It hasn’t been a good week for soccer teams in blue.
The defending champion Reynolds Roadrunners were nursing a case of the Azzuri blues Thursday night as they lost their first game in two years after being blanked 1-0 by Oak Bay in the 2017 Colonist Cup boys’ high school final at Centennial Stadium.
The Roadrunners, who won their first Colonist Cup since 1983 last year and first B.C. championship in 50 years, saw the Bays hoist the hardware on a soggy pitch on the University of Victoria campus.
It was the sixth Colonist Cup title, emblematic of Lower Island supremacy, for Rich Fast and Brent Garraway in 15 seasons of co-coaching Oak Bay.
“Reynolds is a class act and this is their first loss in two years. There is a great rivalry between us. I’m super proud of my team,” said Fast.
The Roadrunners beat Oak Bay 3-2 in the Island triple-A championship game last weekend.
“We really wanted redemption after that close loss in the Island final,” said Bays captain Cam Paul.
Both the Bays and Roadrunners advance to the B.C. triple-A championship next week in Burnaby, where Reynolds will attempt to defend its provincial title. Oak Bay also has the same lofty aim.
“It’s not over yet. Our goal is to win the provincials,” said Paul.
“This Colonist Cup championship gives us confidence and momentum going into Burnaby.”
The winning goal came in the first half by Diego Maffia. It was the Grade 11 striker’s 13th goal in the last five games. That’s not bad for a Bays basketball player for whom soccer is only his second sport.
“The crowd was amazing and the adrenalin was pumping,” said Maffia.
“It’s the best feeling.”
It was the opposite emotion for the Roadrunners, who faced a losing scoreline they have not seen in a while.
“Oak Bay played really well in the first half and put a lot of pressure on us,” said Reynolds head coach J.J. Atterbury, whose 2016 team produced several players who went on to become U Sports freshmen this season.
“But our heart and desire was there. We’ll recover from this and get ready for provincials in Burnaby.”
