In repeating as B.C. champions, the Burnsview Griffins were near-perfect.
The Senior AA girls high school soccer champions wrapped up their second consecutive provincial banner Saturday with a 1-0 win over the Ballenas Whalers of Parksville. The victory capped a run through the tournament in which the Griffins didn’t concede a goal. Netminder Frankie Lanot posted five consecutive shutouts, playing behind an outstanding back line of Jessica Turner, Olivia Kappeli, Rebecca Delorey and Danyka Wadley.
After a first place finish in round robin play, Burnsview edged Windsor 1-0 in semifinal play, getting a goal from Grade 9 striker Emma Leese. Michelle Wessa tallied in the final against Ballenas.
“This was the perfect season from start to finish,” said Burnsview coach Mary Ferguson. “To win the league, Fraser Valleys, the University of Victoria’s) Umbro classic tournament, and provincials… remarkable.”
In league, playoff and provincial play, the Griffins were an amazing 12-0-2 (won-lost-tied), outscoring the opposition 45-3.
Ferguson praised the midfield play of Julie Devriendt and tournament MVP Elexis Scholsserek for “shutting down anyone who tried to come between them.
“This group of girls have what it takes to win big games – skill, intensity, speed, and passion for the great game of soccer,” said Ferguson.
– The Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers won just once in regulation time, but placed fifth at the Senior AAA girls provincial tournament in Kamloops.
The Cloverdale team went 1-1-1 (won-lost-tied) in round robin play to place second in their group. They then won a pair of playoff games in a shootout after playing to ties with the Kelowna Owls (1-1) and Point Grey Greyhounds (0-0).
Alex Mueller was the Lord Tweedsmuir player on the Commissioner’s 11 all-star team.
Coming off a second place finish at the Fraser Valley championship tournament, The Panorama Ridge Thunder placed 13th in Kamloops.
Panorama Ridge lost three round robin games, all by 2-1 scores, before shutting out Prince George (8-0) and Kitsilano (2-0) in consolation play.
Their Commissioner’s 11 nominee was Jasmine Grewal, who had a hat trick in the win over Prince George. Ritu Grewal and Harlene Uppal were the goal scorers against Kitsilano, with Amrit Parma earning the shutout.
“We are proud of the way the girls played in the provincials,”said co-coaches Derek Duke and Darrel Fast. “They showed that they are not far off being one of the top teams in the province. We are only losing three players to graduation so with the majority of the team returning next year we should see this experience pay off.”
