A Narrow Loss

Jonathon Chinn

One crucial match against Uplands A would decide the fate of two tournaments – PSAC and Spike and Strike. The game was a close one, but in the end, Dalat lost on penalties.

It was two tournaments packed into one day for the boys in blue and white. The Spike and Strike football tournament had been scheduled that week, but because of an earlier draw against Uplands A they were forced to play for the PSAC trophy in that same game. The pressure was mounting in the buildup to the match. Everyone was tense and nervous.

As time came for the Dalat boys to step out onto the pitch and battle their opponents in an all or nothing match, viewers could sense that it was going to be special. Both teams went at it all the way, from the first minute to the last, in a dirty brawl. There were crunching tackles and thumping headers, and there was a lot of time wasting that some considered to be unsportsman-like. Dalat had some great chances, but they flew just over the goal. Extra time loomed, and by then the whole team knew that Uplands were waiting out the minutes, hoping for a penalty shootout.

Courtesy of some solid defensive work and sluggish attacking play, they did just that. A nerve-wracking penalty shootout ensued with both teams scoring and missing penalties, and it was not to be. By the time both sides had taken their standard five penalties, Dalat had missed two and Uplands only one. The team was heartbroken watching their opponents run around in jubilee. Everyone knew that they had missed a big, big chance to win something this year, and the disappointment showed on everyone’s face.

 Jesse Lohman (12) summed the up the thoughts of the whole team in two words, “Highly disappointing.”

And it was. Dalat’s rival school, Uplands ended up winning both tournaments because though we drew on points, Spike and Strike was lost to Uplands on goal difference.