NLSA Molson Challenge Cup



Sunday, September 18, 2011

Holy Cross will give their opponents all they can handle









1. Prince Edward Island 4.Ontario 7. Sask. 10.NB
2. British Columbia 5. Alberta 8. Man. 11. Yukon
3. Nova Scotia 6.Québec 9.NL
12. NWT





Group A Group B Group C Group D
PEI
British Columbia Nova Scotia Ontario
Manitoba Saskatchewan Québec Alberta
NL
New Brunswick Yukon NWT


2011 Holy Cross NLSA
Challenge Cup Champions


2011 - Holy Cross Will Be Heard From


This is the 3rd consecutive year that this Holy Cross squad will travel to National "Senior Men's" Soccer National Championship and I feel this club are going to be heard from. First of all, they were challenged in 2011 and you can bet that good teams find a way to win, and sometimes it will take a break or two for you to get through. Cross won this by defeating a hard working Feildians team in the semi -finals and winning on a penalty shot shootout after they had relinquished the first goal of the game in OT. They tied the game in the dying minutes of the contest which permitted them to defeat Mount Pearl on PK's.
The pressure is now "off "
Yes, Cross had pressure on them in 2011and they had it on them all season. But now they can build themselves on the character that they obtained by succeeding through this year's pressure. They will also will gain from the experience they got in Saskatoon in 2008 and from the disappointing showing they had in 2009 in PEI.

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Holy Cross Opponents - See Below


PEI Reps - Soccerstop Edge FC

2010 National Champs
Soccerstop Edge FC squad from the Sherwood-Parkdale Rangers Soccer Club are again back as the PEI reps and they are the defending Nationals Champions. Last year when Holy Cross met this team in their first game of the tournament they outplayed the PEI reps in every aspect of the game except on the score-sheet. Young Scotty Woodfine could have beaten PEI all by himself if he had scored on any of the three or four break-away's that he had. Also, the missed opportunity, on a wide open net, by Matt Breen in the dying moments of the first half could have impacted the outcome of game as well.

During the match, while I was doing the color for the broadcasting, there was a Senior CSA Referee Assessor, from B.C. standing next to me and he whispered in my ear , "despite what the final outcome is here , Holy Cross could have very easily put the PEI team away if they had scored on half of their chances". I feel PEI got all the breaks in 2010. The situation may be very different this time around in 2011. This time, I look for a Cross victory : Score 2-1
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2011 Manitoba Senior Men's Champions
Winnipeg Juventus


Holy Cross may very well have caught a big break when the Winnipeg Juventus team won the 2011 championship. The Juventus team trailed the 1st place Sons of Italy team and the Hellas FC soccer team all season but won the big one this season. This may very well work to Holy Cross's advantage because sometimes one has to be good to be lucky and lucky to be good and so far Cross has been both in 2011. I feel you will see another Holy Cross victory in this match. Score : 3-0

Sunday, September 11, 2011

All the way from Newfoundland to Rankin Inlet, Nunuvut

GORD DUNPHY TAKES YOU ON A TOUR AROUND
RANKIN INLET, NUNAVUT















Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Doug and Gord



(L) -Doug Redmond : NLSA President
(R) - Gord Dunphy : NLSA "Senior Men's" VP

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2011 - CHAMPIONS - HOLY CROSS





Captain - Ryan Yetman receiving the Cup from Molson's - Tom Brewer


The Traditional Hoisting of the Trophy








Sunday, September 4, 2011

Holy Cross wins the 2011 Molson Challenge Cup


Holy Cross - 2011 Molson Challenge Cup Champions


The Boys in Red - Celebrate !!


Ryan Yetman - Play-off : MVP

Today - It's The NLSA Molson Challenge Cup Final


Holy Cross vs Mount Pearl

Who's going to be drinking from the cup?
This match could be a classic. You have Holy Cross going for a 3 -peat. Cross has lost only two games in provincial soccer the past two seasons. That's, 2 losses in 43 matches. While this season, coach Walt Mavin has assembled one of the greatest Mount Pearl teams of all times. It should be a good one.

All-stars

The All -star team and Award Presentation will start at 2:30 PM while the final will start at 3 PM. Right now this is the hottest ticket in town and it is by far the best that money can buy for a mere - $5.00

See you at KGV !!!




Holy Cross Kirby wins the NLSA 2011 Jubilee Trophy


2011 Jubilee Trophy Championship Final
Holy Cross Kirby - 1 vs Feildians - 0


Championship Game - MVP

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Saturday, September 3, 2011

Molson Challenge Cup Semi Final Action





Two all-star players - Justin Pickford & Jon Hawco -
come through for their respective teams

Justin Pickford - Mount Pearl

Jon Hawco - Holy Cross

Semi -final analysis by Gord Dunphy

Both all -star players, Justin Pickford and Jon Hawco , led their team to victories in the Molson Challenge Cup Semi - Final action on Friday at KGV soccer field.
Game 1- Holy Cross vs Feildians
In the Holy Cross/Feildians game it was a stubborn, hard working and determined Feildians team that took the 1st place Holy Cross team for everything that they were worth and then some. However, it was league leading goal scorer, Jon Hawco, that scored the games only goal of the contest at the 70 minute mark that will give Holy Cross the chance to win their third consecutive Provincial Challenge Cup on Sunday.
Game 2- Mount Pearl vs St.Lawrence
Justin Pickford may have had a sort of , comeback player of the year season , but in actuality he may have saved his best of the season for the play-offs. He scored two highlight goals as he led his Mount Pearl team over the Laurentians in seni-final play. Pickford's first goal came rather early, at the 13th minute mark. But the Laurentians rebounded with a solid 2nd half and it was young Sean Edwards denting the twine for the Laurentians at the 55 minute mark. However, it would take double over-time before this contest would be decided. Kevin Oram scored Mount Pearl's 1st overtime goal at the 107 minute mark and Pickford put the final nail into the Laurentians scoring one of the most beautiful goals, that I've ever witnessed, at the 109 minute mark.
Both underdogs came to play
There is no doubt in my mind that the best two teams came through in their semi -final game and the Championship final on Sunday should be a classic with Holy Cross and Mount Pearl going head to head. However, both the Feildians and St. Lawrence, who were certainly the underdogs in their game, got a lot to be proud off. The Feildians put in one of the hardest working efforts of all times. They really put themselves in a position to pull one of the greatest upsets of all times. While the Laurentians who were faced with a number of player setbacks early in this season, regrouped, rebuilt and managed a 3rd place finish on the season. Then in the play-offs they took a great soccer team, Mount Pearl, to OT before the game was decided. They also put themselves in a position to clinch victory in their semi-final game. Both St.Lawrence and the Feildians must look to the future but for the remainder of 2011 they should go around with their head held high for their overall performance in 2011.

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Photo's from the 2011 Challenge Cup Semi Finals