SOCCER FLOURISHED IN SASKATOON IN 2018
Homegrown products rose to higher levels and city proved fertile for big-time events
There were many individual and team feats in Saskatoon this past year. Let’s take a look at the very best from 2018.
Leesa Eggum, fifth-year graduate of the Huskies, was chosen to represent Canada on the futsal team at the FISU Games in Kazakhstan. Eggum went on to score three times for her country.
Thomas Hasal, the two-time Saskatchewan Soccer Association youth male athlete of the year, was a regular call-up with the men’s under-20 national side. He recorded a shutout over Dominica at the CONCACAF U-20 Championship.
Ahmed Mohammed of SUSC cracked a pro team roster. He played seven times this past season for Thunder Bay Chill of the PDL.
Jay Tomchuk went national. He was called up to Canada’s men’s futsal team, and played two friendlies against Costa Rica in the capital of San Jose. Tomchuk was later named the Saskatchewan Soccer Association’s male athlete of the year.
Recovering from injury, Brett Levis had a breakthrough season with the Vancouver Whitecaps of Major League Soccer (MLS). Levis was a constant in the starting lineup and was named man of the match in a win over San Jose Earthquakes on Sept. 1.
Romania won the men’s Saskatoon World Cup for a second time. Romania bravely eliminated Brazil 5-4 in a classic semifinal. They would see off China in the final for their second title in three years.
There were new World Cup winners in both the women’s and masters for the first time. First Nations ended Poland’s five-year reign, beat them 3-2 in the semifinal, although Iceland would stun them and win the women’s final. Canada won the Masters crown, ended Serbia’s streak, won 5-4 in the semis and 3-1 over Chile in the final. Lee Greenwood was outstanding, named goalkeeper of the tournament.
Both the men’s and women’s U of S Huskies made the playoffs. The women’s season was highlighted with an upset win over Victoria in the playoff round. Huskies Payton Izsak, Haley Mercier and men’s player Nikolas Baikas were each named to the Canada West all-rookie team.
Olimpia SK FC won bronze at the Canadian National Futsal Championship in Kingston, Ont., beating Sporting FC Quebec in their final. Baikas scored a hat-trick in the match. After an identification camp was held in Saskatoon, Tomchuk, Baikas and Mitchell Bauche were invited to nationals training camp.
Centennial Chargers completed back-to-back triple crowns in high school boys’ soccer. Over two seasons, they have scored 93 goals and allowed just 14, not losing once. Centre backs Ethan Turnbull and Liam Sanche were massive on defence and a big reason why so few goals were allowed. The Chargers dominated in claiming first place in the league, and claimed the city and provincial championship.
Centennial Chargers graduate Matthew Hnatiw spent time in Croatia. Hajduk Split of the top Croatian league had Hnatiw over for a trial in May.
The Canadian Premier League has sprouted up, with seven teams to kick off in 2019. With rumblings of Saskatoon getting a team, it won’t be in for the inaugural season. The question that needs to be answered is whether Saskatoon a good future home for pro soccer?
Sask Impact FC were one goal shy of a berth in the medal round at the Jubilee Trophy Championships in Saskatoon. Elizabeth Hudon added two more goals to her impressive career. She announced her retirement upon the completion of the games.
The biggest story of the year was that of Saskatoon Revolution. The newly formed club defeated nine-time Saskatchewan champion HUSA Alumni FC in front of 700 fans at Sasktel Sports Centre on Aug. 19 to qualify for nationals.
With the 2018 Toyota National Championships being staged in Saskatoon, Revolution went undefeated, winning three games and drawing twice. It was highlighted by a Garrett Peters wonder strike, a Mitch Bauche world-class free kick, a Jordian Farahani thunderous header, a stone-wall defence and a shootout victory over Newfoundland that gave them a podium finish and bronze medal.
Revolution went through a provincial and national championship without losing a single match in 2018.
The question that needs to be answered is whether Saskatoon is a good future home for pro soccer.