PORT McNEILL — Port McNeill’s annual Mud Bowl Soccer Tournament, as usual, lived up to its name thanks to a couple of impressive showers Friday and Saturday.
But the sun made its presence known as well, as young players from age 3 to 17 competed and collected prizes and other goodies in the first big North Island tourney of the season.
A pair of first-half goals by Christian Knutson and the goalkeeping of Mat Williams stood up in the U18 Mixed final as Port Hardy downed Port McNeill 2-0.
In the U-15 division, Port McNeill swept the titles as the Port McNeill Team 1 boys topped Port Hardy Team 2 2-1 and the Port McNeill girls outdueled Port Hardy 2-1.
The large field of U12 teams included a girls division and a mixed division that combined boys teams with co-ed teams from smaller communities like Port Alice, Alert Bay, Gold River and Sointula.
Jordan Burland scored the lone goal as Port McNeill edged Port Hardy 1-0 and capped an unbeaten run through the mixed tourney. The U12 girls title went to the Port McNeill Believers, who got a pair of early goals from Emma Mitchell and went on to beat the Port McNeill Divas, avenging a loss to the Divas in an earlier meeting.
2011 Mud Bowl
May 6-8, Port McNeill
U12 Girls
Final: Port McNeill Believers d. Port McNeill Divas
Semifinals: PM Believers d. Port Hardy II; PM Divas d. PH Tazmaniacs, 3-2, shootout.
Round-robin: PM Divas 3, PM Believers 2; PM Divas 5, PH Tazmaniacs 2; PM Believers 10, PH Tazmaniacs 1; PH II 4, PH Tazmaniacs 2; PM Divas 5, PH II 2.
U12 Mixed
Final: Port McNeill 1, Port Hardy 0
Semifinals: Port McNeill 4, Alert Bay 3, shootout; Port Hardy 6, Port Alice 3.
Round-robin standings: 1. Port McNeill 3-0; 2. Port Hardy 2-1; 3. Port Alice 2-1; 4. Alert Bay 2-1; 5. Gold River 0-3; 6. Sointula 0-3.
U15 Girls
Final: Port McNeill 2, Port Hardy 1
Round-robin: Port Hardy 0, Port McNeill 0; Port McNeill 2, Port Hardy 0.
U15 Boys
Final: Port McNeill I 2, Port Hardy Tropics 1
Semifinal: Port Hardy Tropics 1, Port McNeill II 0.
U18 Mixed
Final: Port Hardy 2, Port McNeill II 0
Semifinals: Port Hardy 1, Alert Bay 0; Port McNeill II 2, Port McNeill I 1.
Round-robin: Alert Bay/Sointula 3, Port McNeill I 0; Port McNeill I 2, Port McNeill II 1; Port McNeill II 2, Port Hardy 1; Alert Bay/Sointula 1, Port Hardy 1; Alert Bay/Sointula 2, Port McNeill I 0.
