Morning Star Staff
Vernon United took second place in the U14 Boys division of the Slurpee Cup by tying the host Kamloops Blaze 2-2 in their final match Sunday.
Kamloops scored off a corner and then went up by two before half time after keeper Jared Ross made a great save but watched the Blaze forward slot home the rebound.
Vernon responded when Brad Cramer found the back of the net after running on to a nice through ball. Vernon kept pressing and with a minute left, Aidan Buckley broke past his check and finished.
Vernon, who went 2-1-1 in preliminary play, had MVP Matt Reich thwarting the Kamloops strikers most of the final. Kaden Funk and Ben Morgan were dyamic on defence while Lucien Desmazes-Landry and Josh McKeown worked tirelessly on the wings.
Brad Cramer pulled the hat trick as United opened the Slurpee Cup by bouncing Westside Blaze 3-0.
Cramer’s first goal came off a nice corner from William Oort-Bosman and then he made it 2-0, burying a nice pass from Tage Kineshanko.
MVP Saajan Klair fed a through ball to the rushing Cramer who got his hatty.
Vernon dominated play with Kaden Funk and Luc Jones turning in bold showings.
United defeated the stubborn Kelowna Cobras 2-1 in their second game. Oort-Bosman delivered a corner in for Jack Cotter, who headed it off the post. Kineshanko banged in the rebound. Cramer scored on a deflected shot to make it 2-0.
The Cobras then converted a penalty shot.
Reich earned MVP. Hayden Catt cleared the ball off the Vernon goal-line to prevent the Cobras from tying it late.
Vernon lost their afternoon game, 1-0, to the Chilliwack Strikers. Aidan Skinner, Aidan Buckley, Brodie Fraser and MVP Jones sparkled.
The United Tolko Temptasian Apple Auto Glass U12 Whites ran to a scoreless draw with Kelowna Buckaroos in their Slurpee opener.
Vernon keeper Jordyn Kisilevich matched her Kelowna counterpart with clutch saves, while Kaitlyn Budgen, Sophie Dennis and game MVP Sarah Claeys applied heavy pressure.
Temptasian then lost 3-0 to the super strong Calgary Blizzard Roma. Paige Maleska, Brooklyn Kineshanko and Emma Glasser sparkled on the back line, while Kineshanko was chosen game MVP.
The Whites then toppled the Whistler Avalanche 2-0 with MVP Allie Maltman converting a gorgeous play involving Glasser and Kisilevich. Ava Proctor recorded the shutout.
The Kelowna Crushers upended the Whites 5-0 in their last game with Kisilevich taking MVP.
Tolko United U12 Boys Venom racked up a 5-1 win against the Calgary Avengers in their rainy Slurpee opener.
Zach Loland set up both Owen Challen and Cam Acob, getting United off to an early lead before Calgary got one past Aidan Winn.
Parker Munroe capitalized on another rebound and Acob fed Marcus Petersen, who slipped the last shot in just before the whistle. Declan Hardy was chosen MVP.
Hardy supplied two goals as United iced the Comox Valley Predators 5-2.
Hardy and Challen set up Cash Andersen to even the score at 1-1 Challen then set up Andersen for his second of the game before Challen and Andersen again set up Loland. Comox answered in the second half but keeper Braden Schmiegelt sent a long ball to Hardy, who finished. Hardy buried another insurance goal Schmiegelt was MVP.
Game 3 saw Challen collect a deuce as United stopped the Kelowna United Havoc 5-2.
Schmiegelt started in net and Andersen was quick to put the boys on the sheet with a great shot. Kelowna evened the score but Daxton Podollan produced the go-ahead goal. Hardy and Acob set up Challen for another snipe.
The Havoc responded but Petersen clicked on a breakaway and Podollan buried a pass from Game MVP Loland.
In an early morning mud bowl on Monday, the Venom clipped the Westhills United Predators 2-1 to go undefeated.
Podollan and Andersen set up Tate Garrod with a great rebound. The Predators evened the score but Liam Collins unleashed a corker that rebounded in for the go-ahead goal. Jonah Violini was MVP.
In other U12 Boys play, Vernon Vipers opened by falling 4-1 to Langley United with Carter Leahy connecting after a laser pass by Fraser Christensen. Keeper Jared Eddy was MVP
The Vipers then bowed 2-1 to the Comox Inferno with Nick Noren scoring on a pinball scramble in front of the Comox keeper. Levi Korol and Alexander Jones put constant pressure on the Comox end for most of the game. MVP Devin Bilodeau scored on a solid kick from the side of the net.
The Vipers bounced the Kelowna Bulldogs 2-1 and lost 3-0 to Kamloops White in Monday play.
Keeper Ben Straight held the Bulldogs down to one in the first half. Bilodeau and Noren netted the goals and Leahy received MVP.
Straight took MVP against Kamloops.
Vernon U15 United lost 1-0 to Central Vancouver Island in their opener with Will Denny pocketing MVP.
Langley then shut down Vernon 2-0. Keeper Jarred Jameson was MVP.
Jaydin Gordon-Masson made a number of great runs up the right flank.
United bowed 2-1 to Prince George with defenders Memphis Gervais, Oliver Meyer and Shaun Boucher hot.
Reilly Johnson kept pushing up right wing and was rewarded with a great gaol after an excellent run by Gordon-Masson.
Calgary U13/14 Azurri then brushed back Vernon 3-1. Liam Jacobsen got Vernon’s goal on a penalty kick.