Gorge FC’s top men’s side proved its on the rise once again, but fell a goal shy of qualifying for the Province Cup.
Gorge lost its final regular season game, 3-2 to Nanaimo Utd. on the weekend.
The standings for the senior men’s Vancouver Island Soccer League Div. 1 are now set, and they will go into history as one ofthe more exciting years, said VISL president Vince Greco.
With 11 wins, five losses and two draws, Gorge ended with 35 points, tied for fourth with Nanaimo (10-3-5), and tied in goaldifferential of 11, but with Nanaimo getting the edge over Gorge with the head-to-head win.
Jon Shah tallied in the match for Gorge, his 17th of the season, second overall in the scoring race behind Patrick Nelson ofCowichan who had 23. Colin McDonald also scored for Gorge, while Jordan Lindsay scored twice for Nanaimo and HussenSayed once.
First-place Cowichan (39), second-place Vic West (37) and third-place Bays Utd. (35) also qualify for the Province Cup.
The V.I. Wave, a predominantly U21 team with a heavy Saanich presence, finished sixth with 24 points while Saanich’s LakehillMaple Glass were next with 16 points. Saanich Fusion mustered eight points at the bottom of the Div. 1 table.
Gorge also missed out on the Jackson Cup, losing in the semifinal to Cowichan 2-1. Nanaimo will face Cowichan in theJackson final as Nanaimo defeated V.I. Wave 3-1 in the other semifinal.
The Jackson Cup final is 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 2 at Royal Athletic Park. At the Masters level, Cowichan and Vic West willsquare off for the Tony Grover Memorial Cup at noon on April 2.
Gorge and Mid-Isle will face each other for the (mid-tier) George Pearkes Challenge Cup at noon on April 1 at RAP. Juan deFuca faces the Mid Isle Mariners at 2:30 p.m. on April 1 in the George Smith U21 Cup.
reporter@saanichnews.com