Powell River Edge Under-18 girls’ soccer team travelled to the tropical city of Penticton for this year’s BC Soccer Association Girls’ Provincial B Cup Championships earlier this month.
With the thermometer reaching 37 degrees, in their first game the girls faced a tough Williams Lake team and took the game to them. They were rewarded with a dozen scoring chances in the first half however the ball refused to go into the net. Tied at zero at the half the Edge came out strong. However, the girls were caught on the counterattack and found themselves down by one. An unlucky bounce put them down by two, however they didn’t give up and cut the lead in half three quarters of the way through the game. Powell River continued to fight and kept the ball in its opponent’s end but couldn’t find the net. The Edge dominated this game, however the bounces just didn’t go its way as it fell 2-1.
The next day saw the Edge kicking off against Columbia Valley. Powell River had a strong start but it looked like a repeat of its first game as luck was not on its side—early pressure and grade A chances found no results. The girls cracked the run of bad luck with three first-half goals in quick succession and went into the break with a 3-0 lead. The second half saw more Edge chances and very little for Columbia Valley until the dying moments when its opponents got a consolation goal making the final 3-1.
On day three the Edge needed a victory against the undefeated squad out of Nelson to have a chance at a medal. Unfortunately, the girls ran into a hungry team that was not only lightning fast but very skillful. Nelson scored early and it tacked another one late in the game to give the Edge its second loss.
The result put the Edge in a game to determine fifth or sixth against Coquitlam who it played in the Coastal Cup final earlier this year. This age group was so close a goal here or there and either of these teams could have been in the gold-medal match.
On the final day of the tournament the Edge was very relaxed and two injured players recovered sufficiently to go back into the lineup. Powell River started quickly and was rewarded with a goal within five minutes. Coquitlam was not going to lie down, though, and came back with pressure of its own. The Edge bent but did not break and doubled its lead with a goal just before the half. Up by two was not a safe lead as its opponent had the fire power to score. However not on this day, as Powell River seemed to wear Coquitlam down and as the clock ticked the opponent seemed to realize a comeback was not in the cards. Powell River topped the game off with a third goal from a penalty shot to seal the victory and secure fifth place in the most prestigious tournament of the year.
With the number of the teams in their tier and age group playing soccer in BC, a fifth place finish is a great accomplishment for the Powell River girls. However, even more special was the fact that the BC soccer officials, referees and assistants awarded the Fair Play award to Powell River Edge.
“This group of girls had an amazing year especially for a team that was put together at the beginning of the season by joining two teams, the Fury and the Cobras,” said coach Paul Liknes. Team members include Destiny Dendewicz, Lynne McDonald, Sydney Liknes, Sophia Lazaroff, Mackenzie Balzan, Braea Mayenburg, Ricci Leitch, Rachel Horspool, Allahna Somji, Brittany Harry, Dyan MacNeill, Santana Huetzelmann, Robin Thomas, Cassidy Ball, Callie McNeil, Justine Decock, Alexis Beauregard and Sydni Long.
