Powell River Cobras under 15 girls’ soccer team is earning a reputation across the province as the team to beat in its division. In the past three years it has captured three Island Cup championships, two BC soccer Coastal Cup championships and in July it will play for its third provincial title.
Recently the players travelled to North Delta to play the Tsawwassen Blues for the right to defend their Coastal Cup title. With a short bench of only 12 players, Cobras played a tight defensive game looking for any chances on the counterattack. Neither team was able to score in regulation nor extra time so they went into penalty kicks to determine a winner. Both teams named five players who would shoot alternately from 12 yards out.
Brittany Harry opened the scoring for Cobras while the Blues’ shooter soared her shot over the bar. Next up was Ricci Leitch who blasted one past the keeper only to have the Tsawwassen shooter score as well. Cassidy Ball then calmly hit the top corner with her shot and when Cobra keeper Emily Mayenburg forced the next shooter to put her shot past the goal post that enabled Cobra striker Rachel Horspool the opportunity to win the game with a goal. Her shot just missed the bottom corner however the officials ruled that the Blues’ keeper moved too soon which meant Horspool was given a second chance and she buried it past the keeper sending Cobras to the 60th annual BC soccer Coastal Cup finals.
At the finals the story was different as Cobras had a full complement of 16 players who all played very well throughout the match against West Vancouver Spuraways. Cobras took the game to its opponents and was rewarded with a goal late in the first half. The players came out all fired up in the second half and soon had a second goal to take a two-goal lead. With about 15 minutes left, Cobras secured the victory scoring its third on the way to a 3-0 win and its second consecutive championship.
Team members included Destiny Dendewicz in goal, Leitch, Emily, Mackenzie Balzan, Syd Liknes and Ball on defence, Harry, Braea Mayenburg, Ondreah Kristoff, Callie McNeil, Santana Huetzelmann and Sydney Hanson in the midfield with Sharlene Timothy, Erin Broughton, Allahna Somji and Horspool up front.
