The playoff season for 2A boys high school soccer in B.C. boiled down to a final matchup between two North Shore teams.
A back-and-forth game on Wednesday (Nov. 22) saw the Mulgrave Titans and the Windsor Wolves tied 2-2 after regular and extra time. But after some lights-out goaltending from tournament MVP Tate Pettman, the Mulgrave squad erupted as this year’s provincial champions, the first time for the boys’ team at the West Vancouver school.
Recognizing his exceptional play, Pettman also received the Golden Glove Award as the top goalkeeper, while being named a Super Sixteen tournament all-star player alongside Windsor forward Kaleb Voth.
After losing to No. 1 seeded Windsor in the Sea to Sky Zone semifinals earlier this month, Mulgrave went into Wednesday’s match hungry for redemption.
The first half of the game was scoreless, with both teams looking strong. The drought ended with a penalty kick goal from Abtin Zehtab four minutes into the second half. That was soon followed by another goal from Maddox Jenke, making it 2-0 for Mulgrave in the 42nd minute of the match.
But Windsor responded, scoring two goals to tie the game by the end of regulation time. With both teams going scoreless in extra time, the game was forced into penalty kicks.
It was then that goalkeeper Pettman gave his star performance, stopping two penalty kicks to clinch the win for the Titans.
During the tournament, Pettman’s performance played a pivotal role in winning two critical penalty shootouts marked by heroic saves that showcased his exceptional goaltending, said Mulgrave coach Phil Collins.
“Beyond his athletic prowess, Tate also excelled as an inspirational captain, motivating the team and demonstrating outstanding communication abilities on the field,” Collins said.
Mulgrave forward James Laxton was also a standout player, contributing crucial goals and serving as a strong link between midfield and attack, Collins added. “His relentless work ethic was evident throughout the competition.”
But the West Vancouver team wasn’t the belle of the ball through all its games, the coach said, referencing the Titan’s Cinderella season.
“As a team, we confronted the challenge of being one of the smallest AA schools which meant we did not have the depth in the squad should we have significant injuries or absences,” Collins said. “The lack of past victories and the lower seed designation set the stage for the players to face the challenge of surpassing expectations and making history for Mulgrave.”
In the end, the team came together to secure the big win.
“It is crucial to emphasize that this success was a collective effort, necessitating every team member to believe in one another and have the confidence that together, they were capable of achieving the ultimate goal of winning the provincial championship,” Collins said.
