EDMONTON - Gold medals brought 2010 to a successful close for soccer players from the NWT.

Thunderstruck, a U18 boys' soccer team from the NWT, won gold in their tier at the Polar Cup in Edmonton. Team members include, from left, back row: coach Shane Thompson, Tyler Pilling, Adrien Tremblay, Gordon Thompson, Tyrone Stipdonk, Steven Thompson, Dene MacPherson, and coach Colin MacPherson; middle row: Ian Keefe, Roger Catholique, Thomas Roche, Alex Roche and Cody Lambert; front row: Rylan Hardisty-Gillis. - photo courtesy of Brenda Moreau

Three teams made up of players from the Deh Cho as well as other NWT communities competed in the Polar Cup in Edmonton from Dec. 27 to 30. Each of the teams won gold medals in their age division and tier.

For Thunderstruck, a U18 boys' team, winning in tier three came down to the last few goals scored in the final game. Placings in the tournament were decided from the round robin results.

"The boys did really well," said Shane Thompson, the team's coach.

Thunderstruck won their first game 6-2 against Greenfield, an Edmonton team, before tying St. Albert 3-3. Thunderstruck came back to win their third game against Cold Lake 6-3 before facing Meadows, an Edmonton team.

The score was 4-1 for Thunderstruck with four minutes left in the game, but Meadows scored with two minutes left. In the remaining time the NWT players managed to make two more goals to take the game.

The results left Thunderstruck and St. Albert with three wins and one tie each. Having scored more goals and allowed fewer against propelled the NWT team to the top of the tier.

Adrien Tremblay of Fort Liard was the lead scorer for the team, while Rylan Hardisty-Gillis of Fort Simpson was "phenomenal" in the net, Thompson said.

Gold also came to Mackenzie River, the U14 boys' team in tier four, but only after a struggle.

The team, composed of players from Jean Marie River, Fort Liard, Fort Simpson, Hay River and Evansburg, Alta., was up 4-3 with three minutes left in their first game against Hairsine. Last minute goals, however, led to a 5-4 loss. This meant that Mackenzie River had to win their next three games to make the top of the podium.

The team won 8-4 against the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers and 7-2 against Hardisty, an Edmonton team. The Mackenzie River's final game against Fort Saskatchewan Pell was their best game of the tournament, Thompson said.

The team was losing 2-0 but came back by scoring three goals in a row before the second half. Mackenzie River went on to win the game 11-3.

Brent Kotchea and Ross Duntra of Fort Liard scored many of the team's goals.

"I was excited and happy and felt proud," Kotchea said about winning gold.

It was the first time Kotchea, 14, had played with the team. It was also the first time he's been on a first place team at a soccer tournament.

"It was kind of exciting and fun," he said.

Not to be outdone by their male counterparts, the U14 girls' team went undefeated in tier four.

"The girls were prepared. They'd been working really hard," said Caitlin Jaffray, who coached the team with Val Gendron.

In their final game, Velocity was down 2-0 at halftime against the Fraser Dragons.

The girls, however, stayed positive and changed the score to 6-3 in their favour.

"Their speed and endurance really helped them," Jaffray said.

A total of 289 teams participated in the tournament. Support from the Mackenzie Recreation Association, P.R. Contracting and Fort

Simpson residents made it possible for the three NWT teams to attend, Thompson said.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.