Yukon Outfitters climbed out of a hole during U-9 Whitehorse Minor Soccer at the Canada Games Centre on Wednesday.
Down 5-1 at half, and later 7-4 midway through the second, the Outfitters (1-0-2) managed to even it up and tie Willow Printers 7-7.
Having to get used to the new soft, slow turf in the Games Centre’s Fieldhouse was partly to blame for the Outfitters’ slow start, said coach Spencer Rich.
“This was the first time we played on this field, so the first half, the kids were not used to it at all,” said Rich. “They were tripping over the ball. So I told them, on this grass, on this field, you have to push the ball ahead of you. You can’t get it stuck in your feet.
“Our ball players couldn’t move; they were getting trapped with the ball.
“So we made a few adjustments, a few line changes, and the kids got into the game, scored some goals and got going.”
Less than a minute into the second half, Outfitters’ Darren Phelps took advantage of a turnover in front of the Willow net to score. A few minutes later Andrew Roberts, who hit a few posts in the first half, found both bottom corners of the Willow net for back-to-back goals to make it 5-4.
After a goal from Willow’s Carter Claggett – his fourth of the match – and a second from Leah Ott to make it 7-4, Outfitters turned up the heat. Roberts then got his hat trick and Andreas Lavanderos put in two goals in the final three minutes.
“In the first half we were a little more focused,” said Willow coach Craig Charlton. “In the second half we started bunching up a little too much and we were letting the (Outfitters) player get away with too much. And Andrew (Roberts of Outfitters) hit fewer posts in the second half. He had a lot of opportunities in the first half, but he hit a lot of posts.”
Also scoring in the game were Outfitters’ Kynnan Elliot and Willow’s Brian Fleming, both in the first half.
Named MVP for Willow (1-1-1) was Delton Grantham for his prowess in net over the first half while Samuel Alfred got the corresponding MVP nod for Outfitters.
“He’s never played soccer before (this season) and today he was really getting in there, was battling for the ball and he was working hard,” said Rich. “I think he’s really improved in three games.”
RESULTS
Tuesday U-11
Access Consulting 6,
Yukon Canoe 4
Access scorers:
Jewel Davies 2, Ben Petkovich 2, Darcy LaRochelle 1, Leonardo Bardubitzki 1, MVP n/a
Canoe scorers:
Georgia Gaw 2, Daniel Kim 1, Luke Bakica 1, MVP m/a
Klondike Business Solutions 5,
Boston Pizza 4
Klondike scorers:
Cody Amaral 4, Seth Carey 1, MVP Grace Macintosh
Boston scorers:
Mayson Peters 1, Samantha Ng 1, Jamie Freedman 1, Phillips 2, MVP Thomas Brenner
Monday U-13
La Bicicletta B&B 4,
Austring, Fendrick, Fairman & Parkarri 2
B&B scorers: Mac Shaw 3,
Frejean Pourier 1, MVP Frejean Pourier
Austring scorers:
Malcolm Muir 1, Ryan Hidson 1, MVP n/a
Murraya Dental 2
Vector Research 1
Murraya scorers: Simon Cash 1, Wyatt Baldwin 1, MVP Teaghan Wilson
Vector scorers: Skyler Bryant 1, MVP Jenna Wyers
Northern Denture Clinic 9,
Mic Mac Toyota 5
Northern scorers: Quinn Pierce 2, Isaac Allen 4, Thea Carey 2, Mikaela Ponsioen 1, MVP Mikaela Ponsioen
Mic Mac scorers: Malorie Hanson 1, Mathew Ng 2, Isak Parker 1, Ryan MacDonald 1, MVP Malorie Hanson
Monday U-7
Whitehorse Elks 7
Builders Supplyland 1
Elks scorers: Ian Paton 4, Joshua Willaughby 2, Zachary Willaughby 1, MVP Chayce Tuton
Builders scorers: Daniel Phillip-Friedman 1, MVP Annil Gill
ORC Tree Sevice 5,
Lanix Property Management 2
ORC scorers: Noah Marnik, Kayne Morgan, Lance Walsh, Cooper Muir, MVP Lance Walsh
Lanix scorers: Arthur St. Laurent, Jacob Nickel, MVP Jacob Nickel
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com
