Rick Stiebel/B次元官网网址 Staff

The Westshore Warriors atom football team put an exclamation mark on a remarkable season on Sunday with a one-sided win in the Gold Cup.

The Warriors, made up of players ranging from seven to nine years of age, capped off a nine-win, one-loss regular season with a 28-7 victory over the Cowichan Bulldogs in Ladysmith in the Vancouver Island Football League championship game.

Warriors coach Paul Precious said SundayB次元官网网址檚 game marked only the first time the team had trailed at halftime all season.

B次元官网网址淲e were down 7-6 but the kids never panicked,B次元官网网址� said Precious, a veteran coach on the West Shore since 1998. B次元官网网址淭hey showed a lot of character and just played their game like we have all season. It was a total team effort on offense and defense.B次元官网网址�

While the old adage is that defenses win championships, Precious pointed out that this yearB次元官网网址檚 Warriors team was powered by a strong running attack as well. The defense answered the bell consistently throughout the season.

The Warriors allowed the fewest points of any team in three different age categories, giving up a miserly total of 40 during the regular season.

B次元官网网址淥ur defensive coach Dave Hansen was great,B次元官网网址� he noted. B次元官网网址淗e did a fantastic job of getting the kids prepared and working together.B次元官网网址�

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The Gold Cup was especially sweet for a number of players on the team who came up short in last yearB次元官网网址檚 championship tilt against Saanich, Precious added. B次元官网网址淎 lot of those players came back bound and determined to win a championship after being so close last year. Quite a few of our younger players were great additions as well.B次元官网网址�

Lucy Hansen, manager of the Warriors atom and peewee teams, credited the support of the Westshore Rebels players, who took the time to work with the younger players frequently as coaches and during practice throughout the year. B次元官网网址淭hey had a huge impact on the younger players,B次元官网网址� noted Hansen, who the Warriors lovingly refer to as B次元官网网址渕omager.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭he involvement and support the team received from parents played a big role in the teamB次元官网网址檚 success and fostered the playerB次元官网网址檚 commitment to giving back to their community.

B次元官网网址淲e did a food drive with the peewee team and filled the shelves of the Goldstream Food Bank,B次元官网网址� said Hansen, whose two sons are involved in the sport. Last yearB次元官网网址檚 community efforts were highlighted by a fundraiser for cancer research.

Precious said the population growth on the West Shore bodes well for the future of the sport. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 great to see the growth and the number of kids getting involved in the sport,B次元官网网址� said Precious, who also coaches in the fall league. B次元官网网址淭he future of football on the West Shore looks really strong.B次元官网网址�

rick.stiebel@goldstreamgazette.com

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