Following on the heels of their unprecedented success in senior competitions, the Surrey United Soccer Club (SC) dominated the championship weekend following the inaugural BC Soccer Youth Provincial Premier Cup championships.
Teams from United took six of the 10 finals played, with all six champions winning by shutout. Just six weeks ago, Surrey United teams captured the Men’s A, Women’s A and Women’s Classic provincial championships.
Five United teams at both the youth and senior levels will compete in their respective categories at the Canadian Club Championships in October at sites across the country. The Youth teams competed this past season in the EA Sports BC Soccer Premier League (BCPL)
“It’s pretty hard to find words to describe the feeling of what we, as a club, have been able to achieve this season. All of our players, coaches and teams worked extremely hard and controlled the areas of the game that they could”, said Jeff Clarke, Technical Director of Surrey United and former Canadian International and Whitecaps player. “I can’t commend all of the 3,000-plus Surrey United members enough for their consummate and unconditional support of this club effort throughout this landmark season.”
All four boys teams won their games by 1-0 scores.
Game MVP (Most Valuable Player) Noah Owen scored the game’s only goal in the under-14 final against Coquitlam Metro-Ford, sending united to the nationals in Vaughan, Ontario in the fall. The under-16 United team will be at their national tournament in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, after Kyle Sohi netted the winning goal in overtime to lift Surrey past Mountain United. Vagelli Boucas earned the MVP award.
Kevin Ramirez scored in the second half to lift United to a win over Thompson Okanagan FC in the under-13 game, with Nick Fussell named MVP. In under-15 play, Cole Basarich was the MVP and also scored the goal for Surrey against Fusion FC.
“We knew our six finalists, who had all finished in the top two in league play, each had a good chance,” said Martin Foden, executive director of Surrey United SC. “However, such is the parity in the EA Sports BC Soccer Premier League, most of the games could have gone either way and never in our wildest dreams did we ever think we would win them all.”
Foden also praised Langley United youth Soccer Association and the Guildford Athletic Club, two groups which partnered with Surrey United SC to form the youth teams in the Premier league.
“They have provided, so unselfishly, our BCSPL programming with many players, coaching resources and expertise and indeed training facilities,” he noted. “Both clubs have played a very significant role in last weekend’s accomplishments. Without their unconditional support we would not have had such phenomenal success throughout the season and particularly over the past weekend.”