Victoria Soccer Club – The St. Albert Skyhawks travelled farther than expected as finalists in metro Edmonton high school soccer.
The lady Skyhawks returned to the city conference final for the first time since winning the 2010 title and lost 3-0 to the St. Francis Xavier Rams to finish 7-1 overall.
“At the beginning of the season I don’t think anybody thought that we would be here so we really worked very hard for this,” said striker Hayley Francois.
The Skyhawks were the No. 1 pool B team in league play and in the playoffs they outscored their opponents 8-0 for a shot at the undefeated Rams.
“Last year we had the same pool and the same results coming out of the pool so we were really hoping to come out on top of the pool again and we were successful doing that,” said Francois.
The Grade 12 Skyhawk scored twice in the 3-0 semifinal win against the Holy Trinity Trojans (5-2) last week at Eldorado field.
“Winning semifinals is a big deal for us because last year we lost in the semifinals (to the Archbishop MacDonald Marauders to finish 4-1) so this year that was a really big accomplishment,” Francois said. “To be here in the final was a really big deal for us. It’s just too bad that we couldn’t come out on top.”
The Rams scored in the 14th minute and pulled away in the second half with a pair of markers. Another goal was called offside.
“It was a tough loss,” Francois said. “We really gave everything we had in the first half and in the second half I think we just ran out of gas and the other team just had more in them.
“But props to FX. They had a good game today. They were just the better team on the day.”
With the Skyhawks down a goal, Jade Fisher’s header off a corner kick hit the cross bar.
Towards the end of the half, Charity Price raced in to get a toe on the ball with the goalkeeper out of position but was unable to reach it.
On the last play before the break, Stephanie Parth worked her way in from the corner along the back line and after dribbling around a defender sent the ball into the goal area where it was kicked away.
“After the first one I don’t think we slowed down at all in the first half. We kept pushing but as the goals kept coming I think a lot of people just kind of ran out of gas mostly just because of fatigue,” Francois said. “I think there was also a little bit of a mental affect once they got three goals. I mean 3-0 is kind of a big blow to any team.”
The Skyhawks let in only two goals before the final – both were by the Paul Kane Blues (4-2-1) in the 4-2 result May 21 – while posting six shutouts.
Skyhawks goalkeeper Mercedes Murray kept the score respectable despite constant pressure by the Rams, who racked up 41 goals and gave up only four in eight wins.
“This team had good team chemistry and high soccer IQ from the beginning. They had the ability to build plays while moving up the field and not just kick and chase,” said Jenna Stevenson, head coach of the Rams.
Towards the end of the match the Skyhawks generated scoring chances, but Natalie Hajek was unsuccessful despite some fancy footwork in front of the net and on the last play Abbey Cimolai’s corner kick was knocked wide of the target.
“I’m very proud of my team. We gave it a good shot,” said Francois, 18.
The Skyhawks lose only a few seniors from a roster of talent ranging from various levels of soccer to athletes who excel at other sports.
“You’ve got a lot of different types of players in school soccer. It’s not all Tier 1 elite. You get different backgrounds and different tiers so you’ve got different game styles and different philosophies of the game and once you kind of put it all together you get some interesting soccer. It works out well with our team. We put it all together,” said Francois, an elite cross-country and 800- and 1,500-metre runner who will join her sister, Rachel, at the University of Victoria Vikes on a track scholarship in the fall.
