A trio of teams from the Lower Island hit the road for a five-hour trek north Thursday to represent the area at the Island single-A senior girls鈥� soccer championship in Port McNeill.
The St. Andrew鈥檚 Sabres, Glenlyon Norfolk School Gryphons and Duncan Christian Chargers will all compete at North Island Secondary School with hopes of securing the two berths available for provincials, hosted by Fort St. James 鈥� but held in Prince George 鈥� June 2-4.
鈥淲e couldn鈥檛 go any further north for this one,鈥� said GNS coach Sonny Pawar, whose Gryphons finished behind a solid St. Andrew鈥檚 team in Lower Island league play. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going in with an open mind and we鈥檙e hoping to be competitive, as always.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going in a little under-staffed as it鈥檚 a difficult time for some of our senior players to be able to manage the high academic load and athletics that they have. We鈥檒l be missing a few players, but we鈥檙e not deterred. This is a team sport.鈥�
St. Andrew鈥檚 was third in regular-season play in the double-A and single-A Lower Island league, behind larger St. Michaels School University and Royal Bay schools. The Sabres were 5-2 and that record included a 1-0 win over GNS, which finished 4-3. The two St. Andrew鈥檚 losses were to SMUS and Royal Bay.
鈥淭hey had a really good year, hats off to them for the way they played,鈥� Pawar said of the Sabres. 鈥淭he game we had against them was quite competitive and we came out on the short end. They played a great game and we had a hard time finishing our opportunities,鈥� Pawar said of the 1-0 setback.
Should the Gryphons advance to provincials, Pawar would essentially be heading home.
鈥淵eah, I would look forward to that, catching up with family and playing in front of friends,鈥� he said. 鈥淲ith two teams going from the Island, I鈥檓 hoping we finish there.鈥�
St. Andrew鈥檚 opens against Queen Margaret鈥檚 Christian at 9 a.m., followed by GNS tackling Duncan Christian at 10:30 a.m. Gold River faces Queen Margaret鈥檚 Christian at noon before the hosts play their first at 1:30 p.m. vs. Duncan Christian.
