The adult soccer leagues returned to the pitch last weekend to start their eight-month campaigns.
In the women's league, though the rain poured, the Blazers shone in their 5-0 defeat of Fusion on goals from Katie Bowen, Olivia McLean, Jacquie Ostrosky on a free kick, and a pair from newly-acquired Karen Mjanes, with an arresting performance from Ashley Taylor in goal.
In Gibsons, Mayhem edged Gibsons rivals Pigs 3-1, with strikes from Tajada Stewart and Tara Sullivan, and a signature, patch-peeling, 18-yard ripper from Brooke Jahraus, with Pigs' goal from Ginny Blattler.
For the men, it looked like business as usual for Chiefs at Ted Dixon when they went up 2-1 against the new, Wolves in 'Investors F.C.' clothing. Striker Scot Johnson snaked to the I.F.C. net, stopping and starting, like Lucy pushing the ball out, then pulling it back from fumbling backline Charlie Browns to put Chiefs up by two.
I.F.C responded with goals from Kirk Julien, Toby Baptiste, and veteran Dean Gradin for the 3-2 win.
In Gibsons, it was bear on hog, and when the mud had caked, the Ridgepoint Bruins prevailed 3-1 against their south Coast rivals, the Pigs. For Ridgepoint, Callum Carmichael, Josh 'Hard Knocks' Knox and Ken Fujimori scored, while Ian Marshall kept it respectable for his overworked, under-manned team.
Despite first-half, goal mouth acrobatics from Blaine Shliebinger, Sita FC let the match get away in an 8-0 loss to Coast Progressive United (CPU). SFC got tough play from Glenn Cody and Chris Motlock and great play making from Ken Campbell and Matt Pense, but CPU got hat tricks from Eoin Walker and Fumi Takahashi, and a strike from fullback Shane Vernon. CPU also got airtight defence from Martin Blackwell and Pat 'Pattering Ram' Braithwaite, while awaiting the return of temporarily loaned-out fullback Corey August.
Last year's tournament champs Pender Harbour Bananas continued their winning ways in a 3-0 win over Halfmoon Bay. Though Rod Kammerle's suggestion for a bronze team statue in Madeira Park celebrating the team's success was vetoed, the Bananas did manage to get a float in Pender's May Day parade.
With new bandwagon-jumping additions from CPU, HMB and Chiefs, the Bananas now have a regular fruit salad of scoring power, and got goals from Adam Vanderwoerd, Rich Massullo and John Gideon.
