IT was controlled soccer chaos at North Vancouver's Inter River Park Sunday as seven championship finals played out at the same time on seven immaculate fields on the last day of the Provincial Girls B Cup championship.
Tucked away on the farthest pitch, just steps away from the wilds of the forest, the North Shore gained its only gold medal of the tournament as the West Van Spuraways claimed the under-15 title with a thrilling 1-0 win over the Powell River Cobras.
"From top to bottom there was so little difference between any of the players - that's what made us so strong," said West Van head coach Steve Dewar. "We had no super star, everybody came with a different piece to the puzzle and it was just an amazing team effort that got us to win this thing."
Central defender Anniqa Karmali, later named the team's MVP for the tournament, scored the game's only goal 30 minutes into the final when her blast from way outside the 18yard box ticked off the goalie's fingers, bounced off the bottom of the crossbar and nestled into the net.
"As I always say to anybody who will listen - shoot at the net and good things will happen," said Dewar. "She played a huge role in the tournament for us."
Karmali combined with sweeper Quinn Vidalin and goalkeeper Kelsey Sheddy to form the core of a lockdown defence for the Spuraways as they conceded just one goal in four tournament games. On the other end of the pitch striker Leah Donen led the way on attack.
With a 1-0 lead in the final, the defensive-minded Spuraways were confident that they could hold on but they faced a formidable foe in the Cobras. The same two teams met in the Coastal Cup final with Powell River scoring a 3-0 win.
"That's a really tough team to play against," said Dewar. "They're a super tight-knit group."
With time winding down the Cobras looked ready to strike a deadly blow. A rocket of a free kick taken late in the second half appeared to be destined for the back of the net. Coach Dewar, standing right behind the shooter, believed it was on its way in and was already thinking of strategy changes as the ball was in the air.
"I actually thought it was going in," he said. "I was just starting to figure out - 'OK, now the momentum is going to switch. How do I keep the girls up?' That kind of goes through your head in the space of about two seconds."
The blast, however, hammered the top of the crossbar, bounced up in the air and landed harmlessly on the back of the net, not in it.
"We got lucky," said Dewar, "but in any championship you need luck."
From then on it was just a few more tense minutes until the final whistle blew and the screaming commenced.
Dewar credited his team's superior depth, along with a little home cooking, for taking them through the grueling four games in four days.
"We had 16 players and every one of them could come into the game at any time, anywhere and make a difference," he said. "I didn't see any other team that had that. . . . I think another big thing was no travel, and you're in your own bed. It made a huge difference."
Similar scenes were playing out all over the sprawling complex, capping off a tournament that was played under beautiful summer skies, eagles soaring above to take in the action.
"It was fantastic," said Dewar. "The thing was run so well. The fields were like golf greens. It was ridiculous. . . . I've been to four of these now and this was by far the best fields that I have ever seen. The conditions were amazing."
Dewar even had praise for the referees - something seldom heard in the often hotheaded world of youth sports.
"Every game we had had a woman officiating the middle," he said. "I think that's great for women's soccer. I think it shows the girls that there are other things that you can do in the game besides being a player. I thought that was fantastic."
Elsewhere around the park the medals came fast and furious. Richmond toppled Mission 2-0 in the Special Olympics demonstration tournament final. CCB Extreme knocked off Saanich Fusion FC 2-1 in overtime to win the under-18 division. Overtime was needed in the under-17 group as well as the Lakehill Reds scored twice in the extra frame to beat SUS Elite 4-2. The under-16 division also went to extras, eventually ending up in the dreaded shootout with the Williams Lake Storm gaining the final edge for a 2-1 win over the Ladner Vipers. At the under-14 level Vernon United topped Langley FC 2-1 to take the title while Saanich Fusion FC claimed gold in the under-13 division with a 1-0 win over the Marpole Phoenix.
