There are no sure things in sports, but the town of Okotoks can expect the Foothills Athletic Council Senior girls soccer championship trophy to stay in Big Rock country.
It’s up to the Foothills Composite Falcons and Holy Trinity Academy Knights to fight for a title they’re both quite familiar with.
The Falcons are two-time defending Foothills Athletic Council (FAC) champions and have finished with at least a silver medal in the past five seasons.
Foothills features several new faces this year reflected by the graduation of some key seniors from last season’s gold medal-winning roster, including top scoring threat Jaydn Sheeler, midfielder Megan Wattie and central defenders Kelsey Neal and Emma Uhlenberg.
However, new head coach Candace Suhai is encouraged by the infusion of skill on the pitch.
“What I do know is we have quite a few Grade 10s come in this year and I tell you we have a lot talent on the team this year,” Suhai said. “I expect good things from this team.”
Suhai, who has experience coaching minor soccer, is being assisted on the sidelines by Uhlenberg and Foothills Falcons boys soccer standout Jared Nudd.
“They didn’t have anybody to coach and wouldn’t have a team if I didn’t coach so I just stepped up and said okay,” Suhai said. “Jared is absolutely phenomenal, in our first game on Tuesday he was able to place the girls in the right positions and they did a fantastic job so I’m very fortunate to have him and Emma helping me out.”
The Falcons made a statement in their FAC debut on dispatching the Highwood Mustangs 6-0 on Sept. 18. Suhai is optimistic it’s a sign of things to come in 2012.
“We were missing at least three Grade 12s on Tuesday and they played so well,” she said. “I think that just comes from having the experience and knowing their own positions and being able to play as a team.”
Suhai said Grade 11 midfielders Katie Barker and Caitlin Dales as well as Shannon Jones have been early season standouts for the Falcons.
“We do have a lot of players and they all have great talent,” Suhai said of the team’s depth. “Going forward I’m not sure how good the other (FAC) teams are, but I do expect great things and really hope they do well and come away as another winner.“
Foothills hosted the Strathmore Spartans on Sept. 25, but results were too late for press time. The Falcons travel to Canmore to take on the Crusaders on Sept. 27 and square off with their cross-town foes the HTA Knights on Oct. 2, for a 4:30 p.m. kick-off at Riverside Park.
The Knights will be looking to tilt the girls soccer supremacy north up 32nd Street as they’ve dropped consecutive FAC championship games to the Falcons.
Knights head coach Kris Antoniszyn said the Falcons will once again be the toughest hurdle to HTA getting back on top of the podium for the first time since they won league titles 2009 and 2010.
“They have a strong, consistent program with many talented players,” Antoniszyn said. “They play very tough and gritty. I believe both teams enjoy playing each other. It’s the game both schools highlight on the schedule. It’s a big Okotoks rivalry no matter what the sport.”
The Knights feature seven returning players from 2011 roster, including centre back Jackie Fraser and central midfielders Vanessa Fuentes and Melissa Bellman.
Antoniszyn has many options at his disposal with 20 players on the roster. HTA features four seniors, 10 Grade 11 players as well as six in Grade 10.
“If I were to compare the interest this year to last year, there certainly was a spike in the number of girls who tried out,” said Antoniszyn of the blossoming popularity of the sport after the Canadian women’s bronze medal triumph at the London 2012 Summer Games. “The success at the Olympics definitely helps put soccer in the spotlight as a top sport in Canada.”
The coach said a few of the newcomers to the pitch have already shown great promise.
“We have a bunch of newcomers to the team poised to contribute, including Claire Thorimbert at sweeper and Brooklyn Smith and Sydney Kranjcec chipping in offensively,” he said.
HTA finished with a silver medal in the FAC and at the South Central Zones in 2011.
“We did well last season, coming in second in both zones and league, so we have the right tools in place and just need to step it up one last notch in those winner take all playoff games,” he said. “We look to get better each game with the goal of playing our last game as our best game. Each girl on the team knows that if we play as a team, to the best of our ability, we can bring a soccer championship back to HTA.”
The Knights began their FAC season with a 7-0 romp over the Crusaders in Canmore. They host the Strathmore Spartans on Sept. 27 and face the Foothills Falcons for the Okotoks derby on Tuesday, Oct. 2.
For schedule information and results go to www.foothillsathletics.ca.
