Defending the title
P.E.I. F.C. clinches third straight New Brunswick title
Island squad wins third straight New Brunswick premier soccer championship.
The three-peat is complete for SoccerStop P.E.I. F.C.
The Island squad defeated the Fredericton Reds 2-0 Saturday and the teams played to a 3-3 draw on Sunday in a game cut short by thunder and lightning.
With the four points P.E.I. F.C. (10-0-1) clinched the McCain New Brunswick Premier Soccer League title while Fredericton is 8-3-1. It is P.E.I.’s third straight league championship and fourth in five years.
“The boys deserve a lot of credit,” coach John Diamond said. “We’ve played most of our games with 12, 13 players. We’ve been mixing and matching.”
The squad dealt with the loss of some key players, who have been mainstays on its championship teams, including Matt Thomson, Brett Hogan, Ryan Casey, Cole MacMillan and Brett MacDonald.
Players stepped up into larger roles while rookies showed they could play with the best New Brunswick players.
“The younger players from UPEI got lots of experience this year. That’s important,” said Diamond, who coaches the squad with Bruce Norton. “Bruce and I keep involved because we keep seeing younger players coming through and it’s a positive experience for everybody.”
Logan Dawson scored both of the goals on Saturday while Liam Bitar had the clean sheet, his fifth of the season.
“The two young goaltenders played extremely well all summer,” Diamond said.
P.E.I. F.C. exploded out of the gate on Sunday, scoring before some of the fans got to their seats.
Noah Bitar cashed in two minutes into the game and Sam Smiley made it 2-0 two minutes later. Alex O’Brien scored in the 13th minute to make it 3-0 at the Terry Fox Sports Complex in Cornwall.
Fredericton replied with goals in the 14th (Oisin McKenna) and 28th (Jon Crossland) before Ken Morrison tied it on a penalty kick in the 30th minute to beat Nathan Ford.
The three goals allowed are a lot considering the Island squad gave up four in its first 10 games.
P.E.I. F.C. has two games remaining this season. They host Fundy United Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at noon at the Terry Fox Sports Complex in Cornwall.
They will go to nationals in early October looking to win the Challenge Trophy they captured in 2010.