Stelly’s secondary soccer players returned from the AAA high school soccer provincials with bronze medals in hand.

The Stingers were victorious in all three preliminary matches to get through to the top spot in their pool. They defeated the 100 Mile House squad 3-0 (goals by Lucas Jacob, and two more by Richard House) and Enver Creek Highschool (Surrey) 3-2 on Thursday to be guaranteed a spot in the top ten of 16 teams competing in the AAA event.

Friday’s match-up against Lord Byng High school proved interesting when a controversial call by an official left the game a 2-2 tie. An offside goal was called back by the linesman which sent the game into penalty kicks after the second 35-thirty five minute half. Josh Gait’s stellar performance in net and sixth shooter Brett Lumley put Stelly’s through to the top four teams.

On Friday afternoon the Stingers came up against a strong side from the North Shore, which proved to be probably their toughest match of the tournament. After a scoreless first half, the North Shore was successful on a free kick from just outside the 18-yard box, when the Handsworth team pushed the ball through to the open space on the goal line next to the goalie’s box and sent an incredible ball across the front of the net to one of four anxious strikers on the forward line. Ten minutes later North Shore scored on another free kick from outside the box. To advance to the gold and silver match against Kitsilano High.

Stelly’s came out on the lower end of the pool. That put them up against Dr. Charles Best High School from Coquitlam — a 3-4 win. The Stelly’s boys opened the scoring and dominated in the first half. They seemed to lag in the second half when they allowed a goal on a scrambling corner kick. The Stingers regained their momentum, and with several attempts at the goal, notched a pair goals in the last 15 minutes. Goals were scored by Jonah Feil (2) and Lucas Jacob.