The Centennial Centaurs will play the Port Moody Blues for the Fraser North Zone championship in senior boys high school soccer, next Thursday, Nov. 9, at the Burnaby Lake Sports Complex.
The Centaurs advanced with a 4-1 victory over the Burnaby South Rebels in their semifinal yesterday, Nov. 2, at Centennial's new turf field, while Port Moody defeated Dr. Charles Best 1-0.
The wins mean both teams have already qualified for the provincial championships, that will be played in Burnaby Nov. 23 to 25.
But Centennial coach Kevin Comeau said he's being careful not to look beyond next week's all-Tri-Cities showdown for the Fraser North title.
He said Thursday's tough, physical match against Burnaby South will be good preparation for the intense and speedy Blues, who were the Coquitlam Secondary Schools Athletic Association's fourth seed heading into the zone playoffs.
"Port Moody has a ton of pace," said Comeau. "I expect it to be another intense, physical game."
The Centaurs, who missed the post season last year after finishing sixth in provincials in 2021, have yet to lose this season; a 1-1 draw against Best is the only blemish on the team's record.
Comeau said he's been impressed by his charges' determination and commitment to get the Centaurs back on a winning track.
"We have had numerous players step up as leaders and the commitment to the team and to each other has been critical," he said, adding many of those players were on the school's junior team that won the Fraser North championship two years ago.
Thursday, against Burnaby South, Aidan Furney opened the scoring early in the first half before Centennial conceded a goal to the Rebels on a penalty kick.
Moments later, though, the Centaurs regained the lead for good when Daoud Kromah squibbed home a winner off a set-up by Furney. Evan Crosby scored twice in the second half as insurance.
With Centennial's place in provincials already assured, Comeau said it would be easy for the team to take its foot off the gas. But a zone championship will give them a higher seeding for provincials, easing their path toward the season's biggest prize.
"They want to be the best team in the province," Comeau said.
The Best Blue Devils still have a chance to get into the provincial tournament, but the team will have to defeat Alpha Secondary on Tuesday, Nov. 7, and then the winner of a backdoor qualifier the same day between the Rebels and Burnaby North.
The Terry Fox Ravens, which finished league play in third place, lost both its playoff matches, 4-0 to Burnaby South in the opening round and 4-2 to Alpha on Thursday.
