Overtime goals by Kikki Bowen and Raegan Mackenzie lifted the Centennial Centaurs to a 4-2 victory over their rivals just down Como Lake Road, Dr. Charles Best Blue Devils, in Monday’s semi-final match of the Fraser Valley girls high school soccer championship.
Centennial will now play South Delta secondary in the district final on Thursday at the Cloverdale Athletic Park, while Best meets Panorama Ridge to determine third place. All four teams have already earned berths in the provincial championships, which begin May 30 at the University of British Columbia.
But Centennial coach Larry Moro said his squad is eager to bring a banner with them already.
“The girls are very motivated to win that banner,” he said.
Monday’s match was a rematch of last year’s decider for fifth place in the Fraser Valley. Centennial won that as well, and went on to finish third at provincials.
This year’s squad has its sights set higher, and Moro said a top finish in the district playdowns may pave the way.
“Obviously a win would put us in the top couple (of seeds) I’m sure,” he said.
Centennial opened the scoring 13 minutes into the match when Kiara Buono stepped over the Blue Devils keeper and pounded the ball into the mesh. Two minutes later Rylee Mackenzie banged a rebound home to double the Centaurs’ advantage.
But the Blue Devils took advantage of a couple of lapses by Centennial’s defence to get back on even terms at half time. Valerie Silva chipped a shot from just outside the 18-yard box after a misplay by the Centaur's keeper and then Daniella Bavaro blasted a shot into the top left corner of the net.
Neither team scored in the second half.
The Riverside Rapids, which won the league championship, can still make it into the provincial tournament by defeating Sardis on Wednesday, after they beat Sullivan Heights 1-0 on Monday.
