The BC 'AA' Boys' High School soccer Provincial Championships proved a rollercoaster ride for the Howe Sound Secondary Sounders - a ride that finished with the team in seventh place.The Sounders started with three group games on the first day of the tournament Monday (Nov. 19). A first place finish in this stage meant a place in the semi-finals and a chance to play for the provincial title in Burnaby.
Their first opponent Monday would also be their toughest: last year's finalists, St. Andrew's of Victoria.The two teams played to a scoreless tie. The Sounders then won the shootout, with goalkeeper Cam Doherty leading the way.Officially, the game was a draw, but if Howe Sound and St. Andrew's were tied at the end of the group stage, the Sounders would advance based on the shooutout win.
Their next game didn't start as planned as Howe Sound gave up the first goal to Williams Lake, but the boys came back with a vengeance, scoring four times to win, 4-1.Their final group game was Tuesday (Nov. 20) against R.A. McMath of Richmond. Howe Sound scored first and tried desperately to hold onto the lead while at the same time, keeping an eye on St. Andrew's, who was beating Williams Lake on the next field.
Then heartbreak: McMath tied the game. And with St. Andrew's winning, Howe Sound would be out of the running for the provincial title if they couldn't score a second goal.
The Sounders pressed for the winner and coaches Andy King and Dave Sweeney thought they had it when one of the Howe Sound players was tripped around the penalty area. Sweeney, King and the rest of the players thought the foul was in the area, which would have meant a penalty kick and a good chance to score. Instead, the referee said the foul was committed outside the 18-yard box and Howe Sound was given a free kick, which didn't result in a goal.
Then came a second controversial call against the Sounders. One of their players received a pass behind the McMath defence and was in for a breakaway and a possible winning goal. Everyone looked to the linesman to see if he would call an offside. He didn't but the referee (who was behind the play) did, causing the Howe Sound bench to erupt in anger.
And as the final whistle blew for a 1-1 tie, many of the Sounders players looked dejected as they realized their chance at provincial title this year was lost."Looking back at it now, I wish that I could have tried harder to get that second goal," said grade 12 forward Jett Lee, who was a constantmenace up front for opposing defences.Howe Sound ended up second in their group, behind St. Andrew's and the best the Squamish squad could hope for was fifth.That notion was quickly dashed in the final game on Tuesday afternoon as Northwest champions, the Smithers Gryphons, scored an impressive 5-2 win.
The loss left Howe Sound in the seventh/eighth place game against another heartbroken squad, Gulf Islands Scorpions, who lost in a shootout to the eventual champions, Notre Dame.The Sounders won 1-0 when Brett Miller came down the right side and put a shot past the Scorpions goalie.
"I always come to win. We finished seventh, and I know there are a couple of hundred schools out there so to say we finished seventh in the province is still pretty good. I'm proud of these guys," said coach Andy King.
The Manchester, England native then gave what he says is the best compliment he could pay his players and new hometown."If it weren't for those boys, I'd have moved back to England, it's as simple as that," says King. "I can now say I am Canadian. I love this place, it's fabulous."
Captain Dylan Ackerman paid similar tributes to his teammates.
"I love playing with these guys, it's been so great and I'm so proud of how they did here at the provincials," said the grade 12 student.
But this tournament was the last game ever for 11 players, including Ackerman, in a Sounders uniform.Lee, Miller, Jesse Anderson, Jared Bir, Vincent Colica, Chris Johnstone, Oliver McQuaid, Keegan Moore, Joseph Pilnasek and Graham Shea will all graduate this June.
King and Sweeney will be leaving too as they step down as coaches.King says each and every one of his players is good enough to play at the college/university level or in the top leagues on the Lower Mainland.
"There's not a weak link out there."
He also says future Howe Sound teams will be in good hands because of the great work done by volunteers who are coaching in the local Squamish youth system, which he credits for a lot of the success enjoyed by the Sounders.
