The Big O/Turn-Key Controls Ogopogos came up with a monster of an effort when they needed one.
The lake monsters won a huge Vernon derby Monday as they manhandled Bosman Accounting 5-0 to snag the final Capri Insurance Okanagan Men’s 45+ Soccer League playoff spot at Marshall Field #2.
Volker Otto finished with a goal and an assist after opening the scoring by burning former teammate Yogi Kongsdorf.
Otto had a waist-high pass from Mark Wasylyk deflect off his hip and in, and the Ogopogos (8-9-1) never looked back.
Brad Conlin picked out the bottom corner from distance when he lofted a lengthy rebound that bounced over a sprawling Kongsdorf.
Otto and Conlin were controlling the centre half like a police officer directing traffic, and it was much of the same in the second half.
Otto was harassing Bosman’s defenders and deflected a break-out pass over to a streaking Ruben Cerventes who unloaded on Kongsdorf. But the accountants’ keeper made a spectacular one-armed diving stop, only to have the ball bounce onto the right boot of Big O’s’ Parm Kler, who drilled it into the yawning cage from a sharp angle.
One of the Ogopogo’s team sponsors, Kerry Zubot, one-timed a Dave Hampton pass over to Wasylyk, who lifted the ball over the Bosman (6-8-4) keeper’s head.
Bosman’s casket was nailed shut when Cerventes, who just returned from his wedding, proved that his head was more than a nice spot to hang a hat, scoring on a header off a Bryan Schenker corner.
Bosman made some runs in the second half, with a few high shots mixed with a couple of nice saves by Brian Cope to preserve the shutout.
Dan Pawsey was given the nod as the Sleeman’s Man of the Match for the accountants.
The Ogopogos will take on the North Country Appraisal Kickers (11-5-2) in the quarterfinals which begin Sept. 8.
Kickers control Camels
The North Country Appraisals Kickers roll into the playoffs riding a small high. After tying top-dog Penticton United, the Kickers squashed the Okanagan Spring Brewery Camels 5-2 at Marshall Field #3.
The Kickers entered recess up three after markers from Fritz Berenyi, Kelly Beauchamp and Matt Cherrille.
Steve Frost made no mistake on a Kicker (11-5-2) breakaway and Steve Fagan added one more.
Rick Raber was tripped inside the 18 and scored on the ensuing penalty kick for the Camels (9-8-1). Raber followed that with a precision corner to Brian Williamson, who headed in the Camels’ other tally.
Beauchamp tripped a Camel in the second half and received a red card.
He will be suspended for the Kickers opening playoff game with the Ogopogos.
The Camels will battle Lake Country (8-4-5) in the quarterfinals.
Stallions out of playoffs
The Vernon Liquor Store Stallions needed a win to work their way into the playoffs against top-ranked Brown Benefits.
The Benefits had other plans as they downed the Stallions 3-1 at Marshall Field #1.
The Stallions applied early pressure on a sluggish Brown squad, but keeper Geoff Greenwell made several critical saves including a point-blank blast from Art Renaud.
The Benefits (14-0-4) broke the deadlock when Jim Kruiper pulled down a cross and calmly sent it home.
The Benefits went up two after Lionel Hoffman converted a through ball, splitting the Stallion (7-9-2) defenders.
Renaud was rewarded for relentless attack when he picked off a back-pass to Greenwell for the easy tap in.
The Benefits put the match away when Kruiper converted a penalty kick after Steven Heiss was brought down in the box.
Defender Brian Eso hurt his knee in the opening minute but soldiered on to earn Tolko Man of the Match honours for the Stallions. Dan Ondzik was solid in net in a losing effort.
The Benefits take on RPM Automotive Spirit (7-7-4) in the opening round. The other quarterfinal matchup on Sept. 8 has Penticton taking on Brandt’s Creek, who finished the regular season Monday with a 4-3 loss to Pushor Mitchell.
Enco advances in thriller
Kelowna Enco/Executive Flooring eliminated Vernon Kal Tire 4-3 in penalty kicks during Kelowna Men’s 35+ Soccer League playoffs at MacDonald Park.
Kal Tire jumped in front early when Jesse Knight followed Glenn Allan’s footsteps with a goal minutes after.
Ryan Sharp scored in the second half from Knight, but a few defensive breakdowns allowed Enco back in the game.
The teams headed for the shootout tied 3-3.
Enco’s four goals was enough to slide past Kal Tire, who scored three times.
The turning point in the shootout came when Kal Tire keeper Chris Bader was called for leaving the line prematurely when he stopped Axel Chinyata’s shot.
