It wouldn’t be late-season soccer in Saskatchewan if there weren’t snow to contend with. Thanks to the herculean efforts of the City of Humboldt and other snow crews, the Humboldt Mohawks were successfully able to host the 4A Boys 11 v 11 provincial soccer championships on the field at Glenn Hall Park this past Saturday. It’s not usual to have two local teams from the area in the mix, but both the host Mohawks and the Lake Lenore Lancers, with a contingent of players from Muenster and Annaheim, gathered to settle matters for provincial glory.
The Mohawks faced a tough opening game where they were on the receiving end of four penalty shots that tipped the scales in favour of Yorkton Sacred Heart. That dropped them into the Bronze Game with Moose Jaw Central, which was a tight affair down to the final minutes, but the Mohawks prevailed 4-3 for the Bronze.
The game started with equal pressure at both ends, and Humboldt’s defense had to deftly guide the ball out of harm’s way. The Mohawks stunned Central with a long-range marker to the left side of the goal for the opener. Humboldt’s goalkeeper Preston Dyok was called upon to make an outstanding top corner save as Moose Jaw renewed its attack. Central rallied to score an equalizer off the crossbar to tie it up as the first half wrapped up.
With Moose Jaw threatening again, the tide turned as a hands-call in the box gave a penalty to the Mohawks on which they capitalized. A second long shot caught Moose Jaws keeper off guard for the third Mohawks goal. The home side would score another, but then had to brace for a Moose Jaw onslaught. Central Collegiate gave Mohawk fans nervous moments with a pair of goals in the second half to bring them within one. The Mohawk backfield held strong, however, and shut the door on further scoring giving them the 4-3 and the Bronze.
“The guys played a heck of a game today,” said HCI Mohawks coach Nicole Unrau. “They didn’t quit, they were just so positive, and it was a fun experience for everyone.”
Meanwhile, the Lake Lenore Lancers weathered a draw and overtime to take their opener in penalties to advance to the gold medal game against Yorkton Sacred Heart. Again, the game started with equal chances on both sides. A pair of corner kicks for Moose Jaw caused early worries, but Lake Lenore, and keeper Carter Dosch, effectively cleared the threat.
The ground surface came into play as a slip by a Lake Lenore defender opened the way for a strike by Yorkton to go ahead 1-nil. Lake Lenore gained proverbial traction at the end of the half, but the score remained. Despite their continued pressure, Sacred Heart would find the mark twice more for a 3- nil finish.
This year marked a return to 11 v 11 play for the Lancers, and Coach Curtis Strueby was struck by how well his side did in their first re-entry, noting there was some initial hesitation. In the end, there was nothing but pride in the boys’ efforts and accomplishment.
“We opted up to the category this year, and what more could you ask for. We made it to the final and they gave an amazing effort once again.”
Congratulations to Yorkton’s Sacred Heart Saints for their Gold Medal win.
“It feels amazing,” said Saints’ coach Sebastian Prost, “especially since this team has won silver two years running. They were really hungry for that gold today, and they delivered for themselves and each other.”
A shoutout once again to the snow clearing crews, the fans who braved the cold, and all the student athletes who delivered a wonderful weekend of soccer action.