http://www.cowichanvalleycitizen.com Cowichan Valley Citizen Thursday, January 7, 2021 A23 R.A.M. APPLIANCE CENTRE We service what we sell Sports GE APPLIANCE CENTRE OPEN 8-5 MON-SAT. 460 WHISTLER ST. DUNCAN 250-748-4368 Island soccer leagues make plans to move forward challenging draws in the Tony Grover Cup Cowichan clubs tournament. The Cowichan 49ers will open on the road against UVic Alumni, a club that hasn’t have a mixed bag lost a game in two years and which stripped the 49ers of the cup title they held for the previous three years. of cup draws “The cup draws are completely random, no seeding,” noted Neall Rowlings, a player for the BY KEVIN ROTHBAUER 49ers and manager of all Cowichan adult teams. “We often don’t complain, and to be honest I Vancouver Island’s adult soccer leagues aren’t am excited to play the best right out the gates. sure when they’ll be able to take to the pitch “Only one year have we had them in the final, again, but they’re making plans to resume the and that was [2019-20] where they beat us 2-1. 2020-21 season just in case. They have not lost a game in two consecutive The Lower Island Women’s Soccer Associ- seasons. If we get enough time to train, we ation has posted a schedule for cohort play definitely have the team to win it all again.” resuming on Jan. 15, while the Vancouver Island The Cowichan Steelheads will open on the Soccer League has gone a step further and held road against Fernwood, who currently sit third draws for cup play. in the masters division behind UVic and the LIWSA president Casey Tepper set up the Madison Thomas manoeuvres the ball in the midfield for Cowichan United during a LIWSA match last fall. (Citizen file) 49ers. The winners of those two opening-round schedule despite not knowing if the necessary games will meet in the Tony Grover semifinals. authorities will give his league the go-ahead, ing draws for its five cup tournaments, including “The idea right now is to have competitive In the Jackson Cup, Cowichan LMG has which he expects to find out later this week. the Sir John Jackson Cup, the Tony Grover soccer,” Tepper commented. “And not worry drawn Gorge FC in the opening round. Co- “What we’re trying to do is have the players Masters Cup, the George Pearkes Challenge about the standings.” wichan managed to play four games in the playing,” said LIWSA president Casey Tepper. Cup, the George Smith U21 Cup, and the Div. Cowichan United had one win, two draws first part of the season, winning one and losing “We need to have some kind of fun in all this.” 4 playoffs, although no dates have been set forth and a loss before pool play came to a halt. three, while Gorge had two wins and five losses. Neither league has played a game since yet. All participating clubs in the men’s league Also playing out of the Cowichan Valley was The tournament to watch for Cowichan Valley mid-November due to stringent protocols due declared for cup play. NIFA Pacific United FC, a new addition to the soccer fans could be the George Pearkes Cup, to the COVID-19 pandemic. Like the women’s The LIWSA has a virtual meeting scheduled LIWSA, who lost all four of their matches but where the top-seeded Cowichan Farm Store league, the VISL also has matches scheduled to for its clubs on Monday, Jan. 11 where Tepper showed improvement. Fury will face the winner of a play-in game resume on Jan. 15, depending on decisions made plans to let them decide if they want to go Tepper was appreciative of the patience dis- between Nanaimo United and Juan de Fuca by Dr. Bonnie Henry, viaSport and BC Soccer. forward with cup play, if it is permitted at all. played by Cowichan United during the pan- Spartans in the first round, while Quw’utsun “We really have to wait on what Bonnie Henry Tepper noted that the majority of frontline demic. FC will start at home against Prospect Lake has to say, then we wait for what ViaSport comes workers are women, which has caused about a “The Cowichan group has been very, very United. With the Fury and Quw’utsun on op- out with and how everything gets interpreted,” 40 per cent drop in registration for the LIWSA. good with us,” he said. “They’ve helped out and posite sides of the draw, it’s not impossible that VISL Vince Greco said. “So, hopefully we are The league has addressed that by combining understood exactly what is going on.” they could meet in the final. back at it by mid-January, but that really de- teams from various divisions into cohorts. Co- If and when cup play does get underway in “[The Fury] got a dream draw, and they are pends on how numbers go and what is said wichan United, for example, is technically a the men’s league, it will be a mixed bag for the having a solid season,” Rowlings commented. come Jan. 8 when the present order expires.” Div. 2 team, but played its fall schedule in a Cowichan teams. Cowichan has two compet- “If they can shore up their goals against they The VISL did kick off the New Year by hold- group that included Div. 1 and Premier clubs. itive masters teams, but they are both facing will be a force.” VIJHL plans to resume games on Jan. 15, pending provincial announcements BLACK PRESS had to cancel the event because of three-team cohort of Kerry Park Is- COVID-19. landers, Nanaimo Buccaneers, and It is a case of bad news and good However, the VIJHL plans Oceanside Generals and a two-team for fans of junior B hockey on Van- to resume games on Jan. 15 cohort of the Campbell River Storm couver Island. after having suspended play on and the Comox Valley Glacier Kings. On Tuesday, BC Hockey announced Nov. 21, 2020 because of COVID- Pending league approval, cohorts will the cancellation of the 2021 Cyclone 19 restrictions, according to Pete draw up their own schedule, with the Taylor Cup, the championship tour- Zubersky, general manager of the league having approved the schedule nament that sees the winner of the Peninsula Panthers, pending provin- for the Greater Victoria cohort. Vancouver Island Junior Hockey cial announcements later this week. Much remains uncertain, but one League compete with the respective “We will start practice [without fact has already become clear. “The league winners from the International Reid Fitzpatrick and the Kerry Park Islanders haven’t played since Nov. 20 but the league contact] tonight [Monday] and to pandemic has caused a huge financial Junior Hockey League, the Pacific hopes to get them back in action next week. (Citizen file) say our guys are antsy is an absolute strain on all the teams in the VIJHL Junior Hockey League, and a host understatement,” he said. including the Peninsula Panthers with team for the trophy bearing the name and our communities,” said Cameron this pandemic and the competition According to Zubersky, VIJHL no fans and sponsorship cuts,” Zuber- of the iconic Hall of Fame hockey Hope, chief executive officer of BC and travel implications associated teams will play in three cohorts – a sky said. “I am hopeful and believe player. Hockey. “The decision to cancel these with these events.” four-team cohort of Victoria Cou- that in September we will have all “BC Hockey’s priority remains the events is the safest and best decision The cancellation marks the second gars, Saanich Predators, Westshore been immunized and we will have a health and safety of all participants in light of continued uncertainty of time in as many years BC Hockey Wolves and Peninsula Panthers; a normal 2021/22 season.”.