Wave teams eye provincial titles

The best young soccer and tennis talent in the province will be on display this weekend in Langford.

Three teams from the Vancouver Island Wave will be represented today and Sunday at Westhills and Goudy stadiums in the EA Sports B.C. Soccer Premier League’s Premier Cup championship games.

The finals are hosted this year by the Island Wave, the first time the Wave has hosted since 2005.

Game start times run from 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. today and 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday at both stadiums.

The Island Wave is among eight franchises in the BCSPL, including one from the Interior and six from the Lower Mainland. The Island Wave franchise is made up of players from the Lower Island Soccer Association and the Upper Island Soccer Association.

The V.I. Wave, coached by Victor Fereira, will play Mountain United in the U-14 boys’ final today at 12:30 p.m. at Westhills Stadium.

Also today, the Island Wave U-15 boys, coached by former European pros Blair Sturrock and Riley O’Neil, will play for the provincial title against Surrey United at 3:15 p.m. at Westhills. This is a rematch of last year’s final, won by the Wave.

The Island Wave U-16 girls, coached by Steph Steiner and Lyle Eggen, will play Surrey United on Sunday at noon at Westhills. The U-16 Wave girls were this year’s league champions and beat Fusion FC in the semifinals last weekend in extra-time to earn a spot in this weekend’s final.

The winners of the U-15 and U-17 finals will represent B.C. at the national championships in the fall.

Meanwhile, the best U-12 tennis players in the province will be smashing and returning on Bear Mountain in the Tennis B.C. Junior Selection Series tournament.

Action began Friday at the Bear Mountain Tennis Centre and continues today from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Monday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.