The Aldergrove Community Secondary School Totems Senior Boys Soccer team made a miraculous comeback on Thursday Nov 7 to win the Fraser Valley AA soccer championships.
The Totems started the game very well, pressuring their opponents Arch Bishop Carney with their aggressive play and quick ball movement. But Carney, who were last year’s Fraser Valley Champions and B.C. Finalists survived the initial onslaught from the Totems and then took control of play, chiseling out a 2-0 lead. Things were looking bleak for the host side Totems. But 10 minutes before half time Ryan Witowich knocked in a goal from a goalmouth scramble to close the gap to 2-1.
The second half saw the Aldergrove team get stronger and stronger with each minute of play and at about the 20 minute mark another goalmouth scrambled resulted in four Aldergrove players converging on the ball within the 6-yard area. The result was total pandemonium when the ball crossed the goaline to tie the match at 2-2. Fans and players went nuts with excitement now that the game was within their grasp.
By this time Aldergrove had taken control of the game as they have done to their opponents all season, however, the Carney keeper was playing very well and cutting out all scoring attempts.
Then with only 15 seconds left on regulation time Aldergrove was awarded a corner kick. Joel Waterman knocked the ball to the back post where his teammate Gurmaan Jahj had placed himself and went up to head the ball into the back of the Arch Bishop Carney net.
Again the players and fans went berzerk with excitement, now knowing that this could be the year ACSS finally gets a soccer banner for their gym wall.
With both teams frantically trying to gain possession after the restart and Aldergrove hoping the clock would run out, Arch Bishop Carney rushed to attack the Totems net to try to salvage a tie to take the game into overtime. Two minutes of extra time were played under very anxious conditions and when the final whistle went there was one happy host team and a very dejected visiting side.
Congratulations to the Totems Senior Boys Soccer team on their Fraser Valley title and best wishes as they next move into Provincial play, hosted at Burnaby Lake Sport Complex, Nov. 18-20.
“Many thanks to all the friends, family, and staff at ACSS for supporting the boys, it really added to the day’s excitement,” said coach Brian Hunter.
Team Roster
12 Gurshaan Jahj
7 Joel Waterman ©
4 Wes Lockhart
14 Tanner Cuminsky
10 Brad Wightman
9 Josh Power
8 Gurmaan Jahj ©
11 Pietro Romegoli
2 Darrien Kristensen
5 Jonah Miller
6 Alex Snowdon
13 Will Sitter
17 Ryota Shiono
K Nagi Nakagawa
16 Kohsuke Tsutsui
3 Ryan Witowich
18 Ryan Schmunk
15 Taveres Demelo
19 Nathan Dahl
Sean Connolly
Jimmy Zong
Coaches are Stuart Crowley and Brian Hunter
HARRY HUNT PHOTO
Aldergrove Secondary’s Joel Waterman and Gurmaan Jhaj with the cup after winning the Fraser Valley high school boys’ soccer championship, with a 3-2 win over Arch Bishop Carney. The team now advances to the provincials in Burnaby, Nov. 18.
