It was a perfect weekend for the Nelson Selects U14 boys, who went 3-0 against their Kootenay rivals at the regional playdowns at Lakeside Park.
The boys opened the finals with a 2-0 win over Columbia Valley, last year’s U13 Kootenay champs, on Saturday afternoon. Dunavan Morris-Janzen scored at the 12 minute mark in the tight contest. Nolan Percival sealed the win with less than 15 minutes left in the second half, finally getting behind a tough Columbia Valley defense.
The second game Saturday night was a physical match with Cranbrook-based Kootenay East. Nelson would score early, just four minutes in on a Micah May header.
May would add another early in the second half converting a Spencer Szabo through ball, splitting Kootenay East’s backline and sending him away. Nolan Percival converted a fine pass from Tucker Anderson to finish the scoring, a 3-0 win.
Nelson secured the gold medal after the two games Saturday but would return to the pitch Sunday afternoon and did not slow down any with a 7-0 victory over Kootenay South.
The Selects pressured right off the opening whistle with May getting the early marker just 45 seconds in.
Szabo would add one on a penalty kick three minutes later after May was taken down in the box.
May and Johnny Johnson, on a nice follow up, would round out first half scoring. Two more for May in the second half and one from Percival would finish the scoring.
Nelson outscored the opposition 12-0 over the weekend and as impressive as the offense was it was the defensive play that secured the wins, especially in the first couple of games.
Nicholas Wethal, who tore up the sidelines and led the counterattack, had a strong weekend as did Theo Bakas, Johnson and Owen Thurston. Keeper Harrison Giles really owned the 18 yard box and made some daring tackles.
Nelson travels to Cranbrook for one last tournament this weekend and will represent the Kootenays at the Provincial B Cup in Penticton next month.