They are the champions.
The Kootenay high school champions, that is. The Rossland Secondary School girls’ senior soccer team captured the Kootenay High School title last week, going undefeated in the region-wide championships in Rossland.
The club rolled through three games of the tournament without allowing a goal, beating Midway 9-0 in their first game, winning 3-0 over Kimberley in their second game, and edging Nakusp 1-0 in the final match.
The eight-team tournament finished with Nakusp in second place and Kimberley winning the bronze over Midway. RSS coach Rick McKinnon said the scoring was spread around on his club, with no single player standing out.
“They all seemed to be scoring … but we really controlled the ball,” he said.
The win entitled the RSS side to compete in the B.C. single ‘A’ provincials in Kelowna May 31 to June 2.
With six Grade 12 girls on the 14-player roster and the tournament only a week before their graduation ceremony, the club will be hard pressed to stay focused, McKinnon said.
“It shows their commitment and hard work is first and foremost in their quest for continued success, both in and out of school,” he said.
This will be the third year in a row the RSS girls are going to the provincial dance, finishing seventh out of 16 teams last year, recording a 12th place mark in 2010.
McKinnon was hoping for a top five or higher finish this year, but noted the private schools “were hard to beat.”
However, with experience on their side, the athleticism of the players will also be a factor as the RSS girls look to be golden in Kelowna.
Many of the girls on the team are also members of the West Kootenay championship field hockey team and the West Kootenay championship girls basketball team, said McKinnon.
“Getting a gold for these girls would be the pinnacle of success for these seniors,” he concluded.