HAY RIVER - Fort Simpson soccer players came home from a Hay River tournament last weekend with mixed results.

Four teams travelled to the Hay River Elks Soccer Tournament on Sept. 19 and 20. Both girls teams representing the community managed a second place finish, while both boys teams faced a few more challenges.

Calen Hardisty, left, of Fort Simpson's Thomas Simpson School controls the ball as Spencer Rivers, from St. Patrick's high school in Yellowknife, tries to chase him down, in Hay River at the Elks Soccer Tournament. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

"They're pretty competitive at soccer," said Kristen Morrison, the coach of the Grade 8 to 9 girls team that went to Hay River Elks Soccer Tournament on the weekend of Sept. 19 and 20 - the team placed second, losing in the championship game against a Fort Smith team.

Morrison said both the defense and offence were very strong throughout the tournament, adding she could name them all as Most Valuable Player (MVP).

Morrison said that the Grade 10-12 boys team didn't do as well as they could have as it was missing a few of its key players due to injuries.

The Grade 6-7 girls team from Bompas Elementary School placed second in their division as well, despite some of the odds being stacked against them.

"We didn't have any (substitute players) so they played the whole time and still came in second, so I was really proud of them," said Leanne Lawley, the Grade 6-7 girls coach.

As well, Alex Smith, the goalie for that team, was named MVP in the championship game that the team lost to the TA Predators from Hay River.

"The ref picks one player out of both teams as (Most Valuable Player) and gives them the ball, and Alex Smith, our goaltender, got the ball," said Lawley.

Other notable players were Emily Verge, 9, who scored her first goal during the tournament, and her sister Sarah Verge, 10, who scored in almost every game.

Steve MacFadyen coached the Grade 6-7 boys team, which actually incorporated players from grades as low as Grade 4 to be in the team.

Unfortunately, this team came back without any wins - but MacFadyen said the team was applauded for its sportsmanship and never disheartened by their losses.

"They played hard right to the last minute," said MacFadyen.

This team, as well, was short on substitute players.

"On the defensive side we received a really good effort from Elliot Porter and Bradley Hazenberg. We depended on them a lot because we only had one substitute at one point, against teams that had a full bench," said MacFadyen.

"Some of our most valuable players were Trent Arden and Tyler Lafferty - two of the game stars on the offensive side."

"They played really well, with a lot of heart."

Aside from representing their own schools some of the Fort Simpson players played for other teams that were short of players, according to Morrison.

Sasha Simms and Charlene Deneyoua played with the St. Patrick's High School team from Yellowknife, and Devon Horassi played with Ecole Boreal, a Hay River team.