Despite losing all three of their round-robin games in Pool ‘C’ at the all-Ontario soccer championships here last week, the 11th-ranked Muskies came away holding their heads high.
Sure, they were outscored 14-3 in those three games, but it was their last game–a 2-1 loss to the sixth-seeded Banting Memorial Marauders (Alliston) on Friday afternoon–that showed the black-and-gold are close to being competitive at the provincial level.
The Muskies stayed right with Banting Memorial from the opening whistle, trading shot for shot and scoring chance after scoring chance. In fact, they held the territorial play, at times, against the Marauders and looked every bit as if they belonged at the all-Ontarios.
And not just as the host team.
A late second-half goal by Kelly Fearman (her second of the game) spoiled any chance of the Muskies earning their first-ever point at the all-Ontarios. But it didn’t spoil the feeling on the Muskie sidelines that they gave it their all.
“I’m really proud of them,” Muskie head coach Struchan Gilson said afterwards. “We made a conscious effort to play our seniors in the first 10 minutes of the game and the last 10 minutes.”
The Muskies had opened play Thursday morning with a 6-1 loss to Waterloo-Oxford (Baden), clearly showing the affects of being nervous in front of a home crowd.
Then they dropped another 6-1 loss to eventual-champion Lakeshore Catholic Gators (Port Colborne) later Thursday under a steady, cold rain.
But while the Muskies found themselves down 4-0 at half-time, the team never quit and were outscored only by a 2-1 margin in the second half.
“I thought the Gators were very strong but a lot of people commented on how we never gave up,” said Muskie starting keeper Amy Shute, who, along with the rest of the team, was playing in her first OFSAA tournament.
“We had some good chances early [against Banting Memorial]. We tried our best,” she added.
Zoe Boileau, who played her last game in a Muskie uniform after five years with the black-and-gold, said the program will continue to be strong.
And with Gilson and his coaching staff always bringing in ninth- and 10th-graders to replace senior players lost to graduation, the Muskies continue to reload rather than rebuild.
Gone from this year’s club will be Boileau, Christine Noonan, Sarah Vanderplaats, Erin McIvor, Susie Grynol, and Laureen Cousineau–all of whom played integral roles on this year’s team.
But the team already has thought about who will replace who in the lineup. And they expect to be competing for the NorWOSSA and NWOSSAA titles again next season.
“I’m proud of our team. Five years from now, they’ll still be winning with Struchan Gilson. He does everything for Fort Frances and that’s why his teams win,” said Boileau.
Boileau, who plans on going to Fanshawe College in London next fall, said she was impressed with their team’s ability to score three goals in the tournament–and the fact they were so close in earning a tie in their final match.
“We stepped it up [and] I don’t doubt that they’ll win a game [at OFSAA in the future],” enthused Boileau, adding she was impressed with the atmosphere of the tournament.
“It was about the fans, the town, and the team. I’m definitely going to miss it,” she remarked.
In related news, Gilson was the recipient of the OFSAA Leadership in School Sport Award, presented each year to a teacher-coach who has made a significant contribution to the educational athletic program.
He was presented with the award at last Thursday’s banquet here.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
