THUNDER BAY – It really shouldn’t have come as any real surprise that the high school girls soccer championship came down to the St. Patrick Saints and the St. Ignatius Falcons.
After all, heading into Thursday’s finale, the two teams had combined to win the past 20 Superior Secondary Schools Athletic Association titles, the Saints owning eight championships, the Falcons an even dozen.
But it was the defending champion and undefeated Saints who added to their trophy haul in 2019, scoring three first-half goals and playing smothering defence in the second half en route to a 3-0 win that earned them a berth at next month’s OFSAA championship in Alliston, Ont.
Brookie Chicorli, in the sixth minute, Drita Voca, in the 26th, and Olivia Walsh, in the 39th, scored for the Saints, who improved to 10-0-0 with the win.
“I’m really happy about it,” said Walsh, whose goal came courtesy of a perfect pass up the middle from Voca, St. Patrick’s leading scorer.
“I think the difference today is we really wanted it and we put our all on the field. That’s how we got our outcome.”
Voca, whose goal was her 14th of the season, scored from 10 yards out, slicing a beautiful cross that soared over the outstretched hands of Falcons keeper Jasmine Tracz.
“My coach said go one-on-one and I didn’t know what I was going to do. I tried to get around her, took the shot. It went in and got a 2-0 lead. It was good for us to take a little chill pill, relax and get regrouped. When we got the third goal, we tried to just secure ourselves and I think that’s what helped us get through to the win,” Voca said.
Earning a second straight championship took a lot of work, she added.
It was worth every second.
“I think partly because it’s my last year it’s more exciting and it was just awesome to get that last win before I leave. But it’s also because of the community at St. Pat’s. There are the best teachers, the best coaches and they overall made this school year amazing,” Voca said.
St. Patrick coach Adam Augruso, a former player with the Thunder Bay Chill, said he thought his troops played a solid all-around game from start to finish.
“I thought the girls played awesome today. I think today was a great culmination of everything we’ve been working on all year. We got the chance, everyone got to play, everyone did their job and that’s the reason the final was so convincing,” Augruso said.
The Saints chances were few and far between, the best coming in the 66th minute when Sabrina Agostino broke through on keeper Karina Metz, who took over from Erin Szturm at the half. Metz calmly collapsed on the ball to preserve the shutout, the Saints only giving up a single goal all season long.
Next up is provincials and Voca said the team is determined to be a contender at the southern Ontario event.
“I think we can do very well. I think that we can do a lot better than last year,” she said.
