The Nakusp Secondary Sr. boys soccer team kicked off their 2014 soccer season by traveling to Revelstoke on Monday October 6 to take on a familiar squad from Golden. The Revelsoke location was used as neutral ground for the contest.
The Nakusp Cougar’s game play was settled, but aggressive as they moved the ball smartly and maintained possession for the majority of the game. The defensive line looked cool and collected as they deftly moved the ball away from the volatile centre lanes and neutralized the play to the sides. Once safely pushed to the outside, the touchline grinders, Taylor Gandbois and Angus Jackson, battled hard to move the ball up field and into the offensive zone. Caught on their heels, the Golden squad could do little to stave off the onslaught as the ball was crossed into the middle scoring lanes where a rotating line of strikers consisting of Cole Hawk, Logan Mengler, Solomon Tupper and Clinton Surina attacked the net Lil’ John style by peppering the keeper with shots, shots, shots, shots, shots.
The boys’ smart playmaking opened up a number of opportunities for the strikers, but accuracy was an ongoing issue as shots consistently sailed wide or were scooped over the net. Striker Clinton Surina was the only Cougar to solve this quagmire and notched three goals with a season-opening hat trick.
However, the “TSN Turning Point” moment goes to Cougar keeper, Broden McLean whose diving save (resembling the Dutch keeper, Tim Krul) early in the first half, maintained the boys’ aggressive swagger right through the 90 minute match.
The Nakusp Cougars managed to muster their first win of the season with an impressive 4-0 showing against Golden. Surina’s hat trick and a confident penalty shot from midfielder Dugan McInnes secured the match in the Cougar’s favour. The Senior boys team will be traveling to Cranbrook on October 17 and 18 to prepare for their zone qualifier on October 22.