Just as the final regular-season standings in both leagues suggested, the provincial senior soccer championships came down to a showdown between first-place Holy Cross and second-place Feildians Monday, with the red and gold Crusaders registering Johnson Insurance Challenge Cup men’s and Breen’s Jubilee Trophy women’s victories over the Double Blues at King George V Park in St. John’s.
The all-Newfoundland championships for Holy Cross — it was the organization’s fourth straight men’s title, and fifth in a row for the women — capped off a unique season of senior soccer in the province. The leagues were late getting started because of COVID-19, and there were some minor changes in the way the game was played due to physical contact restrictions as a result of the pandemic.
On Monday, Holy Cross blanked Feildians 5-0 in the women’s final on a pair of goals by Kate Hickey. Malorie Harris, Jessie Noseworthy and Teri Murphy also scored for the Crusaders.
Hannah Noseworthy registered the shutout, while teammate Nicole Torraville was the MVP of the final game and winner of the Sherry Morrissey playoff MVP award.
In the men’s championship game, a 2-1 Holy Cross win, Jacob Grant had both goals for the Crusaders (49 and 63 minutes) and won the Gerard Quirke Memorial Award as playoff MVP. Bobby Gamba scored for Feildians at 87 minutes.
Normally at this time of year, in this corner of The Telegram, we would be reporting on results from Canadian Challenge Cup and Jubilee Trophy championships.
But Canada Soccer postponed the 2020 nationals because of the pandemic, and provincial finals were pushed back to the Thanksgiving Day weekend from August and early September.
Like their male counterparts, the Holy Cross women lost only one game this season. And like the guys, it came against Feildians, back on Aug. 31.
The nine-game unbeaten streak since then continued with the Page Playoff 1-2 game Thursday, with the Crusaders defeating the Double Blues 2-1. Regular season MVP Holly O’Neill, who had 16 goals in 15 regular-season games to win the scoring title, and Torraville scored for Holy Cross, and Zoe Rowe had the Feildians’ goal.
The win pushed Holy Cross directly to Monday’s final, while Feildians were bumped to Saturday’s semifinal.
In the semi, Feildians defeated Calvin Randell Strikers FC from C.B.S. 4-1. Goal scorers for the winners were Rowe, Alyssa Jenkins, Stacey Hanlon and Alex Murphy. Lauren Gover replied.
The Strikers had beaten the St. John’s Soccer Club 2-0 in the Page Playoff 3-4 game last Thursday.
Entering Monday’s Challenge Cup men’s final against Feildians, Holy Cross was 3-2 on the year against the Double Blues and had outscored them 10-5.
However, Feildians had won the previous two meetings between the teams, including Friday’s 1-2 Page Playoff game, a 3-1 decision on Felly Elonda’s two goals and a single from Ben Collingwood. Challenge Cup scoring champ Tyler Kirby (13 goals in 13 games) replied.
Holy Cross played C.B.S. That Pro Look Strikers FC in Saturday’s semifinal, winning 1-0 on Jacob Grant’s goal early in the second half.
The Strikers beat the St. Lawrence Laurentians 2-1 in overtime in Friday’s 3-4 playoff game. Ryan Thistle had the game-winner in the 107th minute.
The Crusaders allowed only 13 goals during the regular season and four in three playoff games.
Provincial Jubilee Trophy senior women’s soccer champions (since 1998)
1998 – Feildians (all-NL Club championship)
1999 – Feildians (all-NL Club championship)
2000 – Feildians (all-NL Club championship)
2001 – Guards (all-NL Club championship)
2002 – Mount Pearl
2003 – Guards
2004 – Mount Pearl
2005 – Sundance Sorella
2006 – Paradise Physiotherapy
2007 – Mount Pearl Electronic Centre
2008 – EPR Kirby/The Dock
2009 – EPR Kirby/The Dock
2010 – Holy Cross Kirby Group
2011 – Holy Cross Kirby Group
2012 – Holy Cross Kirby Group
2013 – C.B.S. Holy Cross Kirby Group
2014 – Kirby United
2015 – Kirby United
2016 – Holy Cross
2017 – Holy Cross-Avalon Ford
2018 – Holy Cross-Avalon Ford
2019 – Holy Cross
2020 – Holy Cross
Provincial Challenge Cup senior men’s soccer champions (since 1969)
1969 – Feildians
1970 – Grand Bank*
1971 – St. Lawrence
1972 – St. Lawrence
1973 – Holy Cross
1974 – Grand Bank
1975 – St. Lawrence
1976 – St. Lawrence
1977 – St. Lawrence
1978 – St. Lawrence
1979 – Holy Cross
1980 – St. Lawrence
1981 – Holy Cross****
1982 – St. Lawrence
1983 – Holy Cross
1984 – Holy Cross
1985 – Holy Cross
1986 – Holy Cross
1987 – Lawn
1988 – Holy Cross**
1989 – Holy Cross***
1990 – Burin
1991 – Burin
1992 – Holy Cross
1993 – St. Lawrence
1994 – Holy Cross
1995 – St. Lawrence
1996 – St. Lawrence
1997 – St. Lawrence
1998 – St. Lawrence
1999 – St. Lawrence
2000 – St. Lawrence
2001– St. Lawrence
2002 – St. Lawrence
2003 – Mount Pearl
2004 – Marystown
2005 – St. Lawrence
2006 – St. Lawrence
2007 – St. Lawrence
2008 – St. Lawrence
2009 – Holy Cross
2010 – Holy Cross
2011 – Holy Cross
2012 – Holy Cross
2013 – St. Lawrence
2014 – Holy Cross
2015 – Holy Cross
2016 – St. Lawrence
2017 – Holy Cross
2018 – Holy Cross
2019 – Holy Cross
2020 – Holy Cross
* Grand Bank won provincial championship, but an all-star team represented Newfoundland in national play
** Holy Cross won the national Challenge Cup championship
*** Holy Cross won silver at nationals
****Holy Cross won bronze at national Challenge Cup championship
Provincial Jubilee Trophy senior women’s soccer 2020 awards
- Jean Thompson Award (first place regular season) — Holy Cross
- Raeleen Baggs Award (MVP regular season) — Holly O'Neill (Holy Cross)
- Sandy Faulkner Golden Boot Award (top scorer) — Holly O'Neill (Holy Cross)
- Top defender - Briana Pender (Feildians)
- Joy Burt Award (most spirited player) — Katie Joyce (Feildians)
- Rookie of the year — Laura Murray (St. John’s)
- Coach of the year — Jake Stanford (Holy Cross)
- Ann Woodford Award (most effective player) — Bethany Hynes (Feildians)
Provincial Jubilee Trophy 2020 senior women’s soccer all-star team
- Sydney Walsh, Feildians
- Keisha Younge, Holy Cross
- Kristyn Lee, Holy Cross
- Jamie King, Feildians
- Briana Pender, Feildians
- Nicole Torraville, Holy Cross
- Bethany Hynes, Feildians
- Katie Joyce, Feildians
- Zoe Rowe, Feildians
- Kate Hickey, Holy Cross
- Holly O'Neill, Holy Cross
Provincial Johnson Insurance Challenge Cup senior men’s soccer 2020 awards
- Bobby Breen award (first place regular season) — Holy Cross
- Alphonsus Warren (coach of the year) — Bernie Manning, Feildians
- Wils Molloy Golden Boot Award — Tyler Kirby, Holy Cross
- Jeff Babstock Award (top defender) — Alex Pretty, Holy Cross
- Jim Goff Award (most spirited player) — Holy Cross
- Dick Power Award (MVP regular season) – Mike O’Brien, Holy Cross
- Ed Moyst Award (rookie of the year) — Owen Sheppard, Holy Cross
- Al Slaney Award (goalkeeper of the year) — Sam Hawco, Holy Cross
- John Breen Award (top midfielder) — Kyle Ryan, C.B.S.
Provincial Johnson Insurance Challenge Cup 2020 regular season all-star team
- Sam Hawco, Holy Cross
- Mike O’Brien, Holy Cross
- Andrew Stanford, Holy Cross
- Alex Pretty, Holy Cross
- Marc Pittman, St. Lawrence
- Kyle Ryan, C.B.S.
- Bobby Gamba, Feildians
- Jordi Slaney, St. Lawrence
- Tyler Kirby, Holy Cross
- Emmanuel Dolo, Feildians
- Owen Sheppard, Holy Cross
