Sept. 12 saw a sunny return to action for the men's and women's soccer leagues.
In men's action, last year's tournament champs, Wolves, met league champs Pigs at Shirley Macy but failed to establish primacy as they played to a 4-4 draw.
Wolves' defender Rick Timothy unloaded his trademark cannon for three goals and Ryan Paul, back from the Chiefs, scored one. Pigs' Ioin Ross pushed up from his defender's position to hit the net for two, with other Pigs' goals coming from Dave Nanson and Jamie Kelacki.
CPU bested Halfmoon Bay 3-1, with CPU scoring from defender Sean Cullen, Kurt Vernon and Ted Chilsom. HMB defender Scott Hage sailed a 35-yarder over the mayhem of the midfield and into CPU's goal area to bounce one off the head of John Rogers and into the net.
In their win over the Chiefs, Pender hit the net nine times, with a couple of their ringers still out fishing halibut, to propel them to the top of the league. Goals came from Richard Massullo and Rod Kammerle with three goals apiece, while singles came from Robin Miller, John Rees and Paul Van Wersch. Chiefs were missing retired Captain Robert Joe and are looking to regain the form that brought them to the final in 2003.
The upset of the week came from the IGA Selects that skunked last year's powerhouse Gibsons United 3-0, with goals from John Nickerson, Paul Kushener and Lorne Mackie.
The seven women's teams jockeyed for position this week in a series of exhibition games.
Last year's champions CAL's Crushers went down 1-0 to Fusion. CAL's midfielder Sarah Schutz was unable to spring forwards Kim Starnes and Kara MacDonnell past a solid Fusion defence quarterbacked by Teresa Sorensen. Fusion mid-fielder Melissa Braithwaite managed to put a ball up onto the foot of striker Amy 'go Amy go' Robinson for Fusions' single goal.
Gibsons Blacks scored six on Coast Progressive Blazers, whose keeper still managed some good saves, with a hat trick from Tawny Hargreaves, two from Kasha Stewart and a running header from Andrea Aleong.
Xenichen Ya Yas beat a new and improved Gibsons Pigs team 4-1.
Ya Yas' goals came from Christina Joe with two and a single from Arlene Dixon. Ellen Thomas scored for the Pigs. Goal of the week came from Ya Yas' Teresa Craigan who cracked a volley half the length of the field over the Pigs' keeper and into the net.
I'm sure everyone in all the leagues sends their best wishes to Reg Thomas, who in the past has written this column and is suffering from a back injury and will hopefully return to coaching action soon.
