Sports
Centaurs stall McMath soccer mission
It took a team of Centaurs to stop the Wildcats from realizing their goal.
It took a team of Centaurs to stop the Wildcats from realizing their goal.
Determined to shed the bridesmaid’s label and capture their first provincial AAA high school girls’ soccer championship, Richmond’s McMath Wildcats headed into the recent tournament in Cloverdale clearly on a mission. And until facing the defending champion Centennial Centaurs in the semifinals, everything was going according to plan.
But the Centaurs were on their own mission trying to capture back-to-back titles when the sides locked horns May 30. In handing McMath a 4-2 setback, Centennial not only handed the Wildcats their only loss of the season but also successfully went on to realize their goal with a 2-1 final-game victory over Fleetwood the following day.
“I am proud of all the girls and how they came together in such a short period of time to achieve the success they have,” says McMath coach Mandir Punia. “Our seniors did a fantastic job of leading by example.”
McMath kicked off the tournament with a 2-0 win over Claremont and then blanked South Delta 1-0 and Handsworth 2-0 before facing Centennial. McMath blanked Panorama 1-0 in the bronze-medal match May 31.