Pitt Meadows Marauders senior boys’ AA soccer head coach Mike Oldridge said his team’s game Monday, Oct. 5 against the Archbishop Carney Stars would be a true measuring stick of where his squad sits.
Now he knows.
The Marauders battled the Stars to a 1-1 draw Monday at South Bonson Field.
Oldridge said he was pleased with how his team responded on defence against one of the toughest teams in the division.
“Throughout the game we got strong play from our central mid-fielders Mason Lidbetter and Marcelo Estay.”
Pitt Meadows tied the game in the last five minutes, when striker Josef Rebalkin rifled home a feed from Jonas Koellmel, who showed some great ball control after taking a feed over the top and beating a pair of Star defenders before setting up the goal.
The Marauders opened their season at home on Thursday, Oct. 1 with a convincing 5-1 win over Westview Wildcats.
• The SRT Titans continue to surprise as they dropped the Thomas Haney Thunder 2-1 on Tuesday.
Alex Dominguez opened the scoring with a terrific shot from outside the box on a counter set up by Bela Piocza.
Piocza jumped on a rebound to give the Titans a 2-0 lead, his fourth goal in two games.
“I thought our whole team – and I mean top to bottom – had a great game,” said SRT head coach Emad Agahi. “We play a different kind of formation than any of these guys play on their club teams and I think they have adjusted nicely to it.”
He said the team’s formation relies on keeping things tight defensively and making sure they convert when chances come on the counter.
“It only works if everyone is buying in and playing hard and I think we did that against Thomas Haney,” said Agahi.
He said goalkeeper Seth Jessome settled in nicely, stopping a breakaway and a free kick late in the contest to preserve the win.
“It’s all about confidence with him and as long as he believes in himself, he will play well. Technical things like when to come out and where to position himself are things I can help him with,” said Agahi.
SRT opened the season with a 5-3 win over the Garabaldi Rebels.
Grade 8/9
Thomas Haney Thunder assistant coach Paul Franco is excited about what he sees with the young team. The early season results back up that enthusiasm. The Thunder has won both of its opening games in convincing fashion, defeating the SRT Titans 6-1 on Monday, Oct. 5 after opening the season a week earlier with a 7-1 thrashing of the Westview Wildcats.
Franco said THSS is not usually as well recognized as some of the other schools regarding sports, but the soccer program is helping to alter the perceptions.
“This is for sure changing in soccer. Our grade 8/9 girls’ team won the Fraser Valleys last year,” said Franco.
He said the talent on the Grade 8/9 boys team is “incredible.”
• The Thunder visits Archbishop Carney on Oct. 14 at 3:30 p.m.