Vernon United Tolko Team U11 Blue went undefeated and didn’t allow a goal in the 40th annual Kamloops Youth Soccer Association Slurpee Cup.
United, coached by Mark Budgen and Dana Fraser, opened by bouncing the Kamloops Blaze White 3-0 Saturday at McArthur Island Sports Centre.
Cole Budgen sent a free kick through the six-yard box where Austin Lewis was waiting to finish for the first goal.
Deklen McDonald’s free kick went to Cale Fraser, who passed to Stephen Taylor for the 2-0 tally. Shortly after, Anderson Bicknell swiped the ball and ran the length of the field before dishing to Keltyn McAreavy for further insurance. Tomasz Ociepa posted the clean sheet, while Declan MacDonald was chosen game MVP.
Anderson Bicknell and Lewis each counted deuces as Vernon then ambushed Nelson Selects 8-0.
Keltyn McAreavy, Jeremy Peterson, McDonald and MVP Emmett Out added singles in front of Ociepa.
The Tolko crew played Kamloops Blaze Blue to an intense scoreless draw Sunday morning with Ociepa and Brendan Boyd stellar while sharing net duties. MVP went to Peterson.
United finished Slurpee action Monday afternoon by shelling the Kelowna United Unicorns 4-0.
Bicknell, assisted by Fraser, accounted for Vernon’s lone first-half marker.
Bicknell, with insurance, and Brendan Boyd, with two more goals, finished the attack. Ociepa earned the shutout, while Fraser took MVP.
The Vernon Tolko United U15 Boys struck silver at the Slurpee Cup.
United’s only loss (2-0) came in their first game against the Spruce Grove Saints, the eventual winners of the Orange group.
Spruce Grove converted on a penalty kick in the first half and headed in a corner for insurance in the final half. Man of the Match for United was Ethan Greenan.
Vernon grounded Albion FC Barca of Maple Ridge 4-2 with Owen Davis scoring seven minutes into the match.
A cross from Greenan to Tanner Lapp made it 2-0 just before the break. The offence kept clicking when Greenan sniped a free kick top cheddar.
Albion answered early in the second half before Tyler Riva moved the ball from centre midfield to Ashton Komaryk for the 4-1 snipe. Man of the Match was Davis.
Tolko erased a 2-0 deficit and clipped the Nelson Selects 3-2 in their third game, spotting Nelson a lead at four minutes on a breakaway before giving up an own goal.
United then mounted a comeback of the season with three goals in eight minutes.
The rally started with 15 minutes to go when Davis delivered a corner and Komaryk headed it home. Five minutes later, fullback Cole Ogasawara fed Greenan, who assisted Davis with a fantastic mid-air shot.
Utility player Cole Grevatt was obstructed by a Select player and earned a free kick. Greenan took the kick and sent a bending Beckham-like shot to the left side for the winner. Greenan took MVP honours.
Vernon finished with a 4-1 win over the Kamloops Blaze.
Lapp tapped in a loose ball after a wild fray after a Davis corner for a goal just before the first-half whistle.
A hand ball in the Kamloops box gave Vernon a penalty shot and Komaryk connected to make it 2-0. A determined Komaryk then came down the left flank and passed the ball along the end line, where Davis finished.
Man of the Match was Josiah Falk, who had a dynamic defensive weekend.
Tolko United U14 Boys tied once and lost three one-goal games at the same tournament.
Vernon drew 1-1 Calgary Rangers in their opener with Jonathan Fraser-Monroe holding fast in net, fronted by Liam Collins and Rogan Campbell.
Justin Ruscheinsky slipped in the United goal, while Calgary equalized on a late scramble.
Vernon bowed 3-2 to the Port Moody AC Selects Sunday morning, playing most of the game after a red card was issued.
Alexander Jones passed to Cash Anderson for Vernon’s first tally, while Marcus Erho buried a rebound of Anderson’s shot as United took a 2-1 lead.
Port Moody levelled the score with 10 minutes left and won on a corner which beat keeper Ruscheinsky with four minutes to go.
United lost 2-1 to Nelson Selects in a Sunday matinee.
The Selects went ahead early on a free kick, while Vernon tied it on a PK by Jones midway through the first half.
Nelson went ahead just before the break and even though Justin Arsenault, Jonah Strachan, Landon Janke and Owen Challen pummeled the keeper, Vernon failed to get the equalizer.
The final game of the round-robin saw Vernon fall 2-1 to the Kamloops Blaze Monday afternoon.
Carter Leahy scored in the first minute for United. Zach Loland, Cam Acob, Alexander Kazimer and Ronan Hinds worked tirelessly up front pressuring the Kamloops keeper.
The Blaze tied it on a fray 20 minutes into the second half, winning on a header.
