Twenty-two teams with over 400 players flooded Kings Park during the 52nd Pacific Western Brewery May Classic.
Winning the men’s side of the soccer tournament for a second straight year was Williams Lake FC. They defeated the Penticton Tim Horton’s Pinnacles 3-2. The Richmond All Blacks finished third. Dan Thornton of the Pinnacles was named most valuable player, while Cam Stokes of the All Blacks was the goal scoring leader with eight.
Organizer Charlie Goeckel said the final game between Williams Lake and the Pinnacles was really good.
“Williams Lake went up 1-0 in the first minute,” he said. “In the final 15 minutes, the Pinnacles had numerous chances, including hitting a post and the goalkeeper making a save on the line.”
The Penticton Greenscape Pinnacles under-21 women’s team lost the final of the women’s open 2-0 to the Kamloops Heat. Pinnacles coach Ray Hintz said the Heat were the better team.
“They are more fit and faster,” said Hintz, whose group had won two games before that match. “I liked our effort. It was more of a test for us. Coming in and not having that extra two or three weeks of training camp (for the Pacific Coast Soccer League), you can tell our fitness level wasn’t going to match them. We gave them too much space on the ball.”
Overall Hintz was pleased with the weekend. Helena Ogolvie was named most valuable player, while the Pinnacles’ Casey Conway was the goal scoring leader with three. On the women’s recreation side, Vancouver’s Sideline Ceasars won, while the South Okanagan Women’s League team finished third. Shannon O’Gorman of SOWL was named MVP, while Stefany Thibert was the goal scoring champ with nine.
“The tournament was extremely well-run and played,” said Goeckel. “One red card was given in 35 games and that was in the final game.”