The Reynolds Roadrunners and finalist Glenlyon Norfolk School Gryphons carried a proud 80-year tradition onto the UVic turf field Wednesday for the 2022 Colonist Cup final, won 2-1 by the Roadrunners for the four-peat.
The dream can start on humble high school pitches. It did for Colonist Cup tournament alumni George Pakos out of Esquimalt and Ian Bridge out of Vic High, their World Cup appearance for sa国际传媒 36 years ago more than notable especially this month, and other former sa国际传媒-capped internationals and Colonist Cup alumni such as Bob Bolitho out of Mount View (now Spectrum) and Brian Robinson from Vic High.
“The Colonist Cup is so historic, with players who have gone on to represent sa国际传媒, something that really hits home this month with sa国际传媒 back in the World,” said Reynolds coach J.J. Atterbury.
The Roadrunners have added to the historical narrative with their fourth consecutive championship in the the venerable F.A. Cup-fashioned tournament for Greater Victoria high school teams, contested since 1942 when Vic High was the first champion. But don’t mention the D word to Atterbury: “We don’t say dynasty. We’ve had a really good run.”
The Roadrunners beat the Claremont Spartans in last season’s Colonist Cup final and the Royal Bay Ravens on penalty kicks in 2019 and beat Oak Bay 1-0 in the 2018 final. The 2020 Colonist Cup was not played due to the pandemic.
It continued a renaissance for the Roadrunners, a powerhouse of the late 1970s and 1980s, who with the 4-2 victory over St. Michaels University School in 2016 captured their first Colonist Cup since back-to-back titles in 1982 and 1983, and in their first finals appearance since 1992.
The 2016 Roadrunners also won their first sa国际传媒 Triple-A championship in 50 years, and placed third in sa国际传媒 in 2017 and first again last year and will look to defend their provincial championship this month at the sa国际传媒 high school championships in Burnaby Lake.
The Roadrunners have 10 players from the Island Wave youth program operated by the professional CPL Pacific FC club. That includes Logan Judge, who captained Reynolds in the Cup final, and rising Grade 11 player Tavin Williams, son of Olympic rowing medallists Barney and Buffy Williams.
“Winning four in a row is nice and a great achievement, said Judge, the dominating central back, who hopes to play in U Sports for the UVic Vikes.
Nik Hallam and Jude Riddell made it 2-0 before Callum Shillington replied for GNS. Reynolds goalkeeper Jack Garner stopped a penalty kick to preserve the victory.
“GNS really came at us but we switched on and stayed together defensively,” said Judge.
The Gryphons showed why they are headed to the Double-A provincials. They have carved a reputation, to mix sporting metaphors, for punching well above their weight on the soccer pitch. Over the past 15 years GNS had a run of seven consecutive sa国际传媒 titles, with six captured in Single-A and one in Double-A. The Gryphons appeared in five Colonist Cup finals between 2009 and 2015, winning once. GNS, beaten by the St. Andrew’s Sabres in last year’s all-Island sa国际传媒 boys’ Single-A championship, is after the provincial Double-AA title this week in Burnaby Lake.
“This Colonist Cup final set up both teams well heading into provincials,” said Atterbury.
