Morning Star Staff
Vernon Kal Tire appear poised to take a run at a second straight playoff title in the Kelowna Tree Brewing Men’s 35+ Soccer League.
The Tiremen wrapped up second place by lassoeing the Salmon Arm Beer Badgers 3-0 Thursday night at McDonald Park.
Bryan Schenker opened the scoring when he broke through and put a sweet chip over the challenging keeper.
A few minutes later, Darren Nobrega fed Kevin Lynes, who hit a great left foot for the 2-0 goal.
Chris Ovens finished the scoring after taking a feed from Dave Dobernigg. Ovens shook off a defender to set up a rifle shot past the Salmon Arm keeper.
Kal Tire carried about 80 per cent of the play in the final 45 minutes. Salmon had the closest chance, ringing one off the crossbar over the stretching arm of keeper Mark Zaino, who posted his sixth shutout of the year.
Kal Tire (15-6) earned a bye for the first round of the playoffs and face the winner of Alves Bros and Lake Country Tree Brewing FC Thursday Sept. 8 at Beasley Park.
Penticton Masters topped the table at 16-3-3 after blanking Lake Country 3-0 Thursday night.
Meanwhile, Vernon Kal Tire snapped an eight-game 55+ league losing streak by dispatching Brandt’s Creek Pub of Kelowna 2-0 at MacDonald Park.
Striker Kevin Mitchell took a short pass from Denis Chabot and buried a slow, spiralling left-footer top cheddar past Todd Ryder, near the 24th minute.
Bob Fleming took a feed from Mitchell and nailed a cross from the deep right corner which was just nodded over the line by Jim McEwan, midway through the final half.
Chabot curled further insurance off the left post from 18 yards a few moments later.
McEwan, returning to the lineup after two years in Edmonton, controlled the middle of the park and took the Tappen Tastee-Freeze Man of the Match. Rob Hulstein took honourable mention.
Yogi Kongsdorf had little action, but did reach out with his left hand to stone Andy Miller’s rocket early in the second half.
Vernon improved to 6-12-2, while the Pubbers fell to 8-9-3.
The Silver Stars lost 1-0 to Kelowna Kickers at Marshall Field.
A good, close game was finally decided by a corner kick as Kelowna (14-4-3) were enjoying a period of possession in the second half. The Stars dropped to 9-9-3.
Daryl Pace snuck a routine shot under keeper Tom McGill at 75 minutes as Penticton TC United edged the host Rockets 1-0 at Dale Meadows Park in Summerland.
McGill was the Man of the Match as Summerland fell to 3-16-1. Penticvton is 13-4-3.
The Rockstars clipped the OTC Sistas 1-0 in Division 2 women’s play Thursday night at Marshall Field.
Leah Willinger scored for the Rockstars in a game that was called with 10 minutes left due to darkness. Sylvie Richard recorded some great saves for the clean sheet.
Sista forwards Jennie Currie and Kim Sylvester enjoyed multiple shots on the Rockets’ net.
Most Sportsmanlike Player for the Sistas went to newbie and newly-engaged Haley Parr for a solid showing.
The Rockstars finished the season at 9-3-2, while the Sistas ended up 5-6-2.