Things were looking pretty good for the Kwalikum Secondary School junior boys soccer team as it carried a 2-0 lead into halftime of its playoff final in the North Island AA championships last Tuesday in Qualicum Beach.
But 50 minutes later, the Kondors were finished for the season and Highland Secondary of Comox was moving on to the Vancouver Island AA championships for the first time in school history.
Highland got two goals in the second half — including the tying score in the 62nd minute — then outpoint KSS 4-2 in a penalty kick shootout to win the third-place game and clinch the North Island’s third and final berth to Islands.
“That’s it for these kids, unfortunately,” Kwalikum coach Butch Gayton said. “We had a group of individuals instead of a team. It just didn’t happen in the short amount of time we had together.”
Leo Bracht scored both goals for the Kondors.
Bracht also scored the team’s lone goal in a 2-1 semifinal loss to Carihi of Campbell River, which went on to win the tourney with a 2-1 win over Brooks Secondary of Powell River.
While the KSS junior team is finished with secondary school play for the season, several players — including Bracht — have earned spots on the Kondors senior squad and will play this week in the North Island Senior AA tournament.
— NEWS Staff