There will be no representation from the Tri-Cities at this year’s senior girls' high school soccer provincials in Cloverdale.
The Dr. Charles Best Blue Devils, which finished atop the league standings, lost 2-1 in penalty kicks to the second-ranked team from the Burnaby-New West league, the Burnaby Central Wildcats, in one of two Fraser North zone semifinal matches Thursday, May 9.
The defending provincial champions, the Centennial Centaurs, also lost its semifinal in penalty kicks, 1-0 to the Burnaby North Vikings.
The two Burnaby teams automatically advance to provincials and they will battle each other next Thursday, May 16, to determine the zone champion while Best and Centennial will play on for the consolation of a third-place finish to their seasons.
It's the first time in 13 years the Centaurs haven't qualified for provincials.
At the Charles Best oval, the Blue Devils spotted the Wildcats a 1-0 advantage after a scoreless first half, then tied it in injury time when Ashley Tan drove home a pass from Megan Eivemark.
Neither team scored in extra time, sending them to the spot.
Blue Devils coach Fahim Karmali said it was a tough way to dash the team’s hopes for provincial glory after a perfect regular season record of five wins and no losses.
“It wasn’t the result we wanted, but the team played their hearts out,” Karmali said. “We will try to play for third in the zone next week, but any chance of qualifying for provincials comes to an end.”
Centennial coach Kevin Comeau said there wasn’t much to choose in a tight, defensive match against the Vikings, the top team in the Burnaby-New West league.
“It was a tough game with not many great scoring chances for either team,” he said.
The Centaurs will play the New Westminster Hyacks on Tuesday, May 14, with the winner advancing to the third-place match next Thursday at the Burnaby Lake Sports Complex West.
Best will host Port Coquitlam’s Riverside Rapids to determine the other third-place combatant.
The Fraser North championship match between the Vikings and Wildcats will also be played Thursday, 3 p.m., at Burnaby Lake West.
