After a weekend off, the U13 boys Scorpions played twice last weekend, keeping their winning streak intact.
On Saturday the Scorpions travelled to Burnaby to face the Timbers.
The Scorpions started out looking like they'd eaten too much Halloween candy, but even with the slow start, Duncan Armstrong managed to speed by the Timbers defence and opened the scoring. But by the half, the Timbers had tied it up.
After a halftime pep talk, the Scorpions came alive as the speed, size and aggressive play of defenders Evan Griffin, Keegan Inkster and Tristan Tidder shut down every offensive attempt.
With the Scorpions' regular keeper sick, injured midfielder Liam Rankin played in net, and kept the few shots the Timbers got away from entering the Scorpions' goal.
Jordan Kammerle scored for the Scorpions early in the second half, and continued his relentless attack on the Timbers' keeper until he had recorded a hat trick.
Justin Fodchuk and Quintin Towert also recorded goals, and Cole Cooney's try just missed its mark in the 6-1 final.
On Sunday, the Scorpions played their first Pioneer Gold Cup game of the season.
A scheduling anomaly had them facing the Timbers again, but this time at home.
The Scorpions were methodical at first, passing and protecting, but not really attacking. Liam Rankin started the attack late in the first half with a breakaway, and under pressure from the onrushing Timbers defence, his rushed shot was stopped by the keeper.
Solid midfield performances by Bradley Huddlestone and Everett August kept the ball away from the Scorpions' side of the field for much of the half, and the game was scoreless when the whistle blew for the break.
Much like the day before, the Scorpions started the second half with urgency. Within a matter of seconds, Jordan found the back of the Timbers' net.
Once sparked, the Scorpions offence just kept coming as Liam and Duncan Armstrong scored. Finn Rogers tipped in a shot from Jordan, and then Jordan scored his second.
Benny Luporini ran around the Timbers' defence in the crease, popping in the sixth and final Scorpions goal of the game.
Still recovering from illness and injury, keeper Xavier Benjamin refused to miss the cup game, and recorded his sixth shut out of the season.
U12 girls
The Thunder played another strong game last weekend at Piccadilly Park, earning a tie and keeping their rep season record at an impressive 3-2-2.
The Thunder came out aggressively against a North Van team strong on individual skills.
Good crosses from Lulu Kammerle and hard work by Pearl Deasey and Kiah Duffey to bring the ball up the middle made for a strong start. But the Thunder got into early penalty trouble with a couple of accidental hand balls, and North Van was awarded two penalty shots within the space of five minutes. Luckily North Van was only able to convert one shot, thanks to Lydia Harvey Lloyd's great goal-keeping.
Undeterred, the Thunder kept the pressure up with good pace up front by McKenzie Inksater and Alyssa Rive's strong, consistent defence.
Late in the half, Emma Cooney pressed the attack and got close several times, and then Georgie Aleong struck home a hard shot to tie the game going into the half-time break.
North Van came out in the second half with all guns blazing. The Thunder would have been on their heels without Ingrid Hansen's and Hollie Piepjohn's fierce defending. Kobi August also provided strong goal-tending.
The Thunder fought back and brought the play back to North Van with good feeds up the wing by Mikayla Towert and hard work by Nisha Wells. The Thunder kept up the pressure for an exciting few last minutes, and the game ended in a tie.
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