By Dan Plouffe
The West Ottawa Warriors and Ottawa South United Force jointly hold the top spot in all four Ontario Player Development League east division standings as the provincial youth soccer loop hit its midsummer vacation break on July 24.
From a gap of around 20 points away from 1st last year, the 8-1-1 West Ottawa Warriors under-15 girls have made a big jump up the ranks this season.
“I was confident in what we can do, but I was not expecting the start we’ve had,” indicates West Ottawa coach Kwame Telemaque. “They’ve stepped it up a gear this season. It’s a product of being together a couple seasons now, and I think everyone just believes in each other.”
The Warriors finished comfortably above .500 in 2015, but couldn’t quite match their top rivals.
“When you go through struggles, and not getting certain results, they understand what it takes to get to the next level, and it kind of lifts the group,” Telemaque adds. “They’re a good group of girls who work hard for each other.”
But heading into the midseason break, Telemaque’s message to his players was the opposite of hard work.
“Since January, they’ve been going 4-5 times a week – intense sessions, physical training, and mental preparation,” he outlines. “I know they’re physically tired. It’s been 7 months of non-stop, so this two-week break should be about having fun and just enjoying being a kid and a teenager.”
Coming off a four-goal performance on July 24 to bring her season total to 11, Warrior striker Shannon Phee was less than enthused about the time off.
“I’ll probably play soccer in my backyard like every day,” smiles the 2002-born player who competes up one age group. “I’m always looking for more. I don’t like the break actually. I always want to play soccer.”
OSU squads return to top
In contrast to the rising Warriors girls, the OSU U14 boys would have been league champions last year (had results been officially tracked at U13 level), but they nonetheless find themselves at the same place atop the standings, this despite stiffer challenges this season.
“A lot has been expected because they did so well last year,” notes Force coach Simon Wilshaw. “A lot of teams have changed their tactics when they play against us – or change the location to not give us a nice field.”
The team’s lone loss came in a 1-0 contest against United FA on a “really bad” playing surface in Toronto, Wilshaw recounts, though overall “it’s been a good 10 games.”
OSU sits tied atop the table with the West Ottawa U14 boys, whose only loss in their 8-1-1 campaign was a 1-0 defeat to the Force.
The crosstown rivals are set for a rematch on Aug. 14, which will likely be the final local appearance for OSU star Matteo De Brienne, who will then join the Vancouver Whitecaps’ Major League Soccer residency academy.
“Our team needs to see how we can do without Matteo because he’s a big person on our team,” says Force striker D’Lontae Whilby, noting that many very strong defenders and attackers remain with the group. “We’ll need to come together as a team.”
While pleased with his team’s record, Whilby – the league-leading scorer with 14 goals in 10 games, followed by De Brienne at 10 and West Ottawa’s Nicolas Fleuriau-Château’s 9 – believes they can do better.
“We’re always trying to drive to reach higher levels. There is no stopping point for us,” maintains the St. Joseph Catholic High School student, adding that many others would like to move on to the next level like De Brienne. “It’s a goal for me, and it should be a goal for everyone on our team.”
OSU club head coach Paul Harris says there is no doubt De Brienne’s departure will have a detrimental effect on the team.
“But the success is Matteo getting signed by the Vancouver Whitecaps,” he underlines. “Even if we come 2nd or 3rd in the league as a consequence of Matteo leaving, the right thing is for Matteo to move forward, and that’s what we’re all about.”
OPDL & OYSL leaders
At 9-1, the Force U15 boys have opened a healthy 8-point gap in their quest to repeat as OPDL east division champs, while the 7-2-1 OSU U14 girls have a 2-point edge atop their division.
A number of other local teams sit middle of the pack, including the two Nepean Hotspurs boys’ sides, which have shown a marked progression in results from their early OPDL days, averaging a point earned per game.
In Ontario Youth Soccer League play, OSU’s U16 boys are undefeated at 7-1-0, as are the Force U17 girls at 5-2-0.
“All the provincial-level teams are doing really, really well,” Harris signals. “It’s fantastic.”
