Chester City is the team to beat in the playoffs after finishing first overall for the second straight year in the St. Albert Men’s Soccer League.
In their last league game before the playoff cup tournament, Chester manhandled an over-matched Arsenal squad 4-1 Sunday at Riel Park.
“We did what we came out to do. We wanted to win and clinch first place and become league champs,” said striker Matt Starcheski, who scored twice before the eight minute mark. “It’s pretty important what we did. We get a couple of byes going into playoffs. We also go to provincials and that was one of our many goals.”
The tier IV provincials start Sept. 2 in Calgary.
“We’re hoping to have a good showing there and then we’re going to come back for the cup playoffs,” said captain Mike Fulton, a veteran defensive specialist.
On tap after provincials for the pennant winners is their Sept. 13 semifinal at Eldorado field at 6:30 p.m. The final is Sept. 18 at 3 p.m. at the Riel Park turf field.
Chester is 10-2-2 going into the playoffs.
“Our season wasn’t too bad. It was kind of up and down but in the last few games we came together as a team,” Starcheski said.
Last year Chester was the top seed going into the playoffs at 10-2, but suffered a shocking 2-1 loss on penalty kicks against Arsenal in the semifinals.
“It was a disaster for us in the semifinals. We had a couple of guys sent off and lost the game,” Fulton said. “This year we’re working to prove ourselves and show that we’re the best team in the league.”
The only playoff cup in team history was celebrated in 2008, when Chester knocked off the legendary Rummies 2-1 in their 14th year in the league.
That year Chester finished second overall to the Rummies at 11-3-1, then dropped to 5-4-6 in 2009 before capturing back-to-back first-place trophies.
“I hope this is the start of a little bit of a dynasty,” Fulton said. “Of course we have a long way to go to be like the Rummies to live up to their reputation [of 13 playoff cups in 17 trips to the final before ceasing operations last year].”
Chester’s 19-man roster is led by 11 players from the 2010 outdoor season and seven newcomers, including three who played indoors this past winter.
“A few of us are getting up there in age now but we’re still going strong. We’ve got some good young guys too so we’ve got a good core to go forward with,” said Fulton, 30. “This year we’ve been a little more inconsistent but I think we’ve got a better team for ball movement and knocking it around. We’re playing lot more of a controlled game. Last year it was a little more run and chase. We want the ball on our feet this year and when we get it on our feet we’re pretty hard to stop.”
A blast from the past, Scott Bohachyk, is also back with the team after missing a few years. Bohachyk, rocking a long, bushy beard made famous by San Francisco Giants’ reliever Brian Wilson, scored his eighth goal Sunday for second place in team scoring. Starcheski repeated as the Golden Boot Award winner with 16 goals, equalling his league high last year.
“It’s not just all about me,” Starcheski stressed. “I’ve got a pretty good supporting cast and I’ve been set up for a lot of good opportunities. They give me quite a few easy ones to put away.”
Starcheski, 26, curled a well struck free kick into the far side of the net against keeper Ryan Nunes in the second minute, then finished off a bing-bang-boom passing play to make it 2-0. Nunes had no chance on the second goal because his defensive support was non-existent.
Arsenal escaped the first half down by only two, thanks to an offside call on Bohachyk in the 26th minute and Nunes’ heroics. The player of the game made a rare appearance in net and kept Chester from hitting double digits with countless highlight-reel stops. He literally stole five goals away from Vinny Segreto. Starcheski, Bohachyk and Glen Johnson were also denied several times.
Five minutes after the break, Manuel Zorate caught Chester’s back line flat-footed and beat keeper Jonny Ziarko.
Chester replied with goals by Sean Duffy on a long, low shot in the 61st minute, followed three minutes later by a big boot off a thunderous romp by Bohachyk.
“We started off pretty well and then sort of slowed down a bit but picked it up again in the second half and put a few goals in to close it out,” Fulton said. “It was a good game. They actually gave us a good run the whole way through but I think everybody got a little bit tired towards the end of the game. Once we went up by a couple they sort of stopped running at us because I think they knew what the result was going to be.”
Arsenal, the defending playoff champs, finished 5-8-1. Last year the Gunners placed fourth at 4-5-3. In the final they stoned SA United 2-0 for their first playoff cup in team history.
