensed their stiff legs and over ran the Okanagan’s finest for the first ten minutes. Gutsy defending from the back line and some inspired work from Hanna Caldwell in net was all that kept the score down to just 1-0. Kaleigh Mapson came on as a sub to provide the spark to turn the game around. She made several strong runs down the left wing. Eventually one such effort led to a goal mouth scramble and Savannah Gellner willed the ball into the net from her knees. Not the prettiest goal she has scored but a worthy reward for her relentless effort.
It was 1-1 at half time and the girls knew they would have to dig deep to get a win. By now team ‘Doctor’ Barry Gellner had strapped up half of the team. They were tired and beat up but the girls were up to the challenge. An inspired second half saw Kelowna impose their will to win on the game. They shook off the injuries and pressed hard in the opponents half. Eventually the “refuse to lose” attitude paid off when Jo-Jo held up the ball at the edge of the box and laid off a pass to in-coming winger Katarina Bergg. She ripped a 25 yard effort into the top corner for the lead. The strike brought the crowd to their feet and the opposition to their knees.
The goal sparked Kelowna to dig even deeper and they over ran a demoralized Powell River for the last ten minutes. The effort was rewarded with a text book goal straight from the training ground. Bergg was held up on the wing but turned away from pressure to find right Back Olivia “O-J” Johnson pressing in a supporting position. Johnson had a great tournament and capped it off with a precision cross to Reah Virk arriving at the far post from left wing. Virk skilfully picked the ball out of the air with a volley to guarantee Gold. It was a very pretty strike from Virk, and a just reward for her excellent play in the second half. The final score could have been more than 3-1 if not for great work by the Powell River keeper. Late in the match Kelowna pressed hard. At the final whistle the girls ran, hobbled and jogged on to the pitch to congratulate the game MVP Hanna Caldwell.
After the final game Coach Steven Bergg commented on the weekend;
“In over 18 years of coaching youth soccer I have never seen a tournament so tight. Every game was a war and any team could have won the whole thing with a few bounces. Our team got those bounces because when it mattered most they outworked the opposition. Apart from the first ten minutes of the last game, they never stopped talking and thinking all weekend. That gave them a slight edge in every game. Every girl on the team stepped up at some time during this tournament and made a difference. It was a real team effort. Football can be such a cruel game at times; so it’s nice to see such a great group of kids get what they deserve. They earned it.”
Captains; Candace Robinson, Savannah Gellner & Leaghan Penalka wish to thank the four players who gave up their weekend to join the squad.
KU Girls U16 A Team
The U16 Girls A team was victorious in the Kamloops Slurpee Cup tournament on the long weekend.
Their first game against the Mission Terminators was a solid 3-0 win, with goals by Anna Leitch, and two by Kyra-Rae Horvath. On Leitch's goal, Kiara Mayer did great work getting on the Mission goalie on the initial shot, who then misplayed the ball allowing Leitch to drive it home. Horvath's first goal was a nice cross pass set-up by Leitch, leaving Horvath with an open net. MVP of the game was mid-fielder Alana Hazell.
Game 2 against the Calgary Willowbridge Colts was a much closer game, won by Kelowna 1-0 on a goal by Sam Nadler on a pass from Horvath. MVP of the game was another midfielder Dylan Erhardt. Excellent defense was played by the defensive line of Breanna Anderson, Jill Lommer, Chantelle Fehr, Halle Stewart and Justine Drosdovech in maintaining the 1 goal margin of victory.
In game 3, vs another Calgary team, the Calgary Blizzard Lightning, the Kelowna girls came out very strong, building up a 3-0 lead in the first 7 minutes of the game. Goal scorers were Michelle Blackburne, Clare Murphy and Alana Hazell. After this however, Calgary improved their play and held Kelowna scoreless for the rest of the game and added one of their own to make the final 3-1. The MVP was defender Halle Stewart who had a solid game in helping to hold Calgary to only 1 goal. Also having a strong game was mid-fielder Karly Stromquist.
The final game, winner take-all, as it was in the season opening Icebreakers tournament, was again against the Kamloops Blaze. Both teams were tied in round robin points going into the final game. Kelowna opened the scoring in the first half off of a corner kick by Clare Murphy, which was eventually bulldozed in on a mad scramble by defender Justine Drosdovech, who was up in the play due to the corner kick. However, the lead was short lived as Kamloops scored on their own corner kick only minutes later. The bulk of the rest of the game was carried by the Kelowna girls but they were unable to convert their many opportunities and the game ended in a 1-1 draw. This game was a hard fought, very well-played game of soccer. Due to the tournament rules both teams were declared co-winners of the U16 girls orange division. MVP of this game was our goal scorer Justine Drosdovech. Special mention to goalkeeper Baily Weymouth who had only 2 goals scored against her in the 4 games and Michelle Blackburne, who also squeezed in a track meet in between the soccer games, running both the 1500 m and the 800 m races, finishing 4th and 3rd respectively.
