July 8-11, 2010 - Provincial Cup Championships
On Sunday, having gone 3-0 in round robin play, the Port Moody 1996 AC Selects defeated the Penticton Pinnacles 1-0 in the U-14 Provincial B Cup Boys Soccer final in Aldergrove to capture the championship title setting off wild celebrations on the Port Moody sideline and a party that went well into the evening. Carlos (El) Nino scored the decisive goal in world-class fashion climbing high over the defender to head in a perfect cross from Matt Budai in the 23rd minute and Port Moody’s defence backstopped by goalkeeper Cole Nielsen held firm the rest of the way as it had throughout the tournament having given up only one goal in four games. Nielsen saved the game with a stunning goalline grab with 6 minutes remaining to preserve the win. The game, under cooler skies than previous days, culminated a full day of soccer as the boys arrived in Aldergrove early enough to watch the World Cup final streamed from a computer out of the back of Trevor Mercer truck. We were clearly the envy of the tournament for our pre-game tailgate party. Culmination in our first championship was icing on the cake, especially for coach Sebastian Munoz who celebrated the rare double with his native Spain winning the World Cup and Port Moody winning a Provincial title on the same day.
The tournament started positively on Thursday with a 5-0 win over Victoria’s Gorge FC under blazing 38 degree sun. An opening goal in the 4th minute by Team MVP Eric Dove sent Port Moody off to the races and was followed by insurance markers by Kevin Marshall, Matt Budai, Austin Campeau and Spencer Whalen propelled the 1996 AC Selects to the start we needed.
Thursday’s strong performance and the heat took its toll on the boys, who while not in top form, still managed a 3-0 win over Terrace in the second round robin game. Again, Eric Dove opened scoring in the 7th minute to start things rolling with follow up markers by Lucas Mercer and goalkeeper Cole Nielsen (on a penalty shot).
The first two wins set up a winner-take-all showdown on Saturday with Chilliwack FC (also 2-0 at the time) for a place in the championship game. Because Port Moody had a superior goal differential, a tie would give Port Moody a spot in the final. The game was a tense affair, with Chilliwack taking the lead with a perfectly placed top corner blast in the 14th minute. Eric Dove equalized on a penalty shot in the 31st minute after Corey McTavish was brought down in the box. Matt Medanic scored the go-ahead goal in the 55th minute from a goal-mouth scramble to give Port Moody the lead it would not relinquish despite tremendous pressure being exerted by a desperate Chillliwack side. On the lighter side, the game was held up for 10 minutes for an errant dog with dog whisperer David Campeau finally able to corral the playful puppy. 2-1 final score setting up the final against Penticton.
Head Coach Franco Ciolli spoke to the boys following the game and expressed his emotion and pride with what they had accomplished. Plagued by injuries in the first half of the year, the team finished with a losing record in 2009/10 league play. As players returned from injury, they were able to achieve what we believed they had in them, although Provincial Cup winners were beyond his wildest dreams. Runners up in the Conference Cup and runners up in the Coastal Cup, the team caught fire at playoff time winning 8 do-or-die games to capture the Provincial Cup and become champions for the first time.
