After a seven-month journey, Whistler FC stood atop the podium as champions of the Howe Sound Men's Soccer League 2006/2007 season.
The club claimed the title after downing Sea to Sky Courier 3-0 for a shutout victory during Saturday's (April 15) final game of the season.
Devon Jodrey opened up the scoring early in the first half to give Whistler an early advantage.
From there, Sea to Sky was just unable to rally back, with Ryan Unsworth stretching the FC's lead to 2.
Jodrey, the hero of the match, put the game away by netting his second goal off the match during the second half, to seal Sea to Sky's fate and secure a perfect end to Whistler's great season.
"It's a great feeling to finish off this season with the championship," said Whistler's Mark Sedgewick.
Sedgewick was a major factor in FC's success this year. Over the course of the regular season he slipped in 21 goals, good enough for the Golden Boot Award for the league's top scorer. Sedgewick potted six more goals than his closest competition in the scoring race.
After winning two games in the playoffs Whistler finished the season, which began last October, with an impressive 15-1-4 record.Although Sea to Sky was not able to keep pace with the more seasoned team, the squad was able to make it to the final in only their first season together. The freshmen team's record of 14-6-1 bodes well for the club as they prepare for next year's league.
Whistler's cup wasn't the only silverware handed out over the course of the weekend. The three teams that were knocked out during the first round of the playoffs - Lil"WAT7uhl, the Rona Rangers, and Tantalus Toner - faced each other in a round robin to determine which club would walk away with the league's Divisional Cup. After three games spread over the course of the weekend, The Rangers came out on top to take home the league's consolation trophy.
In a new move, the Howe Sound League has now started a fund to aid injured players. League action can be rough and tumble, and on occasion players can be injured seriously enough to keep them from working and making a living. Each year the league will now put money towards helping these injured players.
Nathan Ward, who shattered his leg during match play this season, became the fund's first beneficiary, with the league presenting him with $1,350 to help him make ends meet since he has been forced to miss work ever since sustaining his injury.
"This this is really something. Thank you so much," Ward said as he accepted the funds.
