The return of high school soccer has turned into a golden pursuit for the Spartans.
The Strathcona-Tweedsmuir Spartans outlasted the Holy Trinity Academy Knights 3-1 Monday night at Bill Robertson Park to claim the Foothills Athletic Council senior boys soccer league championship to triumphantly usher in the arrival of the beautiful game as a varsity sport at the Okotoks area school.
"It means everything," said Spartans striker Efe Udolu-Joshua. "Me and one of the other lads pushed for the team last year since we saw that the league was starting up again after COVID. We just wanted a team, we have lots of guys who love soccer in our grade and in our school.
"We wanted to push for it and we got it and we're here now and it's really great."
The Spartans opened the scoring against the run of play versus the ball-dominant Knights with Matthew Schnell scoring on the counter 15 minutes into the match amid sweltering conditions in southeast Okotoks.
"It was a pretty even game, they're a really good team and that (first) goal gave us an advantage," said Udolu-Joshua. "I actually thought we were controlling the midfield this game, (Brodin Bangloy) and our other midfielders were really moving the ball and keeping it and winning our battles.
"After the first goal we just saw it out, got two more and just keep going."
Udolu-Joshua added a pair of second half goals on nearly identical plays, using his speed to jump on rebounds from powerful shots outside the box.
The Knights got on the scoeboard with eight minutes left in regulation with Arthur Sosna converting inside the box after a terrific run by striker Kurt Hymanyk on the counter-attack.
HTA, the defending FAC champions, had a number of other opportunities in the final moments before the clock struck zero on the late surge.
"It's amazing and especially to start off the program," said Bangloy, a defensive midfielder and team captain. "Hopefully, something happens down the line where we can win a few more, but with this first year, there was a lot of controversy...a lot of people were skeptical.
"To win the league is great, but we also want to win zones as well. The double would be amazing."
HTA took out the Spartans 4-1 in their only regular season meeting, a scoreline which may have had impact on how the final played out.
"They came out with a bit of vengeance and played really well and really hard against us here," said Knights head coach Paul Deadman. "We just didn't get into the game to start with, they snuck a goal and a couple of defensive mistakes gave them a couple of goals in the second half.
"We managed to pull one back near the end and time just ran out, but the better team won today and it was a good performance by them."
The South Central Zone Championship runs June 7-8 back at Bill Robertson Park. On day one, the Knights take on Brooks and the Spartans battle the Cochrane Cobras in the semifinals at 4 p.m. followed by the gold medal game on Thursday at the same time and location.
"It will be an interesting game and we better show up and it's one game to get into the final," Deadman added. "And hopefully we both can get into the final again and give them another good local match and keep the zone (title) in the Okotoks area."
