SENECA SOCCER: NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
The Seneca Sting men's soccer team were crowned the 2009 Big Kahuna/adidas CCAA National Champions on their home turf this past weekend in Toronto.
The Seneca Sting men's soccer team were crowned the 2009 Big
Kahuna/adidas CCAA National Champions on their home turf this past
weekend in Toronto.
The Sting, who hosted this year's championship tournament, defeated
the F.X. Garneau Elans 3-2 in the second period of overtime to win
the gold medal on Saturday. The game-wining goal was scored by
Mahmoud Mirsedeghi, who was also named the Championship
Tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Claudio Posca headed home the first goal of the game for the Sting
off a free kick near midfield, but FX Garneau answered back with
goals from Guillaume Nadeau and Patrice Dion to take a 2-1 lead
into the half. Early in the second frame, Mirsedeghi broke loose
down the left wing and knocked a low bouncer past the goalkeeper to
knot things up 2 - 2.
Both teams had several good scoring chances to close out regulation
time. The first overtime solved nothing, but Mirsedeghi pounded
home the winner two minutes into the second overtime.
The gold medal winning Sting finished the tournament 3-0, all upset
victories over higher-ranked opponents.
â¨â¨F.X. Garneau Elans claimed the
silver medal, while the Douglas College Royals took home the
bronze. The Algonquin Thunder finished fifth.
Seneca's Shawn Tatham, Fab Castiglione and Gianfranco Chiechi were
all named to the all-tournament team as well as Mike Gagliano from
the Algonquin Thunder.
THE CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK IN REVIEW
FX Garneau Élans vs. Algonquin Thunder
It didn’t take long for the first goal and the first upset at
the Big Kahuna/adidas CCAA Men’s Soccer National
Championships. Patrice Dion’s goal less than 2 minutes into
the game energized the FX Garneau Élans en route to a 2-1
victory over the defending National Silver Medalist Algonquin
Thunder.
Jimmy McLaughlin had the other goal for the victorious
Élans, the Fédération québécoise
du sport étudiant (FQSE) Champions from Quebec City. Paul
Walganjo Kihara got the Thunder to within a goal just before
half-time, but that is as close as they would get.
Seneca Sting vs. Douglas Cougars
A day of upsets continued at the Big Kahuna/adidas CCAA Men’s
Soccer National Championships as the host and 6th-seeded Seneca
Sting defeated the number one ranked Douglas Cougars 1–0.
Shawn Tatham ripped a shot from the top of the box past Cougar
keeper Gaurav Shkula in the 84th minute to break a scoreless draw
and power the underdog Sting to victory.
Seneca Sting vs. Holland College
Seneca College’s Mahmoud Mirsedeghi scored three unanswered
goals and assisted on another to lead the Sting to a 4-0 victory
over Holland College, wrapping up Day Two at the CCAA Men’s
National Soccer Championship.â¨
Mirsedeghi's natural hat trick included a rocket shot off a free
kick from 22 yards out. Perry Akenten had the other marker for
Seneca, who scored all of their goals in the first 25 minutes of
the match. â¨
Algonquin Thunder vs. Mount Royal
The Algonquin College Thunder fought back from a three goal deficit
to get to within one, but that is as close they would get in a 3-2
loss to the Mount Royal University Cougars at the Big Kahuna/adidas
CCAA Men’s Soccer National Championship.
All-Canadian Kyle Yamada had two goals for the Cougars, who earned
a birth in Saturday’s Bronze Medal match with the win. Sean
Burchill had the other goal for Mount Royal. Ali Albadry and Mike
Gagliano scored the two late markers for Algonquin, but the Thunder
could not find the back of the net for the equalizer.
Algonquin Thunder vs. Holland College
Finally able to get rolling in the first half, the Algonquin
Thunder made short work of the Holland Hurricanes to end their 2009
Championship run with a fifth place finish. Semir Hadziresic, Dejan
Radojevic and Sean Pound all notched a goals for the Thunder in the
victory.
For complete
results and tournament information click here.
(Courtesy of the CCAA/SENECA)
