Islanders returning to BMO National Championships
August 15th, 2009
The Avondale Islanders are returning to the BMO National Championships Challenge Trophy competition. The team has been selected to represent Prince Edward Island in the annual senior men's competition. This marks the fourth straight year that the island club is heading to the nationals.
"We hope to get back to the medal round," said head coach John Diamond, who has been with the club since 1986. "We should be competitive with the teams in our group."
Last year in Newfoundland Labrador, the Avondale Islanders won a bronze medal after an 3:2 win over Gorge FC in the third-place match. The Islanders finished third behind Corfinium de St-Léonard and back-to-back champion Calgary Callies.
It marked the first time that a Prince Edward Island club won a medal in the senior men's competition.
Most of the Islanders' lineup has returned for the 2009 season, albeit Paul Craig has gone west to Huskie Alumni (his team will represent Saskatchewan in the Challenge Trophy competition). This year's Islanders have added a couple of new players as well as returning striker Michel Daoust.
The Islanders did not have a provincial final in which to compete. Instead, it spent the 2009 season in the interprovincial Maritimes Soccer League with two New Brunswick senior teams and two Canada Games men's teams (Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick). The Islanders finished first in the five-team league.
Article courtesy of canadasoccer.com.