The Ecole Mark R. Isfeld Ice completed a perfect season with the 2024 B.C. high school girls鈥� AA title.
After going undefeated in the North Island regular season, the powerhouse Ice continued their winning ways in the post-season, claiming both the North Island playoffs and the Island championship. Last week they continued their golden season, winning five games over three days to take the 颅provincial crown.
Isfeld prevailed at the provincials at the Burnaby Lake Sports Complex by beating the Crofton House Falcons 3-1 in the championship game Friday. Both squads came into the championship game with perfect 4-0-0 records.
Isfeld, SMUS, Crofton House and York House all won their respective preliminary pools.
Isfeld defeated LV Rogers of Nelson, 3-0 to open the tournament, on Wednesday, May 29. In their second game of the day, they defeated Little Flower Academy of Vancouver, 2-0. They completed pool play on Thursday morning, with a 2-0 victory over Burnaby鈥檚 St. Thomas More.
The Ice defeated the York House Tigers of Vancouver 2-1 in the semifinals. An all-Vancouver Island final was denied when Crofton House defeated Saint Michael鈥檚 University School by virtue of penalty kicks in the other semifinal.
鈥淚t is a difficult tournament for non-Vancouver teams with five games over three days and having to sleep away from your home over that time,鈥� said Ice head coach Aarlen Storey. 鈥�(We) were already a strong squad that really came together as a team at provincials, we had six different goal scorers in the tournament plus we only ceded two goals over all five games. I am super proud of how we performed as a team. Being in the provincial championship game was a goal, win or lose, going back to last year鈥檚 provincials where the Ice finished fifth.鈥�
Isfeld鈥檚 back line is notoriously fierce and difficult to penetrate, and it didn鈥檛 disappoint during this tournament making it next to impossible for opponents to break through the 18-yard line. As a team, Isfeld鈥檚 passing and team play are beautiful to watch and the midfielders are excellent ball handlers with incredible play making ability, creating multiple opportunities for their fast and skilled forward line to shoot on net.
Congratulations to team co-captain Raina Hagel on being named the provincial tournament MVP and to the whole team on bringing a provincial championship banner home to the Comox Valley. This is the first girls鈥� soccer provincial championship for the Isfeld Ice.
The Ice will look to be a strong contender next year as they only lose six graduating players but keep a strong core that will be bolstered by the upcoming Grade 10s who finished third at their Island tournament this year.
