The hand of fate has dealt many soccer teams peculiar matchups in cup draws. That is the idiosyncratic charm of random draws.
It struck again Tuesday when Cowichan FC and Bays United, who just met Sunday in the 101st Jackson Cup final for Vancouver Island supremacy, were drawn to meet again in the first round of the sa国际传媒 Province Cup playdowns on the April 23-24 weekend.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the soccer gods speaking. So, bring 鈥檈m [Cowichan FC] on. Let鈥檚 do it. Why not?鈥� was the reaction of an incredulous Bays United head coach Rich Fast, after the draw was announced during a webcast from the Strathcona Hotel.
Cowichan FC scored twice in overtime, on goals by Paddy Nelson and Cooper Barry, to blank Bays 2-0 to claim its fourth Jackson Cup championship in the past sevens years. Interspersed was Fast coaching the Bays to their first Jackson Cup title in 2013.
鈥淲e know we just have to score now,鈥� quipped Fast, referring to Sunday鈥檚 result.
He said taking Cowichan to overtime gives his side confidence.
鈥淲e gave them 120 minutes of decent soccer on Sunday. We just have to match their organization and fitness. Hopefully, it will be a different result this time.鈥�
Cowichan is the third seed for the Province Cup. The game will be played in Duncan.
In another act of the soccer gods, Saanich Fusion and Nanaimo United were drawn into yet another all-Island Sweet 16 opening-round matchup with the game to be played at Tyndall Field.
Meanwhile, an emerging young Comox Valley United team was dealt a harsh fate and will travel to the Lower Mainland to meet top-seed Pegasus FC.
The other seeded teams were Langley United at No. 2 and Coquitlam Metro Ford Wolves at No. 4.
The Island is looking for its first men鈥檚 Province Cup title since Gorge FC won four between 2001 and 2010.
In the Province Cup women鈥檚 draw, the Price Cup Lower Island-champion Castaways Highlanders received a first-round bye and are guaranteed to meet an Island team in the second round. Castaways Highlanders will play the winner of the Victoria Athletics versus Saanich Fusion first-round game.
Price Cup runner-up Prospect Lake also drew a first-round bye. So did its second-round opponent, Coquitlam Metro Ford Xtreme. That game will be hosted by Prospect Lake.
The 2016 men鈥檚 Province Cup final is May 14 at Westhills Stadium in Langford and the women鈥檚 final there on May 15.
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