Morning Star Staff
The Vernon United warmed up for the Thompson Okanagan Under 16 Girls Rep Soccer League playoffs by stuffing Kelowna United 3-0 Sunday at Marshall Field.
Vernon took the lead after Marisa Berg buried a penalty kick in the first half. In a more intense second half, Vernon picked it up and played hard.
The play of the game was a run by Danielle Jackson, who deked around a couple of Kelowna girls before kicking a long shot that hit the post but was quickly popped in by Jackson, making it 2-0 Vernon. Jackson scored again later in the half.
Outstanding play was turned in by Kali Wells, Dory Geelkerken and Megan Prentice, who helped secure the shutout for ace keeper Candice Lipski.
The U16 girls go to Kamloops this weekend for the playoffs with the hopes of making it to the provincials.
In U12 Girls Rep Development play, the shortstaffed United #2 lost 2-0 to Kamloops White in Revelstoke with keepers Sam Head and Ashley Glinsbockel making numerous saves.
United then bowed 1-0 to Kelowna #2 with Madison Catt and Andie Kaneda sharing goalkeeping duties.
United U14s topple Revelstoke
In U14 Boys Rep play, the Vernon United toppled Revelstoke 5-2 Sunday morning at Marshall Field.
Revelstoke opened the scoring in the 15th minute mark on a chip shot from 25 yards that eluded back-up keeper Bryce Dyck. Lucas Ross equalized 10 minutes later on a penalty kick, awarded after Liam Ross was taken down in the box.
Matthew Kreutz put the United boys ahead 2-1 just before half time as he screamed around a Revelstoke defender and potted a shot into the bottom corner of the net. Lucas Ross scored early in the second half, and a few minutes later, Brandon Melbourne scored his first of the year on a great header off a Lucas Ross corner.
Revelstoke rebounded with a goal of their own to cut the lead in half, but Zac Kronbauer, on a long cross from Jorden Dewing, rounded out the scoring.
In U13 Rep Boys action, Vernon United closed out the regular season game Sunday at Marshall Field by losing 3-1 to Kelowna United.
Bryn Bedard received a pass just outside the 18-yard box and slipped past a Kelowna defender and beat the keeper five hole to put United up 1-0 midway through the first half.
Kelowna equalized with just minutes to go in the half. The second half had both teams pressing but Vernon couldn’t find the back of the net and Kelowna scored twice.
Late in the game, Nick Klymchyk just missed on a penalty shot that was saved by a diving Kelowna keeper.
Coach Joe Gourdine noted the game was much closer than the score indicated, and the team needs to bear down and work hard for the playoffs this weekend in Kamloops.
Vernon’s U12 Silver Star Mountain Lions ended their Rep Development season with an exclamation mark with back-to-back victories at McArthur Island Sports Centre in Kamloops.
In their first game, the Lions ambushed Kamloops White 10-2.
Coach Erick Burnet, in his swan song with the development squad, quipped, “That was fun to watch.”
Reed Cashato pulled the hat trick, while Mees Geelkerken scored twice and set up five others. Malcolm Wiens also scored twice, while Owen Burnet blasted a rocket for goal of the game. Midfielder Josh Hyer drew three assists.
The Lions then brushed off the Kamloops Orange 2-0 in a game where scoring chances were limited by hard-fought midfield play, especially by Vernon’s Jared Quibell.
With about four minutes remaining in the first half, Geelkerken broke the deadlock after being sent in by Kenzel Aarts-Roman.
The second half mirrored the first and with time running out, Wiens corralled an Elias Jensen goal kick that eluded the defender, and put it short side off one post and then the other before the ball finally landed in the back of the net.
Shane Pelkey and Morgan Nichols shared the shutout and the back line of Aaron Botterill and Reece Schroeder played almost flawlessly.
Kowalski a killer Mountain Lion
The Silver Star Mountain Lions #1 ended their U12 Rep Development season with a win and a tie on Sunday in Kamloops.
In their first match of the day, the Silver Stars stopped Salmon Arm 3-0.
Matt Kowalski opened up the scoring only minutes into the first half as he was sent in by a Connor Marritt pass. Kowalski beat the Salmon Arm one defender and then the keeper.
Only 10 minutes later, Kowalski struck again after collecting a Liam Hennig throw-in just inside the box. Kowalski turned and buried a shot just under the cross bar.
In the second half, Hennig sealed the deal with a goal off a scramble with only five minutes left.
“The boys played a sound game”, said Lions ‘coach Rob Eggert, noting strong play by Langdon Kersey, Charis Ondrik and Wilson Stewart in the midfield. Ondrik and Kowalski shared the shutout.
The Mountain Lions #1 then battled Kamloops Blue to a scoreless draw. These teams clashed in the Slurpee Cup two weeks ago with the same result.
“Jason Shagiec, Sam Eggert and Peter Hirschkorn had been solid on defence all season and the boys didn’t let us down today,” said Silver Star coach Rolf Hirschkorn.
He also praised Connor London, Wyatt Carter, Kevin Thibault for excellent play in the midfield. Ondrik and Kowalski again shared the shutout.
“It was a great season for both development teams and we are already looking forward for the U13 Rep season,” added Hirschkorn.
Vernon United teams finished the U11 Rep Development regular season Sunday at Beasley Park in Lake Country.
Birthday boy Perez Vermeulen and Dylan Huber each scored twice as United #2 gained a 6-6 tie with Kamloops Orange. Vermeulen tied the game with a late 45-yard high, booming shot.
Finn Plummer, on a feed from keeper Nick Mitchell, and Player of the Match Alex Oguunbiyi, on a pass by Leon Schenker, rounded out the United offence. Joe Eggert set up two goals, including a beauty by Huber after a throw-in by Josh Melbourne.
Keeper Braydie Allan drew three assists on powerful goal kicks in United’s 8-4 loss to Kamloops White. Schenker, named Game MVP, scored twice, including goal of the match after a kick by Allen bounced high to Plummer, who took the ball off his chest, turned and fed Schenker for a great run down the right side.
Oguunbiyi, from Allen, and Cody Webb with a 30-yarder, from Melbourne, completed the United attack.
“Our motto all season has been ‘Better Every Day’ and all the boys have shown remarkable improvement in several areas of the game,” said United coach Kevin Mitchell.
Benischek stellar in defeat
United #1 bowed 1-0 to Kamloops Blue and fell 5-2 to Kelowna United #3 in their Sunday games.
Player of the Match Steven Benischek stepped up his play against Kamloops in a tight match which the United players, and coach Roy Cooper thought they tied when the Blue keeper reached behind him and grabbed a rolling ball which appeared to cross the goal-line late in the game. The Kamloops keeper stopped Ben Purvis on a penalty kick in the final minutes.
Players of the Match versus Kelowna were tireless Hayden Person and Noah Schneider.
Braeden Cooper opened United’s offence on a one-timer with Benischek and Owen Miller drawing assists.
Purvis clicked on a beautiful shot from a difficult angle deep down the right wing outside the box.
United will mix up their rosters and send two teams to a Sunday season-ending Father’s Day Tournament in Salmon Arm.
Manrays post shutout win
In U13 Girls House play, the Royal LePage Navy Blue Manrays won 2-0 over the White team.
Both teams played a great passing game. It was scoreless at the half with both teams having lots of chances.
Andraya Holmes and Jenna Mulholland shared goalie duties and had lots of action for the Manrays. Latisha Baker, Ava Ready and Milana Ivanoff were strong on the back line, while Haley Lapp and Tiffany Elliott played well against the White defence.
In the second, half Paige Hason scored the first goal, while Sierra Benner fed Vicky Grahn for a hard shot on net to make it 2-0.
