In the last week of regular season play, the Xenichen Ya Yas were the only team to score more than a single goal, as the squads seem to be saving their strikes for the upcoming playoffs.The Ya Yas managed a 3-0 win in their game with the Gibsons Pigs. Ellen Thomas returned to the Pigs' backline and will considerably shore up the defence as she works herself back into the lineup after an injury.LJ Contracting Fusion and CALs Crushers played a great match to a 1-1 tie at Connor Park. CALs asked a lot from their rookie keeper Laurie Gray and had her face two penalty shots from Fusion sharpshooters Vicky Schneider and Shelley Long. Gray got in front of both shots to keep them out of the net and may find herself caught under the new goaltenders' curse: if you can play in net you stay in net. Fusion scored first when Long tore a patch off the ball as she ripped a 30-yarder into the back of the net. Sara Schutz-she-Scores answered in the second half with a 30-yarder of her own almost from the same spot.The ever-improving IGA/Coast Progressive Blazers also played well, holding Marshall Mayhem to a single goal in their 1-1 tie. The Blazers goal came from Jyl Stinson on a pass from Pam Bunbury.Blazers also got good play from keeper Lori Elgbacka.The Mayhem's goal came from striker Brooke Whalen.This game served as a good warm-up as these two teams will face each other next week in the first round of the playoffs.In men's play, Coast Progressive United edged Halfmoon Bay Sea Kayaks 1-0, in a chatty, lacklustre game where both teams seemed to be enjoying the sunshine. Ted Chilsom scored again this week, as he hammered a ball at keeper George Cuthbertson, who made the save, then knocked in his rebound. Cuthbertson then went horizontal as he dove to get his glove on a potential strike from Dean Totten. Mike Cowie had the chance to tie it up, but his shot just peeled wide.For HMB, defender Todd Creed laid down the law on the backline, while Trevor Cockfield pressed charges up through the midfield. Jeremy Hamp was relentless for CPU on the wing.Gibsons United's 1-0 win over the IGA Selects put them into a three-way tie with Selects and Xenichen Wolves. The single goal of the game was a beauty, as Rich Getzkow ran the ball into the corner and sent in a high long cross. As though shot out of a cannon, and missing only a Super-Dave Osborne helmet, Sean Whalen came flying through the air headfirst to bang in the header.In a rematch between last year's tournament finalists, high scoring Wolves and Gibsons Pigs played to a 0-0 draw.Both teams' defences stepped up, to keep Junior Dixon and Ken Campbell off the scoreboard. With the tie, the Pigs managed to play an undefeated season.Congratulations, Pigs.The women's league playoffs are set for April 1 and 2 while the men take to the pitch on April 8 and 9.
