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Thunderbirds win gold, earn spot in Coastal Cup

U17 boys soccer
Soccer
Front L to R: Jamie Mundy, Nicholas Davis, Wyatt Baldwin, Devin Pendreti-Ritchlin, Isaac Oka, Will Magnussen, Henry Larsen, Angeo Pinsonnault, coach Dean Schutz. Back L to R: Coach Billy Davis, Kaden Sauer, Avery Kooyman, Cole Schutz, Quin Huibers, Elliot Wadge, Kai Hansen, coach Jeff Wadge. Missing: Casey Baines, Ben Luporini, Hayden Rogers.

Sunshine Coast Thunderbirds are the U17 North Shore District Champions after a hard-fought win in North Vancouver last Saturday. The 2-0 victory over North Vancouver Torrent earned the boys a spot in the Coastal Cup where they will compete for a berth to Provincials.

The win didn’t come without a cost as in-form striker Casey Baines went down with a badly sprained knee in the 30th minute. Already missing two others to injury, the T-birds rallied and responded with a 40th minute beauty of a goal when Cole Schutz saw his corner kick headed in at the back post by centre back Quin Huibers. 

Having proven difficult to score on all season, Torrent was not going to go down easy, but they could not get much past a tough T-birds defence with keeper Isaac Oka acrobatically tipping over the bar when called upon. With about 30 minutes to go, Wyatt Baldwin found the back of the net for a great team goal following a nice phase of inter-passing up the field from the back.

The goal gave the Coast boys and their fans some breathing room as they pushed on to the well-deserved win and an extended season.

The Thunderbirds play this weekend in Surrey’s Mayors Cup, before facing Surrey’s champ in a tough opening Coastal Cup game April 1 at Kinnickinnik.