It was no easy feat, but the Cowichan 49ers returned to the pinnacle of O35 men’s soccer on Vancouver Island.
The 49ers have made the final of the Tony Grover Cup tournament in the five seasons that have been played since they came into being. They won the first three titles, then lost to UVic Alumni in 2020. (There was no tournament in 2021.) On Saturday, the Niners reclaimed the trophy with a 4-2 victory over Vic West at Starlight Stadium in Langford.
“UVic took our cup [in 2020] and we’ve been working hard to get it back,” Cowichan striker and manager Neall Rowlings said. “Four wins in five years is a good resumé for the team!
Brad Thorne, Stuart Barker, Tyler Hughes and Jai Irvine scored the Cowichan goals. Team captain Hughes was named game MVP and the 49ers’ Man of the Match.
“He showed us all why he is so renowned,” Rowlings said. “We’ve had a vision together for a long time and there was a lot of pride having the Tide Academy play at half and be a part of this event. My favourite moment is when his two-year-old and future Cowichan star ran on the field to congratulate him post-game.”
Several other players got into the action even if their efforts didn’t lead to the scoresheet. Mike Minckler tackled hard and seemed to be everywhere on the pitch. Thorne, Matt James, Dave Tuckey and Matt Arnett dominated the middle of the park and never tired. Jesse Winter, Brad Archibald and Todd Vass were solid on the backline, with Barker chipping on on defence as well.
“Even the players that didn’t get the minutes were positive and key to our success,” Rowlings noted. “It’s the main ingredient to success as a team.”
Rowlings also praised the hard work of head coach Kevin James, who returned to the team in December after missing the first games of the season following back surgery. James has guided the club to all four Grover Cup championships.
“He’s a quality man and wears his heart on his sleeve,” Rowlings said. “All he wanted for us was a result.”
Winter, Archibald, Minckler, Matt James, Brett Hartmann, Jordan Clarke and Jeff Mann were first-time Grover Cup champions, meaning that 19 of the 26 players on the roster have been together even longer.
“We keep getting stronger each year,” Rowlings stated. “It’s an amazing group of men, and most of us have played together since Div. 1, almost 15 years ago.”
The season isn’t over yet for the 49ers, who have a couple of weeks off before beginning the provincial tournament. The Niners are hoping to get a home game when the draw for provincials is held on April 3. The first round of the tournament will be played on the weekend of April 22-24.
