When it's the Bays versus the Bays, it can get very competitive, never mind confusing.

They're all on the same side says long time Bays player and now coach Dominic Butcher, and they're all developing towards a common goal under a hierarchy model for the betterment of their club.

So when the Bays United FC's senior and most competitive Division 1 team battled their fellow Div. 1 side, a development Bays United (BUFC) team made up of a couple veterans and a lot of teenagers on Saturday, things went the way they were supposed to - a 3-0 win for the senior team.

Both teams are officially known as Bays United FC, with the Div. 1 development team taking on the name BUFC.

“The decision this year is to avoid any animosity of having two Div. 1 sides (from the same organization),” said BUFC coach Dominic Butcher, explaining that even though the teams compete head to head in the VISL Div. 1, BUFC is a development team for the Bay’s top squad coached by Richard Fast.

With Fast in place coaching the senior Bay’s team, which are an annual VISL contender, the organization looked to Butcher to coach the development side. “I’m familiar with Rich Fast, we’re on good terms and even though we’re separate teams we’re the same club, and our communication is there for the betterment of the club,” said Butcher.

It’s a strange situation, he said, especially considering Butcher is still the back up keeper for the third-place senior Bays, 6-3-1, though he is the BUFC coach. The former University of Victoria Vikes goaltender is 32 years old and is available to replace the organization’s top keeper Nathan Wood if need be, a role he previously filled.

Meanwhile BUFC sit last in the VISL’s elite division with a record of 0-10-1. “At the end of the year if (Fast’s) Bay’s are missing a quality player for whatever reason, they can replace that player with one from our team.”

As for Saturday’s meeting between the two premier Bays’ sides at Finlayson, “It got pretty heated,” said Butcher. BUFC’s players are mostly teenagers fresh out of high school who’re learning the ropes in Div. 1.

“We play each other just like it’s any other game.”

Bays United’s Kelsey Louie got to a free kick rebound early to put BUFC down 1-0. Still in the first half Louie scored again, blasting a swerving shot that dipped past BUFC goalie Matt Roodbol.

Ben Hooker scored the only goal in the second half when he executed a header off a cross from close to the post. Butcher commended Hooker’s finish on goal but was disappointed that Hooker’s header came uncontested.

Aside from a pair of goal-mouth scrambles the most dangerous BUFC Bay was Declan O’Callaghan. O’Callaghan was effective in carrying the ball down the left wing and came very close to scoring on a free kick.

A handful of youngsters benefitting from an opportunity to get their feet wet in Div. 1 are defender Sam McNie, keeper Matt Roodbol, striker Tyler Thompson and midfielder Steven Bowles.

Butcher expects the very quick McNie, an 18-year-old centre back who studies at UVic, has a good chance of playing for the UVic men’s team in the 2009 season.

Veterans sweeper Rick Humphries co-captains BUFC with defensive midfielder Brett Poulis.

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