Both the boys and girls soccer teams from NCI beat the odds and made it all the way to their respective provincials this fall, held in Swan River from October 12–13. Although the teams each came up short, both gave great demonstrations of grit and determination.
Girls
This year’s edition of Niverville Collegiate’s girls soccer team is called the Panthers, of course, but it could just as easily be known as “the little team that could”—and for good reason.
This team of 18 girls had a small core of veteran players surrounded by a large group of young talent. Seven of the 11 starters were from Grades Nine and Ten. What the team lacked in experience was more than made up for by a lot of hustle and quick learning.
The Panthers finished at the top of their zone in league play and were awarded one of the wildcard spots at the provincial championships held in Swan River on October 12–13. A nervous NCI squad dropped its first game to Thompson but then rebounded with a decisive 3–0 victory over fifth-ranked Garden Valley (Winkler).
Unfortunately, Niverville lost a hard-fought game versus Morden by a 1–0 score in their final match of the tournament.
If success can be measured by how far a team has progressed, then the Lady Panthers have been successful by anyone’s standard. The team showed its heart this season with wins over both AAA and AAAA schools. They allowed only two goals in six league games while scoring 19. NCI was one of smallest schools represented at provincials and certainly the youngest.
This “little team that could” showed that they could play with the best of them. Certainly they are a team with a bright future.
Boys
The NCI boys also made it to provincials in Swan River, ultimately securing a fourth-place finish. Although conditions were very challenging, the team played some of its best soccer, overcoming the long road they travelled to get there. Despite a tough battle, they lost 1–0 to Winkler in extra time in their final match
Coach Martin Ward says he was amazed at the improvement the young and inexperienced squad demonstrated this year. Their improvement and dogged determination all came together at the zone championships where the boys beat the Steinbach Regional Secondary School 2–1 to bring home another banner.
