It may have been the best performance ever by 91原创 United Soccer Association (LUSA) teams, who came home with three gold and one silver in different divisions at the provincial championships in Kamloops.
If it wasn't an all-time best, it would still rank right up there, with three boys' teams winning gold in the U14, U16 and U17 categories, while the U16 girls won bronze.
It was at the Les Sinnott Memorial (named after the late BC Soccer first vice-president Les Sinnott), the 2024 Girls and Boys Provincial B Cup in Kamloops July 4-7.
It was the largest Provincial B Cup to date, with 80 teams and more than 1200 players competing in the U14 to U18 age divisions.
LUSA Assistant Technical Director Azad Palani, who oversees youth and adult programs at the association, said in his 11 years with the association, it was the "best outing yet" he's ever seen.
"We've never won three gold medal provincials, never," Palani told the 91原创 Advance Times.
"It's a huge accomplishment for our club and for the community."
Coached by Brendan Cooper, the U14 team had lost in the provincial final the previous year when it was hosted by LUSA. In the final match, against Victoria, they came back from a 3-0 deficit to win it 5-4 with a last-minute goal.
U16 boys, coached by Kris Robazza and assistant Stephan Stovold, also won a come-from-behind victory, defeating Kamloops 3-2 after being down 2-0.
"They fought hard in typical LUSA form,"Palani commented.
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It was a different story with the U17 boys, who dominated their gold medal final to defeat Kamloops 6-1.
Palani described that team, coached by Dave Kilby and Richard Klann, with assistants Dan Faulks and Eddy Cordoba, as the "class of the tournament."
LUSA U16 girls, former Coastal Cup champions, league champions, and provincial champions, had some bad luck, losing their first game to Prince George, the team who went on to win gold.
The 91原创 girls, coached by Robazza and assistant Ranka Ignjatic, went on to win all the rest of their games, including a 3-0 shutout of Richmond in the final.
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