Reynolds, Campbell River fight for soccer crown
Attempting to match the senior boys’ accomplishments, the Reynolds Roadrunners continue to roll right along in senior girls high school soccer play.
Having already clinched a Lower Island regular-season championship and Ryan Cup crown, the Roadrunners added the Island triple-A title to their list of successes by way of a 4-0 victory over Campbell River’s Carihi Tyees at Braefoot Park on Tuesday.
The senior boys managed Colonist Cup, Island and eventual provincial titles in the fall and the girls are proving as powerful under coach J.J. Atterbury.
“I’m very proud of the girls, they played very well,” said Atterbury, who lately seems to turn everything he touches into gold. “Today was a great day, obviously, when you win an Island championship.
“Just the way we played. I was proud how they stepped it up. We played very well in the first game and, again, in the second game — it was a great performance,” he said referring to a 6-1 victory in the morning to end the round-robin. “Our girls today, they raised it.”
Reynolds was led by Grade 10 athlete Cecilia Way, who also helped the junior girls to an Island title last week. Way created havoc all day for Carihi defenders, scoring twice after her powerful free-kick from 27 yards had hit the crossbar.
Way more than made up for it a short time later, when she made it 2-0 in the 36th minute. Co-captain Nicole Moreira had opened the scoring eight minutes in with a header from a corner.
“It was nice to get ahead that quickly,” Way said of the early start. “The free-kick was frustrating because I’ve taken a few this year that haven’t quite gone in. I was disappointed, but that was OK. We really came together as a team.”
Annie Kind and Way, with her second, added late second-half goals for the Roadrunners, who were also stellar defensively, with Moreira, Abby Mackenzie, Camryn Nadeau and Lauren Sweeney forming a wall at the back. Kaitlyn Chojnacki dictated play in midfield. Goalkeeper Jessica Gardiner made a strong save to keep it 2-0 midway through the second half.
While the Roadrunners downed Cowichan 6-1 in the morning, Carihi beat Oak Bay on penalties after a scoreless draw in regulation time to advance to the final.
“I think emotionally, mentally and physically it was done this morning for us. Reaching the provincial triple-A championship is a huge achievement for us,” said Carihi coach John Jepson, whose team moved up from double-A this season.
Both teams advance to provincials in Burnaby on May 31.
At double-A Islands, Ladysmith defeated host Frances Kelsey 2-1 for gold and St. Michaels University School claimed bronze in penalty kicks over Brentwood College after a scoreless draw.
The top three also advance to Burnaby for provincials.