Storm United can distance itself from the rest of the pennant contenders in the St. Albert Women’s Soccer League next week by beating the main challengers.
The Storm (10-0-1) play the third-place Morinville Ladies (9-2) Monday at Salisbury field and the second-place Mavericks 09 (10-1) Tuesday at Grosvenor field. Kickoff times are 7 p.m.
The pennant winner will represent the league in the tier IV provincials in Edmonton in September.
Last month the Storm blanked the Mavericks 2-0 and Morinville 1-0.
The Storm are the division leaders in shutouts with eight as the top defensive team with only five goals against. In goals scored the team is second with 31. Ashley Brandt and Vincenza Pinos rank among the division’s top scorers.
Last year Morinville (15-2-1) finished one point ahead of the Mavericks (15-3) and three in front of the Storm (14-3-1) in the pennant race. At provincials Morinville was 1-2. The league’s 2008 tier I playoff finalist was competing in its fourth tier IV provincials in five years. The team’s main goal scoring threats this year are Suzanne Gaetz and Melissa Duro. Seven wins have been by shutouts, while only giving up six goals.
The first pennant in Storm history was two years ago at 11-2-1. At provincials the team was winless. The league’s tier I playoff finalists in 2007 and semifinalists in 2008 are led offensively by Ashley Brandt and Vincenza Pinos.
Spearheaded by a well-balanced attack with a division-high 52 goals, the Mavericks play a wide-open brand of soccer. Jen Bruinsma, Christy Debienne, Dori Sutcliffe and Lindsey Hornung have made major impacts offensively. The team’s biggest win of the season was 3-2 over Morinville in July.
The Bantam Girls Canadian Fastpitch Championship starts today for the St. Albert Angels ’94 in Victoria.
The provincial finalists play the Richmond Islanders ’94 (B.C. 2) and the Quebec Rebelles ’95 (Quebec 2) in the red pool round robin.
Games are also scheduled against the Saskatoon Raiders, Morden Bulldogs (Manitoba 2), and Guelph Gators (Ontario 1).
The tournament website is www.2010bantamnationals.com
The St. Albert U14 boys defended their city rugby championship with a first-place finish in league play.
They edged out the Norwesters for the title by going 22-2.
The majority of the team played together last year and will move up to U16 next year.
Jesse Shirton, Brett Clow, Chad Monai-Brophy, Austin McDonald, Jack Hanna and Zac Moss also made the Team Alberta for the U14 nationals next month in Calgary.
