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Thunder sixth at provincials

Young Thomas Haney team should be better next year
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(Black Press) The Thomas Haney Thunder, seen here in action against the Langley Fundamental Titans in Fraser Valley senior boys AA quarter-final action at Willoughby Community Park, finished sixth in B.C. this year.

The provincial championships in Burnaby were great experience for an up-and-coming Thomas Haney Thunder squad, with promise that a sixth-place finish this year could become a B.C. title in the 2018 season.

After placing third in the Fraser Valley tournament earlier this month this young team, composed almost entirely of Grade 11s, “battled their hearts out in the provincial championships,” said assistant coach Glenn Urquhart

The first match on Monday was a 3-1 win over Hugh McRoberts of Richmond. Next, they faced St Michael’s University school, from Vancouver island, and lost 3-0 to a team that wound up going to the championship game. St. Michaels was the runner up to Langley Fundamental in the tourney.

Haney’s third game was against Charles Hays from Prince Rupert, and Haney came away with a dominating 5-2 result.

This placed the Thunder in second place in their four-team pool, and they advanced to play North Delta in the fourth game of the tournament.

The North Delta game ended regulation time in a scoreless tie, and went to penalty kicks. The Haney boys pulled out the win, converting on all five of their shots. Kevin Picard, the Thomas Haney keeper and only grade 12 on the team, made a brilliant save in the shootout to secure the win.

Haney advanced to play Island team Brentwood of Mill Bay, in a game for fifth and sixth places. The Island team took the contest 2-1 in a close, physically demanding game.

Haney won the Fair Play Award for impressive sportsmanship with zero card infractions.

Albert Kang was our selection for the team’s most valuable player of the tournament,

“The skill of our team was never matched throughout the tournament as Thunder prospects out passed all in their way,” said head coach Kevin Mahal.

“All players raised their levels of play so much that even the opponents’ coaches were left with their jaws open at the beautiful plays and finishing the boys employed.”

Coaches Mahal, Paul Franco and Urquhart say they have have nothing but excitement for next year to see this young dream team mature to their full potential led by the likes of Isiah smith, Albert Kang, Brody Thomas, Kai Vockeroth and Marcus Tjernagel.

“All players gave their all this year and the coaches commend them on their superb effort they brought to every game,” said Urquhart.



Neil Corbett

About the Author: Neil Corbett

I have been a journalist for more than 30 years, the past decade with the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News.
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