If it was an unlikely final pairing, it was a fitting finish.
The Burnaby North Vikings solved the underdog mystique of the Burnaby South Rebels with a 1-0 win Wednesday in the Burnaby-New West senior boys AAA soccer playoff final.
Burnaby North pushed hard in the first half and took the lead at the 40-minute mark when Mario
Banovic converted a free kick to cap a flurry of chances that saw Burnaby South goalkeeper Gabe Radcliff rob Gordon Grice from 15 feet a minute before the game’s only goal.
The second half was less about pushing for the Vikings, who posted the second-best record, at 5-1, during the regular season.
Burnaby South drove the ball forward a handful of times in the second half but were unable to penetrate their northern rival’s defence, with Jesse Pavelich collecting the clean sheet.
“We were mentally focused,” noted North coach Deborah Peters. “Our skills were there, we just had to get it together. We played like this ever since we played South (in the regular season).”
That encounter three weeks ago, which ended in a 3-0 Vikings win, was the team’s toughest test prior to the season-opening loss to Burnaby Central.
In the ensuring three games, including last week’s semifinal where they blanked Cariboo Hill 5-0, they outscored the opposition 14-3.
South’s route to the final was more arduous, against the odds and dramatic.
Earning the sixth and final berth into the playoffs after a 2-4-0 season, the Rebels proceeded to edge Moscrop 3-2 and shock previously undefeated Burnaby Central 5-4 in penalty kicks to advance to the final.
“The biggest test to date would have to be the game against Central,” noted South coach Frank Giallonardo. “(Central) were undefeated during the season and they have quite a few very talented players… They played with a lot of effort and didn’t give up until the game was done. We were down 2-1 and we tied it up, overtime and won in PKs.”
Against the Vikings, however, the chances were few and too far between.
“It was a good game, it just came down to chances. They finished there’s, and we couldn’t get a good one… They were both tough games.”
Both teams now advance to face the top teams from the North Shore, with Burnaby North facing undefeated and B.C. No. 3-ranked Argyle, while Burnaby South plays the winner of North Van and Sentinel. Both games are Tuesday at Burnaby Lakes.
The Vikings need to just win one of their next two games to earn a berth to the B.C.s, while the Rebels are in a must-win situation on Tuesday.
Peters said there is no easy route forward.
“It’s always hard to get through the zone against the North Shore, (Argye) is a very solid and stacked team,” she said. “We are ready, though. We played them last year too in the zones so we want some retribution this year.”
