Kitsilano Blue Demons edge Lord Byng Grey Ghosts 2-1 to win city championships
De Rappard scores in overtime
Kitsilano Blue Demons edge Lord Byng Grey Ghosts 2-1 to win city championships at Memorial South Park Thursday afternoon. Blue Demons Aidan Camfield scored the first goal in the 43rd minute of the game
Photograph by: Dan Toulgoet , Vancouver Courier
Noah De Rappard scored the winning overtime goal in the 74th minute to give the Kitsilano Blue Demons a 2-1 advantage over the Grey Ghosts of Lord Byng Oct. 25 at Memorial South Park. The biggest goal of the senior boys soccer season secured Kitsilano the city championship.
The final minutes of the afternoon match were as hard-fought as the first and second halves of the close game said Kitsilano head coach Randy Coutts.
"The Grey Ghosts never quit and played until the 85th minute and they had a couple of good chances but could not capitalize," he said in an email to the Courier. "It was a tremendous city final with outstanding skill from both sides. The game went back and forth and both teams displayed great determination."
Kitsilano opened scoring in the 43rd minute off a hard, direct shot from outside the 18 yard box from Aidan Camfield. Lord Byng answered in the second half when Mark Speakman broke past defenders and scored to tie the game 1-1.
"It was a tremendous effort from Mark and proved to be the equalizer," said Coutts.
The draw led to two overtime halves, each one seven minutes and 30 seconds. There'd be a goal — it wouldn't be golden but it would be more than enough. De Rappard headed the ball past Lord Byng's goaltender Hugh Grady to secure Kitsilano a 2-1 win and the title of 2012 senior boys soccer city champions.
Both teams advance to the Lower Mainland championships next week. Kitsilano enters as the No. 1 Vancouver public school seed and will play Point Grey at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 1 at a still undetermined location.
Point Grey defeated Churchill 1-0 Oct. 25. Vancouver College enters as the No. 1 private Vancouver school seed and plays Winston Churchill at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 30 at yet another undetermined location.
Lord Byng plays a Richmond high school 3:30 p.m. Oct. 30 at Camosun Park across the street from their school.
Eric Hamber beat Windemere 3-1 Oct. 25 to give the Warriors their second loss of the playoffs. Hamber will play a second Richmond high school at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 30 at a yet another undetermined location.
Twitter: @MHStewart
Kitsilano Blue Demons edge Lord Byng Grey Ghosts 2-1 to win city championships at Memorial South Park Thursday afternoon. Blue Demons Aidan Camfield scored the first goal in the 43rd minute of the game
Photograph by: Dan Toulgoet , Vancouver Courier
