Senior Celtics and Junior Gaels claim boys’ soccer titles
GUELPH – The Bishop Macdonell Celtics regained the District 10 high school senior boys’ championship title Thursday as they blanked the Centennial Spartans 2-0 in the final at the Gryphon Soccer Complex.
The Celtics had won the title in 2021, but lost it to the Guelph CVI Green Gaels last year.
Getting to the league’s championship match has become a thing for the Celtics, especially since they ended a 25-year championship drought with a win over the Ross Royals in 2015. Thursday’s final was Bishop Mac’s fifth appearance in the final in the seven championship games held since then. They were knocked out of the semifinals in 2016 and were ousted from the quarter-finals in 2019.
The Celtics, who had taken D10 honours in 1986 and 1990, also won the title in 2017 with a win over the Orangeville Bears and in 2021 with a win over Ross. They’d lost the 2018 final to the Lourdes Crusaders while the 2020 season was cancelled due to the pandemic.
Centennial was looking for its first title win since 2013 and 10th since 1982.
Thursday, the Celtics scored once in each half for the win with Chris Qushair getting both goals.
His first came on a well-placed boot from about 30 yards out that found its way into the Centennial net, just under the crossbar. His second came in the dying minutes of the game when he headed home a cross.
The game was for D10 bragging rights as both teams now have the long wait for CWOSSA as Bishop Mac advances to the AA tournament and Centennial goes on to the AAA tournament.
Both CWOSSA tournaments are to be held May 28 and 30 of next year. The AA tournament is to be played in Brantford and the AAAs are to battle in Kitchener.
Junior Boys’ Soccer
Turn the D10 championship calendar back to 2021. As is the case in senior, the team that won this year’s junior championship also won that year.
The Guelph CVI Green Gaels hoisted the championship plaque Thursday following a 4-0 win over the Centennial Spartans.
For the Gaels, it was the third time they’d grabbed the league crown in four seasons as they’d also won in 2019. They were ousted from the semifinals by the Centre Wellington Falcons last year and had been named 2021 champions after finishing first at the conclusion of the regular season which was a two-day round-robin tournament featuring shortened games. GCVI won five of the six games it played, the other ending in a tie.
Thursday, Bardia Sepehr scored twice for the Gaels and Anwar Mao and Jake Mazzotta added single goals.
Both teams advance to the CWOSSA championship tournament, but don’t have as long to wait as the seniors. It’s to be held at the Gryphon Soccer Complex next Thursday and Friday and includes six championship-winning or runner-up teams regardless of the school’s population category (A, AA or AAA).
GCVI will be in Pool B along with the District 8 champion and the District 6/11 (WCSSAA) runner-up. Pool A will consist of Centennial and the District 4 and D6/11 champions.
Wellington Heights Wolverines of Mount Forest won both games against the Erin Raiders during the two-team D4 league’s regular season.
St. Benedict Saints of Cambridge and St. Mary’s Eagles of Kitchener are to meet in the D8 final Monday. The winner advances.
Kitchener-Waterloo CVS Raiders (KCI) of Kitchener and Waterloo CI Vikings are to battle for WCSSAA honours Tuesday. Both move on.
At the CWOSSA tournament, Thursday will be for pool play with games at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. on both fields of the soccer complex. Top two in each pool are to return Friday for the 9:30 a.m. semifinals with the winners of that game staying to meet in the final at noon.
- Guelph Sports Journal