Submitted by the Huntsville Soccer Club
Main photo: Huntsville Soccer Club (HSC) champions, The Gooners, (from left) Andrew Fenwick, Doug Allen, Dave Caplan, Carlos Burmeister, Amanda Steel-Coke and Brandon Occhiuzzi. Not pictured: Lynlee Armstrong.
Caplan does the double
It’s been a banner 10 months for Huntsville Soccer Club president Dave Caplan.
After captaining his 2018 summer adult league team to his first ever local title, he did it again over the winter. It’s the first time the double has happened in Huntsville Soccer Club history.
“What can I say, it’s a wonderful feeling,” says Caplan. “My teammates have been amazing and really gelled both in the summer and the winter.”
The Gooners led the league from the outset—never relinquishing first place—en route to the title, led by the speed and skill of Doug Allen combined with the defensive prowess and overall game of Brandon Occhiuzzi.
In the final they overcame the second-seeded Wolfsburg Algonquin 6-5 in a tightly contested battle. Wolfsburg captain Graham Thompson only had praise for his team.
“It was a good season and we played hard every game,” says Thompson. “It sucks losing a final when you’re so close, but it wasn’t for lack of effort. It was a fun team to be a part of.”
Wolfsburg player Heather Gibbons was honoured with the Fair Play Award as voted on by the league’s players.
HSC adult indoor soccer league’s second place team for 2018-19, Wolfsburg Algonquin, (from left) Greg Cholkan, Fair Play Award winner Heather Gibbons, Jason Campbell, Graham Thompson, Dawid Jusczak and Anthony Asturi.
Third place was captured by Galacticos Muskoka, captained by Chuck Lefebvre, while fourth place went to We Ain’t Got No History—who were led by Andres Baruque and Steve Fairhall after captain Mel Mercier went down with a lower body injury.
La Viola and Il Lupi Neri were fifth and sixth respectively. La Viola’s former captain Kyle Litchfield was named Wanker of the Year for leaving his team mid-way through the season to ply his trade south of the border.
His sister Carly took up the captaincy mantle and was extremely pleased her brother was named top Wanker.
“He deserves it for leaving us high and dry,” laughed Carly. “I know he’ll cherish this honour.”
This was the first time the Huntsville indoor season featured six teams—having grown from four teams—and the results were positive says Huntsville Soccer Club adult coordinator Chris Occhiuzzi.
“It was a great season overall,” says Occhiuzzi. “It’s always a risk adding teams to a league, but it worked out very well for us. I’m excited for the coming seasons and the goal will be to further expand in the coming years.”
Next up is the summer season and registrations are ongoing. The season kicks off with youth house league and adult intermediate games on Victoria Day (Monday, May 20), while the adult experienced league is set to begin on Thursday, May 23. To register or find out more, visit www.huntsvillesoccer.ca.
“Get yourself and your family registered now, we’re less than a month away from kicking off,” says Occhiuzzi. “What’s better than spending warm summer evenings outside being active and having fun?”
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