The St. Albert Skyhawks broke open Monday’s final with two late goals to win the metro Edmonton division three men’s soccer championship at the ESA Complex.
Ben MacPherson, Luca Capelli, Athanasios Pananos and Braydon Lamash scored in the 4-2 decision against the Gabrielle-Roy Grizzlies. In net was David Lowe.
In the first half the Skyhawks twice held the lead only to have the Grizzlies reply with the equalizer.
Earlier in the season the Skyhawks beat the Grizzlies 7-2.
The Skyhawks finished 6-0-2 overall in the inaugural season for division three men’s soccer in the metro Edmonton league. The Grizzlies were 4-3.
It’s the second metro Edmonton men’s soccer banner in school history.
Visit www.stalbertgazette.com to view the team picture.
In the semifinals Lamash tallied twice and Lowe recorded the shutout in the 2-0 victory over the Oscar Romero Ravens (3-3-1) last week in monsoon-like conditions in St. Albert. Lightning forced a 20-minute delay in the match.
In league play the Skyhawks finished second at 3-0-2 (23 GF and eight GA), the Ravens placed third at 2-2-1 and Grizzlies were fourth at 2-2.
The Skyhawks’ lineup featured five Grade 12s, seven Grade 11s and four Grade 10s. Four players are affiliated with the St. Albert Impact program and three others play for club teams in Edmonton.
Last year the Skyhawks struggled through a 0-5-1 (five GF and 32 GA) campaign in the premier conference (division one).
Meanwhile, the lady Skyhawks posted a 5-0 win over the Louis St. Laurent Barons in the division two consolation final Monday at Johnny Bright Park.
The consolation playoffs featured teams finishing third and fourth in their respective pools.
In three playoff matches the Skyhawks outscored the opposition 10-0 to finish 5-2-1 overall. The Barons were 3-4.
Last year the Skyhawks lost the city conference (division two) final for an overall 7-1 record.
The St. Albert Cardinals host consecutive doubleheaders this weekend in the NorWest Midget AAA Baseball League at Legion Memorial Park.
The Cardinals (14-2) play the Calgary Rockies (7-9) today and Okotoks Dawgs White (6-9) Sunday. Game times are 1 and 4 p.m.
The Cardinals are coming off an 8-6 victory over SEEBA 1 (11-5) Wednesday in Edmonton.
Both teams collected seven hits and SEEBA committed two errors.
It was 5-0 Cardinals before SEEBA scored twice in the second. A pair of runs in the top of the fourth made it 8-4.
Tanner Karpinski (2-1) tossed a six-hitter over 5-2/3 innings. He struck-out three and walked four. Taran Oulton earned his second save in relief.
Connor Burns, Erik Sabrowski and Jake Fisher batted in two runs apiece. Fisher also stroked a triple. Mat Brisson scored three runs, Dylan Gates drew three walks and Aaron Watamaniuk stole two bases.
It was the fourth win in a row for last year’s Tier 1 provincial finalists and Western Canadian gold medallists after losing twice last weekend to snap a 10-game winning streak to start the season.
Fisher is the team’s top batter with a .444 average and is second in hits with 16, one less than Logan Harvey’s total.
Sabrowski has driven home a team-high 15 runs, followed by Fischer’s 13 and Burns’ 10.
On the mound Burns is 3-0 with a 1.27 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 20-2/3 innings. Jackson Wark has fanned a team-high 23 batters in 18-1/3 innings.
Wednesday the Cardinals visit the Spruce Grove White Sox (7-3) at 7 p.m.
St. Albert product Josh Mahura is among 96 skaters, including 36 defencemen, invited to Canada’s national U17 development camp.
All the skaters have been drafted or listed by Canadian Hockey League teams, including 29 from the Western Hockey League.
Mahura is one of 13 skaters from the Hockey Alberta branch selected to attend the July 29 to Aug. 4 session in Calgary.
The players on the camp roster were evaluated last season with their club teams and at three regional U16 events: Western Canada U16 Challenge, OHL Gold Cup and QMJHL Excellence Challenge.
Mahura, a former captain of the bantam AAA St. Albert Sabres, was drafted by the Red Deer Rebels in the second round (36th overall) as the ninth defenceman taken in the 2013 WHL draft. He spent last season at the Okanagan Hockey Academy.
