More than half of the 5,000 plus youngsters who enjoyed a summer of recreational soccer fun, hung up their cleats Sunday evening, as playoff weekends concluded in Nickel Centre, Rayside-Balfour and Valley East.
The tone was set late Saturday afternoon in Falconbridge. As dusk began to settle in, Airco and Captured Moments Photography headed into overtime, as Brandon Heckman-Jack and Darren De Paolis traded goals during the action packed contest.
Some great chances were enjoyed by the likes of Themis Vlahos and Kyle Sweeney, but goaltenders Roberto Bagatto and Andrea De Paolis were up to the challenge, while defender Karli Marcotte steered away a loose ball near the goal line to safety.
But the Airco firepower was simply too much, as Heckman-Jack netted his second of the game in overtime, with Noah Lapierre adding a little insurance in the 3-1 win.
On the far field, a shootout was needed as Declan Rusgnak and Bailey Champagne traded goals in regulation time, leaving Garson Pipe Contractors and Rock City Auto Supplies tied at one after 60 minutes of play.
Goaltender Xander Thompson came up big in the penalty kicks, thwarting Rock City on three occasions as Garson Pipe took the U-10 Championship by a final score of 2-1.
Devon Savignac was a one-man wrecking crew in the U-8 championship tilt, scoring five times in leading the Brad Lecour Accounting Bean Counters to a 5-4 win over Don’s RV. Mason Adams scored twice in a losing cause, with singles coming courtesy of Braedan Madore and Ayden Popowich.
With eight games on the go at the Howard Armstrong Complex, it was tough to decide which final to take in ...
Finally, the fields were a tad lopsided in the U-12 final as the Coldwell Retrievers received two-goal efforts from Noah Caruana, Raymond Price and Carter Rollins, rolling over the RBC Leo’s 8-2.
In Azilda, Jordan Wood-Spadafore was the goal-scoring hero, picking up his second of the game late in overtime to lift Chartrand’s Independent Grocer past Green Star Laundry 3-2 in the U-10 A final.
Things were equally as tight in the B final as Jeffery Franklin and Joseph Mazur found the back of the net for Johnny’s Towing, taking their squad to a 2-0 win over Archambault Roofing.
The same score was upheld in the U-8 division B gold medal game. Chelmsford Animal Hospital received goals from Reilley Leroux-Ayotte and Matthew Gordon, blanking Caisse Populaire Vermillion 2-0.
The U-15 finals were decided by the slimmest of margins. Devyun Meehan and Scott Vaillancourt provided the offensive punch in a 2-1 victory for the Sudbury Canadians over Rollins Photography, with Brian Lawson answering in a losing cause.
In the final B contest, Emily Luoung and Taylor Rouleau scored one goal apiece, leading Vermillion Lake Park past Sookram Bus Lines 2-1. Only Tyler Sinclair could solve the Vermillion netminder in this game.
Solid defensive efforts provided the story-line in the U-12 division, starting in the B championship, as Chartrand’s YIG dumped Koski Chiropractic 3-0. Christien Dufresne found the mark on two occasions, while Kyle Duval added a solo marker in the win.
The A championship featured a second consecutive whitewash as Pro Edge ‘N Paints stopped Chelmsford Pharmacy 2-0. Jesse Barberio and Steven Piuzzi took care of the offensive output for the winners.
Home to more than 2,000 participants, the Valley East Soccer Club closed out the weekend of excitement.
With eight games on the go at one time at the Howard Armstrong Complex, it was tough to decide which final to take in — especially when four contests were being decided simultaneously on penalty kicks.
Tim Hortons, which sponsors a large contingent of U-6 and under divisions, was guaranteed a winner in the coed and girls’ finals. Tim Hortons Sky Blue beat Tim Hortons Red 2-0 (goals from Myla Weiman and Megan Brunet) with the young ladies, while Tim Hortons Navy Blue bested Tim Hortons Royal Blue by the same score in the boys grand finale (both goals from Brayden Lafrance).
There was plenty of screaming with the U-8 girls as Cousin Vinny’s edged Metro 2-1. Emilie Riess and Megan Parent scored for Vinny’s, with Emilie Lafond replying for Metro.
Alain Loyer handled all of the scoring that was needed in the U-10 coed final as Beange Opticians slipped past Cousin Vinny’s 2-1. Alexis Gunther scored a pair of goals in the U-10 girls final, helping ’89 Electric claim bragging rights with a 3-0 win.
After penalty kicks were needed to decide both U-18 girls semifinals, it was only appropriate the same would happen in the championship affair. Julie-Anne Paradis scored the game-winning goal while keeper Maryse Raymond was still smiling, despite a handful of bruises, after leading Cousin Vinny’s to back-to-back shootout victories.
The U-14 coed final also came down to penalty kicks. The secret weapon (and defender) Emily Brownlee scored the game-winning goal, as the sixth shooter for Cousin Vinny’s bounced her shot off the post and in.
Morgan Williston netted a pair of goals, lifting Chico’s Bowl past Post Construction 4-3 in the U-12 girls final, while Mickayla Schneider drilled the only goal of the game as Valley Prescription slipped past the Kin Club 1-0 (U-14 Girls).
There were goals’a’plenty in the U-8 coed final as Blake Cornthwaite (3), Logan Clarke (2) and Branden Poulin paced RHP Training Centre to a 6-0 win over Dr Dunlop.
Randy Pascal is the founder or SudburySports.com and contributing sports editor for Northern Life.
