The Revelstoke Secondary School boys soccer team has spent the whole season building and they’re hitting their stride at just the right time.
RSS won their penultimate game of the regular season 2-0 at home against King’s Christian School Thursday to advance to the Valley Championships later next week.
“We didn’t play as well as we did yesterday, but we definitely learned a lot about how to play under adversity,” said RSS captain Spencer Spannier. “We just learned to play as a team when we’re not playing the best we can be.”
Wednesday night, RSS took on King’s Christian in Salmon Arm. They breezed to a 3-0 win to set the stage for the rematch Thursday.
“Today what we had to battle was over-confidence going into the game,” said RSS coach Andrew Sykes.
Last week, RSS lost 5-2 against Kalamalka Secondary School, a AA school that is not in RSS’ A league.
“What I was asking them to do that day was to pass the ball more and to keep the ball and to play as a team in possession,” said Sykes. “We did that fabulously well yesterday in Salmon Arm and it was a fairly comfortable victory.”
The first half tonight was fairly tight with the score still at 0-0 going into the break. The boys played a physical game, bumping shoulders and sometimes slipping on the slick grass.
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“We were able to establish ourselves and pass the ball with more confidence and returning to that style of play that we’re working on and we used yesterday and it paid dividends,” said Sykes. “I was very pleased with everybody and their effort and the rewards are evident.”
Grady Powell got the first goal of the game and Tristan Haworth followed up with an insurance goal midway through the half.
Sykes said he was impressed with the rapport between Haworth and Powell.
“They’re starting to establish a team, and understanding between the two of them,” he said.
RSS has one more game before the trip to Valleys. On Monday, the team faces Vernon Secondary School in Vernon. The winner of that game will win the zone.
“Hoping to just play hard,” said Spannier of the upcoming game, “and even if we don’t get the win, set a good precedent for the Valleys.”
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