For the third year running, the A.L. Fortune Falcons are in the B.C. High School Senior A Boys Soccer Championships.
The tourney goes Nov. 3-5 in Kamloops.
The Falcons punched their ticket with a fifth-place showing at Valley championships in Salmon Arm.
The Falcons opened the Valleys with a disappointing 2-1 loss to the Osoyoos Rattlers, despite controlling possession and outplaying their opposition.
After going down by two goals in the first half, Caleb Halvorson banged in his own rebound from the edge of the crease to get the Falcons back in the game.
Fortune earned a penalty kick in the final minute, but the Osooyos keeper came up with a good save to preserve the win.
Striker Sheldon Croken turned the hat trick as Fortune rebounded with a convincing 5-1 win over the Ashcroft Golden Rams.
Brendan Shykora and Brendan Honeyman added singles for the Falcons.
Friday morning, a determined Falcons squad faced the No. 1 seed and eventual winners, the Kelowna Christian Knights.
They fell 2-1 in a shootout.
After giving up an early goal on a deflection, Falcons’ keeper Travis Fox played brilliantly, scooping up any balls near the 18 and allowing his team a chance at a comeback.
Late in the first half, Croken timed a run perfectly to chase down a chip pass after catching the Knights’ defence pushing. Reaching the bouncing ball a fraction before the Kelowna keeper, he chipped it over the keeper’s head.
The Falcons kept up the intensity in the second half, generating three solid scoring chances.
Sten Korver and Shykora scored for the Falcons in the shootout, and Travis Fox made two solid saves, but the last Knights shooter converted for the win.
With a B.C. berth on the line in their final game, the Falcons iced the Similkameen Sparks of Keremeos 3-0.
Playing in a steady downpour, the Falcons got the lead on a long free kick by Caleb Halvorson that tipped off the goalie’s fingertips and into the top corner.
Fortune took control in the second half and added goals by Luke Tompkins, on a beautiful feed from Honeyman, and Levi Verlaan.
Other Okanagan teams advancing to B.C.s include Kelowna Christian, St. Ann’s Academy Crusaders of Kamloops, Immaculata Mustangs of Kelowna and Osooyos.
