FAIRBANKS – The Yukonʼs juvenile male soccer team continued its strong start last night, walloping the Northwest Territories 8-2 in round-robin action.

The Yukon men were led by Malcolm Muir, who potted a hat trick in the win.

"We just played our best and hopefully scared some of the other teams,” Muir told the Star following the match. "This proves a point that weʼre here to compete.”

The 16-year-old said his team is starting to find their groove on the gym-floor court at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

"I think weʼre going to get better throughout the tournament,” he said.

Captain Tristan Rentmeister scored twice in what was a dominating game for the Yukon.

"I think that all our training is paying off,” said Rentmeister, 16. "We trained hard for a long time over the winter and I think that weʼre working really well as a team. Weʼve known each other since we were really young. We all get along really well. Weʼre pretty much a bunch of brothers.”

Northwest Territories player Daniel DaRosa said the Yukon took his club by surprise.

"They came out really strong,” said the 15-year-old from Hay River. "We were expecting them to be a strong side, but they were a lot stronger than we anticipated them to be. I donʼt know how well we came out as a team.”

DaRosa said regardless of the loss, heʼs enjoying his first Arctic Winter Games experience.

He said other athletes he interacts with are saying this Games has been a good one.

"The foodʼs alright,” he chuckled.

The Yukon edged Alaska 4-3 to open their tournament Monday, and the team suffered its first loss of the tournament this morning, 6-1 to Greenland.

Aputsiaq Gabrielsen led Greenland with three goals, while Erni Tellesen sniped a pair.

Rentmeister scored the lone goal for the Yukon.