In a nail-biting game, the U16 Eagles emerged victorious against WVA United in Ambleside on Feb. 11, clinching the North Shore Cup in a dramatic 4-2 win.
The game was 1-1 at half; the first goal was a beautiful volley scored by Brock Flatt. Five minutes into the second half, Eagles goalie Kordell Johnson was violently fouled in the box on a save.
After Kordell was carried off the field, the team was angered by the opposing team refusing to take a knee. The young men formed a circle themselves on the field for a pep-talk and made their minds up to respond to the lack of sportsmanship. They rallied with notable contributions by Isaiah Hill (the fourth-string goalie) stepping into the net, Immanuel Fadipe stepping up into a new role as stopper.
This allowed the relentless attack with three goals in a row – Bryan Rono with goal No. 2, Alex Piepjohn reliably scoring a penalty shot, and Bryan Rono on fire with the Eagles’ final goal, all in the space of a few minutes. Coaches Jer Hamp and River Rohlicek, along with the dedicated parents, were cheering and thrilled on the sidelines.
WVA United answered the Eagle onslaught with a single goal, bringing the final score to 4-2 for the Eagles.
The Sunshine Coast Eagles have had a solid season, ending the year sixth of the 20 top teams in the Lower Mainland, and looking forward to Coastal Cup play March 3 and a shot at advancing to the provincials.
– Submitted by Maria Hampvent
