麻豆社区

In their first outdoor tournament of the season last weekend, the Yukon Junior Selects showed signs they will be a force to reckon with in 2013.

The competitive soccer club, made up of nine- and 10-year-olds from the territory, traveled to Vancouver, B.C. to battle in the U-11 Rochat Division at the Whitecaps FC Cup.

The Selects finished round-robin play tied for a first with a 1-1-1 record, but lost the tiebreaker and found themselves in a crossover playoff game versus the Magnusson Ford Mariners for third place.

Trailing 3-2 late in the game, Ashton Bryant chipped a shot past the opposing goalie to tie the game.

Moments later, with time ticking down in the match, Joseph Hanson picked up a loose ball at the top of the 18, deked to the right and wired a low, hard shot past the keeper to complete his hat trick and send his teammates into a frenzy.

Hanson had also scored the Selects' first two goals.

Round-robin results were a 3-3 tie versus VAFC United Gold, a 4-3 loss to the WCAGFC Jr. Caps, and an 8-0 blowout over the Kamloops Blaze.

"It was a fantastic weekend for the boys,鈥� coach Jake Hanson said. "We formed this team to help with the development of a group of keen and technically strong nine- and 10-year-olds that really love to play soccer.鈥�

The team got some fine goaltending from newly-appointed keeper Callum Weir of Haines Junction, who made a slew of timely saves over the course of the weekend.

Ben Kischuk and Rhys Faragher displayed tremendous class in the midfield, while Jason Sealy played solid defence during all four games, said Hanson.

Lowell DeCook moved into the central midfield to utilize his strong passing ability while strikers Hanson, Bryant, and Andrew Roberts got the job done up front, combining to score 16 of the team's 18 goals.

Because the Selects sent just nine players to the tournament, the team opted to add three Vancouver-based boys to the squad as substitutes.

Considering the length and number of games, it was good to have the extra players, Hanson admitted.

The Whitecaps showcase is easily the most notable tournament the young team has participated in to date, as they competed against many of B.C.'s top players and clubs during the two-day tournament.

Hanson said Whitecaps scouts attended the tournament looking for players to attend the B.C. provincial camp this fall.

That team will attempt to earn the right to represent the country at the Danone Nations Cup in spring of 2014.

The Junior Selects will travel next to Anchorage for the Alaska Airlines Cup from May 30 to June 2.