The dust has settled, the Cup have been brought in to get engraved, the year end for local soccer League supremacy has come to an end ……….at least the 2nd of 3 seasons has!

All 4 VISL Cup Finals were played over the weekend at Royal Athletic Park – and they did not disappoint. The theme of the weekend (in many sports it seemed) was extra time needed to determine winners.

Final #1 on Saturday was the George Pearkes Challenge Cup. For our 2nd tiered competitors.
That game needed 120’ to crown Mid Isle Mariners as Champions. They defeated Gorge United by score of 1-0.
Mid Isle goal scorer was Alex Dedame. Mid Isle Keeper with the shutout was David Turkstra.
The game MVP was Mateusz Deron of Gorge United.

Final #2 on Saturday was the George Smith U21 Cup. All participants are under 21 years of age.
Mid Isle Mariners (a separate team from the 1st Final) won this game 6-1 over Juan de Fuca.
Juan de Fuca goal scorer was Graeme Thompson. Mid Isle had Liam Wirth, Daniel Doukakis, Griffin Douglas, & Juan Rubiano with 3.
The game MVP taking home the Walter Craveiro trophy was Juan Rubiano.

Final #3 on Sunday was the Tony Grover Masters Memorial Cup. All players are 35 years and over.
In their 1st season with the VISL, Cowichan 49ers defeated the Cinderella story Vic West by score of 2-1 after 120’.
The Vic West goal by Colin Ralph, and Cowichan had Adam Taft scoring and Stu Barker at 116’.
The Alec Hylan game MVP was Stu Barker from Cowichan 49ers.

Final #4 on Sunday – the featured match that is the Sir John Jackson Cup. Our top level of League soccer on the Island.
There is a new Sheriff in town, after an almost 20 year absence from hoisting the storied Cup – Nanaimo United do so by defeating the favored Cowichan LMG defending Champions by score of 2-1 after 120’.
Nanaimo scored early – a goal by Darragh Fitzgerald. It was looking like the game was over especially as Cowichan was down a man due to a red card. Cowichan pressed and carried the play – and were rewarded with virtually no time left on the clock. A goal by Joel Harry at 90’. Extra time was needed – where a young player by the name of Niko Cristante decided to play hero – scoring at 110’. There was no more drama by Cowichan – the game ended and Nanaimo got to raise the Cup.
The Denny Girvin game MVP was Andrew Adams of Nanaimo United.

A great game to end the weekend and get the community ready for the final season of the year – the 3rd season which is BC Soccer’s Provincial Cup.

Vince Greco
VISL President
www.visl.org
250-889-1213
@vincenzo25
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