Feeling the soccer love

Dakota Crossing

West End

West End

Two high school soccer teams — one in southeast Winnipeg and the other in the West End — have been kicking up a storm recently.

That’s because the Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association’s AAAA provincial soccer championships were held on the first weekend of June.

In the girls’ championship game, Centre scolaire Léo-Rémillard beat Kelvin High School 5-2, while Daniel McIntyre Collegiate Institute defeated West Kildonan Collegiate 2-1 in the boys’ championship game.

It’s the second year in a row the Renards have brought home the championship banner in the girls’ category. And the fact it was also a finalist two seasons ago is a testament to the legacy everyone involved with the team is creating.

“It’s a great team,” said Hafeez Khan, who has been the team’s head coach for last four years. “Everyone got game time … and most of the girls on the team have played in the last three seasons.”

Khan said the team is comprised of a mix of high school players and half a dozen that also play at club level for teams including Bonivital SC, Winnipeg Phoenix FC, and 1v1 Futbol Dreams Academy.

“The girls have worked very hard, and were dedicated at their practices, and supported each other both on and off the field,” Khan said, noting the girls also learned about themselves at times when they weren’t playing as well.

Noting he favours a possession-based philosophy as a coach, Khan said he was proud of the team’s performance in the championship game against “powerhouse” Kelvin, which it led 4-0 at halftime in what turned out to physical game that was played in the right spirit.

“The team really played a very good game,” Khan said, adding the school and players’ families has been very supportive, and collective community has helped solidify the team’s work ethic.

The other coaches this season were Joël Savard, Julia Khan, and Andrea Fischer. Renards players Chloe Roberts, Thalia Savard, and Isabelle West were named to the provincial all-star team following the tournament, while Emma Khan was named most valuable player.

Other results in the girls’ championship included Vincent Massey Collegiate (Winnipeg) beating Oak Park High School 1-0, and Miles Macdonell Collegiate defeating Northlands Parkway 3-0 in the consolation final.

The boys’ championship title race had shades of a Hollywood ending, with Daniel McIntyre Collegiate Institute Maroons’ head coach Danny Gomes likening the win to Leicester City’s odds-defying Premier League title win in 2015-16.

“It’s hard to describe how proud I am as a coach,” said Gomes. “It’s a true underdog story. It’s kind of beyond words.”

Gomes explained that some of the team’s players are new or relatively new to Canada and don’t have the opportunity to play club soccer — the 18 players in this season’s squad represented 16 nations, as it happens.

Noting the team was seeded sixth going into provincials, assistant coach Brittney Leost highlighted the fact the players dug in and showed character and grit as it beat top-seeded West Kildonan to bring home the banner, having held their opponents in the highest regard during the season.

“The boys have practiced so hard and showed so much heart. It’s been wild. They don’t play for premier club teams and have been training like crazy. It’s an incredible team,” Leost, said noting it’s the first time the school’s boys’ team has won a provincial soccer banner since 1992-93.

Gomes said the players rallied together to win the final, and it was “great to be able to celebrate as a team on the field.”

“Regardless about what you know about the other team, you have to be in the right mindset to win. The boys have been amazing.”

With the end of the school year coming up, Leost said the success has added to the collective energy and positive vibes of the entire school community, including the whole school cheering on the players as they walked around the building after bringing back the title.

“It’s nice to feel the love in the community,” Leost said.

Other results in the boys’ championship included Vincent Massey (Brandon) beating Vincent Massey (Winnipeg) 7-1, and Collège Louis-Riel defeating Pembina Trails Collegiate 4-2 in the consolation final. Maroons players Eric Mugisha and Eduardo Bravo were named to the provincial all-star team, while Vladimir Anikeyenko was named tournament MVP.