On Sunday, the pair of Shuswap FC Boys U11 teams hosted the first soccer jamboree of the season at the SASCU Sports Field.
Both teams still have some early season kinks to work out and it showed as they split their games in the tournament.
Coach Pat Sherman’s team lost their opening match 6-4 to one of the Vernon teams. They rebounded in their next match and defeated a tough Kelowna United team 4-3.
The other Shuswap team, coached by Chad Forman tied their opening game 4-4 against Vernon, then dropped a 4-2 decision to a Kelowna side. In their 4-4 tie, both side got off to a fast and furious start.
Shuswap got on the board early when Nathan King crossed the ball in front of the net to Ben Milne who finished with a beautiful right footed shot.
A few minutes later, Milne returned the favour to King, crossing the ball into the box for King to fire the ball into the back of the net. Shortly after, Vernon answered back with a goal of their own to make it 2-1.
Just before the halftime whistle, Shuswap were on the receiving end of a fortuitous bounce and went back on top when King’s shot ricocheted off a defender and into the net, giving Salmon Arm a 3-1 halftime lead.
Sam Skubiak anchored the Shuswap defence and exploited the Vernon defence, continually feeding the wingers. Vernon leveled the score midway through the half before King completed his hat trick, making it 4-3.
With a few minutes remaining in the match, Vernon added one more to draw level, ending in a tie. Goalkeeper Kayden Shannon-Simmons made numerous saves to keep the game close.
