Aug. 5, 2009

TEST The West Rouge Storm

The West Rouge Storm U18 girl's soccer team added yet another installment to an already impressive list of accomplishments this year: Ontario Cup champions. | Not even the distraction and inconvenience of a municipal strike or the wet weather got the team down late last month for the Ontario Cup win. | And, with the Ontario Youth Soccer League (OYSL) championships and the national championships on the horizon, the best may be yet to come for the squad, the bulk of which has been together for 12 years. | En route to the 2-1 championship victory over Oakville Phantoms, West Rouge defeated St. Catherine's 4-1 in the quarter final with goals from Arin King (2), Lisa Wrobleski and Jessica Fantozzi. | "It was a scheduled home game but due to the city strike, no Scarborough fields were available to play on," said Bobby Lennox, a coach for 12 years with the team. | The team, which includes players that have represented Canada, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana internationally, had no choice but to make the drive to St. Catherine's for the quarterfinal. | West Rouge then moved on to face Erin Mills in the semifinal. | It was a tighter battle with Cat Rogers scoring a goal and Fantozzi scoring a late one to knot it up 2-2, bringing it to penalty kicks. | Goalkeeper Mara Kremonovic made a couple of brilliant stops and Lacey Warner, Laura Copeland and King made good on their attempts, carrying the team through to the big game against Oakville the following day. | "The last minute goal from Fantozzi saved the day," said Lennox. | Thunder and lightning forced the last 13 minutes of the final indoors at the Soccer Centre in Vaughan. Tied at 1-1 and with just two minutes remaining, Rogers booted a thunderous left foot volley for the win. | The provincial championship gives the team a berth at the national championships in Edmonton over the Thanksgiving Day weekend. | The draw has yet to be determined, but Lennox is all but certain he will be short benched. | "Getting players for the nationals will be difficult, they will be in university at that time," he said. "We will have to approach each coach and request that the players be released for the tournament. We are hoping that 11 players will be able to travel to represent Ontario." | West Rouge also traveled to France and Sweden and won a bronze medal at the world-renown Gothia Cup in France this year. The team also tested its mettle against some of the top American club and university programs. | Based on a "philosophy of possession soccer", the squad will see 12 of its members move on to college and university programs this fall. Three will return next year. | The team includes: Lacey Warner, Kaitlin Wong You, Danielle Salvatore, Stephanie Williams, Erin Lennox, Lauren Bernardo, Mariah Hartman, Kremonovic, Nicole Zikovitz, Laura Copeland, Erica Hucculak, Cathryn Rogers, Arin King, Jessica Fantozzi, Samantha Wilson and Camille Perira. | Gail Warner, Elvis Wong-You assisted in coaching the team.