SHIELD quest for RUSC soccer

It’s soccer weekend in Rockland on Aug. 20.

Rockland United Soccer Club (RUSC) hosts two of the Eastern Region Soccer League Shield games (ERSL). The Shield series is a single-elimination competition played throughout the seasons for teams in the ERSL District Competitive League’s U13 to U18 divisions.

Sunday’s Shield matches in Rockland start at 6:30 p.m. at L’Escale’s soccer field. The RUSC’s U16 GT1 team, under the direction of Coach Gregg Harmison, hosts Ottawa City in the U16 Girls semifinal. The winner of the match moves on to play for the Shield itself in their division on Sept. 17, against either Carleton Place United or the Ottawa Futsal Elite. RUSC’s U16 GT1 team won the Shield last season when they were in the U15 Girls division. The second semifinal match is at 8:30 p.m. at L’Escale’s field under the lights, featuring the RUSC U16 BT1 coached by Mike Schubert. They play against St. Anthony Surad in the U16 Boys semifinal. The winner of the match goes to the U16 Boys Shield final on Sept. 17 against either Kemptville or Seaway Valley.

Rockland has won the Shield five times since 2006, three times in the boys division and twice in the girls division.

Les équipes de football junior de Rockland rivaliseront le 20 août pour avoir la chance de participer aux finales régionales de SHIELD.