Player of the Match Paige Ralston pulled the hat trick as the Kalamalka Lakers finished the B.C. Senior AA Girls Soccer Championships in Courtenay Saturday with a 3-0 win over the Caledonia Kermodes of Terrace.
Assists came from Megan Squair, Teigan Moore (junior call-up) and Kaely Johnson
Playing with a broken nose suffered earlier in the 16-team tournament, Julia Kemper recorded the shutout and took the Commissioner’s MVP for the Lakers.
Injury-riddled Kal, which finished 15th, earlier suffered losses to the Nanaimo Islanders, Seycove Seyhawks of North Vancouver, Surrey Christian Falcons and Little Flower Academy Angels.
It was a tearful goodbye for the Lakers, whose head coach, Derrick Parmelee, has retired and gave big props to his assistants, Grade 12 Kal student Alex Kreutz and his 20-year-old son Brady Parmelee.
“They played their hearts out for me during the whole provincials never giving up and I’m so proud of all of them,” said Derrick, who gave special praise to Ralston, Squair, Moore, Kaely Johnson and Emmy Thorlakson.
“All in all, it was a very good season. We only lose seven Grade 12 girls so all the rest will be back next year and I predict they will have a strong team and a good run at provincials next year.”
The Archbishop Carney Stars of Port Coquitlam edged Burnsview Griffins 2-1 in the gold-medal match, while Nanaimo defeated L.V. Rogers Bombers of Nelson 4-0 for bronze. Defending champion Seycove finished 13th.
Shelby Jeeves of Mark Isfeld Ice (Courtenay) and Emma Entzminger of Lambrick Park Pride (Victoria) each scored seven times to share the Golden Boot Award.
Highlight of the volunteer efforts came at the awards banquet, where a Western theme was used to transform the Isfeld gym into various cowboy scenes including an old town, hay bales, wagons and wanted posters.
