The road to the North Okanagan Soccer League’s Gibson Cup is set.
Seventh-place Monashee Surveying FC tangle with the cellar-dwelling Salmon Arm Outlaws, while eighth-place Riot FC meet ninth-place Peters Tirecraft/Concept Physio Saturday night to determine the final eight playoff berths.
The bottom-four games go at Marshall Field with the remaining No. 8 seed battling league champion Courvas in Salmon Arm and the No. 7 team going up against runner-up North Enderby Timber Sunday at Marshall (6 p.m.).
The fourth-place Hi-Pro Sportswear Camels FC tangle with fifth-spot Turn-Key Controls in the other Sunday nighter at Marshall.
Eagle Homes Nation of Domination play the sixth-place Revelstoke Stallions Sunday night in the Shuswap.
The Camels stoked their offence for the playoff run by mauling Monashee Surveying FC 9-0 Wednesday night at Marshall Field #5.
Monashee started the game by pinning the Camels back and had a few opportunities to take the lead due to some poor defensive passing. But their chances were spurned and the Camels (10-6-2) took advantage after about 20 minutes with a close-range conversion by Bryn Knauff.
Monashee worked hard to respond but the Camels, with quick passing, increased the lead as Knauf bagged another one.
The Camels started to dominate possession with fast movement of both the ball and players, with Nathan Whitling chipping Monashee keeper James Inglis from a quick breakaway.
In the second half, the Humpbacks kept up the pace with more goals from Albert Goldnik, Mo Singogo, Nathan Whitling (2), Mike Barrajon and Fabrice Fanfani.
The goal of the season came from a string of quick passes from the back line, involving Kiran O’Neill, Fanfani, Ben Osborn, Trevor Rachwalski, Whitling and finally Singogo, who had only had the keeper to beat. The Camels named Whitling and Singogo joint Burger King Men of the Match.
In other games Wednesday, NET grounded the Riot 5-2, Courvas toppled Tirecraft 3-1, Turn-Key ripped the Outlaws 7-2 and Eagle Homes shaded Revelstoke 3-2.
Brent Paulsen and Alex Farina each supplied a deuce for NET (13-4-1), while Corey Wallis contributed a single. Evan Frederick and Danny Stein each allowed a goal while sharing net duties.
Farina provided the Timber goal of the night, taking a through ball behind his back, performing a couple of tango moves, touching the ball outside and shooting off the far-side post.
Wallis also got props when he took a short corner pass, made two touches and hammered a corker home from the top of the 18.
The Gibson Cup semifinals go Wednesday night followed by the final Sunday, Aug. 25 at Marshall #4 (6 p.m.).
Meanwhile, the Vernon Co-Ed tourney consisted of 19 teams last weekend with the Rec Division A final seeing Kelowna Kaos pocket $500 by beating Retro Slurpees, in their tie-dyed late 1960s-style jerseys, of Delta, 2-1.
The Aldergrove Highliters crushed Abbotsford Balls and Dolls 5-0 for third in the 14-team group.
The five-team Competitive Division consisted of four teams from Vernon and a late entry from Penticton, the Young Gunners.
The teams played a four-game round-robin that went down to the last games of the day on Sunday. Taboo played Young Gunners and Here for the Beer played The Bad News Beers. Depending on the results, either Young Gunners, Taboo or Bad News Beers could have taken first.
The Young Gunners beat Taboo 3-2 to take home $500. Taboo did not have the luck of the draw getting three games Saturday. Bad News Beers beat Here For The Beer 2-0 to earn $300 for second, while Taboo spent their $200 for third in true Taboo style – in the beverage gardens.
The Thompson Okanagan FC U15 boys team provided the concession as well as security and 50/50 draws as part of a team fundraiser.
