Last Sunday (Sept. 11) at 10 a.m., whistles blew around the Coast to begin the eight-month scramble for soccer supremacy.
Halfmoon Bay and the Chiefs met at Connor Park for their season opener. Halfmoon Bay scored first, as midfielder Dave Marsh took a ball inside the penalty area and smacked it past the keeper.
Early in the second half the Chiefs equalized. Scott Johnson announced his arrival in the league as he weaved around the penalty area and hit a ball under HMB's keeper. Another newcomer to the league, Mike Cowie, put HMB ahead late in the second half, with a cannon of a shot from 20 yards out for the 2-1 win.
In what was described as a great game by media liaison Rod Kammerle, Pender lost a close one to the Gibsons Pigs 3-2.
Pender came to the field without subs but with lots of stubble, as their shaved heads are growing in nicely after last year's playoff head-shaving. Pender keeper Al Stewart threw a ball to Kammerle, who volleyed it up field to charging forward Robin Millar who tucked it in the net. Kammerle later crossed a ball to Millar, who shot, and whose rebound was struck by Richard Massulo. As Pender's defence concentrated on containing Ken Campbell, Dave Nanson took advantage of the space to get a hat trick. Nanson hit a 40-yarder, charged a ball on the goal line and got his foot on a corner kick.
Selects beat the Wolves 4-2 this week.
Wolves played without subs, while Selects had a ready roster on the sideline. Selects got goals from Bob Hoy, John Nickerson and midfield maestro Greg Korlikowski, who recently arrived on the squad from Halfmoon Bay. The fourth goal was an own goal. The Wolves' goals came from Junior Dixon and Ryan Paul.
Gibsons United and CPU split the points in a 1-1 tie.
Sean Whalen and his speedy shadow Sean Cullen were both absent from the match, which made for a slower, rougher game. CPU went up in the first half, as Martin Blackwell hit his penalty shot.
In the second half, Ian Armstrong tapped in a loose ball after CPU's keeper made the initial save. CPU got great runs on the wings from Steve Oka, while on United's back line, Jessie Agnew volleyed balls back and headed out whatever came his way.
Due to the last gasp of the softball season, many women were unable to get to their soccer games this week, and a four-team make-up game was played instead.
Blacks and Fusion managed to play their game , with Blacks winning 3-1. For Fusion, Vicky Schneider hit a ball past the near post. Blacks' Trina Geisbrecht hit a bouncing ball inside the 18, Tawny Hargrave scored, and Brooke Whalen sent a great shot from 30 yards out, sailing under the crossbar and in. The Wild have been having trouble fielding a full roster for the season. Any women interested in playing can contact Caitlin Hicks at 604-886-3634.
