Huntsville’s U16 girls’ soccer team brought home the Cup this year.
The Huntsville Soccer Club joined the Huronia District Soccer League (HDSL) last year and has been enjoying a regular season schedule of weekly play. The league is made up of seven teams, two teams from South Simcoe, and one each from Bracebridge, Huntsville, Orillia, Shelburne and Wasaga Beach teams.
The Huntsville U16 team kicked it this season. They won their home tournament, The Muskoka Cottage Classic, in mid-July, overcoming larger-centre teams like Pickering and Waterloo.
They climbed in the standings throughout regular season play to finish just shy of first place against their rival – South Simcoe United – Black squad.
The defining moment, though, had to be their win against their nemesis, the SSU Blacks. That win had them bringing home the Cup. The Huntsville girls came back after the half and beat the league champions by a score of 4 – 2. (For the record, Mia Smyth netted two, and Urvi Patel and Randi –Lynn Deline each had one.)
Standing (from left): Khylie Brown, Randi-Lynn Deline, Hunter Ryan, Carly Kennedy, Madelane Zylstra, Madison Smrtka, Jayde Rapp, Andrea Alldred, Leslie Cameron, Nicole Banks, Amanda Steel-Coke;
Kneeling: Mia Smyth, Peyton Burmeister, Urvi Patel, Sydney Stevens;
Not Shown: Sarah Holod, Ainsley Herr, Alisha Depres, Emma Mensour, Sheridan Wells, Carlos Burmeister (Coach), Linda Danby (Assistant Coach), Julie Thompson (Manager)
Coach Carlos Burmeister couldn’t be prouder. “At the beginning of the season we focused on a possession style of game. Essentially, both the individuals and team take responsibility for owning the ball more than the opposition. It took the girls a few early losses and a tournament to adjust to the style and find their confidence. But when they did, it was magical to watch!
“Our players from last year, the inaugural year of the HDSL League play, faced a difficult season, often not having been able to win a game. So it was rewarding to see them come together as a team and share in some success this year.”
Huntsville Strikers Girls’ U16 team. Top row (from left): Carlos Burmeister (Coach), Julie Thompson (Manager), Khylie Brown, Sydney Stevens, Mia Smyth, Randi-Lynn Deline, Madelane Zylstra, Andrea Alldred, Madison Smrtka, Nicole Banks, Linda Danby (Assistant Coach);
Middle Row: Carly Kennedy, Peyton Burmeister, Leslie Cameron, Urvi Patel, Hunter Ryan;
Front Row: Jayde Rapp, Amanda Steel-Coke;
Missing: Sarah Holod, Ainsley Herr, Alisha Depres, Emma Mensour, Sheridan Wells
Top scorers on the season were Randi-Lynn Deline and Mia Smyth with 13 and 8 goals respectively.
Goalkeeping responsibilities were shared between two players, Jayde Rapp and Amanda Steel-Coke, as the team did not have a primary goalkeeper. Coach Burmeister applauds the girls. “They were simply amazing team players for giving up half their season in a role they weren’t entirely keen on, but their hard work showed results. Between them they gave up only nine goals the entire regular season. That’s less than a goal a game. The next closest team gave up more than twice that many goals.”
This is definitely a team to watch next year as they come back to try to win both the league division and the Cup. Coach Burmeister has no doubts that they can do it.
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