In addition to the Challenge Cup and Jubilee Trophy tournaments in Surrey, B.C., the Canadian under-17 boys and girls championships are ongoing in Fredericton, N.B., while Calgary is playing host to the boys and girls U15 championships.
The Crusaders’ men’s squad is back at the nationals a year after the St. Lawrence Laurentians placed sixth in the 2016 Canadian championship held in St. John’s.
Holy Cross/Kirby Group won the provincial crown last month — the 19th senior soccer championship for the red and gold — with a win over the Laurentians.
National champions in 1988 — the only time Newfoundland has won the Canadian Challenge Cup tournament — Holy Cross has won seven of the last nine provincial championships.
Holy Cross is grouped with Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Alberta and British Columbia. Newfoundland’s first game is 3:30 p.m. (NL time) today against Saskatchewan.
As for the Holy Cross Avalon Ford women, they’re grouped with Quebec and Saskatchewan in the Jubilee Trophy round robin.
Holy Cross plays Quebec 4:45 p.m. today (NL time).
The red and gold women’s team was also sixth last fall in St. John’s. They won a second straight provincial championship in August to qualify for the nationals with an easy 4-0 decision over Feildians in the Jubilee Trophy final.
Regular season and playoff MVP Jessie Noseworthy led the way with a first-half hat trick.
“We formed this team two years ago with a goal towards getting back to the nationals under the Holy Cross banner on the women’s side,” said coach Jake Stanford. “We've done that, (and next) we want to win national medals.”
In Fredericton, Feilidans U17 boys and St. John’s U17 girls will represent Newfoundland and Labrador in national play. Feildians will play a round-robin against B.C., New Brunswick, Manitoba and P.E.I., while St. John’s will battle Manitoba, Quebec, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
A pair of St. John’s teams are representing the province at the U15 nationals. The boys will compete in a round-robin against Manitoba and Quebec, while the girls will also compete in a round-robin against Manitoba and the Northwest Territories.
Newfoundland rosters for 2017 Canadian soccer championships:
Holy Cross Challenge Cup team
Mitchell Barry, Thomas Pieroway, Jeff Slaney, Owen McAleese, Jake Warren, Alex Pretty, Andrew Stanford, Fomba Fambulleh, Sean Henderson, Tyler Kirby, Michael Dunne, Jacob Grant, Isaac Bonisteel, Harry Carter, Connor Simmonds, Cesar Figueroa, Alex Dolomount, Jack Hayward, George Brokenshire, Logan Strickland and Gary McKeown.
Coach Jeremy Babstock, assistant coaches Rick Grant and Jake Stanford
Holy Cross Jubilee Trophy team
Jame Crocker, Noelle Stanford, Paula Whitten, Spencer Wilkins, Keisha Younge, Teri Murphy, Lauren Taylor, Nicole Torraville, Jessie Noseworthy, Jane Pope, Maria Mackey, Alyssa Armstrong, Jennifer Bent, Emily Bailey, Julie Crocker, Holly O'Neill, Melissa Reid, Anna Aucoin and Connie Lewis.
Coach Jake Stanford, assistant coaches Paul Mullett and Kaelyn Burke
Feildians U17 team
Theo Amey, Braeden Beer, Daniel Churchill, Matthew Davis, Harley Dollimount, Jacob Dyer, Cameron Flynn, Eric Knight, Evan Knight, Christopher Longtin, John Loveless, Cameron Lundrigan, Ian MacIntosh, Colin McKinnon, Garrett Mills, Ben Noftall, Devon O’Keefe, Jude Power, Lucas Shortall and Brandon Summers.
Coach Scott Knight and assistant coach Robert Gamba
St. John’s U17 team
Keeley Cox, Reegyn Crickard, Anna Edwards, Shauna Foley, Kate Hickey, MacKenzie Hiscock, Kristen Jenkins, Sarah Lewis, Regan Mahoney, Hannah McCarthy, Maria Mills, Alex Murphy, Emma Murray, Abby Quann, Erica Reddick and Ashley Stringer
Coach Denise Hickey and assistant coach Todd Taylor
St. John’s U15 boys’ team
Aaron Budgell, Ben Chislett, Colin Connors, Daniel Courage, Oruese Erivwo, Andrew Gamba, Jared Gavin, Dylan Hartson, Riley Kelloway, Hashem Khalifa, Jeff King, Innocent Ndaitouroum, Cabhan O’Keefe, Josh Reimer, Kyle Ryan, Owen Sheppard and Will Templeton
Coach Francisco Caimanque and assistant coach Adam Courage
St. John’s U15 girls’ team
Melissa Bazan-Munoz, Abbie Betts, Camryn Bonia, Maria Downey, Abigail Evans, Morgan Harris, Anna James, Alyssa Jenkins, Juliana Koen-Alonso, Chloe McKeown, Erica Murphy, Ashley O’Neill, Julie Oliver, Amanda Pearcey, Hayley Peters and Emily Wicks
Coach Scott Betts and assistant coach Mike Oliver
