Stratford Motor Products Under-10 Strikers opened the Stratford Festival Cup strong, going 3-0 in pool play with shutout wins over Owen Sound, Whitby and Lambeth.
Strikers blanked Owen Sound 3-0 on goals by Dean Jackson, who netted two, and Sam Davey who rounded out the Stratford scoring. Rienk Van der Ploeg earned the shutout.
The SMP squad carried this momentum into their second game game where they out-played Whitby from beginning to end and were rewarded with a 4-0 victory.
Jackson opened the scoring off a pass from Joey Cassone. Dawson Zorgdrager was sent in alone by Davey and made it 2-0. Davey increased Stratford’s lead, and Malcolm McLeod sealed Whitby’s fate as he pushed in from his defensive position and found the back of the net to wrap up the scoring. Jared James notched the shutout.
The team’s third game against Lambeth was a defensive battle, with both teams unable to capitalize on their chances until Tyler Parr broke in alone and beat the Lambeth keeper.
James once again claimed the shutout in a 1-0 win.
The win gave Strikers a spot in the Cup semi-finals. In the semis, Stratford gave up two early goals to Cambridge before Davey was able to pull Strikers to within one with a well-placed strike off a Parr corner kick.
Both teams continued to trade chances, but were unable to score--ending Stratford’s tournament with a 2-1 defeat.
The U-10 squad’s strength was the defensive play of Andrew Maguire, Sam Eusebi, McLeod, Van der Ploeg, Jeremi Carman and Haydn Shantz.
League play
Stratford Motor Products Under-10 Strikers defeated the Fergus Feds 3-0 in Stratford last Wednesday, Aug. 11.
Strikers’ defender Rienk VanderPloeg took a Tyler Parr corner kick and placed it neatly over the out-stretched hands of the Fergus keeper. That would be all Stratford would need in support of their keeper Jared James, who would not allow a goal all night.
Strikers took a two-goal lead when Sam Davey picked up a rebound and made no mistake. Davey completed the scoring for Stratford with his second of the night after Haydn Shantz blasted a low, hard free kick that found its way to Davey, who had a wide-open net.
Dawson Zorgdrager and Jeremi Carman had strong games along the left side, generating several chances and limiting Fergus to very few opportunities.
