Three Bonnyville teams competed at the Lakeland Cup hosted by Vegreville last weekend, with one squad claiming gold to advance to provincials, which will be held in Edson in July.
The Bonnyville Crushers U14 girls team claimed gold at the competition for the fourth year in a row, extending its winning streak this season to eight games, while the U14 boys team just narrowly missed out on a place at provincials, losing out to Vegreville in the gold medal game to take home the silver medal. The U18 girls finished in fourth after a difficult weekend saw them fail to overcome fatigue and a difficult exam schedule.
Head Coach of the U14 girls' squad Dave Cowan said he was ecstatic with the way his team played over the course of the weekend, as the girls wracked up an astounding 28 goals and conceded just two on their way to a gold medal.
“I have to say, I was very impressed with the performance of the girls – they've been fantastic all season right across the park,” Cowan said.
The girls' victory in the Lakeland Cup coincides with their League title, where they won all four games they played to claim the crown. Cowan said he's expecting his team to push on and compete at provincials, after winning a silver medal at last year's competition.
“I'm expecting great things from these girls at this year's tournament,” Cowan said. “This is the same group of girls that won provincials at the indoor level in March, so they've got an added bit of experience now and know what they have to do in order to win.”
President of the Bonnyville Soccer Association Kristy L'Hirondelle said she was delighted with the performance of all three squads, stating the players are responsible for putting Bonnyville on the map for soccer in the province.
“I'm very happy with the results from the Lakeland Cup this past weekend,” L'Hirondelle said. “The U14 girls performed fantastically to claim gold, the U14 boys came up against a tough team at the end and won silver, while the U18 girls could be proud with a fourth place finish.”
The 2013 U14 Provincial Championships will take place in Edson, Alberta July 5, 6 and 7. For more information visit www.albertasoccer.com
