The Highlanders suffered a major blow at Centennial Stadium at just seven minutes when 2016 team MVP and central defender Callum Montgomery went down in a heap after taking a boot to the head and had to leave the game.
鈥淗e thought the score was 7-4 when I asked him,鈥� said Highlanders coach Dave Dew.
The St. Michaels University School graduate from Nanaimo is ranked No. 18 on the PDL鈥檚 list of top-50 pro prospects released this week. Montgomery especially makes good use of his six-foot-two frame, which would have come in handy on Calgary鈥檚 winning goal, which was headed in from close range by Ali Musse in injury time before the half.
鈥淚 play physical and simple and don鈥檛 try to overcomplicate the game,鈥� the NCAA Div. 1 Carolina-Charlotte standout Montgemery said before the game.
鈥淚 want to dominate my opponent and win every battle.鈥�
That attitude made those cleats big ones to fill, and the task fell to Reynolds Secondary graduate and UNBC Timberwolves defender Jonah Smith, who came on as a sub.
Victoria (1-2) missed two point-blank chances to equalize in the second half, in the 73rd minute when English-import Andrew Ofosu volleyed wide, and in injury time when Ryan McCurdy floated the ball agonizingly wide.
Dew also pointed to two Victoria chances in the first half that went over the crossbar: 鈥淚f we put those away, we win 3-1 or 4-1.鈥�
Defender Stuart Heath was Victoria鈥檚 man of the match.
鈥淥ne mistake, just a lack of concentration, cost us,鈥� the Cape Breton University star said about the winning Calgary goal.
鈥淲e鈥檒l get reset for Sunday [when the teams meet again at Centennial Stadium].鈥�
Calgary (4-1) went all the way to the PDL championship game last year before losing to the Michigan Bucks. This season, the Foothills roster features former Highlanders forward Chris Rushworth and several players from coach Len Vickery鈥檚 U Sports national champion University of Alberta Golden Bears.
