Christmas in July is an old term, but it really is just that for the Victoria Highlanders and other leading teams in the Pacific Coast Soccer League.
Abbotsford Magnuson Ford SC (2-6-4) backed out of hosting the four-team playoff tournament and given up the automatic berth that goes with it.
Vancouver United FC (8-3-2) will now host the post-season tournament. Since it is a top club, that means a playoff berth won’t go to a team at the bottom of the standings such as Abbotsford.
Vancouver United, Victoria (7-1-5) and the Mid Isle Mariners of Nanaimo (8-3-2) are tied atop the standings with 26 points each after 13 games, each with three games remaining.
The Highlanders are in Penticton today to play the also-ran Pinnacles (3-8-1) before coming down to the Lower Mainland for a crucial fixture Sunday against the fourth-place Khalsa Sporting Club (7-5-1), which sits on 22 points and holds down the current fourth and final playoff berth, two points ahead of the Vancouver Thunderbirds (5-3-5). Everyone is also wary of sixth-place Kamloops, which is only on 13 points, but has six games remaining with five of those against bottom teams.
“Six of nine teams are still close enough to be in playoff contention, and that makes for a good league,” said Highlanders coach Dave Dew. “But if we can nick some points on the road this weekend, the top-three is looking pretty good for us.”
The Highlanders will have to carry on without star player Andrew Ravenhill, the former University of Victoria Vikes standout, who is now training to join the police force in New Westminster. Alleviating that situation on the backline is the emergence of Parm Johal, a rising Vikes player who has shown well of late for the Highlanders.
“Parm has taken on the role Andrew occupied [attacking defender] and has been doing a really good job of it,” said Dew.
The Highlanders close out the regular season July 19 with the Island derby against the Mariners at Royal Athletic Park.
