Surrey-based BC Tigers Hurricanes scored the 2018 Toyota Canada Nationals soccer championship with a display of dominance Monday in Saskatoon.
The association’s senior men’s team beat Ontario’s Caledon SC 7-3 in the gold-medal final to win the tournament’s Challenge Trophy – the first B.C. team to do so in 14 years.
The Hurricanes’ Nick Soolsma led the way with four goals in the game, and was named the Golden Boot award winner for scoring nine goals in the tourney, the most by a player in 18 years.
— BC Tigers (@BCTigers) October 9, 2018
Soolsma, the 2017-18 BC Soccer Adult Player of the Year, becomes the first player to win both the amateur Challenge Trophy and professional Canadian Championship (2011 and 2012 with Toronto FC), according to Canada Soccer.
The Hurricanes won three and tied one game in Group A action before winning big in Monday’s final game.
CLICK HERE to watch the full game on SportsCanada.TV.
Prior to the Hurricanes’ victory, the last B.C.-based team to win the men’s national soccer title was Surrey Pegasus in 2004.
Also Monday, on home turf at South Surrey Athletic Park, the girls of Coastal FC won the U17 national championship with a 2-1 win over a team from Quebec.
• READ MORE: Two Surrey teams win national soccer championships.
BC Tigers’ youth and adult soccer club serves the communities of Newton, Central City, Guildford and North Delta.
In Monday’s final, other goal-scorers for the Hurricanes were Ryan Dhillon with two and Pavi Dhillon with a single marker.
In other action in Saskatoon, Surrey United’s senior women’s team placed second after losing in overtime to Scarborough GS United, by a score of 1-0.
It was an evenly played game for 90 minutes with two teams battling, head coach Spiro Pegios told the Now-Leader. “Very scrappy and unfortunate sequence of events lead to an extra time goal,” he added. “So proud.”
In South Surrey, Surrey United’s U17 boys team placed fourth after making it to a semifinal game, while the association’s girls fell to the consolation round.
• READ MORE: Several Surrey soccer teams at nationals, with U-17 tourney in South Surrey, from Oct. 1.
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