MARCUS HONDRO

Staff Contributor

The new artificial turf field is up and running, or rather being run all over. And according to athletes’ reports, it’s scoring high.

“I have never played on such a perfect surface, perfect bounces perfect for playing this wonderful game,” Mark Pennington said after playing in the field’s first match, a co-ed league affair, last Friday, Oct. 16. “It’s hard to explain but it’s better than grass and I find that hard to say. What a great addition to leisure on Bowen and I cannot wait to get on there again.”

Team Red’s Pennington had reason to be extra happy as he scored the first goal on the AT field, blasting a goalmouth path from Shauna Jennings past a helpless Team Blue goalkeeper. Not long afterwards Pennington’s corner kick was driven home by Jennings, the first woman to score on the field.

Minutes later, Sue McIntyre’s bullet-like one-timer into the top right side corner of the Red net got Team Blue on the comeback trail and the game ended in a 4-4 draw.

On the weekend the kids took over the field, with a number of games being played.

Early Sunday morning the U-10 boys had their first two games ever, both against teams invited from the North Shore. The inexperienced local lads were beaten in each but acquitted themselves well.

“Boy this is way softer and way better than the rubber stuff we usually play on,” a player from a North Vancouver team said.

The adult co-ed league ended their regular season last Monday night when Team White won a high-scoring 6-5 affair over Team Black, securing first place in the process. The playoffs are set with Red playing Black on Friday, Oct. 23 at 5:15; that game is part of a field opening celebration that afternoon sponsored by the municipality and the West Vancouver School Board.

In the other semi-final game on the following Monday Team White will play Team Blue with the winners of the two semi’s meeting in the final on Friday, Oct. 30 at 5:15.