The Stars were over the moon after capturing lightning in a bottle — pulling off the upset, then winning an all-Oceanside final to claim the title in their U18 Girls soccer playdowns for the second straight year.
In action in the Harbour City March 12-13, Oceanside’s squad of U16-U18 girls opened the Nanaimo and District playoffs with a tough 1-nil morning win over Nanaimo #1.
According to Oceanside coach Mike Watson, the game was scoreless until the 25th minute of the second half when Kim Watson hammered a corner kick and the ball deflected in off a Nanaimo defender.
Back at it that afternoon for game two, the Stars shocked top-seeded Nanaimo #4, aka The Envy, 2-1.
In a similar story line to the opening game, the two teams duelled to scoreless first half tie, which is how it stood until midway through the second when Lindsay Mjaaland buried a loose ball into the back of the Nanaimo net.
The Stars looked to be on easy street until with about five minutes left in the game a Nanaimo player broke in alone and scored to tie it up 1-1, which is how the game ended forcing a shoot-out.
In the shoot-out, Emily Towers and Maddi Dodd scored for Oceanside while Nanaimo could only put one past Towers.
That win set the table for an all-Oceanside final that saw the Stars carve out a 4-0 win over the Riots.
Val Watson scored what would prove to be the game-winner early in the opening half on a long ball.
Kim W. scored on a penalty kick about five minutes later.
Kelsey Wamer upped it to 3-nil, and Elizabeth Middleton added a goal in the second half off a spectacular cross from Kim.
The Stars only allowed one goal in regulation time in the tournament.
Towers, said her coach “was a standout in goal.”
Also earning props were Sarah Shortt and Val Watson on defence, Kelsey Wamer and Kelsey O`Conner in mid-field, and forwards Lindsay Mjaaland and Yeonou Kim.
“I’m pretty proud of the girls,” said Mike, adding, “collectively they just played great, all the girls played their best games of the season ... they were ecstatic (to win it all).
“It was brutal,” Watson chuckled when asked about the conditions, adding, “Saturday wasn’t bad but Sunday was awful. It had to be the worst conditions I’ve ever coached in.”
Winning the playoffs two years in a row was especially sweet he said, pointing out, “it’s a pretty big feat to accomplish, and for two Oceanside teams to finish 1-2, to have two teams that good, is awesome — that says a lot about our youth program.”