By Jason Pike.
St Lawrence, NL – Corner Brook United Faces Tough Road Trip in Premier Youth League Action.
The U15 Corner Brook United squad embarked on a demanding three-game series this past weekend on the Burin Peninsula, marking their first trip to the region this season. With long travel times and limited scheduling opportunities, the team faced off in back-to-back matches on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday against a strong BPSA side in Premier Youth League and Challenge Cup soccer action.
Friday: Physicality and Controversy Mark Game One
Friday’s opener quickly turned into a gritty, physical affair. Tempers flared as the officiating struggled to keep pace with aggressive play. A series of missed calls allowed the tension to escalate until one Corner Brook player received two yellow cards—resulting in a red card ejection. Playing a man down, Corner Brook struggled to contain the BPSA attack, which capitalized on the advantage to cruise to a 4-0 victory, gaining three crucial points in the standings.
Saturday: A More Controlled Contest Ends in a Draw
Saturday’s rematch saw much tighter officiating and a more disciplined tone from both squads. While BPSA maintained the lion’s share of ball possession, they were unable to convert that dominance into goals, with multiple attempts sailing wide or over the bar. Corner Brook, though largely on the defensive, held firm and managed to escape with a hard-earned 1-1 draw—thanks to some timely stops and disciplined defending.
Sunday: A Thriller to End the Series
Sunday morning brought the final clash of the series—and perhaps the most thrilling. Corner Brook opened with intensity, scoring in the first two minutes after seizing on a BPSA defensive lapse. They maintained momentum well into the second half until a controversial penalty call on a corner kick allowed BPSA’s Jaden Rose to bury the equalizer from the spot.
From there, the game became a fast-paced back-and-forth battle. BPSA nearly took the lead again when Corner Brook’s keeper was caught off his line, but a desperate save followed by another breakaway, just a minute later by Ryder Strang which the goalie is 4 corner Brook handled well, keeping the ball out of the net and kept the score even. Corner Brook responded with a late push of their own, forcing a highlight-reel save from BPSA goalkeeper Oliver Pike on a point-blank effort with less than three minutes remaining.
With the game heading into added time, it seemed destined for another draw—until BPSA’s Rider Strang delivered the dagger, finishing off a perfect cross to seal a dramatic 2-1 win and another three points for the home team.
U17 Premier Youth League: BPSA Overcomes Early Stumble to Defeat Portugal Cove
Also on Sunday, the U17 BPSA boys squared off against Portugal Cove Spurs in Marystown. The game began sloppily, with BPSA looking disorganized and conceding the opening goal after a long-range lob caught their goalkeeper off his line.
But Clarenville native Joey Lynch turned the tide, erupting for four unanswered goals in a dominant individual performance. Portugal Cove managed to score a late goal, but BPSA quickly answered with a fifth, sealing a 5-2 victory in a game that tested their resilience.
Challenge Cup Action: CBS Strikers Edge Out Laurentians in Saint Lawrence
In Challenge Cup play on Sunday afternoon in Saint Lawrence, the hometown Laurentians battled the visiting CBS Strikers in a heated and emotional showdown. While the Laurentians are in the midst of a rebuild and not the powerhouse of old, they showed flashes of grit and determination.
After CBS took a 3-1 lead early in the second half, the Laurentians clawed back within one. The final moments of the match were packed with drama, as the home side came agonizingly close to finding an equalizer. Despite the late surge, the CBS Strikers, led by Tony Mullett, held firm to secure the win and walk away with three valuable points.
It was a weekend of fierce competition, emotional moments, and standout performances across multiple divisions of Newfoundland and Labrador youth and challenge cup soccer. With playoff positions and bragging rights on the line, the action is only heating up.
