For the first time since 2006, the Kelowna Owls have booked a spot in the B.C. high school boys AAA soccer championship.
The Owls captured the Okanagan Valley title on their home pitch on Thursday afternoon with a 3-2 victory over South Kamloops Titans.
A big and physical squad, KSS jumped on top 15 minutes in on a goal by Ayo Fashanu, who followed up and scored after Nathan Persoon collided with the Titans’ keeper.
Spencer Loyd made it 2-0 just a minute into the second half, before Dom Haynes added some insurance for KSS soon after at the 50-minute mark.
The Titans would respond with two goals at the 52 and 75-minute marks to make it close, but the Owls would hang on the rest of the way to take the valley crown.
“Our starters were dominant,” Owls coach Lum Balducci said. “Our goal was to make it to provincials, so we’ve taken that step.
“We have a really good bunch of guys who work well together.”
KSS will be in Burnaby Nov. 22 to 24 for the provincial championship tournament.
Bears push Owls
A young Mt. Boucherie squad put forth a solid effort in the valley semifinal last week before losing 4-3 to KSS.
Ayo Fashanu and Lennart Sixtus scored twice each for the Owls, while
Brody Shannon, Kody Robinson ands Jacon Dunn tallied for the Bears.
“We had four Grade 10 starters, five Grade 11 starters, and two Grade 12 starters, so for a young team, we held our own against a KSS team that is very big and very strong,” said Bears coach Adrian Zuyderduyn.
