Whitehorse Daily Star

Image title

Photo by Max Leighton

Top: GOING FOR GOLD – Players, left, take part in this year's Northwestel Indoor Soccer Championship hosted 47 team, with nine from rural Yukon. Centre: BREAK AWAY – Player for Eagle Construction head to the net in the gold medal match in the U-15 division. Bottom: FACES OF VICTORY – The victorious Sportslife squad pose for a photo moments after their 9-2 gold medal victory in the U-15 division.

Yukon communities shine at indoor soccer championship

This weekend's Northwestel Indoor Soccer championship, marked the end of another successful year for the territory's youth indoor soccer league.

By Max Leighton on February 14, 2012

This weekend's Northwestel Indoor Soccer championship, marked the end of another successful year for the territory's youth indoor soccer league.

The championships were held between Friday evening and Sunday afternoon at Vanier Catholic Secondary School, the Canada Games Centre and Yukon College.

This year's divisions included U7, U9, U11, U13 and U15. There was no U19, a division the association has included in previous years.

A total of 47 teams competed in this year's tournament — 38 from Whitehorse and nine from the communities —two from Watson Lake, two from Haines Junction, two from Mayo and three from Dawson City.

Though quick to point out the successes of the Whitehorse squads, organizers were taken by the enthusiasm of teams representing rural Yukon.

"We are just very impressed with the teams we got from the communities,” said Tony Gaw, technical director for the Yukon Soccer Association.

"To have nine teams from the communities is huge. In other years we have had more but nine is big for us and to have teams from Haines Junction, Watson Lake and Mayo in particular, is a real boost to the tournament.”

One team stands out in particular.

The Haines Junction Eagles were the only team from the communities to take home a gold medal this year.

In the U-9 gold medal round, the Eagles overcame the Tim Horton's Timbits with a final score of 4-3 in overtime.

"Haines Junction brought a lot of enthusiasm this year, which was fantastic to see. They were very loud, they played very well, it was great to have them.”

The under seven gold medal round was one of the closest of the whole tournament.

Sale Salvage faced off against the Whitehorse Elks for the title match.

The regulation game ended in a 2-2 split. Sale Salvage scored an early overtime goal, which the Elks were able to reciprocate in the final minute of overtime play.

The match came down to a shoot out, delivering a victory for Sale Salvage.

"It was an excellent game,” said Gaw. "Both teams really played their hearts out.”

The gold medal round in the U-15 division was a hard won battle for Whitehorse's Sportslife. They overcame tough competition by Eagle Construction for a major victory of 9-2.

"It feels good, we worked hard all year, practiced two times a week and it's really paid off,” said Allen Mark, who scored two goals.

"I knew it was coming,” friend and teammate, Liam Dinn said. He scored a goal of his own during the title match.

The Northwestel Indoor Soccer Championship proves every year that Whitehorse is a soccer town, said Gaw.

"It's a sport that all the kids can play, he said. "They can all excel at. It's not our number one sport but it's growing in popularity, because all you need is a pair of shoes and away you go. It's good for everybody and it's a great sport.”

WMS Outdoor Registration starts March 20 and runs until April 1.

Results:

U–7

  1. Sale Salvage

  2. Whitehorse Elks

  3. Duncan's Ltd.

  4. ORT Tree Service

———

U–9

  1. Haines Junction Eagles

  2. Tim Horton's Timbits

  3. Selectricity Productions

  4. Locksmith Services

———

U–11

  1. Boston Pizza

  2. Access Consulting

  3. Yukon Canoe

  4. Codes Services

———

U–13

  1. Murraya Dental

  2. Vector Research

  3. La Bicicletta B&B

  4. Mic Mac Toyota

———

U–15

  1. Sportslife

  2. Eagle Construction

  3. Wintermute Electric

  4. Henry Gulch Exploration

Be the first to comment

Add your comments or reply via Twitter @whitehorsestar

In order to encourage thoughtful and responsible discussion, website comments will not be visible until a moderator approves them. Please add comments judiciously and refrain from maligning any individual or institution. Read about our user comment and privacy policies.

Your name and email address are required before your comment is posted. Otherwise, your comment will not be posted.