DEFENDING THEIR CROWNS
Veteran CBU Capers enter 2018 season as defending AUS and U Sports national champions
CBU Capers kick off season as defending national champions.
Looking back, Ben Jackson recalls the biggest save of his soccer career being the one that secured the Cape Breton University men’s soccer team the national title last season.
On a chilly November night in Kamloops, B.C., Jackson made history for the university’s soccer program, making a leaping fingertip save in penalty kicks, leading the Capers to a 3-2 win over the Montréal Carabins.
At the time, Jackson didn’t know how big the save was for not only the team, but for Cape Breton Island and the Atlantic University Sport.
“I was pretty tired and cold by the end of the game, so it didn’t really set in until we got back to campus a couple days later,” said the 20-year-old keeper of the historic feat.
“When we went to penalty kicks, there wasn’t much going through my mind. I was just trying to annoy the guys that were taking the shots and I was trying to get in their heads and trying to guess right as to where they were going to shoot.”
Although the Capers are still riding high from their first-ever national championship, the team knows they have to put the victory behind them and move forward.
Cape Breton will begin its title defence of the Atlantic University Sport and U Sport championships when they open the regular season against the New Brunswick Reds Saturday at 3:15 p.m. at the Cape Breton Health Recreation Complex. The team will also be on the field against the Moncton Aigles Bleus on Sunday at 3:15 p.m. in Sydney.
This year’s Capers team enters the 2018 season with loads of experience. The club will return 21 players from last year’s roster, including AUS all-stars Peter Schaale, Cory Bent and
Marcus Campanile.
The team will only have two rookie players in its lineup this year — Alex Artur of Sydney and Daniel Williams of Pierrefonds, Que.
“The last two years was a lot of work to get where we ended up last year,” said Capers head coach Deano Morley, who was named the AUS and U Sports coach of the year in 2017.
“We have a solid foundation, and two years ago when we lost in the national semifinals, there were nine first-year players on the field, so that bodes well for us as we go forward and now we have that experience — some have been to national finals the last two years.”
Morley understands the Cape Breton squad, who finished first overall in the league standings with an 11-0-1 record last year, will have a target on their backs in the AUS this season.
“Every game we play is
going to be a national final for the opposition and we’re going to see the best of every opponent,” said Morley, who enters his fifth season behind the Capers bench.
“I’ve been very clear with the boys that we have to address that and handle that and I think what we’ve seen early (this season) is it’s going to be our discipline and our standards that carry us through.”
Despite the team’s success over the past year, the Capers did receive a major blow to its lineup during the offseason.
The Capers will be without forward Charlie Waters for the season after he tore his ACL in the summer. The Lancashire, England, native led the team in goals (8) and points (12) in 11 regular season games in 2017. He was also named the AUS rookie of the year and a first team all-star.
“We’ve lost the best player that played in Canada last year,” said Morley. “He’s probably the most exciting talent I’ve seen come into the U Sports level.
“It’s beyond disappointing, especially when he was probably involved in 22 goals during the season. He got better as the year went on and he popped up in big games and when we were in trouble he was there — he’s a tremendous player.”
Since 2007, Cape Breton has won five AUS championships, most recently in 2016 and 2017.
Along with playing 12 regular season games this year, the Capers will also host the AUS championship, Nov. 1-4, in Sydney.
Jackson, who will enter his third year with the Capers, believes soccer fans can expect to see a passionate team every time the club hits the field.
“Everyone on the team knows that we have a lot of competition in every single position,” said Jackson, the
Bury, England, native, who began his soccer career at age four.
“The league is tough and if we don’t go into every game prepared, we’re going to end up tripping up — there’s no way around it. We have to treat every game as if it was a cup final and continue to try to improve from last year.”
Earlier this year, the Capers family suffered a devastating loss.
Former head coach Robbie Chiasson died on April 15 following an all-terrain vehicle accident in his hometown of New Waterford. He was 49.
Morley played for Chiasson before succeeding him as Capers head coach in 2014.
“This is a very emotional and challenging time and season for us,” said Morley. “I lost my best friend and this program lost its former head coach and family member and someone who took this program from nothing to being a national-calibre program.”
The Capers have dedicated the season to Chiasson and will wear his initials on their sleeves.
“We’ll look to that for strength, but it’s not easy and there’s going to be a lot of mixed emotions going into Saturday’s game,” said Morley. “I know Robbie’s family will be here with us and we will get through it together as a Caper family.”
Although the ultimate goal, once again, is winning a national championship, Jackson said the club will take things one game at a time.
“The core of the team is the same, so that’s a positive thing going into the season,” he said. “It’s going to be a challenge for the boys to maintain the level we set last season and hopefully take it to the next level this year — we know what we have to do.”