BY SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW
The soccer fields of Lily Creek this weekend will roar with the screams of the vanquished and howls of the victors as it play host to the Caruso Club 12th Annual International Soccer Tournament.
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Sixteen elite clubs from across the province and beyond will crank up the heat on the fields in an attempt to capture $6,000 in prize money.
Organizers are promising some of the best soccer action in the North at the event.
"This will be soccer at its finest," said Caruso Club president Angelo Dagastino.
The action begins 9 am on Saturday, Aug. 2 on the Lily Creek fields.
Play continues right through the long week end, with the semi final game on Monday at 1 pm and the championship final at 3 pm.
Last year's winner, Oakville Alfield United is back to defend their title. Oakville also won in 2001 and captured the crown in 1998.
There will be several top clubs from across Ontario participating including, St. Thomas, whom won the championship two times, former two-time champions Dundas United and Peterborough.
A relatively unknown team from Montreal, F. C. Levski will also test their mettle in the tournament.
"Some of the clubs coming here have been around for 30 or 40 years and are highly competitive," said Mike Dowling, chairman/tournament operations.
"They will not be coming to Sudbury just to look at Science North. They will be coming to win this tournament."
The Nickel City will be well represented at the tournament. The Sudbury Panhellenic, Sudbury S. C. Italia and the Sudbury Italia Flyers clubs will be challenging for the prestigious crown.
"The three local teams are the strongest from the Sudbury leagues," said Dowling. "They will face some heavy competition."
The last time a home town team hoisted the trophy was back in 1996, when the Canadian Builders Sudbury Club took the honours.
Besides the accolades, the winning team will receive $2,800, the second place team receives $1,500, the third place team will collect $1,000 and the fourth place team will accept $700.
Tournament organizers also seize the opportunity to show case the region of Sudbury to all the competitors from out of town.
"This tournament gives us the chance to promote the community," said Dowling.
"When people come here they will see how green it is and hopefully we can make some of the negative comments about Sudbury disappear."
