Sheridan men's soccer team defeated Vancouver Island University in penalty kicks in the CCAA national championship game after a dramatic back-and-forth match that ended in a tie. The game featured lead changes, controversial calls, and penalty kicks to decide the winner, with Sheridan goalkeeper Daniel Voci making a crucial save to secure the victory for his team. Sheridan player Raheem Edwards, who scored two goals and was named OCAA men's soccer rookie of the year, said the team's perseverance led to their unlikely championship win despite entering the tournament as the seventh seed.

1. Talk about a storybook ending.
Sheridan men’s soccer team
beat the Vancouver Island Uni-
versity (VIU) Mariners 5-4 in a
on Saturday that required pen-
alty kicks to decree the victor.
“It felt like a movie almost,
and the ending was perfect,”
said team captain David Velas-
-
a dream come true.”
Hundreds of people were on
hand for the rainy gold-medal
showdown, including Canadi-
an Men’s National Soccer head
coach Benito Floro, in what
was a gripping, back-and-forth
hands continuously.
“The turning point in the
game, for me, was when we
took the lead in the second half
when the ball came across and
we scored a tap-in. I thought
that really motivated our
kids,” said third-year head
coach Andrew Seuradge.
The aforementioned goal,
Khody Ellis, represented the
They maintained their lead all
the way to added time at the
end of regulation, only to have
their hearts broken when the
referee awarded a controver-
sial penalty kick to VIU in the
fourth minute of added time.
“I was so mad,” said
Seuradge. “But I kept it cool.”
He knew he had to maintain
his composure for his team’s
sake, and took comfort in the
fact that it was “only a tying
goal,” not a winning goal.
Extra time started with a
dose of emotion when Sheri-
dan’s Raheem Edwards scored
-
stead of celebrating with team-
mates, he immediately dashed
to the sidelines and embraced
his girlfriend with a kiss.
“When I scored, she was
about. So I went and told her I
loved her,” said Edwards, who
played a crucial role in nearly
every Bruins tally in the game.
The crowd was electric,
chanting: “This is our house”
to the beat of a snare drum.
It looked as if the win was
sealed for the host squad, but a
before the end of the match
hushed the Sheridan faithful,
and sentenced the game to be
won in penalty kicks.
shooters converted from the
spot, until VIU’s sixth shooter
missed wide to the left, past
sprawling Bruins goalkeeper
and tournament MVP, Daniel
Voci. The second-year tender
came into the competition after
an injury to the starting goalie,
Patryk Zapotoczny. Amazing-
ly, Voci had only three league
games of experience under his
belt.
“I knew I’d be ready if the
time came,” said Voci, whose
athletic ability and acrobat-
ics were on display the entire
tournament.
“When it did, I knew I would
be able to handle it just like any
other game.”
Cue Chris Di Vizio-Mendes,
Sheridan’s sixth shooter, who
had the game in his hands – or
at his foot, rather.
After a deep breath and a de-
termined glare in his eyes, he
nylon of the net and cemented
Sheridan’s place in CCAA his-
tory.
Their journey across the cold,
wet, arduous path that was
this year’s national champion-
seventh out of eight teams
seeded in the tournament. But
the group’s spirit was not de-
terred as they approached the
“People doubted us, but we
kept pushing,” said Edwards,
who won OCAA men’s soccer
rookie of the year this year.
“What you learn from this
is to never give up. Keep go-
ing for your goals because you
never know what could hap-
pen.”
Sports
he’s the Keeper of the Cup.
Sheridan graduate Phil Pritchard
started as a student at Sheridan, ending
up as the vice president of the resources
centre at the Hockey Hall of Fame.
But he’s probably best known as the
guy with the white gloves who travels
everywhere with the Stanley Cup.
“I’m on the road a lot. Travelling is
awesome but the hotel life is awful,”
said Pritchard. “But I wouldn’t trade it
for anything. I go all around the world.”
Many nations emulate Canada and
its love for hockey, he said. “It’s the best
On Nov. 20, the Hockey Hall of Fame
-
ing a night of hockey at the D.K. Sea-
man Hockey Resource Centre in down-
town Toronto.
Jennifer Clarke, manager of alum-
ni at Sheridan, encourages Sheridan
graduates and students to go and hear
Pritchard’s story.
“[The event] is primarily for alum-
ni, but current students are more than
welcome,” Clarke said. “It’s an inspi-
ration to know someone like Pritchard
and know what he did and how he
achieved it.”
access to Hockey Hall of Fame archives,
with a presentation by Pritchard about
his travels and what it is like being the
Keeper of the Cup.
“You’ll be able to see a lot of memo-
rabilia and collectibles that are usually
behind glass,” Clarke said.
Together the guests and Pritchard
will watch the Toronto Maple Leafs
take on the Tampa Bay Lightning, in a
private room at the centre.
The Keeper of the Cup is looking for-
ward to meeting Sheridan students and
believes it will be a great night.
“Basically, it’s an evening of hockey
with Sheridan grads. It will be a great
social atmosphere.”
Pritchard originally studied ac-
counting at Sheridan, which led him to
specialize in sports administration at
Durham College.
“I got an internship at Ontario Hock-
ey League, where I worked at the Hock-
ey Hall of Fame,” said Prichard.
“I think it is important for [Sheridan
students] to know I wasn’t 100 per cent
sure what I wanted to do in life. My
Sheridan experience led me to where
I belonged. Just remember not to close
any doors, you’ll never know where
you will be.”
2 / Nov. 13 - Nov. 19, 2014 @TheSheridanSun
DANA BOYINGTON
SPENCER LUYBEN
Meet the guy with the white gloves and the Cup
‘Never give up’ says men’s soccer rookie of the year
photographbyadamjohnstonphotographbygregdean
Raheem Edwards, who scored two goals in the
game, decided to celebrate one of them with his
girlfriend on the sidelines.
The Bruins, who entered the tournament as the
seventh-seeded team, managed to kick aside
the competition with a stellar performance.
The Keeper of the Cup says
he wouldn’t trade his job for
anything in the world.
photographbysamtaskie